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Yellow: Direct Response.
Dark Yellow: Additional Response.
Light Blue: Additional Points.
“Be strong […] for I am with you,” declares Jehovah of hosts” (AGEO 2:4).
1, 2. What difficulties similar to those we face did the Jews who returned to Jerusalem face? (See also the box “The Age of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra”).
DO YOU SOMETIMES WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE? Perhaps you have lost your job and are wondering how you are going to support your family. Or you may be concerned about your family's safety because of political instability, persecution, or opposition to your preaching by authorities. If you are experiencing any of these problems, you will be encouraged to see how Jehovah helped the Israelites when they faced similar situations.
2 The Jews who had spent their entire lives in Babylon needed strong faith to leave behind the wealth and comforts of Babylon, and travel to a land unknown to most of them. Shortly after arriving there, they had to face an unstable economic and political situation, and opposition from their enemies. With so many problems, it was difficult for some to devote themselves fully to rebuilding Jehovah's temple. Therefore, around 520 BC, Jehovah sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to revive the enthusiasm of the people (Haggai 1:1; Zech. 1:1). As we will see, the work of these prophets was a complete success. However, almost 50 years later, the Jews fell into discouragement again. It was then that Ezra, a skilled copyist of the Law, returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to encourage them and help them put true worship first (Ezra 7:1, 6).
The time of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra
Timeline of the time of Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra (dates are from before our era). 537: Group of Jews leaving Babylon. 520: The prophets Haggai and Zechariah speaking to the Israelites in Jerusalem. 515: Temple of Jerusalem. 484: Queen Esther approaches the throne of King Ahasuerus. 468: Ezra traveling in a caravan of camels. 455: Walls of Jerusalem.
THE DATES ARE FROM BEFORE OUR ERA
537: A first group of Jews returns to Jerusalem
520: Haggai and Zechariah prophesy in Jerusalem
515: Reconstruction of the temple is completed
484 : Esther intervenes when Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) orders the extermination of the Jews
468: Ezra and a second group of Jews travel to Jerusalem
455: Reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem is completed
3. What questions will we analyze? (Proverbs 22:19).
3 The prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah helped God’s servants in the past to continue trusting in Jehovah despite opposition, and they can also help us to continue trusting that Jehovah will help us no matter what. (Read Proverbs 22:19 ). In this article we will see what God told his people through Haggai and Zechariah, and we will analyze the example of Ezra. This will help us answer the following questions: How did the difficulties they faced after returning to their homeland affect the Jews? Why should we put God's will first when we go through difficult times? And what will help us trust Jehovah more no matter what?
HOW DIFFICULTIES AFFECTED THE JEWS
4, 5. What are some possible reasons why the Jews lost enthusiasm?
4 When the Jews arrived in Jerusalem, they had a lot of work to do. In a short time they rebuilt Jehovah's altar and laid the foundation of the temple (Ezra 3:1-3, 10). But the initial enthusiasm soon faded. What happened? In addition to working on the temple works, they had to build their own houses, cultivate the fields, and feed their families (Ezra 2:68, 70). Furthermore, their enemies did not sit idly by: they hatched a plan to stop the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4:1-5).
5 Jews were also affected by economic and political instability. At that time, their land was part of the Persian Empire. After the death of King Cyrus in 530 BC, his successor, Cambyses, undertook a military campaign to conquer Egypt. On the way there, it is possible that his troops passed through the territory of Israel and demanded water, food and shelter from the Jews, and that surely aggravated the situation of the people. When the next king, Darius I, began to rule, there were many rebellions and political instability in the Persian Empire. All of this made many of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem wonder how they were going to support their families. Because of all these concerns, some thought it was not the right time to rebuild Jehovah’s temple.—Haggai 1:2.
6. What other difficulty did the Jews face, and what did Zechariah assure them? (Zechariah 4:6, 7).
6 (Read Zechariah 4:6, 7). In addition to economic and political problems, Jews suffered persecution. In 522 BC, his enemies succeeded in prohibiting the rebuilding of Jehovah's temple. But Zechariah assured the Jews that Jehovah would use his powerful spirit to remove any obstacles from the way. In 520, King Darius not only lifted the ban, but also gave the Jews money to continue the work and ordered local authorities to support them (Ezra 6:1, 6-10).
7. What blessings did the Jews receive for putting God's will first?
7 Through Haggai and Zechariah, Jehovah promised his servants that if they prioritized rebuilding the temple, he would be with them (Haggai 1:8, 13, 14; Zech. 1:3, 16). With the encouragement given to them by the prophets, the Jews resumed work on the temple in 520 and in less than 5 years they completed the reconstruction. Despite the problems, they put God's will first. That is why Jehovah gave them the material and spiritual support they needed. As a result, they were able to worship Jehovah with joy.—Ezra 6:14-16, 22.
