We began lecture finishing off the Early Islamic Period before the Crusaders invaded Jerusalem. The Abbasid Dynasty ruled from 750-969 CE out of Baghdad. They tried to wipe out memory of Umayyid accomplishments by taking credit for everything. For example, Abbasid Caliph al-Ma-mun takes credit for building the Dome of the Rock but forgets to erase the date of construction. During this time, the Abbasid continue polemic against Christians. Muhammad al-Sanhaji, governor of Jerusalem, kills John, Patriarch of Jerusalem in 965 CE. After the Abbasid Dynasty came the Fatimid Dynasty that ruled from 969-1099 CE out of Egypt. This was a period of upheaval, but steady population increase. The treatment of Jew and Christians depended on the ruler. Jewish and Christian governors were appointed near end of Fatimid rule. In 1009 Caliph al-Hakim orders destruction of all Jewish and Christian houses of prayer, including the Holy Sepulcher. In 1033, an earthquake severely damages Jerusalem's walls and Dome of the Rock. From 1078-1098 CE, the enemies of the Fatimids, the Seljuqs, occupy Jerusalem, destroying and looting the city. They massacred thousands of its inhabitants.
After the Crusades were over, Jerusalem once again was under Islamic rule. This time, it was the Mamluks who were in control. Mamluk Jerusalem was from 1250-1516 CE, a time where Jerusalem becomes a religious center. This was more of a movement rather than a dynasty. During this time, Jerusalem was politically and militarily insignificant, but had religious importance. There was intensive building of schools, hospitals, and hotels. The Al Madrasa al-Ashrafiyya, a Quar'ranic school, was built as well in 1482. It is known as the "Third Jewel of Jerusalem". The Mamluks tried building things and doing things for the community. There was much enhancement in the Islamic quarter and the Jewish quarter began go to grow as a religious quarter.
The Ottomon came to power in Jerusalem from 1516-1918. The reason Jerusalem was insignificant for a while was because the walls around the city were destroyed. There was no protection for the inhabitants of the city so it wasn't much of a threat. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem. It was two miles long, forty feet high, 34 towers, and 7 gates. It was an extensive campaign to refurbish the Temple Mount. Also, Jews were encouraged to settle in Jerusalem to restore the city's population.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
AN N EA 10w 3/1/11 Lecture
In between the Early and Late Islamic Period is the age of the Crusaders and their rule in Jerusalem from 1099- 1291 CE. The Crusades was basically a holy war of liberation to free Jerusalem and other parts of Palestine from Islamic rule. The Crusaders took vows and were granted penance for past sins if they fought in the war. The holy war was fueled by both political and religious motives. Islam was expanding rapidly and was becoming popular in laces like Spain and France. In 1095, Pope Urban II calls upon nobility to help Byzantines against the attacking Muslims and to free Jerusalem while they were on the way. The Pope recruited both rich and poor to fight the Turks and used religious forgiveness as incentive. The first army was comprised of mainly peasants who did not have any experience of war. This was known as the Peasant's Crusade. They were ill-equipped and untrained, which led to their demise when they were slaughtered by the veteran Turkish army. The Crusaders made sure the next army would be comprised of knights and men who knew how to fight in war. This took a couple years to build up but this army eventually defeated many Turkish armies in Palestine and eventually laid siege on Jerusalem. The Crusaders took Jerusalem in 1099 CE and massacred thousands of Muslims, Jews, and even Christians in the city. They basically quarantined the city of almost all of its inhabitants.
After Jerusalem is conquered by the Crusaders led by Godfrey de Bouillon, he refuses to wear the crown. Palestine becomes "kingdom of Jerusalem" and in 1100, Baldwin becomes king of Jerusalem. During this time, a group known as the Templars came into prominence. They were a group of knights who protected Christians who were being attacked while they were on the way to the Holy City. In return, they were given the Al-Aqsa Mosque as their dwelling quarters. The Templars became a very popular group and many recruits began to join the group. It was also during this time that Jerusalem was separated into different quarters: the Patriarch's Quarter, the Templar's Quarter, the Syrian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter.
