Today's reading describes how work was resumed on the Temple, evidently after the death of Atarxerxes. When the new king, Darius, takes the throne, the Jewish leaders resume construction. When a protest is raised, they cite Cyrus' original edict. When the new Persian king, Darius, investigates this, he endorses Cyrus' original decree with his own, directing that the Temple be completed immediately.This was quickly accomplished. Soon after, the second Jewish Temple was dedicated and then celebration of the Passover resumed. These things signified a "return to normalcy" for the exiles, freely able to worship God in Jerusalem.
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety
If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Ezra 5-6 today.
