This week we continue on our Quest by looking at the period following the return of God’s people from Babylonian captivity. They were able to return because “the Lord moved in the heart of King Cyrus.” The King of Persia in recognition of the one true God’s providence in his rule not only allowed the people to return but also restored to them the articles that had been taken from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar all those years ago.
The book of Ezra gives very specific details about who returned to Jerusalem and how they fit into the lineage of God’s people. When the people returned the priests built an altar to the Lord and began both morning and evening sacrifices. In the second year after their arrival God’s people began construction of the temple. They began by building the foundation under supervision of the Levites.
However once the foundation was completed, opposition to the construction arose among the people who had been living in the land. They paid bribes and used other methods to discourage construction during the reign of Cyrus and Darius. They eventually even wrote letters to Xerxes and Artaxerxes. Our text for this week gives detailed descriptions of these communications.
The work on the temple was halted for 16 years. The book of Haggai explains how, during this time, the people became distracted with their own lives and focused their time and energy on building their own houses. It seems that the people had been delayed in rebuilding the temple both because of external opposition and because of the condition of their hearts.
Finally in response to the preaching of the prophet Haggai and the decree of King Darius the people responded and the temple was completed. The people celebrated the dedication of the temple and Passover, reminded once again of how God had rescued his people from captivity and was present with them in their place of worship.