Around 960 years before Christ appeared on the earth, King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple. In the 6th century B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and its Temple fell in 586 B.C. In 539, King Cyrus of the Medo-Persian kingdom captured Babylon and permitted the Jews to rebuild their temple. It was completed in 516 B.C. The call to rebuild Jerusalem rang out in 457 and 444 B.C. and Jerusalem was restored. Seventy sevens less seven years later, according to the book of Daniel (9:24-27), the “anointed one” would be “cut off.” This occurred as predicted in 33 A.D. when Jesus was crucified. As Isaiah 53 predicted, the suffering servant was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. His hands and feet were pierced (Psalm 22), but after that, he would see the light (Isaiah 53:11). He appeared in the Temple multiple times during his ministry, just as prophesied in Malachi 3:1. And as Jesus predicted in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, the 2nd Temple was destroyed soon after his resurrection. The Romans destroyed the 2nd Temple in 70 A.D.
The Temple Mount is considered holy by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. But contrary to the expectations of some, a 3rd Jewish Temple will never be built – not because the Muslims erected the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque on top of the sacred Temple Mount around 692 A.D., but because God has made it clear. The stones have cried out in a multitude of earthquakes.
33 A.D. Earthquake at dead sea basin with damage to the Temple: Jesus’ crucifixion
Matthew 27:45 “From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:50-52: “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!”
363 Emperor Julian the Apostate tried and failed to rebuild the Jewish Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
“Numerous reports, both pagan and Christian, attribute the work stoppage to a fire and, perhaps, an earthquake. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus reported that “terrifying balls of flame kept bursting forth near the foundations of the Temple,” burning some of the workers to death and putting a stop to the enterprise. (Ammianus Marcellinus, 23.1,3) Gregory of Nazianzus wrote of “a furious blast of wind” and “a flame [that] issued forth from the sacred place.” (Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio V contra Julianum, 4) Ephraem (Ephraem of Syria, Hymni contra Julianum 1.16 and 2.7. 13) noted that there were winds, earthquakes and lightning, and that a “fire came forth.” (Brodd, 1995).
“The emperor having ordered that the expenses of this structure should be defrayed out of the public treasury, all things were soon provided, such as timber and stone, burnt brick, clay, lime, and all other materials. necessary for building. On this occasion Cyril bishop of Jerusalem, called to mind the prophecy of Daniel, which Christ also in the holy gospels has confirmed, and predicted in the presence of many persons, that the time had indeed come ‘in which one stone should not be left upon another in that temple,’ but that the Saviour’s prophetic declaration should have its full accomplishment. Such were the bishop’s words: and on the night following, a mighty earthquake tore up the stones of the old foundations of the temple and dispersed them all together with the adjacent edifices. Terror consequently possessed the Jews on account of the event; and the report of it brought many to the spot who resided at a great distance: when therefore a vast multitude was assembled, another prodigy took place. Fire came down from heaven and consumed all the builders’ tools: so that the flames were seen preying upon mallets, irons to smooth and polish stones, saws, hatchets, adzes, in short all the various implements which the workmen had procured as necessary for the undertaking; and the fire continued burning among these for a whole day. The Jews indeed were in the greatest possible alarm, and unwillingly confessed Christ, calling him God: yet they did not do his will; but influenced by inveterate prepossessions they still clung to Judaism. Even a third miracle which afterwards happened failed to lead them to a belief of the truth. For the next night luminous impressions of a cross appeared imprinted on their garments, which at daybreak they in vain attempted to rub or wash out. They were therefore ‘blinded’ as the apostle says, and cast away the good which they had in their hands: and thus was the temple, instead of being rebuilt, at that time wholly overthrown.” (Socrates Scholasticus, 439)
Around 692, Muslims construct the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount
710: Earthquake damages al-Aqsa Mosque
749: Earthquake causes “severe damage” to al-Aqsa Mosque
756-780: Two earthquakes cause “much damage to the Temple area”
808: Earthquake causes “great damage” to al-Aqsa Mosque
859: Earthquake causes “some damage” to the Temple area
1016: Earthquake causes “collapse of the cupola of the Dome of the Rock.”
1033/1034: Earthquake causes damage to the Temple area and many churches.
1546: Earthquake causes cupola of the Dome of the Rock to collapse
1837: Earthquake damages the Temple area
1927: Earthquake causes major damages and a collapse at the al-Aqsa Mosque Photo from Israel Antiquities Authority Archives after 1927 c
Major earthquakes tend to occur in the region surrounding Jerusalem every 80 years. We’re long overdue. As we close, consider the other reason why the 3rd Temple will never be rebuilt. We’re all called to worship Jesus who built his church on the rock of St. Peter – and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it (Matthew 16). Thank you for your time.
SJ Thomason is a Christian author, wife, mom, and college administrator. If you would like to see the YouTube version of this blog, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/6HK3jhPG_Xo
Sources:
Amiran, D.H.K., Arieh, E., Turcotte, T. (1994). Earthquakes in Israel and Adjacent Areas: Macroseismic Observations since 100 B.C.E. Israel Exploration Journal, 44, No. ¾, 260-305. Primary source for earthquake damage to Temple and Mosques.
Brodd, J. (1995). Julian the apostate and his plan to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple. Center for Online Judaic Studies. https://cojs.org/julian-the-apostate-plan-to-rebuild-temple/?utm_
Kagan, E., Stein, M., Agnon, A. and Neumann, F. (2011). Intrabasin paleoearthquake and quiescence correlation of the late Holocene Dead Sea, Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, B04311.
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