[Illustration: RETURN OF THE JEWS FROM CAPTIVITY.--Ezra 1:5.]
1. Where did the Jews return to? 2. What state was their city in? 3. What had they to do to their city? 4. What did they first build up? 5. What sort of Temple did they build? 6. Why was the new Temple not so fine as the old one? 7. What did the old people do? 8. What did the young people do? 9. How did God comfort the old people? 10. Who would come to the new Temple? 11. Is there a Temple now? 12. What have we instead? 13. How should we behave in church?
"What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"--_Micah 6:8._
THE name of the leader of the Jews, when they came home from Babylon to their own country was Zerubabel.
Zerubabel was their prince. He was of David's family, and he would have been king if the Jews had been allowed to have kings; but he was contented to go back without the crown and throne and sceptre that his fathers had had before him, and to live humbly in obedience to the king of Babylon.
That which Zerubabel cared to have was a little spot of ground among the mountains. It was the village of Bethlehem, the place from which David had been called away long ago, from feeding his father's sheep, to come and be king of Israel. Why should Zerubabel care for that little piece of ground more than for Solomon's palace, that was so glorious? One reason was, that the Prophet Micah had said, "But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings have been from everlasting."
And faithful men understood that this meant that the Saviour of the world should be born at Bethlehem, and that He would be among Zerubabel's children's children. That was why Zerubabel cared so much for the poor little ruined village, and took care to make a home of it again, though now there were only a hundred and twenty-three people to come back to live in it. God was pleased with Zerubabel's faith, and blessed him because he had not despised the day of small things.
God said that to Zerubabel a mountain should become a plain--that is, that what seemed most difficult should grow easy, and that Zerubabel should be the man who should build up the Temple again--God's own House, that was lying in ruins. That was the great honor this good man had, because he believed in God's promise with all his heart, and went so bravely and steadily to work upon a little, when he could not do a great deal. For to him that is faithful in a little shall much be given.