Answers about temple

What is the significance of the area between the porch and the altar as discussed in Joel as the place where ministers should weep?

Joel 2:17  Let the priests, those who serve the LORD, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O LORD, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the [...]

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Where does God dwell?

We cannot be sure about the physical characteristics of God, so when we talk about God dwelling somewhere, it is probably not in the same sense as people dwell.  Jesus tells us in John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. Jesus is in heaven at the [...]

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What happened to the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the artifacts of the holy place and the holy of holies?

The tabernacle was constructed in about 1444BC, while the people of Israel were in the wilderness after escaping from Egypt. When they entered the promised land under Joshua, the tabernacle was located at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19). Later it was moved to Shiloh (Joshua 18:1-10). By about 1000BC it had moved to Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39). After [...]

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Do you have any information about the red heifers that are in Israel today?

According to Numbers 19:2, “a red heifer without defect” was required for the ritual of purification. An organisation called The Temple Institute is committed to searching for a red heifer without blemish as part of its preparations for the construction of a new temple in Jerusalem. The Temple Institute previously claimed in 1997 and again [...]

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Did Jesus participate in sacrifices at the Temple?

When Jesus was a baby, sacrifices were offered as part of his consecration (see Luke 2:22-24). We also know that Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover time (see How many times did Jesus attend the Passover celebration?). Part of the Passover festival involved sacrifice at the temple (Deuteronomy 16:5-7). Then he went to the Feast [...]

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Is there any biblical reference to the rebuilding of the third temple?

The first temple was the one built by Solomon (1 Kings 6:1) beginning in 966 BC. The second temple was built by Zerubbabel (Ezra 5:2), beginning in 530BC. Although Herod rebuilt the temple just before Jesus was born, his temple is still called the “second temple”. The third temple is the one to come. Some people [...]

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Was Galilee not part of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) destroyed by the Assyrians? If so, why were Galileans not stigmatized to the same degree as Samaritans?

The region of Galilee is in Northern Palestine, and thus would have formed part of the Kingdom of Israel. The Israelite population of Galilee was deported by the Assyrians (cf. 2 Kings 15:29). This region would have been repopulated by Gentiles from other parts of the Assyrian empire (like the Samaritans). Under the Maccabees this region [...]

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Was music required or allowed in the temple?

The full question was At one time no instruments were allowed to play in the temple or the inner court…when were the instruments allowed back in the temple? I cannot find any record of instruments not being allowed to be played in the temple, except that it was sometimes closed, or in disuse, or even [...]

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Is Mt Moriah the same as Mt Calvary?

Mt Moriah is the mountain on which Solomon’s temple was built (2 Chronicles 3:1) and so is the hill now called the “Temple mount” in Jerusalem. It is also associated with where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22:2). At the time of Jesus’ death, it was occupied by Herod’s enormous temple. Calvary is mentioned in some Bible [...]

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Why would God let sparrows build a house in his altar?

The question is about Psalm 84:3: Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. First, “at” is not “in”, and even if the verse said “in”, this does not mean “located inside [...]

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