The rebuilding of the House of the LORD, also known as the Second Temple, is a significant event in Jewish history and biblical narrative, marking the restoration of worship and religious practices after the Babylonian exile. This event is primarily chronicled in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah.

Historical Context

The First Temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, leading to the exile of the Jewish people. The decree of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, in 538 BC allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. This decree is recorded in Ezra 1:2-3 : "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.'"

The Return and Initial Efforts

Led by Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua the high priest, the first group of exiles returned to Jerusalem. They began by rebuilding the altar and reinstituting sacrifices, as described in Ezra 3:2-3 : "Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings upon it to the LORD—both the morning and evening burnt offerings."

Opposition and Delay

The rebuilding efforts faced significant opposition from surrounding peoples, leading to a halt in construction. This opposition is detailed in Ezra 4:4-5 : "Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia."

Prophetic Encouragement and Completion

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah played crucial roles in encouraging the people to resume construction. Haggai 1:7-8 records the LORD's command: "This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Consider carefully your ways. Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,’ says the LORD."

Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and with the support of the prophets, the temple was completed in 516 BC, during the sixth year of King Darius's reign. Ezra 6:14-15 states: "So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius."

Significance

The rebuilding of the House of the LORD was not merely a physical reconstruction but a spiritual renewal for the Jewish people. It symbolized the restoration of their covenant relationship with God and the reestablishment of Jerusalem as the center of worship. The Second Temple stood as a testament to God's faithfulness and the perseverance of His people, serving as the focal point of Jewish worship until its destruction in AD 70 by the Romans.