Today is the seventh day of August. Welcome to the daily audio Bible. I am Brian and it is fantastic to be here with you as we begin our work week.

And as we gather to take the next step forward on our journey through the Scriptures this year.

And our journey always leads us to where we left off. We left off yesterday in the book of Ezra.

The returned exiles are rebuilding but they are facing quite a bit of opposition.

And now the opposition has become political in nature and letters are being written to kings.

And at this point the work has been commanded to stop.

But let's pick up the story. Ezra, chapter 4, verse 24, through 6, verse 22 today.

Work on the temple had been stopped and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Emperor Darius of Persia.

At that time two prophets Hagiai and Zechariah son of Edo began to speak in the name of the God of Israel to the Jews who lived in Judah and Jerusalem.

When Zarubabel, son of Shieltiel and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, heard their messages.

They began to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and the two prophets helped them.

Almost at once, Governor Tetanai of west of Euphrates, Chattar Bosenai and their fellow officials came to Jerusalem and demanded who gave you orders to build this temple and equip it.

They also asked for the names of all the men who were helping build the temple.

But God was watching over the Jewish leaders and the Persian officials decided to take no action until they could write to Emperor Darius and receive a reply.

This is the report that they sent to the Emperor.

To Emperor Darius, may you rule in peace.

Your Majesty should know that we went to the province of Judah and found that the temple of the great God is being rebuilt with large stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the wall.

The work is being done with great care and is moving ahead steadily.

We then asked the leaders of the people to tell us who had given them authority to rebuild the temple and to equip it.

We also asked them their names so that we could inform you who the leaders of this work are.

They answered,

We are servants of the God of Heaven and Earth and we are rebuilding the temple which was originally built and equipped many years ago by a powerful king of Israel.

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