CHILDREN’S WORSHIP SERVICES

Bethany Baptist Church

MAIN TOPIC: DANIEL and His THREE (3) FRIENDS (Under Persia)

Lesson # 1: The Writings on the Wall

(Daniel Chapter 5)
Lesson # 2 Babylon – From Rags to Riches

Lesson # 3 The Second Exodus of the Jews

Lesson# 4 The Rebuilding of the Temple under Zerubabel

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Children’s Worship Services Bethany Baptist Church
MAIN TOPIC : DANIEL and his Three (3) Friends (Under Persia)
Lesson # 1 : The WRITINGS on the WALL SPELLED DOOM
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Daniel Chapter 5
Main Verse : Dan 5:27 “…Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
INTRODUCTION:
Last month, our lessons dealt with the story of Daniel and his Three (3) Friends under the empire of King
Nebuchadnezzar ; this whole month, let us once again follow the stories of Daniel and his 3 friends; but under a
new empire rule – the PERSIANS.
I. The MORAL DECLINE of the BABYLONIAN EMPIRE:
A. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar in 5762 B.C., the Babylon/Chaldean Empire staggered and
eventually collapsed under the leadership of inept and immoral rulers.
B. In 556 BC, a Babylonian noble, Nabonidus, came to the throne; and after him came the Belshazzar
of Daniel 5.
C. Background of Chapter 5. The Babylonians had been attacked by the Medes and Persians for
sometime; in Chapter 5, the Persian Army, under General Gobryas, was outside the city walls preparing a
night assault on the capital city.
II. The CHARACTER of Belshazzar :
We can have a glimpse of the character of Belshazzar as depicted by the historian Xenophon: he
was describes as “impious and cruel” and demonstrated by two illustrations:
A. It was said that on a hunting trip, one of Belshazzar’s nobles was the first one to catch a prey.
This so enraged the king that he drew his sword and killed the nobleman on the spot, thus setting
a precedent which caused many a prudent hunter of the Chaldean Empire to feign poor marksmanship.
B. On another occasion, the king hosted a party similar to the orgy described in Chapter 5. During
the festivities, another nobleman was admired by one of the king’s concubines. For this breach
of royal favor, the unfortunate man was castrated!
III. The INFAMOUS BANQUET BALL Staged by Beshazzar:
A. Belshazzar, the last Babylonian king stages a huge dinner banquet and drinking party and invites his
top 1000 officers to attend.
B. His feast was ill-timed, to say the least, for Babylon had been under attack by the Medes and Persians
for some time. Perhaps the feast was to build morale.
C. “made a great feast” vs. 1. In Hebrew, this connotes excessive drinking. Some important principles
that we can learn here:
1. This reveals that the king had no moral principles. No man in a position of leadership,
especially the highest position in the land, who loses control of himself can function effectively.
When you have a king who is a drunkard, the nation is in deep trouble.
2. Instead, Belshazzar and his nobles should have been extremely alert, since the Persian Army is
preparing an assault on the city walls that night.
IV. The DESECRATION of SACRED UTENSILS.
A. The Drunken Party (Daniel 5:2-4).
Belshazzar sits at his table, drunk, depraved, and demon-possessed. Suddenly he is seized with a wild
and wicked idea. He is reminded of the gold and silver cups taken by his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar from
the Jerusalem Temple. He orders them brought to the feast and proposes to his guests that they drink wine
from them and praise the Babylonian gods.
B. What are these sacred vessels? The utensils of gold and silver were part of the articles of Solomon’s
Temple and had been used by the Jews to teach the Gospel and to communicate the Word of God.
1. These sacred vessels were originally made by Solomon (1 Ki. 7:48-51);
2. shown by Hezekiah (2 Ki. 20:13),

