For thousands of years, the Jews have observed this day, the 9th of Av, as an annual date of solemn remembrance. It is a day of fasting that represents past days of tragedy for the Jews. It typically occurs on the Jewish calendar during the month of July.  According to Jewish writings, Solomon’s Temple was destroyed on Tisha B’Av by the Babylonian Empire in 586 BC, and the Second Temple built by Ezra and Nehemiah was destroyed by the Romans on this day in 70 AD.

These two tragic events were predicted by Ezekiel and Jeremiah in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 4:1-8 and Jeremiah 6:2-7) and by Jesus in the New Testament (Matt. 24:1-2). For additional information, see The Scattering of Israel, The Scattering of Judah and Jerusalem, and The Final Scattering of Israel.

Now that the people of Israel have returned to their land and have existed as a nation for decades, how long will it be before they build their Temple for the third time and fulfill the prophecies of the End Times? Even in their state of unbelief in the Messiah, the Israeli people recognize that God is causing many miracles to occur and that the time is approaching for them to restore the Temple. With the world rushing toward a global government and the prophecies of the Last Days coming true, we are likely only a short time before the construction of the Third Temple occurs.