Ezra 5 - Restarting

It was the Word of God through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah which motivated the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem to once again RESTART the rebuilding of the Temple.  The enemies had stopped the the rebuilding through their persistent resistance and opposition, but according to the Book of Haggai, the Jews allowed it to stop for so long (~16 years) because they turned their focus upon their own homes and forgot that the House of the Lord still lay in ruins.  Yet, they did listen to the prophets and followed the example of their leaders to RESTART.

This time, they still encountered some challenges.   Tattenai, the Trans-Euphrates governor, and some of his Persian associates questioned them and wrote to King Darius to see if the work should be stopped; "But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received." (vs 5)    Even the letter that was written was more factually based and less critical than those from the enemies in the previous chapter; and tended towards a more favorable outcome since King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree for the house of God in Jerusalem to be rebuilt.  And, in the letter, it showed that the Jews submitted primarily to God's authority for rebuilding and recognized that it was their sin which caused the first Temple to be destroyed.

To me, this passage shows that God is at work when we are fulfilling His Plans.   It is also a reminder to be motivated by the Word of God, to be diligent when restarting, even after opposition, and to focus on God's perspective and Plans.  It is also a warning to not let distractions get in the way and to persist despite challenges.