vv 15-16 The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign. The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile.
This is where two more Old Testament prophets enter the story, Haggai and Zechariah. Haggai 1: 3 records the message ‘Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?‘ and further in v 8 ‘Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house.‘ And then in Zechariah 1:16 we find ‘“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem’
Prophets do not just foretell God’s future plans; they encourage action in the present! The people had got their priorities wrong, and become selfish.
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