Seeds For Thinking

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* Scared Speechless
* Scripture: "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the alter of incense."
Luke 1: 11, NKJV

Few things get your attention as much as someone suddenly appearing beside you when you think you are alone. Talk about an adrenaline spike! Blood pressure probably goes out the top, too. The effect is all the more heightened if you are the only person supposed to be there, such as a night watchman in a locked building. Or a priest serving in the temple at Jerusalem.
Most of the activity that we read about involving the temple in The New Testament took place in a large, open courtyard surrounding the sacred enclosure. This area was open to all, and was called the Court of the Gentiles.
The temple was enclosed with walls defining the Women's Court and the Court of Israel, or Men's Court. The great altar and vessels holding water for the rituals of washing and sacrifice were located in the Court of Priests, at the eastern end of the temple.
The temple proper contained two rooms. The first room, the Holy Place, contained a golden alter for burning incense, a table for showbread, and a lampstand.
It was separated from the Holy of Holies by a veil. It was this veil, dividing the two rooms, that was torn on the day of Christ's crucifixion.
The Holy of Holies was entered only by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, and then only after purification rituals. Still, it must have been an awe inspiring moment for any priest to stand just outside that curtain, knowing that you were representing the entire nation of Israel before the Lord.
Imagine for a moment that you are a priest, and you have finally been chosen by lot to burn incense in the Holy Place. It is possibly a once in a lifetime event for any priest. You arrive at the temple complex, ascending the steps leading to the great court. The temple rises above you, gleaming golden and shining white in the sunlight. You make your way through the throng, conspicuous in your white linen garments and cap. You enter the court of Israel through one of the six sanctuary gates, and proceed to the great altar in the Court of the Priests.
The familiar rituals of preparation and cleansing seem extra special today. This is where you have spent much of your life, serving God and the Nation of Israel, praying, praising, accepting offerings, and ministering in the ritual of sacrifice. Today is different, though, for you will walk up those twelve steps, beneath the portico, and through those enormous, golden doors.
The sound of the multitudes praying in the outer courts behind you recedes as you enter the Holy Place. The curtain veiling the Holy of Holies hangs before you, but you can go no farther.
You are alone, in the presence of God.
The smoke from the burning incense rises slowly in the still air, carrying the prayers of priest and people.
People! You have heard no one enter; no one else is permitted to so much as ascend those steps leading to the only door, but a man is standing there by the altar of incense! In the presence of God, in this Holy Place. . .
Scared speechless? Well, fearful and trembling, anyway. Actually, a holy visitor in this holiest of places announces the beginning of a new age, the coming of the Christ, the Messiah, and you, Zacharias, will be the father of one who will make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Elizabeth, your long-barren wife, will bear you a son, John, the Forerunner of Christ. He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
The angel Gabriel not only delivers these glad tidings, but also takes away your power of speech. You will not be able to speak until the day these things take place.
Centuries have passed since God spoke through the prophets. But now:
"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people."
Luke 1:68, NKJV

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Scripture: “His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said to them, ‘ Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’” (Matthew 24:1b-2, NKJV)

You will not find Josephus mentioned in the scriptures, but you will find biblical era accounts in his writings. A contemporary of the Apostles in the 1st century, A.D., Josephus was an eyewitness to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. Also known as Titus Flavius Josephus, he fought the Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War as a Jewish military leader in Galilee. Josephus and one of his soldiers then surrendered to the Roman forces and became prisoners. According to Josephus's own account, he appears to have played a role as a negotiator with the defenders during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
As Josephus relates:
“(Wars, Book 5.) So Titus retired into the tower of Antonia, and resolved to storm the temple the next day, early in the morning, with his whole army, and to encamp round about the holy house. But as for that house, God had, for certain, long ago doomed it to the fire; and now that fatal day was come, according to the revolution of ages; it was the tenth day of the month Lous, [Ab,] upon which it was formerly burnt by the king of Babylon;”
The Roman commander, Titus, also called “Caesar”, attempted to prevent the destruction of the temple. The original temple was built by King Solomon (1 Kings 6:1) “And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it. (1 Kings 6:38)
“Solomon’s” temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. “Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.” (2 Kings 25:8, 9)
Cyrus, king of Persia (539-530 B.C.) permitted Jews to rebuild temple. First, the altar was built, then the temple foundation laid, 536 B.C. (Ezra 3:1-4:5) The temple was finished, 515 B.C. Ezra 6:15-22 tells of the dedication of this second temple. However this Temple was without the Ark of the Covenant. A seven branched Menorah stood in the Holy place instead of the ten lamp stands in Solomon's Temple.
In 175 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes, angered at the Jews for some insult they had given him, defied the high priests in Jerusalem and entered into the sacred temple, erected a pagan altar in the temple and offered upon it a pig in sacrifice, an unclean animal. He defiled the whole sanctuary. Then, as a final insult, he erected a statue of Jupiter in the holy place. (The Book of 1 Maccabees)
In 168 B.C., the Jewish war of independence, also known as the Maccabbean revolt, broke out in Israel. Jerusalem was taken and the temple was cleansed and rededicated in 165 B.C. The rededication of the temple is celebrated to this day by the Jews as the Feast of Lights, or Hanukkah, which falls in December.
Nearly 600 years after the Second Temple had been dedicated, king Herod determined to impart the splendor of Solomon's Temple to the existing building. He began the work in 19 or 20 B.C.; (see John 2:20). The workers continued improvements there for many years, to 64 A.D., just four years before it was to be destroyed by Titus. Herod's work more than doubled the size of the Temple building and the Temple Mount itself was greatly expanded to a plaza area measuring about 2,575 by 985 feet, with eight gates. Josephus has much to say about Herod and his building program. (Antiq. 15:38-425; Wars,5:5) It was this enlarged temple area that prompted Jesus to say, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’” (Matthew 24:1b-2, NKJV)
And so, as reported by Josephus:
7. . . . “whereby the flame burst out from within the holy house itself immediately, when the commanders retired, and Caesar with them, and when nobody any longer forbade those that were without to set fire to it. And thus was the holy house burnt down, without Caesar's approbation.” (Wars, 4:7)

