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) with Hebrew inscription "To the Trumpeting Place" excavated by B. Mazar at the southern foot of the Temple Mount is believed to be a part of the Second Temple.]] The Second Temple was the reconstructed Temple In Jerusalem which stood between 515 BCE and 70 CE . During this time, it was the center of Jewish worship, which focused on the sacrifices known as the '' Korbanot ''. Solomon's Temple , also known as the First Temple, was destroyed in 586 BCE when the Jew s were Exile d into the Babylonian Captivity . The Romans Destroyed Jerusalem and its Second Temple circa 70 CE, ending the Great Jewish Revolt that began in 66 CE. NATION REORGANIZED After the return from captivity, under Zerubbabel and the high priest Jeshua , arrangements were almost immediately made to reorganize the desolated Kingdom Of Judah after its demise seventy years earlier. The body of pilgrims, forming a band of 42,360 including children, having completed the long and dreary journey of some four months, from the banks of the Euphrates to Jerusalem , were animated in all their proceedings by a strong religious impulse, and therefore one of their first concerns was to restore their ancient house of worship by rebuilding their destroyed temple and reinstituting the sacrificial rituals known as the ''korbanot'' ("sacrifices" in Hebrew ). On the invitation of Zerubbabel, the governor, who showed them a remarkable example of liberality by contributing personally 1,000 golden darics, besides other gifts, the people poured their gifts into the sacred treasury with great enthusiasm ( 4:10). Samaritans offer The and Susa, with the result that the work was suspended. Monarchs Seven years after this and Zechariah . It was ready for consecration in the spring of 515 BCE , more than twenty years after the return from captivity. MISSING ARTICLES inscription from Herod's Temple , late 1st century BCE. It warns Gentiles to refrain from entering the Temple enclosure, on pain of death.]] This second temple was missing the Ark Of The Covenant , the Urim And Thummim , the holy oil, the sacred fire, the Ten Commandments , the pot of Manna , and Aaron's Rod . As in the Tabernacle , there was in it only one Golden Lamp for the holy place, one table of showbread, and the incense altar, with golden censers, and many of the vessels of gold that had belonged to Solomon's Temple that had been carried to Babylon but restored by Cyrus (Ezra 1:7-11). This second temple also differed from the first in that, while in the latter there were numerous "trees planted in the courts of the Lord," there were none in the former. The second temple also had for the first time a space, being a part of the outer court, provided for Proselytes who were worshippers of God, although not subject to the laws of Judaism. COMPLETION The temple, when completed, was consecrated and the sacrificial observances known as the '' Korbanot '' were commenced once again, amid great rejoicings on the part of all the people (Ezra 6:16), although it was evident that the Jews were no longer an independent people, but were subject to a foreign power. The Book of Haggai records a prediction (2:9) that the glory of the second temple would be greater than that of the first. This temple, during the different periods of its existence, is often regarded by believers as but one house, the one only house of God. RENOVATION UNDER HEROD Around 19 BCE, Herod The Great began a massive renovation and expansion of the Second Temple. The resulting structure is sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple . DESTRUCTION In 66 CE, the Jewish population rebelled against the Roman Empire. Four years later, in 70 CE, Roman legions under Titus Reconquered And Subsequently Destroyed all of Jerusalem, including the Second Temple. SEE ALSO |