Returning Home

Returning Home is an encouraging reminder of the power God wields when working through the hearts of His people. The Israelites, returning to Jerusalem’s ruins, find their burden of restoration great. There is no miraculous act that restores the temple; they must learn to seek God with all their hearts in order to raise up God’s house again.

Read about their experiences through Ezra.

Part I: The First Expedition

Part II: Reignited

Part III: Second Return

Part IV: Renewed

Estimated Timeline of Judah’s Captivity & Return

605-604 BCE – First deportation of captives from Judah by Nebuchadnezzar
Royal household deported; Daniel taken to Babylon

596 BCE – Second deportation of captives from Judah by Nebuchadnezzar
Tribal leaders and priests deported; Ezekiel taken to Babylon

589 BCE – Nebuchadnezzar lays siege on Jerusalem

587 BCE – Temple destroyed

586 BCE – Third and final deportation of captives
Remaining Israelites deported; Jeremiah taken to Egypt

539 BCE – Cyrus II (the Great) decrees Israel’s return.

1st Expedition – Ezra ch. 1-6

536 BCE – First Return under Zerubbabel
Daniel’s prophecy that the captives will return to the land after 70 years is fulfilled (Daniel 9:2).

Builders , discouraged by their enemies’ threats and resistance; stop work on the temple.

530 BCE – Cambyses II succeeds Cyrus II as king of Persia.

522 BCE – Darius I succeeds Cambyses II as king of Persia.

520-518 BCE – Haggai and Zechariah stir up people to build the temple (2nd year of Darius I)

515 BCE – Temple completed (6th year of Darius I)

78 years elapse between chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra.

486 BCE – Xerxes 1 succeeds Darius I as king of Persia.
Esther (c. 485-465 BCE) strengthens rapport between Xerxes (Ahaseurus) and the Jews; origin of Purim holiday

465 BCE – Artaxerxes I succeeds Xerxes I as king of Persia.

2nd Expedition – Ezra ch. 7-10

458 BCE – Ezra the priest arrives in Jerusalem (7th year of Artaxerxes I).

13 years elapse; enough time for a generation to be succeeded by the next

445 BCE – Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem as governor.

445-432 BCE – Malachi prophesies (possibly as late as 425 BCE).

Principle Witnesses During Israel’s Return

Ezra – priest and scribe who brings materials and priests for the temple; considered quite knowledgeable; believed to have written portions of the Chronicles, Ezra, portions of Nehemiah, and possibly Esther
Ezra arrives in Jerusalem during the 2nd expedition and records the historical accounts of the 1st.

Haggai – prophet; stirs up Israel to continue building the temple

Zechariah – priest and prophet; encourages the people to build the temple, records visions and brings comfort through prophecies of a better future

Nehemiah – governor who arrives after Ezra to oversee the building of the wall of Jerusalem
Nehemiah is considered the last book of the history of Israel.

Malachi – the last recorded OT prophet of Israel; speaks of the future kingdom