Institute
Lesson 52: Ezra, Haggai

“Lesson 52: Ezra, Haggai,” Old Testament Instructor’s Guide, Religion 301–2 (1994), 103–4

“Ezra, Haggai,” Old Testament Instructor’s Guide, 103–4

52

Ezra, Haggai

Scripture Content Outline

Supplementary Study Sources

  1. Ezra 1–6. The Jews Returned from Captivity in Babylon, and They Rebuilt Their Temple

    1. Cyrus permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord’s house (see Ezra 1–2).

    2. The altar was rebuilt, regular sacrifices were reinstituted, and the foundations of the temple were laid (see Ezra 3).

    3. After their request to be allowed to help was rejected, the Samaritans hindered the work on the temple and finally caused it to be stopped (see Ezra 4:1–5, 24).

    4. During the reigns of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes, opposition caused the building of the walls of Jerusalem to be stopped (see Ezra 4:6–23; see also the note at the beginning of the suggestions for presentation below).

    5. The Lord raised up Haggai and Zechariah to inspire the people to complete the temple (see Ezra 4:24–5:2).

    6. Upon Tatnai’s request, Darius supported a decree made by Cyrus, and temple reconstruction was begun again (see Ezra 5:3–6:12).

    7. The temple was finished and dedicated, and the Passover was kept (see Ezra 6:13–22).

Religion 302 student manual, 29-1 through 29-24; J-1 through J-9.

Isaiah 44:28. What did Isaiah prophesy about Cyrus?

Haggai 1:1. Who were Zerubbabel and Joshua?

2 Chronicles 36:22–23. How was Isaiah’s prophecy about Cyrus fulfilled?

2 Kings 17:24–41. Who were the Samaritans who offered to help build the temple, and why was their assistance rejected?

Daniel 9:1–3. Why did Daniel petition the Lord in the first year of Darius? (see also Jeremiah 25:11).

Daniel 9:17. What was Daniel concerned about in his supplication to God?

  1. Ezra 7–10. Ezra the Scribe Labored in Judah

    1. Under commission of Artaxerxes, Ezra led a group of Jews to Jerusalem to reestablish Jewish law (see Ezra 7–8).

    2. Ezra was grieved and prayed to the Lord, confessing the people’s sin of marrying outside the covenant (see Ezra 9).

    3. Ezra caused the people to covenant to put away strange wives (see Ezra 10).

Religion 302 student manual, 29-25 through 29-31.

Religion 301–2 instructor’s guide, lesson 7, section A. References about marriage outside the covenant are given.

  1. Haggai 1–2. Haggai Exhorted the Jews to Reconstruct the Temple

    1. Haggai told the Jews that their hardships were caused by their neglect in rebuilding the temple (see Haggai 1:1–6, 9–11).

    2. Haggai promised the Jews blessings if they would continue the reconstruction, and they did (see Haggai 1:7–8, 12–15).

    3. The Lord encouraged his people and spoke of his coming and of the temple’s future glory (see Haggai 2:1–9).

    4. The people were unclean because they had neglected the Lord’s house, but they would yet be blessed if they repented (see Haggai 2:10–19).

    5. The Lord affirmed Zerubbabel’s position as governor of Judah (see Haggai 2:20–23).

Religion 302 student manual, 30-1 through 30-6.

Ezra 5:1. What prophet was contemporary to Haggai and was given the same mission? Did these prophets accomplish their mission?

Zechariah 4:9–10. What did Zechariah prophesy about Zerubbabel?

D&C 95. What parallels are there between the building of Zerubbabel’s temple and the building of the Kirtland Temple?

TPJS, pp. 307–8. How does the gathering of the Lord’s people relate to temple building?

DBY, 393–94. Why are the Saints commanded to build temples?

Some Suggestions for Presentation

You are not expected to teach everything in the scripture content outline. Select those concepts that you feel will be the most helpful to your students.

A difficult problem of chronology is raised by the material in Ezra 4:6–23. Of these verses D. Guthrie and J. A. Motyer wrote: “This section interrupts the chronological sequence, but it has been included here [in Ezra 4] because it also deals with opposition to Jewish building projects” (New Bible Commentary, p. 400). The events recorded in Ezra 4:6–23 very likely took place after the building of the temple, as is indicated by the reference to Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes (see vv. 6–7; see also J.R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, p. 274).

A History of the House of the Lord (Sections A, C)

Use the following to overview the history of temples.