The Crusaders began a holy reconstruction of Jerusalem, re-modifying Islamic buildings to Christian-type buildings. The Dome of the Rock was changed into a church and a cross was placed on top of the Dome. All Islamic writing was removed because it was seen as a defilement to their Holy place. Old Byzantine churches were rebuilt and hundreds of new churches were erected throughout Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was expanded and innovated to be more majestic and beautiful. Crusader Jerusalem did not last for long because the Muslims were uniting under one banner to fight against the Crusaders. Their leader, Saladin was a charismatic and young leader who promised to reclaim Jerusalem for Islamic rule. The Crusaders arrogantly decided to march against the Islamic army without any source of water, which led to their ultimate doom. The Crusader army was defeated at the "Horns of Hattin" in July 1187, leaving Jerusalem undefended. Jerusalem eventually surrenders to Saladin in September 26, 1187, who spared the Christians if they left the city. There was purification and reclamation of the Haram and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was given to the Greek Orthodox. When Saladin dies in 1194, his successors struggle for power, where we see the beginning of the late Islamic period.
After Jerusalem is conquered by the Crusaders led by Godfrey de Bouillon, he refuses to wear the crown. Palestine becomes "kingdom of Jerusalem" and in 1100, Baldwin becomes king of Jerusalem. During this time, a group known as the Templars came into prominence. They were a group of knights who protected Christians who were being attacked while they were on the way to the Holy City. In return, they were given the Al-Aqsa Mosque as their dwelling quarters. The Templars became a very popular group and many recruits began to join the group. It was also during this time that Jerusalem was separated into different quarters: the Patriarch's Quarter, the Templar's Quarter, the Syrian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter.
The Crusaders began a holy reconstruction of Jerusalem, re-modifying Islamic buildings to Christian-type buildings. The Dome of the Rock was changed into a church and a cross was placed on top of the Dome. All Islamic writing was removed because it was seen as a defilement to their Holy place. Old Byzantine churches were rebuilt and hundreds of new churches were erected throughout Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was expanded and innovated to be more majestic and beautiful. Crusader Jerusalem did not last for long because the Muslims were uniting under one banner to fight against the Crusaders. Their leader, Saladin was a charismatic and young leader who promised to reclaim Jerusalem for Islamic rule. The Crusaders arrogantly decided to march against the Islamic army without any source of water, which led to their ultimate doom. The Crusader army was defeated at the "Horns of Hattin" in July 1187, leaving Jerusalem undefended. Jerusalem eventually surrenders to Saladin in September 26, 1187, who spared the Christians if they left the city. There was purification and reclamation of the Haram and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was given to the Greek Orthodox. When Saladin dies in 1194, his successors struggle for power, where we see the beginning of the late Islamic period.
AN N EA 10w 2/22/11 Lecture
The Early Islamic Period begins when Caliph Umar takes over Jerusalem in 638 CE, starting the Umayyad Dynasty ruling from Damascus. Caliph Umar makes a written agreement with the Christians that Jews would not be allowed to settle but later changes his mind, leading to the steady increase of Jews in Jerusalem. Jerusalem becomes the third holiest city in the Islamic faith. When Muslims pray, they face the Kaaba in Mecca, where is supposed to be the holiest place and inside the Kaaba is a rock that was from the times of Adam and Eve. There are Five "Pillars" in Islam. The first, Shahada, or "Testimony", in which a person recites the Muslim profession of faith that says there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. The second is Salat, or "prayer", where one prays five times a day towards Mecca. The third is Zakat, which is almsgiving to the needy. The fourth is Sawm, which is fasting in the month of Ramadan. The last is Hajj, which is making a pilgrimage to Mecca once in one's lifetime.
During the Umayyad Dynasty, many monuments and palaces were built to build up the majesty of Jerusalem. Abd al-Malik builds Dome of the Rock in 691 CE to divert pilgrimage from Mecca to Jerusalem. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built on the Temple Mount and many Umayyad Palaces were built around the old Temple Mount. These palaces were built over the remains of the Byzantine monumental and residential buildings, were equipped with fresh water and sewage systems, were decorated with carved and molded stucco, and the floors were paved with flagstone and mosaics.
The Dome of the Rock was commissioned in 687 CE and completed 691 CE. The project was financed with taxes from Egypt for seven years, allowing the top of the Dome to be built in solid gold. The Rock is supposed to be the site of the Holy of Holies, a stop on Muhammad's Mi'raj where from the rock he leaps to heaven on the back of al-Buraq, the location of the access to the underworld, and the place of final judgment. The Dome of the Rock has many traditions that are linked with it, making it even more important to the Islamic faith.
