According to the documentary Ancient Jerusalem: A Journey Back in Time (Cromwell Productions' Lost Treasures of the Ancient World video series), Herod "the Great" (?!) actually destroyed the Jerusalem Temple built by Zerubabel and the returning exiles in the late 6th century BCE, and completed c. 519 BCE.
One of the scholars consulted said that "Herod's Temple should really be considered 'Temple 2-A'" and went on to say that Herod actually built his temple as a shell over the original Second Temple. When his outer temple was completed, then he ordered his workmen to begin dismantling the original Second Temple. Apparently, this conformed with Jewish Law at the time -- seemingly having something to do with never having the temple cease operations, and ensuring that there was a "seemless handoff" (my words) from 'Temple 2' to 'Temple 2-A'. (This is also recorded at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple .)
Never-the-less, the fact remains: Herod "the Great" (?!) dismantled the Second Temple built by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
And, interestingly, just as Herod "the Great" (?!) -- who was a non-Jew, an Idumean, and a pagan Roman puppet king -- finished tearing down the legitimate Second Temple, John the Baptist and Yeshua the Messiah were born... and Herod died. Moreover, Christians recognized that the Messiah embodies the true "Spiritual Temple" (John 2:21). Thus, no sooner did a pagan and God-denying butcher destroy the legitimate Second Temple, then Almighty God sent His firstborn son, Yeshua the Messiah, and began raising up the true "Spiritual Temple" (3rd Temple?) in its place!
One of the scholars consulted said that "Herod's Temple should really be considered 'Temple 2-A'" and went on to say that Herod actually built his temple as a shell over the original Second Temple. When his outer temple was completed, then he ordered his workmen to begin dismantling the original Second Temple. Apparently, this conformed with Jewish Law at the time -- seemingly having something to do with never having the temple cease operations, and ensuring that there was a "seemless handoff" (my words) from 'Temple 2' to 'Temple 2-A'. (This is also recorded at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple .)
Never-the-less, the fact remains: Herod "the Great" (?!) dismantled the Second Temple built by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
And, interestingly, just as Herod "the Great" (?!) -- who was a non-Jew, an Idumean, and a pagan Roman puppet king -- finished tearing down the legitimate Second Temple, John the Baptist and Yeshua the Messiah were born... and Herod died. Moreover, Christians recognized that the Messiah embodies the true "Spiritual Temple" (John 2:21). Thus, no sooner did a pagan and God-denying butcher destroy the legitimate Second Temple, then Almighty God sent His firstborn son, Yeshua the Messiah, and began raising up the true "Spiritual Temple" (3rd Temple?) in its place!