The tabernacle of Moses—

  1. Was built and carried in the wilderness (see Exodus 40).

  2. Was located at Gilgal for several years while Joshua conquered Canaan (see Joshua 4:19).

  3. Was placed in Shiloh when the Israelites had “subdued” the land (Joshua 18:1; see also Joshua 19:51; Judges 18:31).

  4. Appears to have been located later in Nob (see 1 Samuel 21:1–4), though the ark of the covenant was in Kirjath-jearim for twenty years (see 1 Samuel 7:2).

  5. Was located in Gibeon for a time (see 1 Chronicles 21:29).

  6. Was finally taken to Jerusalem when Solomon’s temple was built (see 1 Kings 8:1–4).

Solomon’s temple—

  1. Was not to be built by David, even though he desired to build it, for he was forbidden to do so by the Lord (see 1 Chronicles 22:7–10).

  2. Was prepared for by David, who gathered materials for it (see 1 Chronicles 22:1–5, 14; 29:1–5).

  3. Was built according to the plan revealed to David by the Lord (see 1 Chronicles 28:11–12, 19).

  4. Was built and dedicated by Solomon (see 1 Kings 8).

  5. Was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army (see 2 Kings 25:8–17).

Zerubbabel’s temple—

  1. Was reconstructed, by permission of Cyrus, when the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity (see Ezra 1:1–4).

  2. Was completed after the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were sent to encourage the people to finish the reconstruction, which had begun many years before (see Ezra 5:1–2; Haggai 1).

  3. Was desecrated by the Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes (see Bible dictionary, s.v. “temple of Zerubbabel”).

  4. Was repaired and rededicated during the time of the Maccabees. The rededication is still celebrated annually by Jews as the feast of Dedication (see Bible dictionary, s.v. “feasts”).

Herod’s temple—

  1. Was enlarged and courtyards were added by Herod for political reasons (see Bible dictionary, s.v. “Temple of Herod”).

  2. Was worked on between 17 B.C. and A.D. 64.

  3. Was destroyed by the army of Titus in A.D. 70 (see Bible dictionary, s.v. “Temple of Herod”).

The Return from Captivity (Sections A–C)

Students are often not familiar with the history of this period. The order of books in the Old Testament also causes some confusion. Briefly summarize the history in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Review the related parts of the chronology chart in the Religion 302 student manual, and point out the relationship between the books and the following people.

Cyrus (approximately 539 B.C.). He came to power as leader of the Medo-Persian empire and defeated the Assyrians (see Religion 302 student manual, J-1). He permitted the Jews to return and rebuild the temple and Jerusalem (see Ezra 1). His releasing the Jews may have been prompted by the Spirit and Isaiah’s writings (see Religion 302 student manual, J-2).

Zerubbabel (approximately 536 B.C.). He was known by the Persian name Sheshbazzar (see Religion 302 student manual, J-3). He brought the first group (fifty thousand people) from Babylon to Jerusalem and was governor of Judah (see Ezra 2; Haggai 1:1; Religion 302 student manual, J-3). The temple was reconstructed during his administration (see Ezra 3; Religion 302 student manual, J-4).

Haggai and Zechariah (approximately 520 B.C.). They were prophets in Jerusalem (see Ezra 5:1). They encouraged the rebuilding of the temple (see Ezra 5:1; Haggai 1).

Esther (approximately 487–478 B.C.). She did not return to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon (see Esther 1–2). She became a queen in the Medo-Persian empire (see Esther 2).

Ezra (approximately 458 B.C.). He led a group to Jerusalem from Babylon sometime after the first group of exiles returned (see Ezra 7; Religion 302 student manual, J-5). He brought back riches from the rulers and others in Babylon who contributed to the temple (see Ezra 7). He came to Jerusalem as a scribe to reestablish the law (see Ezra 7–8). He reformed noncovenant marriages (see Ezra 9–10).

Nehemiah (approximately 445 B.C.). He had been a royal cupbearer in the Persian court (see Nehemiah 2:1; Religion 302 student manual, J-5). He inspired the rebuilding of the city walls (see Nehemiah 2:17–20). He was a governor of Judah (see Nehemiah 5:14). He worked with Ezra to reform the people (see Nehemiah 8–10).

The Importance of Promptly Doing the Lord’s Will (Sections A–C)

Review the story of the rebuilding of the temple and the reestablishment of the law. Teach of the Lord’s displeasure when the people neglected his commandment to build the temple (see Haggai 1). Point out that through neglect the people delayed receiving blessings the Lord desired to give them. Compare the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem in Zerubbabel’s time with the building of the Kirtland Temple in our day (see D&C 95). Teach that the Lord gives commandments to bless our lives and that we should respond promptly to his counsel lest we forfeit great potential blessings. Use the example of Ezra and interfaith marriages to teach that it is best to obey the Lord’s counsel at first rather than to have to reform later and experience the accompanying hardship.