It was approximately 586 B.C. that the Babylonians destroyed King Solomon's Temple, a beacon light for the people of Israel for more than four hundred years. They also laid waste the city of Jerusalem, taking its inhabitants as captives into Babylon. These captives were removed in three detachments. In the first was the brilliant young Prince Ezekiel, who lived for many years in a small village by the River Chebar. There he received the spiritual illumination he described as visions, and which detail the high spiritual destiny awaiting the human race.
In the second detachment went the youth Daniel. In their writings both Ezekiel and Daniel gave numerous evidences of their familiarity with the Mysteries of Babylon and Chaldea.
In the year 538 B.C. by proclamation King Cyrus of Persia gave the exiles freedom to return to their native land and rebuild its waste places. Two years later the caravan commenced its long and arduous journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ezra states that this company of home-boundexiles also travelled in three contingents. The first was under the leadership of Zerubbabel of the kingly line of David. He was next in line for the throne so Cyrus appointed him as governor of the province of Judea. Zerubbabel was assisted by the high priest Joshua, a nephew of Zedekiah who was the last high priest of Jerusalem before the captivity.
The most important work of the returned exiles was building the Second Temple. King Cyrus not only gave them permission to rebuild their Temple but he promised to aid them in its reconstruction. Ezra states that the number of those returning to Jerusalem was forty-two thousand. Their journey represents more than a mere historical fact. It embodies a cosmic verity.
Going from Babylon (sense life) to Jerusalem (place of the spirit) is a journey every individual and humanity as a whole must take. In the higher Degrees of the Scottish Rite this is worked out in considerable detail, much beautiful symbology being associated with the Journey from Babylon up to Jerusalem.
Conservative orthodoxy accepts only a literal interpretation of the Scriptures while certain occult groups look upon them as entirely symbolic. Mystic Christianity combines the two. By means of its dual interpretation the Bible becomes the supreme textbook of life. Interwoven into historical events is the way of emancipation for mankind. As we have stated repeatedly, each character in the Bible is man himself in his evolutionary climb up the ladder of unfoldment. When the Bible is studied from this viewpoint, it is as vital and timely today as when the sacred Books were written long, long ago.
According to Ezra, the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem took four and one-half months. Four is the number of the cross and also of the perfect square. Five is the number of human personality. So four and one-half signifies numerologically a wavering between the two — a vacillation that learning to walk the high way always entails. It calls for courage, sacrifice and steadfastness to leave as did the exiles, many of whom had found therein comfortable homes and a lucrative living, and to set out for a land that was now strange to them. It meant beginning a new and arduous life, the chief purpose of which was to restore the Temple. Some found travelling so difficult they turned back. Only those motivated by the dictates of spirit were able to persevere until they reached their destination. "Many are called but few chosen," said the Lord Christ.
When the journey's end was finally in sight, another disappointment awaited the home-coming exiles. Influenced by the Syrian king, Cyrus postponed his promised aid in restoring the Temple. Not until twenty years later, under King Darius in 520 B.C. was the work actually begun. Four years after that, in 516 B.C., the Second Temple was completed.
When we realize that building the Temple was but a fore-shadowing of that temple not made with hands, man's soul-body, we can imagine the rejoicing attendant upon the start of this labor. Once again the psalms of David resounded and the wisdom of Solomon was intoned upon the sacred mount. There always has been for Temple construction a mystic formula whereby an invisible spiritual Temple enfolds and permeates the visible material structure. So it was that the rich brought gifts and the poor gave service, musicians contributed their songs and children their laughter, while older folks offered their prayers - for service, sacrifice and fellowship must be the foundation stones if a structure is to be permanent.
This same mystic formula was used centuries later in building the great Gothic cathedrals of medieval Europe. The love, sacrifice and devotion embodied in those edifices continues vibrant within them, radiating peace and assurance into the turbulence of this confused world.
The Second Temple was begun at the Autumnal Equinox with an observance of the Feast of the Ingathering. It was completed in the glad brightness of the Spring Equinox. Although an aspirant's spiritual dedication is usually made in an hour of darkness, sorrow and despair, if he remains faithful and steadfast he will reap his compensation in the light and joy of a spiritual resurrection.
As in the creation of the First Temple, workmen from Tyre were sent to contribute their skill to the construction of the Second Temple. Also as before, they brought with them the rare cedars of Lebanon. Zerubabbel's Temple, however, did not have the high spiritual import of Solomon's Temple. Following the plan of the latter, a Holy of Holies was incorporated in the former structure; but unlike this sacred shrine in Solomon's Temple, it was empty. According to an occult tradition, secreted in a vault under the Ninth Arch of Enoch' subterranean Temple are the five sacred treasures belonging therein: the Ark of the Covenant, the Pot of Manna, Aaron's Rod, the Book of the Law and the Word of the Master.
