1. Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that {were} in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, {even} unto them. / 2. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which {is} at Jerusalem: and with them {were} the prophets of God helping them. →

Well folks, Ezra 5 is a real doozy. It's the story of how two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, show up and scold the Jews for not rebuilding the Temple. Then the Persian King, Xerxes, hears about it and orders the Jews to continue rebuilding it. →

Joe: Alright, we're talking about Ezra 5 today, right? Bible Expert: Yes, that's right Joe. Joe: Alright, so what's this chapter about? Bible Expert: Well, this chapter is about the return of the Jewish exiles to Jerusalem. →

Alex Trebek: So, tell me a little bit about yourself! Contestant: Well, I'm a big fan of the Bible and I think I should start by summarizing the book of Ezra. Alex Trebek: (Sighing) Alright, go ahead. →

Ezra 5: Get your butts in gear, maggots! A couple of prophets—Haggai and Zechariah—came to Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, telling them to get to work rebuilding the temple. They got to work right away, and their work was approved by the Persian king. →

Batman: Greetings Robin! It looks like we have a case to solve! Robin: What is it this time, Batman? Batman: We must solve the mystery of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The people returned to Jerusalem and started the work on the temple. →

Folks, here's the deal. My father used to say, "No malarkey!" and that's what I'm preaching today. See here, Jack, the prophet Haggai and the governor Zerubbabel were working hard to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. →

Ezra 5 was a tremendous chapter! It was bigly important for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the return of God's people to the Promised Land. There were many people saying "Let us rebuild the temple of our God, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us. →

Peter: Alright, so in Ezra 5, the Jews have returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Brian: Ugh. What a drag. Don't they know there's a new episode of The Bachelorette on tonight? Peter: Yeah, but this is important. →