This research aims to investigate the role or roles of the physical Jerusalem temple within the
second temple Jewish writings in terms of whether the physical temple has any role to play in
relation to the pivot point in eschatology. The pivot point or fulcrum in time refers to the
end of the exile and perhaps the beginning of the eschaton. The exile may be theological but
many second temple Jewish texts address the physical gathering of the children of Israel to the
land of Israel (i.e. from physical exile even if the text also addresses a theological exile)
thus making the return a complete ingathering of the children of Israel. The passages of these
ancient texts have been analysed before but never with this lens. Looking to see if there is
any role the Jerusalem Temple performs in expected eschatological events will at least allow an
answer to be given which is better than never asking the question in the first place which
has been the case until now. This study produces results as the Jerusalem Temple has always
been a place of great expectations.
