The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

The Book of Haggai ,W ZDV D VLJKW WR EHKROG 7UXH LW ZDV QRW DV JUDQG DV 0RVHV· H[RGXV RXW RI (J\SW nevertheless, some 50,000 people 1 with 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys who trekked approximately 1,000 plus miles through dangerous territory--leaving their acquired houses, businesses and relationships developed over a seventy year period--must be given credit for the stamina and vision! These were the first of the exiles to leave Babylon and return to restore Jerusalem and their temple (described in Ezra 2). 0D\EH LW ZDVQ·W DV JUDQG D PLUDFOH LQ PRVW SHRSOH·V H\HV DV WKH SDUWLQJ RI WKH 5HG 6HD but the fact that a heathen potentate like Cyrus would be willing to suddenly release his Jewish captives to return to their homeland and reestablish their religion had all the makings of a tremendous act of God!

Most Bible readers will know that the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and the deportment of Jewish captives took place in three stages. But, it is also important to know that the return of the captives from Babylon to Jerusalem took place in at least three stages: 1. In 536 B.C. Sheshbazzar (the prince of Judah), Zerubbabel (the governor) and Jeshua (the high priest) led the first contingent (described above). 2. In 457 B.C. Ezra led back a second group of about 2,058 persons (Ezra 8:1-34) and also accomplished some reforms. 3. In 445 B.C. Nehemiah made at least two trips and served as governor (Nehemiah 2:1).

The rise of the Persian Empire will prove to be a real blessing to the exiled nation of Israel. Unlike WKH $VV\ULDQV DQG %DE\ORQLDQV ZKR EHOLHYHG LQ WKH XSURRWLQJ RI WKHLU FDSWLYHV 3HUVLD·V SROLF\ LV one of repatriation and maintaining the status quo of the political, social, and religious situation to the extent possible. The idea, apparently, is that a happy people will be less likely to rebel. For that reason, as well as for the fulfillment o I *RG·V SURPLVHG UHVWRUDWLRQ D very important step is taken by Cyrus the Great in 539-538 B. C. 2 Undoubtedly, Daniel exerted some influence on Cyrus. Can you imagine his surprise, if -HUHPLDK·V SURSKHF\ RI seventy years captivity was indeed shown to Cyrus--and how he would react finding that he was the king that would cooperate with the great God of the Jews? ´ Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamat LRQ WKURXJKRXW DOO KLV NLQJGRP DQG DOVR SXW LW LQ ZULWLQJ«µ (Ezra 1:1, emphasis added).

1 This was a large number of people, but a majority of the Jews were left in the east. 2 F. LaGard Smith, The Narrated Bible, p. 1233.

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