PUT GOD'S WILL FIRST
8. How does Haggai 2:4 help us put God's will first? (See also note).
8 We know that the great tribulation is very near. Therefore, it is more urgent than ever that we obey the command to preach the good news (Mark 13:10). But, of course, if we are experiencing financial problems or the authorities oppose our preaching, it may be difficult for us to focus on our ministry. What will help us put the Kingdom first? Always trust that “Jehovah of hosts” b is by our side. He will support us if we give more importance to the Kingdom than to our own affairs. So there is nothing to fear (read Haggai 2:4).
9, 10. How were the words of Matthew 6:33 fulfilled in the case of a marriage?
9 Let's look at the example of Oleg and Irina, a pioneer couple. After moving to help a congregation, they lost their jobs due to the country's poor economic situation. Although they were without stable employment for a year, they always felt the support and love of Jehovah, and at times their brothers also helped them. How did they manage to get ahead? Oleg, who felt discouraged at first, says, “Keeping busy preaching helped us focus on what was most important.” While he and his wife continued looking for work, they devoted themselves fully to preaching.
10 One day, when they returned home from preaching, they learned from a neighbor that a good friend had traveled about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to bring them two bags of food. Oleg says: “That day we saw again how much Jehovah and the congregation care about us. We are convinced that Jehovah never forgets his servants, even if his situation seems hopeless” (Matt. 6:33).
11. What will Jehovah give us if we focus on doing his will?
11 Jehovah wants us to focus on making disciples, a work that saves lives. As we saw in paragraph 7, Haggai encouraged the Jews to resume temple work. It was as if he was telling them to lay the foundation again and forget the years in which they had done nothing. It was a clean slate. Jehovah promised them that if they obeyed, he would give them his blessing.—Haggai 2:18, 19. We too can be sure that Jehovah will bless us if we give priority to the work he has given us.
WHAT TO DO TO TRUST MORE IN JEHOVAH
12. Why did Ezra and those who traveled with him need great faith?
12 In 468 BC, Ezra traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem with a second group of Jews. It took great faith to undertake that journey. They would have to travel on dangerous roads and, since they were carrying a large donation of gold and silver for the temple, they could be an easy target for thieves (Ezra 7:12-16; 8:31). As if that were not enough, they immediately saw that Jerusalem was not a safe place, since there were not many inhabitants in the city and the walls and gates were in poor condition. How does Ezra's example teach us to trust Jehovah more?
13. What helped Ezra trust in Jehovah more? (See also note).
13 Ezra had seen how Jehovah supported his people in difficult times. Years earlier, in 484, when King Ahasuerus ordered the extermination of the Jews living throughout the Persian Empire, Ezra likely lived in Babylon (Est. 3:7, 13-15). His life was in danger. Upon hearing of this threat, the Jews in “every province” fasted and mourned, and probably begged Jehovah to rescue them.—Est. 4:3. Consider how Ezra and the other Jews felt when the situation took an unexpected turn and those who had planned to eliminate the Jews were the ones who were executed. (Esther 9:1, 2) What Ezra experienced in those difficult times may have prepared him for future trials, and it certainly strengthened his confidence that Jehovah can protect his people.
14. What did a sister learn when she lost her job?
14 When we see how Jehovah cares for us in difficult times, our trust in him becomes stronger. Let's look at the case of Anastasia, a sister who lives in Eastern Europe. Her co-workers were trying to force her to take sides in a political issue, and she left work to maintain her neutrality. Anastasia says: “Until then, she had never been without money.” And she adds: “I talked about it with Jehovah, and I saw that he took care of me with tenderness. If I ever lose my job again, I won't be afraid. I know that, if my heavenly Father takes care of me today, he will also take care of me tomorrow.”
15. What made Ezra continue to trust in Jehovah? (Ezra 7:27, 28).
15 Ezra saw the hand of the Lord in his life. Reflecting on all the times Jehovah had helped him made him continue to trust in him. Let's look at the expression “the hand of the Lord my God was with me,” which appears in Ezra 7:27, 28 (read it). In the biblical book named after him, Ezra used similar expressions five more times (Ezra 7:6, 9; 8:18, 22, 31).
16. In what situations can we see Jehovah's hand more clearly? (See also photos).
16 Jehovah can help us in situations that test us. For example, we may have to ask our boss to give us time off to attend an assembly or to allow us to make a change in our work schedule so we don't miss a meeting. In situations like these, we have the opportunity to see Jehovah's hand in our lives. The result may surprise us, and our trust in Jehovah will become stronger.
