CSSA 1-3-21 - THE JEWS RETURN TO JERUSALEM

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71. THE JEWS RETURN TO JERUSALEM

"Build the house of Yahweh, God of Israel, which is in Jerusalem."

Aim

To show how Cyrus made a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple there.

While Daniel was a captive in Babylon, Jerusalem lay in ruins. The beautiful Temple built by Solomon had been burnt to the ground. Its golden lampstands and golden cups and bowls which had been holy to Yahweh, were taken away to decorate the palace of the kings of Babylon. The gates and walls of the city had also been broken down as the enemy smashed their way in. Many of the people, even old men, women and children, had been cruelly killed by the sword. Those who survived were led away captive in chains to a far-off land. As they wearily trudged along, they wept when they remembered the city they had loved, the city of Zion which they thought would never be destroyed. God's prophets had warned them of these very things, but they had stubbornly refused to listen. Many times He had sent His prophets, for He was always ready to show mercy to His people, but they would not hear. They must endure the punishment of their sins. Jeremiah had said that they would stay in Babylon for seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11). Now the seventy years were coming to an end. Those, like Daniel, who had been led into captivity when they were young, were now old men. Some of them remembered Jeremiah's words and were beginning to hope that they might yet return to Jerusalem.

Ezra 1; 3; 4:1-6, 17-23; 5:1-2; 6

THE DECREE OF CYRUS: Ezra 1

"After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you," God had said through Jeremiah, "and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place" (Jeremiah 29:10). Faithful men and women in Babylon had calculated that it was now seventy years since Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem (Daniel 9:2, 16-19) and they wondered how God would keep His promise. Not only had Jer emiah foretold these things, but two hundred years earlier Isaiah had mentioned by name the very king who would rule in Babylon when the time came to fulfill these words.

Darius had died and Cyrus, the Persian king, reigned. He was the one whom Isaiah had named, for God had said of Cyrus: "He...shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation shall be laid" (Isaiah 44:28). What a remarkable prophecy this was spoken all those years before. Perhaps Daniel in his position of honour in Babylon had shown these very words to Cyrus, for he did indeed send out a decree early in his reign giving the Jews freedom to return to Jerusalem. Such an amazing prophecy made him realise that God indeed rules in the kingdom of men, setting up kings and removing them according to His wisdom (Daniel 4:17). So Cyrus made a proclamation throughout his whole kingdom: "Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, Yahweh God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, God of Israel" (Ezra 1:2-3).

Many Jews had settled comfortably into the land of their captivity and they and their children chose to stay behind. The decree of Cyrus commanded them to contribute to the work of rebuilding in Jerusalem, by giving silver and gold and cattle and goods to those who returned. Cyrus the king brought out the cups and vessels of gold and silver which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away when he destroyed the Temple seventy years before. This was indeed a precious treasure to take back to Jerusalem. A prince of Judah, named Zerubbabel, was put in charge and he became the governor of the city. With him went about forty two thou sand Jews from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin as well as priests and Levites. All these had their names written down in a register.

This was only a small number, when we consider that the land of Israel had been emptied of all its inhabitants seventy years earlier. Nevertheless there were enough for the work and they were full of enthusiasm to return to their beloved city and to set about rebuilding it.

THE ALTAR IS FIRST BUILT: Ezra 3:1-7

So these faithful Jews made the long journey home, a much happier company than before. They returned to their own cities and tried to begin again with their farms and vineyards which had been deserted for so long. The Samaritans in the north, and the Moabites and Edomites on the east, were not at all pleased to see them back. They made life very unpleasant for them and the Jews became afraid for their safety.

Then Joshua the High Priest, and Zerubbabel the governor, built the altar, so that they could begin once again to offer acceptable offerings to God. They knew that God was their strength. He had made it possi ble for them to return and He would protect them and make the work prosper, so long as they put their trust in Him. The people came out of their cities and gathered in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and the priests went about the work of daily worship, "as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God" (v 2). The first Feast of Tabernacles had been kept when God delivered Israel out of Egypt. Now they could keep that feast to rejoice that God had led them out of Babylon.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE IS LAID: Ezra 3:8-13

Cyrus the king had also given them a grant of money to use for rebuilding the Temple (6:4). The Levites were organised to see that the work was done. They paid stonemasons and carpenters to begin the foun dation and brought trees from Lebanon especially for that purpose, just as Solomon had done. In the second year of their return the foundation was laid and the people all gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate. The priests, dressed in their robes, blew their silver trumpets and the Levites played their instruments and sang praises to Yahweh, "because He is good, for His mercy endureth forever toward Israel" (v 11). The people were grate ful for God's overshadowing care and excited at the thought of a Temple once again in Jerusalem. When the singing finished "oil the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid" (v 11).

