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Ezra 1:5, Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 

In the year 538 B.C., King Cyrus of Persia issued a royal decree that the people of Judah could return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.  Unlike the Assyrians and Babylonians before him, Cyrus was known for allowing displaced people groups to go home.  He would even send them with the idols that had been stolen by the Babylonians.  Since the Jews had no idols, the people were sent with the items found in the Temple. 

It was the prophet Jeremiah that declared that the exile would only be for a period of time, specifically seventy years.  God had a bigger plan of redemption for his people, no matter how wayward they had become.  Remember Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  We often see this verse on graduation cards and coffee mugs, but the meaning is far from what we think.  God did have a plan for his people and he did have a hopeful future in mind, but first they had to endure a long exile, as a consequence for their repeated disobedience. 

But in God’s mercy, it was now time for a new beginning for God’s beloved people.  It was God himself who moved Cyrus to allow the Jews to return.  Now, it’s important to remember that the Jewish people had been living in Babylon (later called Persia) for almost seventy years.  They had settled down, they had jobs, probably intermarried, and established themselves in the local communities.  Thus, not everyone returned to Jerusalem.  The Scripture says that God moved the hearts of the leaders, the priests, and the Levites.  A remnant of people would return, not because they were homesick, but because they were focused on God’s will and purpose. Those who packed everything up and left for their homeland would have done so because they heard God’s call and made a decision to be obedient. 

How often have you heard God’s call in your life?  Have you been obedient?

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We know that you call us in little things and big things.  Help us listen and pay attention to your voice.  Give us the courage to be obedient and follow your will.  Lord, how often we push away your promptings out of fear or inconvenience.  God, help us be the people you have called us to be and live into your purpose for our life.  In Your Name, Amen.