Israel’s Return from Exile

As a family, read Ezra 3 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Ezra 3:11 With praise and thanks, Israel sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s temple had been laid.

This verse is an incredible picture of what God did in the lives of the Israelites. But to fully understand how great it is, we must first understand what happened before the temple construction began. In the first chapter of Ezra, we learn that King Cyrus of Persia was stirred by God to let the Israelites go back to the land that God had promised to them way back in the book of Exodus. (Persia is the location of modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.) Cyrus ruled all of this land. The Israelites had been exiled across Persia for 70 years without any place to call their own. But they knew that one day God would allow them to return to the land that He had promised them.

Finally, God spoke to the heart of King Cyrus, impressing him to allow Israel’s return to Jerusalem. As the Israelites returned, they began rebuilding the temple – the place where God’s presence had lived among His people. Israelites came back from all over Persia. It was like a huge family reunion. Every man over 20 years old worked on the temple. God’s people rejoiced because they were finally coming back to Jerusalem. God had not forgotten them. “His faithful love for Israel endures forever!”

Why is this important to us today?

Israel had been in captivity in Persia because of disobedience to the Lord. When God disciplines His children, there is always a lesson to be learned. God wanted Israel to turn to Him and repent from their sins. They needed faith that He would provide for them and guide them, even in the middle of a very difficult time.
They had been without a land to call their own for generations. The opportunity to go back home after so long must have flooded them with emotion. But God didn’t just send them home to do as they pleased – He gave them a job to do. The work on the temple was the first priority. It was the outward symbol of their love for God and would once again provide the place to worship Him as He had instructed. Israel was wandering and homeless as a nation for generations, but this caused them to rely more on God and to trust that He would guide them.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. What do you think God wanted the Israelites to learn while they were in exile?

2. Any Israelite under 70 years old had never seen Jerusalem. How do you think they felt as they made their way back to a home where they had never lived?

3. In what area of your life do you feel alone or on your own right now? What lesson are you learning during this time?

How can we better follow God this week?

Perhaps the best lesson to consider this week is that God is always faithful, loving, and in control. Make a commitment to look to the Lord for guidance in each situation you face. Our biggest challenges in life are opportunities to learn to trust and rely on the Lord. He loves you and has a plan for your life. God is in control, even when life seems out of control. For what situation do you need to trust the Lord this week?