Meanwhile worshipers from every nation sought the temple which had been dedicated to the worship of God. Glittering with gold and precious stones, it was a vision of beauty and grandeur. But Jehovah was no longer to be found in that palace of loveliness. Israel as a nation had divorced herself from God. When Christ, near the close of His earthly ministry, looked for the last time upon the interior of the temple, He said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." Matthew 23:38. Hitherto He had called the temple His Father's house; but as the Son of God passed our from those walls, God's presence was withdrawn forever from the temple built to His glory.

Imidlertid søgte fromme mennesker fra alle folkeslag til det tempel, som var viet til Guds ære. Det strålede af guld og ædelstene og var et både skønt og storslået skue. Men Jehova var ikke længere at finde i denne pragtfulde bygning. Som folk betragtet havde Israel skilt sig fra Gud. Da Kristus ved afslutningen af sin jordiske gerning for sidste gang betragtede det indre af templet, sagde han: "Se, jeres hus bliver forladt og overladt til jer selv!" Matt. 23,38. Hidtil havde han kaldt templet sin Faders hus, men da Guds Søn gik ud fra disse mure, forsvandt Guds nærværelse for evigt fra det tempel, som var bygget til hans ære.