ILLUSTRATION
A brother asks his boss to give him time off to go to an assembly, but his boss says no. The brother prays to Jehovah and asks him to help him talk to his boss again. He shows his boss the invitation to the assembly and explains that the Bible helps us be better people. The boss is impressed and gives him permission to go to the assembly. In what situations can we see Jehovah's hand more clearly? (See paragraph 16).
17. How do we know that Ezra was humble in difficult times? (See cover drawing).
17 Ezra was humble and asked Jehovah for help. Whenever he felt that his responsibilities were overwhelming him, he humbly prayed to Jehovah (Ezra 8:21-23; 9:3-5). Seeing his trust in God, others supported him and copied his faith (Ezra 10:1-4). When worry about financial problems or the well-being of our family robs us of sleep, let us turn to Jehovah in prayer with the confidence that he will help us.
ILLUSTRATION
Ezra crying in the temple with other Israelites. Shecaniah helps him up. Ezra is in the temple. There he prays to Jehovah and cries for the sins of the people. The people who are also in the temple cry. Then Shecaniah consoles him, saying: “There is still hope for Israel. […] We are with you” (Ezra 10:2, 4). (See paragraph 17).
18. What will help us trust Jehovah more?
18 Our trust in Jehovah will grow stronger if we are humble, ask him for help, and let our brothers give us a hand. Erika, a sister who has three children, did not stop trusting Jehovah despite life's blows. In a short time she lost her unborn little daughter and her beloved husband. Thinking about everything she went through, she says: “You don't know how Jehovah is going to help you. Sometimes he surprises you. On many occasions I have seen that what my friends have said or done was the answer to my prayers. If I tell them what's happening to me, it's easier for them to help me.”
ALWAYS TRUST IN JEHOVAH
19, 20. What do we learn from the Jews who were unable to return to Jerusalem?
19 We can also learn a valuable lesson from the Jews who were unable to return to Jerusalem perhaps due to advanced age, poor health, or family obligations. Despite their limitations, they gladly supported those who returned by giving them many material things (Ezra 1:5, 6). Apparently, some 19 years after the first group of Jews returned to Jerusalem, those who remained in Babylon were still sending donations there (Zech. 6:10).
20 Even though we may not be able to do as much as we would like in our service to Jehovah, we are sure that our God values everything we do for him. How do we know? Because of what Jehovah said to the prophet Zechariah. He commissioned him to make a crown with the gold and silver that the Jews who remained in Babylon had sent (Zech. 6:11). This “magnificent crown” would be a “remembrance” of his generosity (Zech. 6:14, notes). So we are convinced that Jehovah will never forget the effort we put into serving him despite the difficulties.—Heb. 6:10.
21. What will help us look to the future without fear?
21 We know that in these last days we will continue to suffer difficulties and that things will even get worse (2 Tim. 3:1, 13). But we must not let anxiety overcome us. Let us remember what Jehovah said to his servants in the days of Haggai: “I am with you […]. Do not be afraid” (Haggai 2:4, 5). We too are convinced that if we do our best to do his will, Jehovah will be with us. If we put into practice what we have learned from the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah and from the example of Ezra, we will always trust in Jehovah, no matter what.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
How might difficulties affect our service to Jehovah?
They could intimidate and paralyze us, causing us to stop serving Jehovah for fear of the future.
The economic and political situation could pressure us so much that we feel that serving God does not bring us any advantage, and therefore, end up violating our neutrality.
Apathy, opposition and persecution could overcome us emotionally.
Why should we put God's will first despite problems?
Because the Lord of hosts is on our side. He will support us if we give more importance to the Kingdom than to our own affairs. So there is nothing to fear.
This should not be something blind, but rather, we plan, we calculate, we act as a judgement, especially if we have a family to care for and support.
Jehovah wants us to focus on making disciples, depending on our circumstances we can continue to do so.
What will help us trust Jehovah more no matter what?
We all go through it at some point, well maybe not all, but many go through difficult experiences, through a desert like the Israelites went through a desert, there are others who at this moment are going through a desert, and that is when we must learn to depend of Jehovah to obey him to trust and obey him and believe in him, in those deserts in those moments there the character of Christ is forged in us.
And we must not forget that all the trials that happen to us now prepare us for the trials that will happen in the future.
What will also help us is not to let ourselves be overcome by fear. If Jehovah took care of us today, he will also do so tomorrow. He will bless our diligent efforts to work and serve.
What will also help us is to be humble and ask Jehovah for help. If it is in our power to help someone in need, let's do it, and Jehovah will bless us.
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