This week we are continuing our study of the book of Ezra, diving into chapter 6. This chapter concludes the story of the first two decades of the people’s restoration to Judah. From the narrator’s perspective, the first half of the book was the “old age,” a lookback at the tale of the founding fathers of restored Israel and their completion of the temple.

Our last chapter, and episode, ended with the Persian officials searching for a document to authenticate the Israelites’ claim that Cyrus gave them permission to rebuild their temple. The Israelites did not have hard feelings about Tattenai’s inquiry. He was doing his job as a provincial leader. Plus, they seemed confident officials could resolve the matter. The community held dear their historical memory of the declaration of Cyrus. Even more importantly, they felt the “eye of their God was upon” them (5:5). 

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