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The 2^nd Temple

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Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.  (Ezra 5:2)

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When The Israelites returned to their hometown they started to rebuild the temple under the order of Cyrus who was assigned as a king by God. Priest Jeshua and Governor Zerubbabel were the people who were provoked to rebuild the temple.

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But when they started to rebuild the temple there was a group of people trying to disturb them. They were the Samaritans serving God with their idols at the same time.

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“Let us help your people in rebuilding the temple. We also want to serve in God’s will.” But all that they said were lies. Even they showed to others as if they were truly being servants of God and saying “Include us in the work.” Yet, they didn`t say those words with pure intentions but for a bad purpose.

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But Zerubbabel and Jeshua said firmly,

“Your people are not giving true worship to the one and only God of us. We can`t allow your people to work with us.”

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When they heard those words, they started to show their true identities.

They started to bother and scare the Israelites so that they would not rebuild the temple.At that time, King Cyrus, who had helped the Israelites, died and King Artaxerxes began to rule the land.

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“Your highness, Artaxerxes!

The Jews, who have come from Babylon to Jerusalem, are trying to rebuild the rebellious Jerusalem castle. If you let them finish their work, this will harm your highness greatly. You should not let them do what they are intending to do.”

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When the king received this letter he believed all the content written there and ordered them not to build anymore. Because of this, the rebuilding of temple was delayed for several years.

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But after a few years had passed, God assigned Haggai and Shechaniah as the prophets. Through these men, God revealed to them not to stop the construction of the temple.

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Haggai said God`s words to Zerubbabel and Jeshua.

"Is it time for you to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,"  “I will dwell in you forever there, and you will live in peace and be blessed.”

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Shecahniah also gave a prophecy that this temple would be rebuilt by the hand of Zerubbabel.

“These are the words of the LORD almighty at Shiloh. Zerubbabel placed the first stone on this house, so he will be the one to finish it with his own hand.”

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Zerubbabel and Jeshua got new strength to start the construction of the temple again. And this time there were no disturbing people but Tattenai, the governor who wanted to confirm the order had come from King Cyrus to allow them to construct the temple. So he wrote a letter and sent it to King Darius to answer.

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King Darius checked the Persia`s loyal record, he found out that king Cyrus had approved of the construction of the temple. And when he found out about this he even sent a letter to Tattenai for him to give any necessary help for the Israelites.

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With this kind of grace from God the construction of the temple was completed. They had finished what they had tried to do 21 years earlier from when they had returned to Jerusalem. This was the second time the temple of God was built since Solomon had built the first one. There they celebrated the Passover giving thanks to God for giving them so much grace.

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We should take a look at our lives to see if we are preventing God’s will from being accomplished, because we are not trusting in Him through a difficult moment. Like Zerrubbabel and Jeshua who began to rebuild the temple upon listening to God’s word; we can bare much fruit if we listen today and start afresh.