Lessons Learned on Tish B'Av

Yesterday was Tish B'Av on the Jewish calendar.  It stands for the Ninth of Av, or the ninth day of the month of Av.  Its significance is that it is the day on which Jews worldwide remember the destruction of both the First and Second Temples.  On Tish B'Av in the year 586 BC, the Babylonian armies, under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar, broke through the walls of Jerusalem, set on fire the great Temple built by Solomon, and destroyed the city of Jerusalem.  Over 600 years later, on Tish B'Av in the year 70 AD, the Roman armies, under the leadership of General Titus, also broke through the walls of Jerusalem, set on fire the great Temple built by Herod the Great, and destroyed the city of Jerusalem.  I find it very significant that both Temples were destroyed on the same date. 


On this day many Orthodox Jews will fast and pray as they remember with tears the destruction of those two Temples.  But, last night as I pondered the reality of Tish B'Av, I thought of the reason why both Solomon's and later Herod's Temples were destroyed.  It is not good to just remember the event unless we also learn from the reasons why the event occurred.  And, why were both Temples destroyed by God?  It was a judgment because of sin. 


We read of the destruction of Solomon's Temple in Jeremiah 52:12-14: "On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.  He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem.  Every important building he burned down.  The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem."  And when the Babylonian army had completed its task, all that remained of Jerusalem was rubble.  Through the prophets God had warned the kings and people of Judah that, unless they repented from their sins, that destruction would come.  Yet the people and their leaders were determined to violate those commands from God.  Destruction came because of sin.


There is no biblical record of the destruction of the Temple built by Herod.  Jesus had foretold of its destruction to His disciples, as recorded in Matthew 24:1-2: "Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.  'Do you see all these things?' he asked.  'I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.'"  And when the Roman army had completed its task, all that remained of Jerusalem was rubble.  Still today, some of that rubble remains as it fell in 70 AD.  Destruction came because of sin.


Friends, when a nation sins repeatedly and with arrogance defies the commands of the living God, judgment will fall.  Last night, as I was sitting in my chair on the deck, I began to think of the comparison between the destruction of Israel's two magnificent temples and what is happening in our nation today.  First, sexual sins had become prevalent within the culture of Israel.  That sexual perversion was accentuated with the idolatrous worship on every hill and under every tree.  Sex had become as a god to the people.  Today, legitimacy is given toward almost every type of sexual perversion.  Second, God had warned the people that unless they repented of their sins that a national judgment would come.  In the days of the First Temple Period, that warning came through a multitude of prophets; in the days of the Second Temple Period, that warning came through Jesus Christ.  Today, that warning comes from pastors and teachers, through books and films, and through personal outreach.  The warning is being sounded.  Third, in spite of the warnings, the people laughed at God and continued in their own sinful ways.  They knew better than God.  Today, we shake our fist in the face of God and command Him to stay out of our business.   Should we expect God to let our nation escape His punishment? 


I have shared with you in previous blogs about the condition of our nation morally.  Immorality is
flaunted in nearly every sitcom on television.  It is the theme of many of the hundreds of songs written today.  It is debated among school board members and city council members.  Experts give it legitimacy.  And, for the most part, the Church has been silent.  The longer I thought about Israel's Tish B'Av moments, the more I wondered when America would experience its own Tish B'Av. 


How should we act as believers?  First, we need to pray that God would strongly move in the hearts of His people to get right with Him.  Second Chronicles 7:14 begins with these words, "If my people who are called by my name..."  Will the Church be moved to confession and repentance of sin before a holy God?  In many quarters, the Church has endorsed sexual perversions.  Second, we need to take a strong stand for biblical truth, no matter the cost.  As during the days of Elijah, not all knees bow before Baal.  But it is time to rise up and become a militant Church proclaiming biblical truth.  Not everyone will listen to our clarion call, but some will. 


Tish B'Av - it is not just another day on a strange calendar.  It is God's reminder to us all that, unless a nation changes its ways and returns to the paths of God's commands, judgment will fall upon that nation.