Returned Exiles and Their Work

Nehemiah 8:1-4, 5, 6, 8, 12; 9:1-3

GOLDEN TEXT: “Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.”—Jeremiah 29:13

ZEDEKIAH, the last king of Judah, was overthrown and taken captive to Babylon in the year 606 B.C., and with him the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, together with a remnant of the other ten tribes who previously had been taken captive by the Assyrians. They remained in Babylon for seventy years, and in 536 B.C. were permitted to return to Judea under a decree by Cyrus which granted them this measure of liberty. Cyrus also authorized the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem.

By this time Babylon, as a world power, had fallen—that great empire having been overthrown and succeeded by the Medo-Persian combine, which became the second universal empire represented in the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. There doubtless was great rejoicing among the devout ones of Israel when they were permitted to return to their own land and to enjoy a measure of independence, although they continued to remain a vassal nation.

The experiences of the returned exiles recorded in this lesson followed the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, and doubtless also much of the city. The temple had been rebuilt previous to this. While Cyrus was well-meaning in. granting the Jews liberty to return to their own land, and in issuing a decree authorizing them to rebuild the temple, his authorization was not sufficiently explicit to safeguard the Israelites from trouble in connection with their reconstruction program.

They were interested in rebuilding the city and its walls as well as the temple, but before they could proceed with this larger program it was necessary for Nehemiah to obtain special letters of authority to do so from King Artaxerxes. This was eighty-two years subsequent to the time Cyrus issued this decree giving authority to rebuild the temple. See Nehemiah 2:1-8

Israel’s enemies succeeded for a time in hindering the rebuilding of the temple as authorized by Cyrus. But, through encouragement received from the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel resumed the building project, defying those who sought to hinder, citing the fact that King Cyrus had authorized the work. The opponents were not satisfied to take their word for so important a matter, so they wrote a letter to the king then reigning, who was Darius, explaining to him what the Jews were claiming, and asking him to search the royal records to see if any such decree had been issued.

When the search was made, the decree was found and Darius dispatched a special letter, which instead of forbidding, further work of rebuilding the temple authorized that it should be continued a decree which reaffirmed the one originally issued by Cyrus. Later, Artaxerxes also showed his good will by giving letters of authority to Ezra, the scribe, authorizing the return of the temple vessels, and sanctioning whatever expenses might be involved.

But apparently the opponents of the Jews were shrewd enough to know that while, due to the original decree of Cyrus, they could not legally stop the rebuilding of the temple, they could hold back the work of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and its walls. In any event this work had not gone forward, so Nehemiah, who was very high in the service and confidence of Artaxerxes, appealed to the king in this connection and obtained special letters of authority for this work.

All these details would be of little value to us except for the fact that an important time prophecy of the Old Testament dates from the time a decree would be issued authorizing the rebuilding of the city and walls of Jerusalem. (Dan. 9:25) This prophecy locates the date of the first advent of Christ, and its fulfillment furnishes a key for unlocking other time prophecies of the Bible. Failing to notice the exactness with which Daniel 9:25 stipulates the nature of the commandment which would mark the beginning of the time measurement mentioned, some have erroneously reckoned from the date of Cyrus’ decree and thereby have become confused.

The great assembly of the Jews following the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, when Ezra read the law to them “and gave the meaning thereof,” must have been a stirring occasion. Nehemiah 8:12 tells of the great joy manifested by the people as a result of having the law made plain to them. This is an experience that has been enjoyed by the Lord’s people in every age. How we thrill today as the words of the Lord become more and more clearly understood! “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,” declares David. (Psalm 19:8) “In keeping of them there is great reward,” is a lesson that Israel needed to learn, and one that all God’s people should remember.—Psalm 19:11

QUESTIONS:

How long did the Jews remain captives in Babylon, and who permitted them to return to their own land?

Is it the decree of Cyrus or of Artaxerxes that is mentioned in Daniel 9:25?

Is it important to understand the truth as well as to hear it?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |