Ezra 3:12 "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:"
The Bible doesn't specifically say, however we can make the assumption that the weeping of the ancient men came because they saw how feeble the new foundation was compared to the old temple. Solomon's temple had been a true wonder in its magnificence. Anything that attempted to come after it would likely pale in comparison. Hence the tears and the weeping.
The temple was not for God as much as it was for the people. It was a symbol of the relationship between God and His people. It was the sign that He had chosen His dwelling place with the Hebrews. When it was destroyed, so was that symbol. But when it was rebuilt, its grandeur was lessened. If one were to view the temple as a symbol, seeing its glory reduced comparatively would be a painful sight.
As my Christian walk goes through ups and downs, do I ever look back and weep for what my relationship with God used to look like?
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