Rebuilding

Key Phrase: So everyone who had returned from captivity ... was filled with great joy!

Intro

The Israelites (that is Judah, the remanent of the two southern tribes) rebuild the temple under Ezra’s leadership and later the walls under Nehemiah’s leadership. God’s chosen people once again freely worship Him and celebrate Passover and other festivals. Israel can worship God but, various empires rule over them, first the Persians, then the Greeks, and finally the Romans.

Throughout the history of Israel, God sends prophets to guide and correct His chosen people. The prophets tell the people of a Messiah who will start an everlasting kingdom. The Jews are looking for a conquering Messiah who will overthrow their earthly rulers. Once again, God shows that his ways are not what we expect.

Rebuilding

 Chronicles 36:22 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia,[1] the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah.[2] He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:

 23 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
    “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are the Lord’s people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!” . . .

 Ezra 1:5 Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. . . Ezra 2:64 So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah. . .

 Ezra 3:8 The construction of the Temple of God began in midspring,[3] during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile, including Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his fellow priests, and all the Levites. The Levites who were twenty years old or older were put in charge of rebuilding the Lord’s Temple. . .

Ezra 5:15 The king instructed him to return the cups to their place in Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple of God there on its original site.

 […Many years later, after the Temple is rebuilt, the walls are repaired…]

 Nehemiah 1:1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

   In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign,[4] I was at the fortress of Susa. . .

11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.[5] Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

   In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. . .

 Nehemiah 2:1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan[6], during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”

   Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

 4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”

   With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

 6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request. . .

 11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later, 12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding. 13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well,[7] and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. . .

 16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders—the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. 17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

   They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work. . .

 Nehemiah 6:15 So on October 2[8] the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun.

Nehemiah 8:17 So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua[9] son of Nun.

Connect

The prophecies about Messiah end after the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and for 400 years there is silence. When a suffering Messiah arrives instead of an earthly king, few Jews recognize him. The first news of the Messiah’s arrival is brought by the angel, Gabriel.

[1] 2 Chronicles 36:22 The first year of Cyrus’s reign over Babylon was 538 B.C.

[2] 2 Chronicles 36:22 See Jer 25:11-12; 29:10.

[3] Ezra 3:8 Hebrew in the second month. This month in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of April and May 536 B.C.

[4] Nehemiah 1:1 Hebrew In the month of Kislev of the twentieth year. A number of dates in the book of Nehemiah can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Persian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of November and December 446 B.C. The twentieth year probably refers to the reign of King Artaxerxes I; compare 2:1; 5:14.

[5] Nehemiah 1:11 Hebrew today in the sight of this man.

[6] Nehemiah 2:1 Hebrew In the month of Nisan. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of April and May 445 B.C.

[7] Nehemiah 2:13 Or Serpent’s Well.

[8] Nehemiah 6:15 Hebrew on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was October 2, 445 B.C.; also see note on 1:1.

[9] Nehemiah 8:17 Hebrew Jeshua, a variant spelling of Joshua.