Chapter Nineteen

The week of May 27


The Return Home

Jeremiah had prophesied seventy years of exile and that is what the length of time turned out to be. But what would the return look like? What we imagine from our childhood becomes something less in our maturity. But anything back in the homeland would be better than Israelites being away from home.

PP 263-6 God works on several sides of an equation: He disciplines His people by defeating them by the hands of foreigners as a consequence of their disobedience, then He releases them for home through no actions on their part, but only because of His loving kindness endures forever. In the first year of his reign, Persian King Cyrus issued a proclamation for the Israelites to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple for worship. Tell me God is not involved in this. The settlers would receive assistance (including temple artifacts) from those who sent them and the ones who had stayed in Jerusalem. So 42,000+ people made the trek to their beloved land.

After resettling, they came together to begin the process of rebuilding the temple. As they pieced together the altar, they sacrificed their first burnt offering. The cornerstone was reset, the priestly clothing and instruments were in use, and their song resounded: He is Good; His Love toward Israel endures forever." As the foundation was laid the emotion of the moment was palpable. "No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise." God requests our worship even before the work is done.

There is indeed no place like home. The familiarity of the sights, sounds, smells sealed the moment. 'We are home; God is with us.'

PP 266-73 Within two months of the second year of Darius’ reign, the word of God came three times, twice through Haggai and then through Zechariah. Certainly the temple would be rebuilt. But a future was assured in which Jerusalem would be the place where God would be for the world.

There would be enemies from without and within. But encouragement should reign, because God was being honored.

Why did God continue to rescue His people when they did not fully understand their own wrong?

Why does this rescue and mercy continue as waves upon us? Relate a personal instance in your own life.

Some Israelites were at home while others were in distant lands. One in particular, Esther, would become a witness that would save her race from annihilation.