What was the cause of Messianic expectation at the time of Jesus’ birth? Read Ezra 5:1-2; Haggai 1:1-2

We mentioned previously the three post-exilic prophets: Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.  We should also acknowledge special men that God used in that time to help the nation get reestablished.  Two of these men are attached to books of the historical account.  One, Ezra, was a priest whom God used to bring about a measure of spiritual restoration to Israel.  The other, Nehemiah, served as governor and oversaw the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.  Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah all make reference to two other men: the governor Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel (a descendant of David) and Joshua the high priest.  These men, the political and spiritual leaders at the time, are specially honored by God and used to predict and pre-figure the coming of Messiah.

Consider the following timeline to gain some perspective of all this, remembering that Christ’s birth is around 6BC.

q Cyrus’ decree 538 BC (Ezra 1:1-4)

q Altar rebuilt 537 BC (Ezra 3:1-7, Feast of Tabernacles celebrated)

q Foundation laid 536BC (Ezra 3:8-13)

q Work stops 536-520BC (Ezra 4, esp. v24)

q Haggai, Zechariah 520BC (Ezra 5:1-2)

q Temple completed 516BC (Ezra 6:13-22, Passover celebrated)

There was a lengthy (16 years) delay in the work on the temple because lawyers got involved.  There is an indication that the people became afraid of the surrounding nations.  And Haggai indicates that they just became comfortable in their lives so that the longer the temple sat unfinished the less they were moved to face their antagonists and complete the task.   

But with the preaching of God’s prophets the people were stirred up to finish the project.  Both prophets raised the expectations of the people.  As Ezra notes many who had seen the first temple were a bit disappointed with the second one.  But the faithful God still had a plan that involved His people Israel; and that plan revolved around the Messiah.  Thus our thought that the prophecies of these men of God went far beyond the task of building a temple.  They reach all the way to the people of God in the time of Christ.

The preaching of God’s word should do that: take us beyond the immediate plan of God for our lives so we can see how we are part of God’s plan of the ages, the exaltation of His Son over every name, lord and king!