The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.
Who is there among you of all his people?
Let him go up to Jerusalem.
And build the house of the Lord.
The post-exile is the return. Exile made the proclamation. A remnant went up to Jerusalem and built the house. The altar was set. The wall was raised. The law was read. Minor Prophets, Zechariah, and Malachi spoke to the returned people. The post-exile is not the full glory the prophets named. The temple was smaller. The throne was not David’s. It is the beginning of the return, and a witness that God keeps the word He spoke in the exile.
- Cyrus opened the way.
- A remnant built the house and the wall.
- The return began. The full glory was still ahead.
Cyrus stirred.
A remnant went up.
The house was built.
- The post-exile begins with Cyrus.
- A remnant returned to Jerusalem.
- The altar, the house, and the wall were raised.
- Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi spoke to the returned people.
- The temple was smaller. The throne was not restored.
- The return began. The full word was still ahead.
- The Decree – Cyrus.
- The People – A remnant.
- The Work – House and wall.
- The Voices – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
- The Limit – Not the full glory.
- The Witness – God kept the word.
- Ezra 1:1-3 – “The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia… Who is there among you of all his people?… let him go up to Jerusalem… and build the house of the Lord.”
- Ezra 3:2-3 – “Then stood up Jeshua… and Zerubbabel… and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings.”
- Ezra 6:15-16 – “And this house was finished… And the children of Israel… kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.”
- Nehemiah 2:17 – “Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall.”
- Nehemiah 8:1-3 – “And they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses… and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.”
- Haggai 1:8 – “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.”
- Zechariah 1:16 – “I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it.”
- Malachi 3:1 – “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me.”
- Ezra 3:12 – “But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house… wept with a loud voice.”
- Jeremiah 29:10 – “After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you… causing you to return to this place.”
The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.
Let him go up to Jerusalem, and build the house of the Lord.
Many who had seen the first house wept.
The post-exile is the return. A remnant built the house and the wall. The full glory was still ahead. God kept the word.
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