THE DUTY OF COURAGE

Genre: Children Book
Language: Bengali  
Pages: 101
Binding: Paperback
Book size: 5.5X8.5 inch
ISBN: 9788199001541
Author: Subhas Chandra Datta

The Jews were without a temple and without their sacrifices. Though they could direct their prayers toward Jerusalem (cf. 1st Kings 8: 48; Dan. 6: 10), it was only under the generous policies of Cyprus the Great, king of Persia, that almost 50,000 Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (cf. Ezra 1: 2-4; Isa. 44: 28), accompanied by Joshua the high priest and the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Levitical sacrifices were soon reinstituted on a rebuilt altar for burnt offerings (cf. Ezra 3: 1-6), and in the second year of the return the foundation of the temple was laid (cf. Ezra 3: 8-13; 5: 16). However, Samaritan harassment and eventual Persian pressure brought a halt to the rebuilding of the temple. Then spiritual apathy set in; and for about 16 more years- until the rule of the Persian king, Darius Hystaspes (521- 485 B. C) – the construction of the temple was discontinued. In the second year of Darius (520 B. C) God raised up Haggai the prophet to encourage the Jews in the rebuilding of the temple (cf. Ezra 5: 1-2; Hag. 1: 1). His task was to arouse the leaders and the people of Judah from their spiritual lethargy and to encourage them to continue working on the temple. The initial success of Haggai in his mission (cf. Hag. 1: 12-15) was supplemented by the continued effects of Zechariah until the temple reconstruction was finished in 515 B. C.