The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / THE TEMPLE

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 258 of 365 THE TEMPLE The first half of the first chapter of Lamentations describes the destruction of Jerusalem from the point of view of someone directly observing what had happened. The prophet Jeremiah shows, with extensive poetic language, how Jerusalem's sins have caused it to be completely desolated. Verse 10 shifts from the view of objective observer and makes the destruction of the city more personal for readers. By referring to "your assembly," Jeremiah pointed out that the pagan enemy has not just entered into any building. The assembly, or the temple, was a house of worship and a very important building for the people of Jerusalem to communicate with God. The author was saying it is not simply a building, it is yourbuilding, and furthermore it is a representation of one's relationship with God. However, once Jesus arrived, the whole meaning and imagery of the temple changed. In John 2:19, Jesus said that he was going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. What Jesus was saying is that he is now the temple, and with his crucifixion, the temple (his body) would be destroyed only to rise again (or be rebuilt) in three days. While the temple was the way God's people used to communicate with God, Jesus is the way Christians communicate with God today. Jesus, I praise you because God can hear my praises. I praise you because God can hear my requests. I praise you because God can see my repentance. Amen. Lamentations 1:1-10 NASB 1 How lonely sits the city That was full of people! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces Has become a forced laborer! 2 She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies. 3 Judah has gone into exile under affliction And under harsh servitude; She dwells among the nations, But she has found no rest; All her pursuers have overtaken her In the midst of distress. 4 The roads of Zion are in mourning Because no one comes to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests are groaning, Her virgins are afflicted, And she herself is bitter. 5 Her adversaries have become her masters, Her enemies prosper; For the L ord has caused her grief Because of the multitude of her transgressions; Her little ones have gone away As captives before the adversary. 6 All her majesty Has departed from the daughter of Zion; Her princes have become like deer That have found no pasture; And they have fled without strength Before the pursuer. 7 In the days of her affliction and homelessness Jerusalem remembers all her precious things That were from the days of old, When her people fell into the hand of the adversary And no one helped her. The adversaries saw her, They mocked at her ruin. 8 Jerusalem sinned greatly, Therefore she has become an unclean thing. All who honored her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness; Even she herself groans and turns away. John 2:19 NASB 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."