Reference: The complete works of the Jewish historian, Josephus; In the public domain and may be freely used and distributed. On-line @
http://www.biblestudytools.com/history/flavius-josephus/

Seeds for Thinking (©) 1996 - 2010 by Leland Hubbell

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* Scared Speechless
* Scripture: "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the alter of incense."
Luke 1: 11, NKJV

Few things get your attention as much as someone suddenly appearing beside you when you think you are alone. Talk about an adrenaline spike! Blood pressure probably goes out the top, too. The effect is all the more heightened if you are the only person supposed to be there, such as a night watchman in a locked building. Or a priest serving in the temple at Jerusalem.
Most of the activity that we read about involving the temple in The New Testament took place in a large, open courtyard surrounding the sacred enclosure. This area was open to all, and was called the Court of the Gentiles.
The temple was enclosed with walls defining the Women's Court and the Court of Israel, or Men's Court. The great altar and vessels holding water for the rituals of washing and sacrifice were located in the Court of Priests, at the eastern end of the temple.
The temple proper contained two rooms. The first room, the Holy Place, contained a golden alter for burning incense, a table for showbread, and a lampstand.
It was separated from the Holy of Holies by a veil. It was this veil, dividing the two rooms, that was torn on the day of Christ's crucifixion.
The Holy of Holies was entered only by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, and then only after purification rituals. Still, it must have been an awe inspiring moment for any priest to stand just outside that curtain, knowing that you were representing the entire nation of Israel before the Lord.
Imagine for a moment that you are a priest, and you have finally been chosen by lot to burn incense in the Holy Place. It a possibly a once in a lifetime event for any priest. You arrive at the temple complex, ascending the steps leading to the great court. The temple rises above you, gleaming golden and shining white in the sunlight. You make your way through the throng, conspicuous in your white linen garments and cap. You enter the court of Israel through one of the six sanctuary gates, and proceed to the great altar in the Court of the Priests.
The familiar rituals of preparation and cleansing seem extra special today. This is where you have spent much of your life, serving God and the Nation of Israel, praying, praising, accepting offerings, and ministering in the ritual of sacrifice. Today is different, though, for you will walk up those twelve steps, beneath the portico, and through those enormous, golden doors.
The sound of the multitudes praying in the outer courts behind you recedes as you enter the Holy Place. The curtain veiling the Holy of Holies hangs before you, but you can go no farther.
You are alone, in the presence of God.
The smoke from the burning incense rises slowly in the still air, carrying the prayers of priest and people.
People! You have heard no one enter; no one else is permitted to so much as ascend those steps leading to the only door, but a man is standing there by the altar of incense! In the presence of God, in this Holy Place. . .
Scared speechless? Well, fearful and trembling, anyway. Actually, a holy visitor in this holiest of places announces the beginning of a new age, the coming of the Christ, the Messiah, and you, Zacharias, will be the father of one who will make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Elizabeth, your long-barren wife, will bear you a son, John, the Forerunner of Christ. He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
The angel Gabriel not only delivers these glad tidings, but also takes away your power of speech. You will not be able to speak until the day these things take place.
Centuries have passed since God spoke through the prophets. But now:
"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people."
Luke 1:68, NKJV
December 10, 2006

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19, NKJV)

