Long before the temple was built, Israel was using the term house
to speak of the earthly dwelling place of the Lord; see Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 23:18. That the Lord dwelled with his people provided them the impulse to dwell with him (Psalm 23:6;Psalm 27:4). So the level of their respect for the visible symbol of God’s presence was an indication of their spiritual vigour. To abandon the rebuilding of the house of the Lord, therefore, was to give proof of a waning faith.1
2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”