Legend has it that Zerubbabel, a descendent of the royal line of David, was chosen as Grand Master in charge of the Second Temple's construction: His election did not come until after he had successfully passed through difficult initiatory tests given "by night" under the direction of King Darius, his close friend and collaborator in esoteric work. When Zerubbabel had thus proven his spiritual worth, Darius entrusted him with the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Solomon's Temple, that these might be returned to their rightful place in Jerusalem. The legend goes on to say that Zerubbabel, together with King Darius, then founded a new order of Temple builders known as knights of the East. These Knights were among the Initiate-workmen who took part in the erection of the Second Temple.
As far as was known the furnishings belonging to the original Holy of Holies had not been destroyed. It seems they had been removed and secreted in some safe place. The spiritual significance of this fact is clear. Builders of the Second Temple had lost much of the lofty vision and deep consecration possessed by builders of the First Temple. The former had been exiled from the Holy City and, in a far country (spiritually speaking) their spiritual perceptiveness had been dulled by the comforts and allurements of the Babylonian sense life. They could no longer hear clearly the songs of the Cherubim or discern the golden gleaming of their wings. Their nourishment came less from the divine manna. They had become less mindful of the imperatives of cosmic law and more slack about observing inner disciplines that lead to illumination, as symbolized by the rod that budded. Then, as now, very few remained steadfast to the highest they knew, while the vast majority found the way that leads to illumination too straight and too narrow, too difficult to follow without wavering or turning aside.
This tragic situation is true today as regards both Churchcraft and Statecraft. The majority prefer to luxuriate among the fleshpots of our materialistic Babylon. Few care to seek the heights of a spiritual Jerusalem. In ancient days Ezra referred to the faithful as "the righteous remnant"; today they are called the Elect.
The most magnificent symbol connected with Temple buildings are the two columns known as Jachin and Boaz. As already stated, they refer to the two streams of humanity which find expression through either Churchcraft or Statecraft. In connection with the First Temple, Solomon represented Churchcraft; Hiram of Tyre, Statecraft. Relative to the Second Temple, Zerubbabel stands for the State while Joshua is the high priest of the Church. Churchcraft is the way of the heart, the path of the mystic whose keynote is faith. Statecraft is the way of the mind, the occult path whose keynote is reason.
II Kings describes the building of the First Temple in the light of Statecraft; II Chronicles describes the building of the same Temple in the light of Churchcraft. The Book of Ezra — he who was called "the scribe of God" — describes the building of the same Temple in the light of Churchcraft; the Book of Nehemiah describes the building of that Temple from the viewpoint of Statecraft.
Whenever there is a need a spiritual teacher appears. During the difficult days of the Temple's restoration appeared the prophet Haggai, whose keynote was Build ye the Temple. His message was primarily for those following the path of mind or the way of the occultist. Zechariah also appeared at this time. His keynote was The Way of Holiness. He taught by means of inspiration and vision. His message was, therefore, to the mystics who were following the path of the heart or Churchcraft.
The ideal, as we have defined it, is an harmonious relationship between Church and State on the physical plane. Before this can be realized there must be a union of head and heart in the building of man's body-temple. Ezekiel refers to this union in his vision of the dry bones which represent mortal man. He said he would take a stick and put upon it the name of Judah (Leo, the heart); and another and write upon it the name of Joseph (Sagittarius or mind). He concludes that he would then unite the two and they would become a permanent part of the permanent Temple.
The inspired East Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore writes very beautifully of this uniting of head and heart in these lines: "The heart is a river; the head is but a bridge. The river moves endlessly to the sea of God. The bridge only spans it at a certain point."
In 168 B.C. the Syrians again invaded Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple. A year later came the glorious year of the Macabees who, despite tremendous odds, purified the Temple and once again resumed services thereon. The Macabees represent that righteous remnant who, through steadfastness of purpose and tenacity of will, are able to maintain the glory of the vision and the continuance of the great White Work despite all external interference. The Second Temple was practically destroyed by Herod the Great in 37 B.C.
Not until man has learned to fashion his spiritual body-temple by means of high and noble living can its replica — as described in the visions of both Ezekiel and St. John — become a reality here on earth. Contrary to the assertion of some prominent modem scientists, if human evolution is to progress the highest motivation of humanity must be centered in spiritual rather than in man-made law.
— Corinne Heline
