We know from scripture that God wanted Israel to build a second temple. The order to do so was given by Cyrus, the Persian. The details are set out in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The children of Israel were persecuted by various people, and God removed them to allow the building of the temple to continue.
Later, Israel was distracted by their own interest, and the building of the temple had been neglected. So God sent Haggai, the prophet, to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and to Josedech, the high priest, saying: "Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying, this people say, the time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built." (Hag.1-2)."
"Then came the word of Lord by Haggai the prophet saying. is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?(Hag.1:3-4).
The people were about to be confronted with God's judgment for neglecting to first build God's house.
The Judgment
God told the people thus: "Consider your ways." In our modern world of dishonesty, decadence and depravity, people plunge themselves into all kinds of immorality without thought, and later, they suffer the frightful consequences. They don't consider their ways.
However, God said: "You have sown much, and brought in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink: you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes." (Hag.1:6)
That meant that God had withdrawn his blessings from the people, because they had placed their interest before the interest of God, When Jesus was on earth, he emphasised the need to first seek the kingdom of God, and then God will bless you. (Matt.6:33).
In summary
The people responded to God's admonition, and went to mountain and brought the materials to finish the house of God. So God, the ever faithful and loving God, told the people: "I will bless you"(Hag.2:18-19).
Finally
It should be evident that if God wanted a third temple, it would have been built years ago, and anyone resisting its building would have been put to death.
Sadly, the people that returned to Israel in 1948, are a remnant of the bond woman.
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