Part 8: Babylonian Exile & Restoration

Scripture Covering this Period:

• Jeremiah 39-52
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Ezra 1-6

Dates:

• 586 - 516BC

Main Points:

1. Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC and allowed Jews to return to Promised Land.

2. Returnees immediately attempted to rebuild the temple but stopped due to opposition in 536 BC.

3. Temple construction is finally completed in 520-516 BC.

• No mention of God’s presence filling this temple (as it filled the Tabernacle and Solomon’s temple)

Summary:

After the exile in 586 BC, only a remnant of God’s people remained—a small community of Judeans (Jews) now living in Babylon. They repented of the sin which led to their exile; in 538 BC God restored some of them to the land to rebuild. God used the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage temple rebuilding to continue after the community had stopped due to opposition. There is no account of the return of God's glory to this Second Temple.

This period is one of joy and disappointment, as the nation's restoration does not match the expectations built up in response to prophetic promises.