Rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem

<p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>When the Persian Empire conquered the Babylonians one of</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Cyrus the Persian's first acts was to decree that any Jew who had</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>been deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar nearly 70 years</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>earlier could return to his homeland to help rebuild the temple. His</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>proclamation read: The Lord the God of heaven has given me</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>a temple for him in Jerusalem. Cyrus apparently believed he had</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>been divinely authorized to rule many nations with many gods and</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>goddesses. He honored the various gods of the nations by rebuilding</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>the temples to their gods.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>After Cyrus's proclamation almost 40000 Jews left Babylon</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>and headed for Jerusalem. Cyrus sent silver and gold goblets with</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>the exiles to be returned to the temple at Jerusalem. These sacred</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>vessels were plundered by Babylon and placed in the temple of</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Nebuchadnezzar's god Marduk to declare his dominance over the</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>God of the Jews. </span></p>