Mourning the Temple

On July 9, observant Jews began a three-week period of mourning which will culminate on Tisha B’Av ("the ninth of Av"), the most sobering day of the Jewish calendar. For three weeks beginning on the 17th day of the Jewish month of Tammuz, Jews who sincerely recall the date’s past significance avoid weddings or haircuts and pray special prayers of remorse and plead for forgiveness.

Tammuz 17 is thought to be the day when Nebuchadnezzar broke into Jerusalem after a long siege. Three weeks later, on the 9th of Av, the First Temple (also known as Solomon’s Temple) was destroyed.

In a remarkable quirk of history, the Second Temple, known as Herod’s Temple and the one visited by our Lord Jesus Christ, was also destroyed on the 9th of Av in AD 70. It was this Temple that Jesus sadly observed and of which He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew 24:2).

Tammuz 17 also recalls various other national calamities such as the cessation of temple sacrifices due to lack of sheep one year before the First Temple was destroyed. It is also said to be when Moses descended from Sinai, saw wild idolatry among his people and broke the first set of Ten Commandments.

Tisha B’Av is a day-long observance of special sadness marked by unusual mourning rituals and the avoidance of some otherwise normal activities. Jews’ grief on Tisha B’Av is well founded. If there is no actual Temple there can be no valid Judaism. There are some 613 laws of Jewish life in Old Testament edicts, and 203 of them relate to Temple observances. After the destruction of the Second Temple, accommodating rabbis ruled that the local synagogues served as substitute temples, but Jewish purists know better, and they strive to rebuild the Temple. This accounts for much tension over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which is presently is controlled by Muslims.

Strangely, the Jewish month of Tammuz is named after the son of pagan Semiramis, the evil wife of Nimrod, who was the founder of Babylon and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:8 & 9. Legend says that Tammuz died and was raised to life by the power of his mother. Semiramis assumed semi-divine names such as "queen of heaven" and "mother of god." She and her son were worshipped as deities. The image of Semiramis with Tammuz became a religious mother and child idol. The cult spread, and the mother goddess cult infected Israel through wicked Jezebel.

The ancient ceremony observing the death and resurrection of Tammuz involved a sad time of mourning that turned into a forty-day fast. Biblical reference is made to this in Ezekiel 8:14. "So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz." Jeremiah 44:17–19 describes this pagan worship, elements of which are still evident in Lenten observances today, such as hot cross buns that were the "cakes" mentioned in Jer. 44:19.

How Tammuz was incorporated into the Jewish calendar as one of their months remains somewhat of a mystery. It surely is a reminder that their affection for Babylonian pagan religion led to the destruction of their temple and a 70-year exile in the land of its origin. Their reversion to paganism carried its own punishment. It’s a tragic example of Psalm 106:15: "And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul."

Regrettably, a Third Temple will appear, likely in the near future. It will be available to Antichrist, the false Messiah, who will proclaim himself God as II Thessalonians 2:4 outlines. Only when there is full national repentance for their rejection of Messiah and they accept Him will Jewish remorse bear spiritual fruit and the Temple will be theirs.

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10-11)

"Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both."’" (Zech. 6:12-13)

Dave Virkler