Also on the Temple Mount is the Dome of the Chain and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Dome of the Chain is where the final judgment will occur in the "end of days" and it is at the geometric center of the Haram esh-Sharif. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is known as the "The Farthest Mosque" and was built between 705-715 CE by Caliph Walid al-Malik. Prayer in the Al-Aqsa Mosque is supposed to worth 500 elsewhere.
During the Umayyad Dynasty, many monuments and palaces were built to build up the majesty of Jerusalem. Abd al-Malik builds Dome of the Rock in 691 CE to divert pilgrimage from Mecca to Jerusalem. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built on the Temple Mount and many Umayyad Palaces were built around the old Temple Mount. These palaces were built over the remains of the Byzantine monumental and residential buildings, were equipped with fresh water and sewage systems, were decorated with carved and molded stucco, and the floors were paved with flagstone and mosaics.
The Dome of the Rock was commissioned in 687 CE and completed 691 CE. The project was financed with taxes from Egypt for seven years, allowing the top of the Dome to be built in solid gold. The Rock is supposed to be the site of the Holy of Holies, a stop on Muhammad's Mi'raj where from the rock he leaps to heaven on the back of al-Buraq, the location of the access to the underworld, and the place of final judgment. The Dome of the Rock has many traditions that are linked with it, making it even more important to the Islamic faith.
Also on the Temple Mount is the Dome of the Chain and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Dome of the Chain is where the final judgment will occur in the "end of days" and it is at the geometric center of the Haram esh-Sharif. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is known as the "The Farthest Mosque" and was built between 705-715 CE by Caliph Walid al-Malik. Prayer in the Al-Aqsa Mosque is supposed to worth 500 elsewhere.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
AN N EA 10w 2/17/11 Lecture
After King Herod dies, his kingdom is divided into 3 regions ruled by 3 different sons. The first son was Archelaus who became ethnarch of Judea. He got the lion's share of the kingdom including Jerusalem and Samaria. He was a very ineffective ruler, resulting in an only 10 year reign. The second son was Herod Antipas, who became the tetrarch of Perea and Galilee. He was also an ineffective ruler who ruled from 4 BCE until his exile in 39 CE. The third son was Herod Philip, who became tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, which is northwest of the Sea of Galilee. He ruled from 4 BCE until his death in 34 CE. One thing Herod Philip did was put his face on coins, which was something you didn't do in Jewish culture. However, since Herod Philip's kingdom was so far away from Jerusalem and from the conservative Jews, they would never see these coins with Philips face on them. Herodian rulers were gradually replaced by Roman procurators (direct Roman rule).
Pontius Pilate became governor or Jerusalem and ruled from 26 to 37 CE. He is best known for allowing the crucifixion of Christ recorded in the New Testament. He was a horrible governor and was ineffective. He provoked the Jews, did not respect their traditions, and was eventually recalled to Rome in 37 CE. Roman governors in Jerusalem (6-66 CE) were inexperienced and inept. They persecuted Jews and were disrespectful to Jewish traditions, and this eventually led to another Jewish revolt known as the "1st Jewish Revolt".
Rome was angry that Jerusalem was revolting, so Vespasian was sent to conquer Galilee and the Transjordan. Vespasian was the emperor's right hand man and most trusted military leader. He put down the Jewish revolt with ease. In 68 CE, Roman Emperor Nero dies and Vespasian was proclaimed Emperor in 70 CE. Vespasian's son, Titus takes charge of the military campaign while Vespasian returned to Rome to be emperor. On the 9th of Ab, 70 CE, the Northern city falls and the temple in Jerusalem is destroyed by Titus. When this happened there was institutional and spiritual crisis that led to the creation of many different sects of Judaism. Jerusalem is rebuilt as Aelia Capitolina and the province is renamed Syria-Palestina. Jews were banned from Jerusalem except for 9th of Ab to mourn their defeat. The pharisees and Christians religion were able to survive because they weren't dependent on the temple. Their religion was more spiritually based rather than physically based. This also led to the rise of the synagogue.
Pontius Pilate became governor or Jerusalem and ruled from 26 to 37 CE. He is best known for allowing the crucifixion of Christ recorded in the New Testament. He was a horrible governor and was ineffective. He provoked the Jews, did not respect their traditions, and was eventually recalled to Rome in 37 CE. Roman governors in Jerusalem (6-66 CE) were inexperienced and inept. They persecuted Jews and were disrespectful to Jewish traditions, and this eventually led to another Jewish revolt known as the "1st Jewish Revolt".
