WHEN Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylon about 538 B.C., he exhorted the exiled Jews to return to Palestine, there to rebuild their temple (cf. Ezra 1:2), and a considerable company of them, led by Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:11; 2:1, 2, 64), appear to have reached Jerusalem the following year. The situation which confronted them was far from encouraging. They had just crossed hundreds of miles of unfamiliar country, only to find that the land from which they or their parents had been taken captive some five decades before, was now overrun by hostile tribes, while Jerusalem and its temple lay in ruins; indeed, those who recalled the beauties of Solomon's temple "wept with a loud voice" (Ezra 3:12), though doubtless their despondency was partly offset by the recollection of the prediction of Second-Isaiah that God would rebuild "the cities of Judah" (Isa. 44:26). Even when the work of reconstruction had been commenced (Ezra 3:1-10), the builders encountered constant opposition (Ezra 4:15). For seventeen long years little progress was made, but at the close of that period the people were awakened and encouraged by the faith and practical idealism of two prophets— Haggai and Zechariah.
From Haggai's book, which appears to cover a period of less than four months during the year 520 B. C, we learn how the prophet turned his energies towards forwarding the task of rebuilding the temple. He reminded those who were inclined to delay or to postpone the work of reconstruction that surely they, who themselves lived in well-built houses dare not leave the house of God in ruins (cf. Hag. 1:4). The lack of prosperity of which his compatriots complained, was, he affirmed, the direct result of the selfish attitude against which he had just warned them (Hag. 1 :9f.). Moreover, Haggai stressed the vital importance of immediate and practical activity, counsel which was promptly followed (verse 14); while the prophet himself took part in the work of building (Ezra 5:2). In the second chapter of his brief book, Haggai deals with certain arguments which sought to delay the completion of the work which had thus been so well started; especially the thought that any temple erected by his seemingly poverty-stricken contemporaries could never hope to compare with that of the great King Solomon, for Haggai announces that "the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former" (2:7-9).
Towards the close of the year 520 B.C, Haggai was joined by Zechariah, that is by the author of chapters 1 to 8 of the book of that name. The remaining chapters of our book of Zechariah are supposed to come from the pen of another writer, since they reflect the thought and the incidents of a later period, mentioning war with Greece, and making no reference to the rebuilding of the temple. Zechariah lays much stress on the importance of repentance (1:1-6), and several of his visions foretell the removal of sin (e.g., chapters 3 and 5); while in chapter 8, he conceives of Jerusalem as "a city of truth" (verse 3) and of peace, whose true religion will eventually attract the nations of the world (verses 20-23).