Among the crowd who gathered there that day were many very old men, priests and Levites and chief of the fathers. They could remember the glory and splendour of Solomon's Temple, which had been the centre of worship for all Israel. They had lived during the reign of Zedekiah when Nebuchadnezzar had come with his army to destroy both the Tem ple and the city. The sight of this new foundation reminded them of what they had lost. They wept when they remembered the days of old.

But the rest of the people shouted for joy. They were full of hope that from now on God would bless them. The noise of their joyful shout ing, mixed with the loud weeping of those who mourned, was heard afar off.

THE WORK STOPS: Ezra 4:1-6, 17-23

The enemies of Israel looked on as the Jews began to rebuild the ruined city. It did not suit them at all to have this people back here again, a people who kept themselves separate from their neighbours. At first they tried to join with them in the work. "Let us build with you, " they said to Zerubbabel, "for we seek your God, as ye do" (v 2). These were the Samaritans, a mixed people whom the Assyrians had left in the land when they took the northern ten tribes captive. Their worship was false. Some had heard of Yahweh and knew something of His law, but they worshipped idols. Zerubbabel and Joshua quickly saw the danger of letting such people join them. "Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Yahweh God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us" (v 3). When the Samaritans did not get their own way, they tried to weaken the hands of the people by interfering in the work. Finally they wrote a letter to the king of Persia making false accusations against the Jews. Cyrus had died and the new king of Persia believed their deceitful words and sent back a letter demanding that the Jews stop the rebuilding at once. So the work which had begun so faithfully and so enthusiastically ceased, until God sent His prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage them to take it up again.

THE WORK IS FINISHED: Ezra 5:1-2; 6

Fifteen years went by before the work was taken up again. This time the people refused to let anything hinder them. The two prophets urged them on and Zerubbabel and Joshua set a wonderful example of faith and hard work. They could see now that they had been too easily discouraged, but God would bless their efforts if they only trusted Him. Their enemies again tried to interfere and wrote to the king of Persia. This time however, the king made a search through the records of the history of Persia and found the decree of Cyrus. So he sent back to the Samaritans his decision that the work of rebuilding that Cyrus had commanded should be allowed to continue. "Let the work of this house of God alone, " he wrote, "let the governors of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place " (v 7). Not only that, but he made the Jews' enemies give a contribution of cattle and sheep, wheat, salt, wine and oil, as the priests of God required. "Let it be given them day by day without fail, " he said. If anyone should dare to change this decree, the beams of his house would be torn down and set up as a gallows to hang him on. With these strong words, the king of Persia replied to the enemies of the Jews. They dared not argue any more.

How wonderfully God had helped them. In another four years the work was finished. There was no weeping this time, "for Yahweh had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king (of Persia) unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel" (v 22).

LESSON FOR US

Faithful Jews in Babylon read the Law of Moses and the prophets carefully and learned how God was going to bring a blessing upon His people and upon Jerusalem. When we read the Bible each day, we will learn from the prophecies written long ago, that God will one day bring peace to Jerusalem and make it the chief city in all the world. He will build a Temple far more glorious than Solomon's, which all nations will come to visit, that they may worship the king, the Lord Jesus Christ. The only way we can be sure of being there to share this glorious and happy time, is by learning God's ways and obeying His commandments every day.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Another Jew also found favour in the eyes of the king of Persia. This was Ezra, a descendant of Aaron, who was also a scribe with a very deep understanding of the Law of Moses. God had moved him to return to Jerusalem now that the Temple was established, to guide the people in the proper way to worship. His special work was to appoint magistrates and judges in the land and to teach the laws of God to all those who had settled there again. So God provided faithful men to build the altar and the Temple, and now a faithful priest to turn the hearts of the people to God's laws that they might prosper. "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments" (Ezra 7:10).

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

How long did God say His people must stay in Babylon?
Who had mentioned Cyrus by name two hundred years before?
What did Cyrus let the Jews do?
What did Cyrus himself give the Jews to take back to Jerusalem?
What was the first thing they built back in Jerusalem?
When they kept the feast of Tabernacles what were they rejoicing about?
What part of the Temple was built in the second year'?
The people shouted when the foundation was laid. What were they shouting about?
Who were the Samaritans?
Why would Zerubbabel not let the Samaritans help them build the Temple?
What finally made the people stop building the Temple?
Which two prophets encouraged them to start building the Temple again?