Cyrus of Persia was the king God chose to send His children back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.
After seventy years of exile in Babylon, it was time for them to return home. The disobedience that had caused God to send them away in the first place was forgiven. and now He was calling them back to the land originally promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Opposition was strong, but God called and equipped a certain group of people to rebuild the temple; nothing would thwart His plan. There were many hardships and delays during construction. The people of the opposition party put every effort into stopping the work. At one point, the rebuilding stopped completely because of a letter filled with lies that was sent to the king. However, the next king in power gave the order to start again and the people eventually accomplished the goal God had set for them.
God then sent a man named Ezra to reestablish worship and teach the people how to understand the word of God. As a result, the people’s faith was renewed and they were once again in total awe of the one true God.
Just as it happened in the days when the Jews were called home, we are called today to build and strengthen the Church. We will have hardships and opposition as the early Israelites did, but God will equip us to accomplish His purpose. No power on earth can stand against God and His Church. We will tell others about Jesus and work towards a better understanding of the Word for all peoples so that they too can worship and be filled with awe of the one true God. To Him be the power and the honor and the glory forever and ever!