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

6LJQLILFDQWO\ KH ´DOVR EURXJKW RXW WKH DUWLFOHV RI WKH KRXVH RI WKH /25' ZKLFK 1HEXFKDGQH]]DU KDG WDNHQ IURP -HUXVDOHP DQG SXW LQ WKH WHPSOH RI KLV JRGVµ DQG JDYH WKHP WR WKH OHDGHUV RI WKH return (Ezra 1:7). Undoubtedly, there was great excitement and celebration when the edict found its way to all the exiled captives--scattered out as they were in Babylonia--but then, serious discussion and challenging decisions must be made! Less than a majority of the captives decided to return. After six decades away from their homeland, the people of Israel are pretty well entrenched in the Babylonian-turned- 3HUVLDQ VRFLHW\ 7KRVH ZKR WRRN -HUHPLDK·V DGYLFH KDYH ERXJKW RU EXLOW KRPHV begun businesses, and learned a new language and way of life. There is also a whole new generation of Jews, as they are now called, who have never even set foot in Palestine. Therefore it will take a real pioneering spirit to leave a prosperous situation for the desolation of the Palestinian landscape. 5 The Jews in Babylonia experienced surprisingly pleasant conditions; in fact, many did not want to uproot themselves from family and businesses. But, the pioneers who returned were people who understood that the first order of business was to rebuild the temple. In spite of housing, food problems and the local residents, it is to the credit of the returned exiles that they knew what they should do first in this hard situation: they immediately set up the altar of burnt offering (Ezra 3:2), resuming worship. In the second year of their return, they laid the foundation of the temple (amid mingled praises and tears, Ezra 3:8-13). It was quite an accomplishment. The great migration took place in 538 B.C., and within two years--seventy years after the first deportation- -the foundation of the temple had been laid. However, they had not counted on opposition! If *RG ZDV ZLWK WKHP VKRXOGQ·W WKLQJV FRPH HDVLO\"

Tabulation of Events

536 B.C.

-- Return from Babylon under Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:1-4) Altar built, sacrifices offered, Feast of Tabernacles -- Foundations of the Temple Laid Opposition of Samaritans and the building stopped

535 B.C.

520-519 B.C. -- Prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. They begin to rebuild 515 B.C. -- The Temple Completed

5 Smith, p. 1233.

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