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The Lion of Judah and the Temple of Jerusalem
June 3, 1936
Buffalo, New York
The Temple of Jerusalem holds a key to the meaning
of ancient buildings that have been mysterious and inspiring for ages.
The earliest buildings
were erected by Egyptians, from whom the Phoenicians, dwelling in the
district we today called Palestine, learned the art.
The Phoenicians were eminent explorers and builders, patrons of a society
of skilled artificers called the Dionysian Architects, who built the
magnificent temples and fortifications in Sidon and Tyre. From them
came the “cunning workmen” sent by Hiram, King of Tyre,
to build for king Solomon the majestic temple that has been a wonder
of the ages. That “widow’s son,” who was the supervising
architect and master builder of the Temple in Jerusalem, was a member
of this society.
The Phoenician builders instructed the Hebrew workmen in the secrets
of their craft. Other groups so educated included the Essenes, the
Roman College of Artificers, and the Comacine Masters, architects who
gathered in Italy at Lake Como, in Lombardy after the fall of Rome
(500 A.D.), where the traveling masons of the Middle Ages began.
Education was not universal, and knowledge of the arts was limited
to the initiated. The laws of support, resistance, balance and proportion — how
great a weight a certain foundation would bear, or a certain column
would support — and knowledge of thousands of laws regarding
the symmetry and beauty of buildings, among them the mysteries of Pythagoras,
were carefully guarded secrets into which men were slowly initiated.
They also taught moral laws and obligations, in addition to the universal
belief in a Supreme Architect, and immortality of the soul. Christianity
infused the world with a new spirit, a new vision, and a new sense
of brotherhood. As early Christian teachings “conquered” nation
after nation, their influence also infused a new ambition into the
craft, and its masters kept the spirit of universal truth alive during
what are called the Dark Ages, when much previous sophisticated knowledge
was lost.
From the twelfth to the sixteenth century, these architects traveled
throughout Europe, spending many years erecting the renowned Gothic
cathedrals, in the name of the world monarch, The Lion, symbol of the
Israelite Tribe of Judah. Many of these exquisite stone temples still
stand as a living testimony to those ancient architects, whose work,
even in Egypt, is still fascinating. These temples and Gothic cathedrals
are the connection, the link between the mysterious ancient world and
our world today.
Following the Reformation period (1517 to 1648 A.D.), when inventions
and discoveries absorbed men’s ambitions, members of the craft
began discussing erecting “human temples.”
In Egypt, thousands of years ago, earlier craftsmen began erecting
some of the world’s unique buildings. Today we call them royal
tombs, the pyramids. The great pyramid at Giza is flanked by the recumbent
form of a lion, with a human head, upon which was an altar, where sacrifices
were offered to Deity.
For countless years, people asked, “What is the riddle of the
Sphinx?” Travelers would place their ear to the lips of the stone
image, only to hear no answer, then to turn away in disappointment.
The gigantic form did not whisper into human ears, but served to point
to the living Lion, the Christ Light, that perfect temple yet to be
built.
Why was it important to build a temple in Jerusalem? Why will it never
be obsolete? What connection exists between us and King Solomon’s
Temple, which was destroyed after being used by God for 500 years,
and which was followed by Nehemiah’s second temple, into which
appeared the Lion of the tribe of Judah?
Moses was commanded to erect a tabernacle in the wilderness after God
had inspired him to liberate His people from Egypt. This tabernacle
was to be the center of the people’s offerings and devotions,
but more importantly, it was to be the place where God would draw near
and reveal Himself. The Israelites used this tabernacle for centuries,
until they replaced it with a permanent temple.
Under God’s blessing and direction, King David prepared materials
and Solomon, his son, erected a Temple on Mount Moriah, in about 966
B.C. Other buildings are insignificant in comparison because of its
twofold objective — the drawing near of God in the form of the
Shekinah (the Divine Presence), and the offerings to be made by the
appointed Tribe of Levi.
Solomon’s Temple fulfilled its purpose for 500 years, although
attacked and desecrated at times by enemies. Nebuchadnezzar, King of
Babylon [modern Iraq], destroyed it in 586 B.C., when the children
of Israel were taken captive.
