Recap Rebuilding The Altar

In the second year of King Darius, the prophet Haggai urged the Jews to erect the Second Temple (Haggai 1:7-8). The Temple was completed about 515 BCE. Scripture states (Ezra 6:15).

What happened to the first Temple?
a.The First Temple in Jerusalem, also known as Solomon's Temple, was destroyed in 586 BCE. This event occurred when the Babylonian Empire, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, invaded the Kingdom of Judah and besieged Jerusalem.
b.Destruction of the First Temple and exile of the Jewish people

Challenges faced during the reconstruction of the Second Temple:
i. Opposition from Neighboring Communities - Society
ii. Limited Resources – Time, Money and People
iii. Disagreements and Divisions – A divided kingdom cannot stand
iv. Lack of Unity – The church needs to be unified to complete our mission.
v. Theological & Spiritual Dilemmas
vi. Political Uncertainty

The Temple is a representation of the Church.
Ekklesia - Greek word defined as “a called-out assembly or congregation.” Origins – “gathering of those summoned.”

Jesus told Peter that because he recognized Christ for who He truly was, He was build His church on Peter.

We are the body of Christ – not just a group of individuals.

Many members but one body!

Parallels to the Church Today
a.Divisions in the church (Lack of Unity)
b.Opposition from the world (Political Oppositions)
c.Theological & Spiritual Dilemmas
d.Limited Resources

Overcoming Challenges
a.Praying for one another, alone and in congregation
b.Standing on God’s Word over the opinions of the World
c.Understanding that we all have opinions, but the Word of God IS the authority.
d.Pooling our resources as God blesses us individually.

Faith and Perseverance in the Rebuilding Process
a.This is going to take time.
b.We have to work at unity.

Staying on the altar
i. The power of prayer and a true spiritual connection

The Impact of a unified Rebuild Church
a.The Second Temple marked a pivotal moment of return for the Jewish people after the Babylonian exile, as they rebuilt their sacred place of worship and revived their religious identity in their homeland.

b.The temple, just like the church will become a symbol of hope and national unity, fostering a deep spiritual connection between God’s people and their faith.