"Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known -- wood and stone. And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul..." (Deuteronomy 28:64-65)
Yesterday in Ezekiel 37:11-14 we see how the God world restored His covenant people back into their own land from among those nations, they were scattered as mentioned, in (Deuteronomy 28:64-65).
He uses the figure of graves opening and His people coming forth in (a national resurrection).
During the Babylonian captivity, Daniel prayed, confessing that Israel and Judah had deserved what had happened to them. He asked the Lord to turn His anger from Jerusalem and once again allow His face to shine on the sanctuary, for His own name's sake (Daniel 9). Daniel understood from Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10) that the Babylonian captivity would be 70 years (Daniel 9:2). In response to his prayer, it is revealed to him that another seventy, this time seventy "sevens" were determined, "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Daniel 9:24).
Jeremiah 16:10-15 says that the reason for Israel's great calamity was that they continued to serve idols. God did restore Israel to the land after their time in Babylon captivity was up. In 538 BCE after the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great, who gave the Jews permission to return to Judea to rebuild the Second Temple.
The second Temple was built on the ruins of Solomon's Temple on the Temple mount. A very incomplete description of the plan of the structure built under the direction of Zerubbabel is found in a copy of the original decree by Cyrus (Ezra 6:3-4; 1 Esdras 6:24-25; see Ant. 11.4.6; 99).
In 20-19 BCE, in the eighteenth or the seventeenth year of his reign, Herod announced that he planned to renovate the Temple (Ant. 15.11.1-2; 380-90 = War 1.21.1; 401). Actually, it seems that what he intended was its dismantling and complete reconstruction, so that one could call it a new Temple; some feared that Herod would pull down the old structures but would not be able to rebuild them (Ant. 15. 388-89).
Josephus records Herod's speech to the people on the eve of his massive renovation project."I think I need not speak to you, my countrymen, about such other works as I have done since I came to the kingdom, although I may say they have been performed in such a manner as to bring more security to you than glory to myself; for I have neither been negligent in the most difficult times about what tended to ease your necessities, nor have the buildings. I have made been so proper to preserve me as yourselves from injuries; and I imagine that, with God's assistance, I have advanced the nation of the Jews to a degree of happiness which they never had before; and for the particular edifices belonging to your own country, and your own cities, as also to those cities that we have lately acquired, which we have erected and greatly adorned, and thereby augmented the dignity of your nation, it seems to me a needless task to enumerate them to you, since you well know them yourselves; but as to that undertaking which I have a mind to set about at present, and which will be a work of the greatest piety and excellence that can possibly be undertaken by us, I will now declare it to you. Our fathers, indeed, when they were returned from Babylon, built this temple to God Almighty, yet does it want sixty cubits of its largeness in altitude; for so much did that first temple which Solomon built exceed this temple; nor let any one condemn our fathers for their negligence or want of piety herein, for it was not their fault that the temple was no higher; for they were Cyrus, and Darius the son of Hystaspes, who determined the measures for its rebuilding; and it hath been by reason of the subjection of those fathers of ours to them and to their posterity, and after them to the Macedonians, that they had not the opportunity to follow the original model of this pious edifice, nor could raise it to its ancient altitude; but since I am now, by God's will, your governor, and I have had peace a long time, and have gained great riches and large revenues, and, what is the principal filing of all, I am at amity with and well regarded by the Romans, who, if I may so say, are the rulers of the whole world, I will do my endeavor to correct that imperfection, which hath arisen from the necessity of our affairs, and the slavery we have been under formerly, and to make a thankful return, after the most pious manner, to God, for what blessings I have received from him, by giving me this kingdom, and that by rendering his temple as complete as I am able."
In preparation to execute his building project, Herod acquired a thousand wagons (with oxen) to transport the stones from the quarry to the building site, hired 10,000 skilled workmen and trained 1,000 priests as masons and carpenters, for only priests could build the Temple proper (Ant. 15.11.2; 389-90). The huge blocks of stone were fit into place by means of ramps and pulleys (M. ben-Dov, In the Shadow of the Temple, 84). Herod's Temple was under construction from c. 20/19 BCE until 63, just before its destruction by the Romans, but most of the work was completed earlier rather than later. Josephus says that the Temple proper (ho naos) was completed after a year and a half, whereas the construction of the stoa and the outer courts took eight years (Ant. 15.11.5-6; 420-21). The rest of the time was spent finishing the task. He also claims that during the time the Temple proper (ho naos) was under construction, no rain fell during the day, but only at night, so as not to hinder progress (Ant. 15.11.7; 425). The Roman historian Tacitus describes the Temple as "possessing enormous riches," which is credible since the Jews only had one Temple (Histories 5.8.1).
Paul tells us that Christ is the substance of all the shadows that were under the Old Covenant. Colossians 2:17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. The earthly tabernacle that was under the Old Covenant the law was a type and a copy of the heavenly tabernacle not made with hands. Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
The concept of Christ as the substance of all the types and shadows that were under the law runs throughout the Bible. The PRIESTHOOD Hebrews. 7:11-21. The SACRIFICES Hebrews 9: 8-9; 26,
The THRONE 1 Kings 2:12; and JERUSALEM Matthew 23:37. Jerusalem is the throne of the LORD; Jeremiah 3: 16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
The SEED Gen. 17:7. Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to “thy seed, which is Christ.” ISRAEL Isaac had two sons Esau and Jacob. The birthright of Isaac was passed to Jacob (Gen. 25:24-33). Jacob's name was changed to Israel, (Gen. 35:10). Thus, all the sons that Israel (Jacob) became known as the "sons of Israel," and the resulting nation became the nation of Israel.
Jesus and Jesus alone lived up to the definition of the name "Israel," Matthew 2:14-15 When he arose, he took THE YOUNG CHILD and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, OUT OF EGYPT HAVE I CALLED MY SON.
Hosea 11:1 WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, then I loved him, and CALLED MY SON OUT OF EGYPT. Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, ISRAEL IS MY SON, EVEN MY FIRSTBORN: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Isaiah 49:3 O Israel: As the name of David is sometimes given to his successors, THE NAME OF ISRAEL MAY NOT BE GIVEN TO CHRIST, only because he descended from his loins; but also because HE WAS THE TRUE AND THE GREAT ISRAEL, of whom Jacob, who was first called Israel, but was a type.
O Israel: A NAME OF CHRIST, AND WHICH PROPERLY BELONGS TO HIM, being the antitype of Jacob or Israel; the Head and REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL who was of Israel according to the flesh.
CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, BY VIRTUE OF THE UNION BETWEEN JEWS AND GENTILES HAVE THE SAME NAMES; as she is sometimes called; THE ISRAEL OF GOD. Galatians 6:15-16 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Jesus is also the LAND Gen. 13:14, 15, Gen. 15:18. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
