• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer

  • About
  • Support FAQ
  • Contact
  • Login
DeliriumsRealm Logo

DeliriumsRealm.com

Demonology, Fallen Angels, and the Philosophy of Good and Evil

  • What is Demonology?
  • Demon Database
    • American Demons
    • Asian/East Demons
    • European Demons
    • Judeo-Christian Demons
    • Modern Magick Demons
  • Demonology Course
  • My Account
    • Login
    • Reset Password
Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem - Francesco Hayez

Brief History of Judaism

Here's a brief history of Judaism from Antiquity to the Destruction of the Second Temple in 70CE.

Here’s a brief history of Judaism from Antiquity to the Destruction of the Second Temple in 70CE

The First Temple Period

Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem - Francesco Hayez
Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem - Francesco Hayez
The First Temple was constructed during the reign of David’s son, Solomon, and completed in 957 BC. It was built as an abode for the Ark and as a place for the entire people. The building itself, therefore, was not large, but the courtyard was extensive. The Temple is sometimes seen as the earthly antitype to a heavenly archetype. YHWH’s presence in His Temple does not diminish His presence in the heavens. The Temple is the objective correlative of the paradoxical doctrine of God’s simultaneous otherness and omnipresence (cf. Psalm 11:4)

The temple fell in 587 BCE to the Babylonians, and the Jews went into exile. During the Exile, the Ark was kept in the Tent of Meeting described in 1 Kings 8:4 and Exod 29:42-46. The Tent was viewed as a vehicle for communication with God and as a visible relationship between God and Israel.

The Second Temple Period

In 538 BC, Cyrus II, founder of the Achaemenian dynasty of Persia and conqueror of Babylonia issued an order allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Work was completed in 515 BC, and thus began what is known as the Second Temple Period.

Before the Israelites were exiled in 586 BCE, they considered themselves a nationality, but afterwards, they became the Jews of the religion, Judaism. There were no conversions before 586 BCE, and there was little prayer. Most of the acts were ritualistic. The Israelites concentrated on the events of “this world,” while the Jews were more concerned with the “world to come.” Israelites had prophets that spoke the word of God, while after 586, the Bible becomes canonized and people concentrate on text.

During the Persian and Hellenistic (4th-3rd century BC) periods, the Temple generally was respected, and in part subsidized, by Judaea’s foreign rulers. From 539 – 333 BCE, the Persions ruled. In 333 BCE, Alexander the Great conquers Pallestine and thus begins the Hellenistic Period of Judaism.

The Hasmonean Revolt

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, however, plundered it in 169 BC and desecrated it in 167 BC by commanding that sacrifices be made to Zeus on an altar built for him. This final act touched off the Hasmonean revolt, during which Judas Maccabaeus cleansed and rededicated the Temple.

The Herodian Temple

Desecration of the Temple of Jerusalem
Desecration of the Temple of Jerusalem in 63 BC by Pompey and his soldiers - Jean Fouquet
During the Roman conquest (63 BC), Pompey entered the Holy of Holies but left the Temple intact. In 54 BC, however, Crassus plundered the Temple treasury. Of major importance was the rebuilding of the Second Temple begun by Herod the Great, king (37 BC-AD 4) of Judaea. Construction began in 20 BC and lasted for 46 years.

The Herodian Temple again became the center of Israelite life. It was not only the focus of religious ritual but also the repository of the Holy Scriptures and other national literature and the meeting place of the Sanhedrin, the highest court of Jewish law during the Roman period.

Destruction of the Second Temple

The rebellion against Rome that began in 66 AD soon focused on the Temple and effectively ended with the Temple’s destruction in 70 AD by the emperor, Vespasian.

Category: Biblical StudiesTag: Judaism, Solomon
Previous Post:Young Woman Picking the Fruit of Knowledge - Mary CassattQuick Introduction to Gnosticism
Next Post:Jewish Sects of AntiquityThe Jews in the Desert - Tintoretto

Sidebar

Want to learn more about Demons and Fallen Angels in Judaism & Christianity?

Enroll now in the course: Fallen Angels, Demons & Satan in Judeo-Christian Traditions

Get Started Today

DeliriumsRealm.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

About | Privacy | Term of Use | Contact

  • Demon Database
  • American Demons
  • Asian/East Demons
  • European Demons
  • Judeo-Christian Demons
  • Modern Magick Demons
  • Demonology Course
  • What is Demonology?
  • What is Evil?
  • Theodicy: Why We Suffer
  • What is Apocalypticism?
  • How To Study Religion
  • Movie Reviews
  • Book Reviews


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 international license.

We use cookies to make sure you have the best experience on our website. OK?   Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT