The Temple and Its Destruction

1 Furthermore, I will also tell you concerning the temple: how these unfortunate people, being led astray, put their trust in the building instead of in their God who made them, as though it were truly God’s house. 2 For, almost like the Gentiles, they treated Him as if consecrated in the temple. But what does the Lord say, annulling the temple? Learn this: ‘Who has measured the sky with a span or the earth with his hand? Haven’t I?’ says the Lord. ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is the footstool under My feet. What house will you build for Me, or what will be My resting place?’ You see that their hope is in vain. 3 Furthermore, He says again: ‘Look, those who tore down this temple will themselves build it.’ 4 So it happens; for since they went to war, it was torn down by their enemies. And now even the servants of their enemies will rebuild it. 5 Again, it was revealed how the city and the temple and the people of Israel would be handed over. For Scripture says: ‘And it will come to pass in the last days that the Lord will hand over the sheep of His pasture, and the fold, and their tower, to destruction.’ And it happened as the Lord said.⁠a

The Community as a Temple

6 But let us ask whether there is any temple of God. Yes, there is—the place where He Himself undertakes to make and complete it. For it is written: ‘And it will come to pass, when the week is being completed, the temple of God will be built gloriously in the name of the Lord.’⁠b 7 Then I find that there is a temple. How then will it be built in the name of the Lord? Understand: Before we believed in God, the dwelling place of our heart was corrupt and weak, truly a temple built by hands, because it was full of idolatry and was a house of demons, since we did whatever was contrary to God. 8 But it will be built in the name of the Lord. Take care, then, that the temple of the Lord may be built gloriously. 9 How? Understand: By receiving the forgiveness of our sins and placing our hope in the Name, we became new, created anew from the beginning. For this reason, God truly dwells in our habitation within us. How? The word of His faith, the calling of His promise, the wisdom of His ordinances, and the commands of His teaching—He Himself prophesying in us, He Himself dwelling in us—opening for us, who had been enslaved to death, the door of the temple (which is the mouth), and granting us repentance, leads us into the everlasting temple. 10 For the one who wants to be saved does not look to the human being but to Him who dwells and speaks in that person, amazed at this: that he has never heard these words from the mouth of the speaker nor ever desired to hear them. This is the spiritual temple built for the Lord.