Sanctuary Cleansing, History

[Hanseng]

The following is a study paper on the OT history of the sanctuary cleansing:

The temple was polluted and cleansed at different times in the Old Testament. During the ascendence of Ahaz (735-715), the temple  doors were shut (2 Ch. 28:24), The daily sacrifices were stopped, no incense was burnt, the lamps in the temple were put out (2 Ch 29:7). In other words, the daily was taken away. His son, Hezekiah (715-686) opened the doors and cleansed the temple during his reign. In this account, the word translated “cleansed” is taher. Hezekiah ordered the priests to sanctify the house and “Carry the filthiness out of the holy place” (2 Ch. 29:5). The priests came together to “cleanse the house of the Lord” (2 Ch 29:15). They went into the inner part of the Lord’s house and carried out all the uncleanness they found (2 Ch 29:16).  Three things were done to the temple at this time. The doors were repaired (2 Ch 29:3) The temple was sanctified (2 Ch. 29:5,17). The temple was cleansed (taher) (2 Ch. 29:15). This was not ritualistic cleansing. Actual filth inside the temple was carried out and disposed of at the brook Kidron (2 Ch. 29:16).

The work of cleansing the temple during Hezekiah’s reign was undone by his son Manasseh (696-642). He built altars and placed a graven image in the house of the LORD (2 Ki. 21:4, 7). A graven image in the temple is described as the “desolating sacrilege” in the RSV of 1 Maccabees 1:54. The Greek translated as “desolating sacrilege” is the same as that used in Daniel 9:27, 12:11, Matthew 24:15, and Mark 13:14. Luke, in a similar passage does not mention the abomination of desolation. Instead, Luke says that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies (21:20). The Jewish Encyclopedia, s.v., “abomination of desolation”  identifies the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes as fulfilling these references in Daniel. “Some rabbis, however, see in it [the Hebrew expression translated as abomination of desolation]an allusion to Manasseh, who, as related in II Chron. xxxiii. 7, set up "a carved image . . . in the house of God."

Manasseh did more evil than the nations around him. 2 Kings 24:1-4 says that the evils of Manasseh brought about the destruction of Judah. He was taken captive by the king of Assyria. As a prisoner in Babylon, he realized his sin. He was eventually released. Upon returning to Jerusalem, he removed the image from the temple, as well as the altars he had built, calling upon the people to serve the Lord (2 Ch. 33: 5-13).

Manasseh’s son Josiah (reigned 640-609) began his work with the repair of the temple (2 Ki. 22:5). Together with Hilkiah the high priest, they removed all the items used in the worship of Baal, Astarte, and the host of heaven. Also destroyed were the houses of the cult prostitutes connected to the temple (2 Kings 23:7). Chariots and horses to the sun were also removed from the entry way into the temple (2 Kings 23:11).

The word translated “cleansed” in the KJV of Daniel 8: 14 is translated as s appears as “rightful state, “reconsecrated,” “restored,” in other versions. It is a form of the Hebrew trigram ts d q. The Hebrew word “nitsdaq,” to which we refer, is also used in a different form in KJV Daniel 12:3: “And they that turn many to “righteousness” shall shine as the stars forever.” Young’s Literal Translation of Daniel 12: 3 says “…and those justifying the multitude…”

It’s the same word used in Isaiah 53:11 when it says the righteous servant will “justify” many. Isaiah 45:25 says that all Israel will be “justified” in the Lord. Same word. Psalms 19:9 uses the word to describe the “righteous” judgments of God. All the other appearances of the word refer to the righteousness or justification of people or God. Daniel 8:14 uses it to refer to the justification of the sanctuary. The Greek Old Testament, known as the LXX, translates the word in Daniel 8: 14 with a word that means “cleansed” as in the KJV.