Seventy years later, King Cyrus, ruler of Persia [modern Iran] was
divinely inspired to allow the Israelite Remnant to return to Jerusalem
and to attempt the rebuilding of the Temple. After much opposition
and many false starts, Nehemiah and Zerubabbel succeeded in building
the second Temple in Jerusalem (537 B.C.).
Although the five signs of the Divine Glory that had made the first
Temple unique were absent, the prophet Haggai exclaimed that “The
Glory of the second temple shall be greater than the first.” The
elders wept when they saw that the second Temple was insignificant
in comparison with Solomon’s Temple. How can we explain Haggai’s
pronouncement?
The five signs of the Divine Glory included the Shekinah, the Ark of
the Covenant, divine fire on the altar (Ner Tamid, the Everlasting
Light), the Urim and Thumim (Lights and Virtues, worn by the High Priest),
and the spirit of prophecy. If these signs were absent, how could the
second temple excel the first?
The answer is that Emmanuel (“God among us”), of the Lion
of the Tribe of Judah, glorified it with his presence and fulfilled
these five signs with a transcendent meaning, making the glory of the
latter temple greater than that of the former. These two temples are
often confused, however both teach sublime truths that will always
intrigue our imagination of the Divine among us.
The first temple is often viewed as symbolizing eternal life, where
lost truth is found, where new incense shall arise from a new altar,
and whose perpetuity the Lion himself prophesied when he proclaimed, “Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
In speaking of the temple, we have generally combined these ideas,
implying that the temple is a prototype of humanity perfected, as was
the Christ, an ensample and ideal, in whom dwelt the Divine. The Christ
offered himself a willing sacrifice for humanity, teaching us to be
the temples of the Living God, inhabited by His Spirit, ever offering
our lives in the service of humanity, while establishing that kingdom
portrayed by the Lion of the royal tribe, whose dominion is an everlasting
kingdom, even to the end of time.
Symbols of the Perfect Temple include an open book, a Bible, and lights
upon the altar. The open book assumes that all students are believers
of its precious revelations, ever seeking Light amidst the world’s
darkness and superstitions. The Lion is “I am the Light of the
world.” The open book is the essential key to liberty, progress
and religious freedom.
The altar in the Holy of Holies is called the Mercy Seat, where the
High Priest met God’s manifestation of Himself, called the Shekinah.
The Holy of Holies is called the debir in Hebrew, signifying that this
is the place where God speaks to us. Every
altar points to the Temple altar, and the Light who said, “I come not to destroy, but to
fulfill.” The altar leads us to His mysterious presence, which
is the glory and strength of His people.
An altar reminds us of the one built by Moses, under divine guidance,
containing the golden manna, to teach that God will provide sustenance
for His people. The two tablets of the Law teach that God’s Will
was revealed, and must be obeyed. The Priest’s rod, the rod of
Aaron that budded, teaches that God chooses those who carry on His
worship.
An altar is always a throne, as explained in Revelation 5, which says
that he saw the Lion of Judah proclaimed “Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!” Then all creatures sang, “Blessing
and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and
to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Three Lights have always been the Trinity. The Great One said, “Be
ye holy, for I am holy.” This teaches us to reverence holy things.
A heavenly prince traveled on a long journey to redeem and elevate
his subjects, but he was much misunderstood. Wherever he went, people
were attracted to him until, in the midst of his success, an enemy
betrayed him, even selling him for thirty pieces of silver. This enemy
was the spirit of covetousness, which attempts to master every person.
Another enemy, Herod, mocked him, ridiculing his idealism and good
works. This enemy belittles and mocks all sacred things on earth, attaching
every person attempting to convert them to mockery.
Pilate delivered him to death by crucifixion, although he declared
the prince was not guilty of crime. He could have defended him, declaring
his innocence and blessing to humanity. He knew his duty but acceded
to the demands of the crowd, sacrificing the prince. This is the third
enemy, which attacks everyone.
These three enemies refused to accept the prince’s friendship,
although he had mysterious power by which he healed the blind, cleansed
lepers and raised the dead. The prince never used this power to defend
himself. When his enemies plotted his death, he said that he had come
into the world to sacrifice his life for his people, to be an example
for the whole world.
After his death, the prince’s body was buried, but the great
Power of the Lion of Judah gripped him and raised him from death on
the third day. This was how he taught the glorious doctrine of Resurrection.
Later, he appeared, disappeared, traveled, taught, and finally Ascended
into the Light. |
