Why Are We Missing 400 Years?

[Massorite]

anitarose...

I might point out, as the Chief has, that it was during the Maccabean period that the holiday called Hanukkah, or Feast of Dedication, was instituted. When the Jews rebuilt the Temple, they only found enough holy oil for one day. Since it takes 8 days to make up a batch, they wondered what they were going to do. It was God that provided that 1 day amount of oil and stretched it into 8 days, after which they had enough oil.

Hi Anitarose....just to clarify...From my understanding the temple was not really rebuilt during the Maccabean period, it was rather cleansed and re-dedicated..The actual second temple era began around 538 BCE with Ezra, and later the rebuilding of the walls as seen under the leadership of Nehemiah....the second temple period ended in 70CE.

Herod the Great completely rebuilt the temple later on beginning in 19BCE and ostensibly finishing in 4BCE...but construction went on apparently until 67CE...but that is still referred to as the second temple because sacrifices continued during its construction, and because Herod never claimed to be building something new...but rather enlarging and adorning what was already there...in reality it was the third temple...and what many Orthodox Jews are preparing for now is the fourth temple.

I believe you are correct, Botz. But there were certain parts of the Temple in the Maccabean period that wasn't completely rebuilt. Ezra and Nehemiah just rebuilt walls.

Herod did rebuild the Temple, and according to Jewish history and tradition Herod's temple was considered the Second Temple. There is a movement right now to restore the Third Temple, and I know someone who is deeply involved in restoring all the items that were in the Temple to prepare for the rebuilding. I have seen and heard Reuven Prager and some of the things he's been working on, and it's amazing. I can't wait to see what's going to happen!!!

a.

Not to labour the point Anitarose...Ezra and Nehemiah did not just rebuild the walls of Jerusalem...Ezra established the rebuilding of the Temple, and Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of the city walls and the gates, and to some extent the city of Jerusalem itself. This was the second temple era which also incorporated Herods later monumental recontruction as I have already mentioned.

It is important to try and get our historical facts right if we are going to present them for others to read.

Ezra1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

2

[Botz]

Good on yer Massorite.

Hmmm regarding the stirring of the little hornets nest that gets some bros and sis' hot under the collar, maybe as some of us do not refer to the L-rd as Christ we should call it BM for before Messiah/Moshiach, and PR for post ressurection, but I dare say that too would some how in some way be offensive to some brethren.

[nebula]

Well, since this thread is hijacked anyway....

I never knew the BC/AD tags were offensive to the Jews, but now that you all mention it I can understand.

BTW, Botz is correct, AD is Anno Domini (which means in Latin "the year of the Lord") and not "After Death."

It is believed Jesus was crucified and rose again in 33 AD . . . so how could say 30 AD be "After Death"?

And why "After death" and not "After Resurrection"?

Like Parker mentioned, though, most people do associate the BCE/CE to remove the mention of Christ and the Lord.

However, I did note that the ones who are closer to ministering to and with the Jews are the ones who find offense with the protest. That does tell me something . . . about how sensitive this issue is to them (the Jewish people).

I'll have to chew on this one.