The enemies of Israel attempted to discourage the building of the house of the Lord. Their enemies made accusations against them to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. They claimed he would lose power over the people of Israel if they were allowed to rebuild the house of the Lord and the walls at Jerusalem. As a result, the king ordered them to stop building the house of the Lord. Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the Jews when Darius became king of Persia, and they started to build again. Darius ruled that no one was to prevent Israel from building. The house of the Lord was completed. Sacrifices and offerings were made to God. They celebrated Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread according to the word of the Lord.