Stone Hearts
THE BOOK OF EZRA I’m reading through the Book of Ezra and I came across an interesting passage. The nation of Israel had been living in exile away from their home country for 50+ years, but a guy named Zerubbabel got special permission from Cyrus the King of Persia to go back to their country to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4; 3:8). As Zerubbabel is leading the Temple construction, we come to this passage: The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel. So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” (Ezra 4:1-3) The people who approac