Let’s begin by forming an image of a stool in your mind’s eye. What do you see? How many legs does your stool have? If you envision the dictionary definition of a stool, it will be a seat without a back or arms, typically resting on three or four legs or on a single pedestal.
Most single pedestal stools are fastened to the floor, such as you see at a lunch counter. It is otherwise hard to sit upon and balance a stool with only one support, not counting the other two legs supplied by the person sitting upon it. But it can be done.
Likewise, a two-legged stool also is rather unwieldy; who would want one? Easy to take a pratfall.
Three legs solve the problem of balance, and make for a freely movable seat. More legs, however, do not necessarily equal perfection. Consider what happens if one of four legs is a teeny tiny bit of a different length from the others, or the supporting surface is uneven. Wibble-wobble! A three legged stool is a member of the tripod family, much used by photographers and surveyors, among others, for stability.
So let’s take the idea of a three legged stool as a basis for a good, workable and adaptable support for, well, life. What else comes with three good supports?
Well, our ability to cope with the world around us depends upon knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Knowledge is like that stool. You see it, you know what it looks like, its shape, color, size. But what good is it if it just sits there, unused.
We can put that stool to use if we understand that we can sit on it, to rest our weary legs. That is what it is for.
Wisdom is sitting on it with the legs pointing down.
Jesus went into a desert place at the beginning of His ministry, where He was tempted by the devil. Satan offered the fasting and hungry Jesus a sandwich, which he refused, because it didn’t have pickles. You know this because I said so. You would be wise, however, to get the true story by checking it out at Matthew, chapter 4. Be sure that you understand the importance of verse 10. See how and why you need all three - knowledge, understanding, and wisdom?
Our temporal earthly body is somewhat like an engine. Engines require fuel to function. Mechanical engines may be gasoline, diesel, electric, or even steam powered. Knowledge that you must replenish the energy supply isn’t enough; a gasoline engine doesn’t do well on diesel, and that diesel engine will get a real bang out of gasoline. Do you understand this?
Wisdom says that you will use the right fuel, in the right amounts, for whatever engine.
Our bodies require fuel to function. Not only is it important what we eat, but also when we eat, and how much we run the ‘engine.’
Eating too little or too much is like sitting on a one legged stool. It is hard to keep a balance. Fad diets ignore this bit of wisdom. There are basically three things that happens to every bit of food we consume. It can be converted to energy to keep us going; it can be eliminated from the body; or it can be stored. Looking around, I can see that there is a whole lot of storage going on.
Some people just don’t want to think about making any changes in their lifestyle, whether it is a health issue in this world, or spiritual truths about God’s kingdom in the eternity to come. Another important tripod is a sound mind in a sound body, with the third leg being a well-nourished soul or spirit.
Paul suggests that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. However, that is only one Leg of what we call the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hopefully, our temple is supported by all three.
Sad. So many left ‘outside’ because they see, but do not perceive, and hear but do not understand - and lack the wisdom to change.
January 10, 2010

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Paul wrote, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16, NIV

Oh, what a day it must have been when the temple in Jerusalem was dedicated!
Musicians stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The singers joined in, singing, “He is good;
His love endures forever.”
(2 Corinthians 13)
More importantly, after the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant was placed in the Holy Place, the glory of the LORD filled the temple with a cloud.
King Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD, in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread his hands toward heaven, and said:
“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below - you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue whole-heartedly in your way.” (1 Kings 8:22-23) The king concluded his prayer with these words to the assembled people:
“But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” (1 Kings 8:61)
Unfortunately, as time passed, both the whole-hearted commitment to God, and the condition of the temple fell into disrepair. Israel turned from following the true God, and was conquered by Assyria. (2 Kings 17:1-23)
The people of Judah also followed “all the detestable practices of the nations - defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.” Ezekiel, in captivity in Babylon, again saw the glory of the LORD fill the temple, and a cloud fill the inner court. This time, however, there was no rejoicing. The glory of the LORD departed from the temple. (Ezekiel 10)
Eventually, the people returned to Judah and Jerusalem, and the temple was rebuilt; the completition and dedication of the second temple is recorded in Ezra 6:6-18. Neither the building nor the dedication was as spectacular as in Solomon’s day.
King Herod spent forty-six years rebuilding the temple into a massive edifice. This is the temple that Jesus visited. His disciples commented on the massive stones. Jesus prophesied that, “ Not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:1) The people worshiped with their mouths, but not with their hearts.
Today, the temple mount is occupied by the Muslim “Dome of the Rock,” the 3rd holiest site in Islam. Herod’s temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
As goes the relationship with God, so goes the temple. Take care that your personal temple is not thrown down by failing to “continue whole-heartedly in God’s way.”
Take time to read about the construction of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings chapters 6 - 9, and chapters 2 - 7 in 2 Chronicles.
November 16, 2003

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Scripture: In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. (Luke 1:5, NIV)

