Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: Adversaries of Israel come against them, and the building of the Lord's house is stopped, prophets prophesy to the Jews to continue building the temple, and the work continues, King Darius of Persia orders that no one stop them and commands that help and supplies be given, and the temple is finally rebuilt.
When the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the descendants of the captivity are building the temple of the Lord, they come to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers' houses and ask if they can build with them, because they say they also seek the Lord and have been sacrificing since the king of Assyria brought them there. However, Zerubbabel and the people answer and say, "We alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us." From then on, their enemies try discourage them and stop their work. They even hire counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of King Cyrus of Persia until King Darius. They write a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes. In it, they say that the Jews are building "the rebellious and evil city." They say that if it is rebuilt and the walls completed, the Jews will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king's treasury will be diminished. They say they receive support from the palace and do not wish to see the king's dishonor and ask him to search the record of his fathers to see that the city is rebellious and harmful to kings and provinces- how in former times they incited sedition, which is why the city was destroyed. They say the king will have no dominion beyond the river if it is rebuilt. The king sends an answer; he says that he has made a search and found that in times past the city indeed has revolted against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been fostered in it. He says there have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled in regions beyond the river, and tax and custom were paid to them. He gives the command for them to tell the Jews to stop building. When Artaxerxes's letter is read before them, they go in haste to Jerusalem toward the Jews and tell them to cease. So the work of God ceases until the second year of King Darius of Persia.
Then, the prophet Haggai and Zachariah prophesy to the Jews in Jerusalem in the name of the Lord. So Zerubbabel and Jeshua arise and begin to build the house of God, and the prophets are with them, helping them. A governor of a region beyond the river and his companions come and ask him who has commanded them to continue building it. They say they are God's servants and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago by their great king. They say because their fathers provoked the Lord, He gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed it and sent them to Babylon. They tell them that King Cyrus sent the decree to build it and how he returned the articles to the house. The governor and his men send a letter to King Darius of Persia, asking him to search his treasure house in Babylon to see whether or not Cyrus really issued the decree, and they ask him to respond with an answer.
Then, King Darius makes a search in the archives in Babylon, and he finds a scroll with a record of King Cyrus's decree. He orders that the expenses be paid from the king's treasury and the treasures of God's house restored. He sends the governor a response and tells them to allow the work of the house to continue. He tells him to allow the governors and elders of the Jews to rebuild the Lord's house and also tells them what they are to do to help them. He says the work will be paid at the king's expense from taxes made beyond the river. He orders that whatever they need for "the burnt offerings for the God of heaven" be given to them each day without fail, so they can "sacrifice to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons." He also issues a decree that whoever altars the edict be hung on the wood of his own house and his house be burnt. He also says, "May the God who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem." Then, the governor of the region beyond the river follow his commands diligently. So the elders build and prosper through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. And they rebuild and finish it according to the command of the God of Israel and of King Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. In the sixth year of Darius, the work is finished, and they celebrate the dedication of the house of God with joy. They offer sacrifices, with twelve male goats for the twelve tribes of Israel. They assign the priests and Levites to the service of God as Moses commanded, and they also keep the Passover. Then, those who have returned eat together, along with "all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the Lord in order to seek the Lord God of Israel," keep the feast seven days with joy, because "the Lord made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."
Thoughts/discussion questions!
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." (See Psalm 127:1.) However, when the Lord builds the house, nothing and no one can stop it!