Rome was angry that Jerusalem was revolting, so Vespasian was sent to conquer Galilee and the Transjordan. Vespasian was the emperor's right hand man and most trusted military leader. He put down the Jewish revolt with ease. In 68 CE, Roman Emperor Nero dies and Vespasian was proclaimed Emperor in 70 CE. Vespasian's son, Titus takes charge of the military campaign while Vespasian returned to Rome to be emperor. On the 9th of Ab, 70 CE, the Northern city falls and the temple in Jerusalem is destroyed by Titus. When this happened there was institutional and spiritual crisis that led to the creation of many different sects of Judaism. Jerusalem is rebuilt as Aelia Capitolina and the province is renamed Syria-Palestina. Jews were banned from Jerusalem except for 9th of Ab to mourn their defeat. The pharisees and Christians religion were able to survive because they weren't dependent on the temple. Their religion was more spiritually based rather than physically based. This also led to the rise of the synagogue.
AN N EA 10w 2/15/11 Lecture
The end of the Hasmonean Period in Jerusalem would mark the last time Jews have control of their own government until modern day Israel. This also marked the beginning of Rome's rule of Jerusalem beginning in 63 BCE. Pompey assumes control to settle dispute between two Hasmonean kings: Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II. Hyrcanus is installed as the "ethnarch" and Antipater is installed as the procurator, sons installed as local rulers. Pompey also entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple, which is forbidden in the Jewish culture. This is known as the "The Abomination of Desolation" because no one is to enter the Holy of Holies except the High Priest once a year.
In 43 BCE, Antipater was murdered and Herod exacts revenge. Herod helps Rome by expelling the Parthians and in turn receives favor from Rome. In 37 BCE, Herod takes control of Jerusalem. Herod was known as a client king because he wanted to appease both Jews and Rome. He was Judaized by the Hasmoneans so he was superficially "Jewish", giving him the support of other Jews. Knowledge of Jewish traditions also gave him support. Herod ruled from 37 to 4 BCE and he was a ruthless ruler who murdered everybody that opposed him. He was the perfect king for Rome because instead of the Jews hating Rome for taking over Jerusalem, they hated Herod.
He is also known for his massive building projects, including the expansion of the second temple and builds the huge retaining wall around the temple mount. The Herodian Temple Mount closely resembles other sacred areas with podium surrounded by porticles and a free standing temple in the center. It was the size of 15 football fields and had retaining walls that were 80 feet tall. Herod also built "hide-outs" or escape mansions where he can flee in case the Jews revolted against him. One was the Citadel of David which was built as a keep inside the city in case of invasion and also as a runaway place when Jews got really angry. He built the Caesarea Theatre to make Rome happy, one of the most beautiful architectures ever built.
There is speculation of whether or not Herod was a good king or bad king because although he was a dictator, he allowed the Jews to worship their own way and did not break Jewish traditions. He was respectful to Jewish religion and helped them expand the Temple and temple mount. He can be seen as both a bad or good king, depending on your own perspective.
In 43 BCE, Antipater was murdered and Herod exacts revenge. Herod helps Rome by expelling the Parthians and in turn receives favor from Rome. In 37 BCE, Herod takes control of Jerusalem. Herod was known as a client king because he wanted to appease both Jews and Rome. He was Judaized by the Hasmoneans so he was superficially "Jewish", giving him the support of other Jews. Knowledge of Jewish traditions also gave him support. Herod ruled from 37 to 4 BCE and he was a ruthless ruler who murdered everybody that opposed him. He was the perfect king for Rome because instead of the Jews hating Rome for taking over Jerusalem, they hated Herod.
He is also known for his massive building projects, including the expansion of the second temple and builds the huge retaining wall around the temple mount. The Herodian Temple Mount closely resembles other sacred areas with podium surrounded by porticles and a free standing temple in the center. It was the size of 15 football fields and had retaining walls that were 80 feet tall. Herod also built "hide-outs" or escape mansions where he can flee in case the Jews revolted against him. One was the Citadel of David which was built as a keep inside the city in case of invasion and also as a runaway place when Jews got really angry. He built the Caesarea Theatre to make Rome happy, one of the most beautiful architectures ever built.
