Bible Stories: Building the Temple

After King Darius died, Cyrus came to be king in Babylon. God put it into his heart to let the Jews go back to their own land. Perhaps Daniel showed King Cyrus what God had written about him long before he was born. One say Cyrus called his scribe and had him write out a long proclamation.

In it he said, “The Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem. All the Jews who wish to return may do so and build the house of their God. Those who do not want to return are to help them with money or whatever they need.”

After many weeks of travelling they reached Palestine, the land which God had given them long before this. They found Jerusalem a heap of rubbish. The walls were all broken down and no houses were standing. The temple was in ruins. They had to live in tents while they got settled.

Each family went back to live in the same place where their fathers and grandfathers had lived before the captivity. Soon they all gathered together in Jerusalem. They could not worship in the temple for it had not been built, so they made an altar. The priests led them as they offered sacrifices on this altar. For many it was the first time they had ever worshiped God as He commanded. In Babylon they could not build altars for worship.

They gave thanks to God and they gave gifts of money. Then they kept one of the feasts which God had commanded. This was the first time in over seventy years that this had been done. The people knew that there were enemies all around them. They were careful to come to God as He had said. Then they asked Him to protect them.

After they had been back for more than a year, they started work on the temple, (Ezra 3: 7-13). The people gave gifts of money that could be used for masons and carpenters. King Cyrus had given them permission to float down great logs from Lebanon in the north.

When the foundation stones were laid they had a great celebration. The priests came with their white robes, playing trumpets. The choir sang a lovely anthem, “O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endureth forever,” Palm 136:1. When the foundation stones were put in place the people shouted for joy; but some of the older ones who had seen the temple of Solomon before it was destroyed, wept.

Some laughed and some cried, but all were happy and all joined in giving thanks to God. Then they went to work to get the temple built. This took fourteen years, for sometimes their enemies troubled them and once they got so discouraged and did not work for a time. So God sent prophets to them, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them to go on with the building.

He said to them, “You know that this temple will not be nearly as grand as Solomon’s, but some day I will fill this temple with glory, and it will be greater than the glory that filled Solomon’s. He meant by this that some day the Saviour Himself who was to come would be in that very temple, and He would be the glory of it.

Finally the temple was all finished, the gold and silver vessels in place, and then a dedication service was held. They offered sacrifices and worshiped as God had commanded them.