Day 136 – February 27, 2024: Ezra 1-6

We begin a new chapter in the life of the people of God, literally a new book of the Bible. We see the people of Israel were stillin captivity in Babylon when the king of Babylon, Cyrus, gave them the freedom to return to Jerusalem, and gave them instructions to rebuild the temple. They set to work right away to get the job done. Many returned to Jerusalem and the work was being done, even before the foundation of the temple was laid sacrifices were being done. But then it hits a snag.

Over time when there is a transition of power, similar to what happens in our country, there are different priorities and different policies. Once Cyrus was no longer around the Samaritans from the South, many of whom had not been sent into exile and were still in the region just north of Jerusalem this whole time, “volunteered” to help build the temple. Those who had been in exile and now returned said: “No thank you.” I mean, not exactly in that way, but there was definitely a fear that this people whose worship was probably very different from their own, should in any way corrupt the real worship which they were involved in and wanted to reestablish in Jerusalem.

Well, that didn’t make the Samaritans happy. So they got to the king and convinced him to have him send a cease and desist notice. Now the reconstruction of the temple came to a grinding halt. More time passes and King Darius is shown the error of his ways. Remember Darius, isn’t he the same king who was around when Esther was around? Actually, he was the son of the king who married Esther. That’s interesting. But as we go forward Darius says go ahead and build the temple and as the original decree said, take the money out of the royal treasury. Great story.