There is speculation of whether or not Herod was a good king or bad king because although he was a dictator, he allowed the Jews to worship their own way and did not break Jewish traditions. He was respectful to Jewish religion and helped them expand the Temple and temple mount. He can be seen as both a bad or good king, depending on your own perspective.
AN N EA 10w 2/10/11 Lecture
Although the Persian Empire was massive and covered much land, a new force grew from Macedonia and a young king named Alexander the Great rose to prominence. He later conquered the "known world" including Palestine from 336-323 BCE. Alexander defeats Persia's King Darius at Battle of Issus in 333 BCE and begins the Hellenistic Period in Jerusalem. When King Alexander died in 323 BCE, his kingdom was divided and given to the Ptolemies (Egyptians) and Seleucids (Syrians). The first to rule in Jerusalem was Ptolemy 1 from 300-201 BCE. During this time, the Jews in Jerusalem were allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as they paid taxes and didn't revolt. They were allowed to keep their high priesthood and Jewish traditions. The Seleucids begin to rule Jerusalem after defeating Ptoloemy V in 198 BCE and advocated "Hellenism" by forcing Jews to speak Greek to have linguistic unity. The Hellenistic Period (201-164 BCE) would change every aspect of Jewish life.
The architecture of Jewish tombs and buildings began to have Greek style architecture and Greek became the most spoken language of most Jews. The Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek and even Jesus quotes the Greek version Bible because it became the most used during the Hellenistic Period. When Antiochus IV came to power in 175-164 BCE, he deposes High Priest Onias III and sells the high priesthood to his brother Jason in 175 BCE. In addition, he suppressed Jewish resistance by looting temple treasury, outlawed Jewish religious practices, sacrificed pig on temple altar, and changed the temple to a temple for Zeus. This obviously caused hatred for the conservative orthodox Jews, but some Jews welcomed these changes. This eventually leads to Jewish divisions and development of different sects/factions. The growing frustration of the conservative Jews would lead to revolt.
This revolt becomes the "Maccabean Revolt" lead by Judas Maccabaeus. He lead the conservative Jews against the other Jews and Greeks using guerilla tactics. The revolt was surprisingly successful and retook the temple and Jerusalem from the Seleucids. They established Hanukkah to commemorate the victory and established self-rule for the first time since exile to Babylon. This lead to the Hasmonean Dynasty and kings who were said to be descendants of "Hasnom". The Golden Age was restored and Jewish territory expanded. However, rulers became increasingly Hellenized, secular, and corrupt. The kings declared themselves king and high priest which is ironic because the purpose of the revolt was to dispose of the messing of the high priesthood. They also forcibly Judaized surrounding Gentile regions.
This time period did not last for long because there was a lot of instability with Pharisees and Saducees who had different views of Judaism. Different Hasmonean kings favored different sides and Jerusalem was falling apart from the inside out. In 63 BCE, Rome led by Pompey arrived and took over Jerusalem and took authority away from the High Priest.
The architecture of Jewish tombs and buildings began to have Greek style architecture and Greek became the most spoken language of most Jews. The Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek and even Jesus quotes the Greek version Bible because it became the most used during the Hellenistic Period. When Antiochus IV came to power in 175-164 BCE, he deposes High Priest Onias III and sells the high priesthood to his brother Jason in 175 BCE. In addition, he suppressed Jewish resistance by looting temple treasury, outlawed Jewish religious practices, sacrificed pig on temple altar, and changed the temple to a temple for Zeus. This obviously caused hatred for the conservative orthodox Jews, but some Jews welcomed these changes. This eventually leads to Jewish divisions and development of different sects/factions. The growing frustration of the conservative Jews would lead to revolt.
This revolt becomes the "Maccabean Revolt" lead by Judas Maccabaeus. He lead the conservative Jews against the other Jews and Greeks using guerilla tactics. The revolt was surprisingly successful and retook the temple and Jerusalem from the Seleucids. They established Hanukkah to commemorate the victory and established self-rule for the first time since exile to Babylon. This lead to the Hasmonean Dynasty and kings who were said to be descendants of "Hasnom". The Golden Age was restored and Jewish territory expanded. However, rulers became increasingly Hellenized, secular, and corrupt. The kings declared themselves king and high priest which is ironic because the purpose of the revolt was to dispose of the messing of the high priesthood. They also forcibly Judaized surrounding Gentile regions.