Mention the word “nativity” and most people will likely think of the Nativity of Jesus, the Christ Child. Actually, the word ‘nativity’ with a lower case ‘n’ is the occasion of a person’s birth - yours, mine, anyone’s. The first nativity mentioned in the gospel of Luke is that of Jesus’ relative and Forerunner, John, the Baptizer.
John was born into a priestly family, desendents of Aaron, the first priest. Both parents were “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. “ (Luke 1:6-7)
The scriptural recounting by Luke tells of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah while he was serving in the temple, the subsequent conception by Elizabeth, and the birth of John, one who would bear witness to The Light (The Christ) as the “voice of one crying in the wilderness.” (John 1:23)
It is easy to skip over one little detail mentioned in the scriptural text, that of the role of the priestly division of Abijah. It is one bit of knowledge that can add detail to the story of Zechariah’s service to the Lord.
1 Chronicles chapter 23 recounts a gathering of all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and Levites, at the time King David was turning the kingdom over to his son, Solomon. The Levites were to look after the work of the house of the LORD., as officers, judges, gatekeepers and musicians. They were desendents of Levi, but not of Aaron.
Chapter 24 recounts the divisions of the sons of Aaron. David knew that because there were so many descendents of Aaron by this time, the priests should be divided so they could fairly be assigned the privileged service of the temple. They were divided by lot into twenty-four divisions; Abijah was the eighth priestly division. Like the other divisions, the priests of Abijah served in the temple for one week twice a year.
Duties for the day were assigned by drawing lots, the first two including such duties as cleaning the altar and preparing its fires, offering the sacrifice and cleansing the candlestick and the altar of incense. Many rituals were observed throughout the service, including prayer.
After this a third lot was cast for burning the incense. To be so selected for this service was a great honor; No one might take part in it who had ministered in that office before. The officiating priest entered the Holy Place with assistants, who helped prepare the alter of incense, then left the chief officiating priest alone within the Holy Place, to await the signal of the president before burning the incense. It was probably at this time that the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah.
The people marveled that Zechariah took so long in the temple. If it had been the duty of Zechariah, as incensing priest for the day, to lead in the priestly blessing, we can all the better understand the wonder of the people as 'he beckoned to them, and remained speechless' (Luke 1:21-22) while they waited for his benediction.
The priests themselves lived not only in Jerusalem but also in other settlements in the land of Israel. When it was time for the division to go up to Jerusalem, the priests left their homes, went up to Jerusalem for a week, and afterwards returned to their homes in Judea or Galilee.
Luke notes that Elizabeth was related to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Lk. 1:36). The two nativity stories further intertwine when Mary visits Elizabeth. The babe (John) leaped in Elizabeth’s womb for joy upon hearing Mary’s greeting. (Luke 1:41) Mary spent three months with her at this very special time in their lives.

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Scripture: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?” Lam. 2:15b, NIV

Is there a city anywhere in the world that stirs the emotions of so many people who have never been there as much as does Jerusalem?
Jerusalem, the Holy Mountain. The ancient city of Melchizedek in the time of Abraham, and thought to be the location of Mt. Moriah, where Abraham went to offer up his son Isaac (Genesis 22:2). (Islam contends that the son was not Isaac, but Ishmael.)
Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the capital of David’s kingdom by divine appointment (I Kings 15:4).
Jerusalem, fortified by Solomon, location of the temple and center of worship to God for centuries. The chief Levites and High Priest lived in Jerusalem, Israelites directed their prayers there
(I Ch. 9:34; John 18:15; I Ki. 8:38).
Jerusalem, fought over, captured, destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly for four thousand years of recorded history. Major destruction occurred in the times of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and in the 1st century A.D. by the Romans.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing”, Jesus lamented (Matthew 23:37).
Jerusalem, who has known the peoples of the stone age, the bronze and iron ages, the Canaanites, the Israelites, Egyptians, Syrians, Babylonians. A battleground between the Testaments for Greek and Jew, Macedonian and Persian, Maccabee and Hasmonaean. The focal city of the New Testament, where the Jews, the Romans, and Jesus the Christ played key roles during three unforgettable days that forever changed the world. It is not as Jesus’ home town, or even as his birth place that we cherish Jerusalem, but as the location of His Passion, where he was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead.
Already holy to Jews and Christians scattered the world over, yet another people took control of Jerusalem, first the Arabs, and then the Turks, culminating in the building of The Dome of the Rock by the Muslims following the fall of the Roman Empire.
Jerusalem is fought over even today, the eye of the whirl-wind of the middle east.
There are many who say that we are in the latter days, that the outcome is ordained, and perhaps we shall soon see the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God (Rev. 3:12; 21:2).
Has Joel’s prophecy reached the time of fullness? “Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her” (Joel 3:17b) “Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt which I have not pardoned, I will pardon.”
The Lord dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:20,21)
February 9, 2003