Rebuilding the Temple – Ezra

As the book opens (Ezra 1:1-6), we find Cyrus, king of Persia, making a proclamation throughout his kingdom permitting the Jews who were captives in his kingdom to return to Jerusalem. 200 years before, God had prophesied that he would do this.

At Cyrus’s first call in 537 B C (Ezra 1:1-4), no more than 50000 Jews availed themselves of the opportunity of returning to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel. Cyrus gave back to Zerubbabel the golden vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5-11). They started back over 700 miles of barren desert from Babylon to Jerusalem. Everything was taken care by God who is in charge. Not only money for rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, but also travelling expenses and all other needs were provided by God at Cyrus’s direction (Ezra 1:4,6).

The names of those who returned are given in chapter 2. They laid the foundation of the Temple. It is interesting to notice that before they built homes for themselves they first thought of a house for The Lord. They did not build the Temple first, but the alter (Ezra 3:2). Read about the hindrances to all the work (Ezra 4:1-22). The opposition disheartened them. Haggai and Zechariah, the prophets, encouraged the people from within the ranks (Ezra 4:23 – 5:17), and within 4 years the Temple was completed and dedicated (Ezra 6).

Ezra appears in the 7th chapter. 60 years after the Jews had first returned to Jerusalem, he led a second expedition from Babylon to reinforce the struggling colonists in Judah. We can find in Ezra 7:25, how impressed the king was with Ezra’s love of God’s word. Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel (Ezra 7:10). Under Ezra we see a great revival.

Ezra and Nehemiah tell the history of the return of God’s chosen people after the exile. They give the record of one of the most important events in Jewish history – the return from exile in Babylon. The purpose of God may sometimes seem delayed, but they are never abandoned. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell us how God remembered and how He brought back his people from exile. If you trust in God and live accordingly, the blessings and promises God provides to you may delayed. It may be because of your disobedience or even God’s plan. But when you call upon Him and plead your submission, He will hear and answer all your desires according to His riches and glory in Jesus Christ.

In Ezra, we see the first thing what they did was to build an alter to offer sacrifices for their sins. The place where sin must be dealt with must come first in every life. The heart must be right if God is to bless. The alter was the center of the Jewish people, the Cross the center of the Christian faith. If you are urging for a miracle in life, first thing is to repent your sins before God and accept the salvation.

May the Spirit of Lord guide you in repentance and salvation, to grow in Christ and live a holy life.