This time period did not last for long because there was a lot of instability with Pharisees and Saducees who had different views of Judaism. Different Hasmonean kings favored different sides and Jerusalem was falling apart from the inside out. In 63 BCE, Rome led by Pompey arrived and took over Jerusalem and took authority away from the High Priest.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
AN N EA 10w 2/8/11 Lecture
Although the Babylon Empire was massive and seemed unbeatable, all empires come to an end. The Persian Empire began to rise and eventually defeated the Babylonians. By defeating the Babylonians, they gained control of Jerusalem as well. This is known as the "Second Temple Period" of Jerusalem because the Jews eventually rebuild the temple that was once destroyed by the Babylonians. When the Persian Empire (539 BCE-333 BCE) entered Babylon, they didn't enjoy the presence of the Jews in the city. The king of Persia, Cyrus, sent the Jews back to Jerusalem. The Persians wanted to be seen as liberators rather than conquerors. During their time in Babylon, the Jews adopted the language Aramaic, so that became their main language when they returned to Jerusalem.
Remember that during this time, the Jews were still feeling cognitive dissonance. Their faith in God's promises dwindled because of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem itself. In response to this, the Jews attempted to interpret God's messages in different ways. The Ark of the Covenant, the dwelling place of God, was never heard of again. It seemed that God had abandoned His people. Ezekiel, a prophet of God, gives a prophesy of a New Jerusalem coming in the future. He has an apocalyptic vision of a mobile shrine of God, one that has wheels and wings so that it can move around. This vivid image of a mobile shrine of God was much different than the Ark of the Covenant which was a stationary shrine. The vision conveys that God is still here, and He is mobile, not just stationary. This prophesy is found in Ezekiel 1, and it gave hope to Jews that God was still around and watching over them.
When returning to Jerusalem, the main focus of the Jews was to reestablish the temple and high priesthood. The new High Priest was Joshua and the governor was Zerubbabel. The question was whether or not the Jews still needed a temple to worship God. Judaism had survived the exile to Babylon and God was envisioned to be a mobile God, no longer dwelling in the temple. In Haggai 1, we see God command His people to rebuild "His House". The second temple was built in the same way as the first, but was said to "pale the former glory" of the first temple. We also see the construction of other temples rather than one central temple in Jerusalem. For example, the Utopian Temple in Ezekiel 40-48 and the Samaritan Temple recorded by Josephus. Some of these temples were built to worship other gods.
Life in Jerusalem during Persian rule was hard. The city was in poverty and the Jews were heavily taxed by the Persians. There was also conflict between the Jews who were left behind during the exile and the other Jews who have returned from exile. It is said that people had to carry a sword while they worked because of the constant fighting between the two. This conflict would continue to grow as time went on.
Remember that during this time, the Jews were still feeling cognitive dissonance. Their faith in God's promises dwindled because of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem itself. In response to this, the Jews attempted to interpret God's messages in different ways. The Ark of the Covenant, the dwelling place of God, was never heard of again. It seemed that God had abandoned His people. Ezekiel, a prophet of God, gives a prophesy of a New Jerusalem coming in the future. He has an apocalyptic vision of a mobile shrine of God, one that has wheels and wings so that it can move around. This vivid image of a mobile shrine of God was much different than the Ark of the Covenant which was a stationary shrine. The vision conveys that God is still here, and He is mobile, not just stationary. This prophesy is found in Ezekiel 1, and it gave hope to Jews that God was still around and watching over them.
When returning to Jerusalem, the main focus of the Jews was to reestablish the temple and high priesthood. The new High Priest was Joshua and the governor was Zerubbabel. The question was whether or not the Jews still needed a temple to worship God. Judaism had survived the exile to Babylon and God was envisioned to be a mobile God, no longer dwelling in the temple. In Haggai 1, we see God command His people to rebuild "His House". The second temple was built in the same way as the first, but was said to "pale the former glory" of the first temple. We also see the construction of other temples rather than one central temple in Jerusalem. For example, the Utopian Temple in Ezekiel 40-48 and the Samaritan Temple recorded by Josephus. Some of these temples were built to worship other gods.
Life in Jerusalem during Persian rule was hard. The city was in poverty and the Jews were heavily taxed by the Persians. There was also conflict between the Jews who were left behind during the exile and the other Jews who have returned from exile. It is said that people had to carry a sword while they worked because of the constant fighting between the two. This conflict would continue to grow as time went on.
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