The temple represented the heart of Israel’s spiritual life as the sign of God’s presence with his people, the focus of their worship, and the source of divine blessing.1 However, since the second temple has no ark of the covenant, the people would have to wait for the arrival of the messianic messenger of the covenant who would make God’s presence known there (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12–17; John 7:14).2 The presence of God was absent from the second temple.
16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.