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 3. and taken by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chron. 36:10)
C. What does this act of Belshazzar shows? It portrays the abject degradation of the king and his court.
He not only knew the origin of these bowls and basins but also their significance ; and therefore, the
profane manner in which he utilized the sacred vessels reveals his total rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By drinking from the sacrificial cups, the entire drinking group had elevated their pagan gods
above the Messiah!.
V. The HANDWRITING in the WALL (Daniel 5:5, 6).
A. Suddenly in the midst of this drunken toast, they see the fingers of a man’s hand writing on the wall
next to the king’s table. Belshazzar is terrified! We are told: “Then the king’s countenance was
changed” (5:6). This is, literally, “his brightness changed.” In other words he immediately turned from
a drunken pink to a frightened white!
1. It was customary in the ancient world to inscribe the great deeds of kings on palace walls.
2. Archeologists have discovered many such example of cuneiform which describes the actual and
sometimes alleged exploits of rulers. Hence, these inscriptions on walls were an ancient form of
today’s newspaper.
3. No doubt a king as selfish and egotistical as Belshazzar had already filled the walls of his palace
with imagined accounts of his own heroics; yet now, a new inscription was being written,
4. The spectacle of a detached hand forming four strange words on the wall aroused even the most
intoxicated spectators, who had sunk into a languorous stupor.
. B. Belshazzar “cried aloud” (literally, “in great earnest”) for some kind of help, but it was already too
late. He would soon experience the fearful warning of Proverbs 1:24-27. Some ten centuries before this
a group of Egyptian magicians had testified concerning this heavenly hand in connection with the
terrible plagues which had befallen them.
We read:
“Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God!” (Ex. 8:19).
VI. The PANIC in the PALACE. (Daniel 5:7-23).
A. In his hour of great need, Belshazzar turns to astrology. How little human nature has changed. The
B. But Belshazzar soon discovers that astrology is no balm in Gilead. No horoscope ever written can
heal the hurt in the human heart. His wise men could not help him. This marks their third failure in the
book of Daniel.
C. Finally at the suggestion of the queen (probably his mother, Nitocris) Belshazzar summons Daniel
(5:10-15).
D. The king offers him the third ruling position if he will interpret the mysterious writing (5:16).
E. Daniel agrees to do so, but spurns the king’s bribe. However, before he interprets the message, the
aged prophet reviews Belshazzar’s wicked past.
1. Belshazzar’s grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had set a good example for his young
grandson when he turned to God after his period of insanity (5:18-21).
2. Belshazzar knew all this, but had deliberately rejected and hardened his heart (5:22, 23).
3. Belshazzar was thus gambling with his immortal soul, for the very air he
breathed came from this God he had so recklessly spurned (5:23).
VII. The INTERPRETATION of the HANDWRITING on the WALL (Daniel 5:24-29).
The writing contained a threefold message from God to Belshazzar.
A. “Mene, Mene”—God has numbered your kingdom and finished it! His number was up.
Belshazzar had not followed the wise advice of Moses when he prayed: “So teach us to number our
days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12).
B. “Tekel”—You are weighed in the balances, and found wanting. Belshazzar had failed to measure
up to the divine standard. The words “found wanting” mean literally “found too light.” Belshazzar’s
morality didn’t weigh enough!
How would God evaluate the king?
On one side of the divine scale is grace; on the other side is Belshazzar. The scales do not

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balance because Belshazzar had rejected Christ as his savior. Hence, the scales are tipped toward divine
judgment.
C. “Peres” (“Upharsin” is the plural of this word)—your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes
and Persians.
VIII. The FALL of BABYLON (Daniel 5:30, 31).
The Persians troops, under General Cyrus , advanced and entrance was made into the city at a time when
the Babylonians were feasting at a drunken orgy.
Belshazzar is slain that very night and the city is ruled by a sixty-two-year-old Mede named Darius.
The prophet Isaiah predicted the fall of Babylon over two hundred years in advance. (See Isa. 21:1-10.)
IX. PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
A. Like Belshazzar, we are being weighed by God; to see if we are measuring up to his standards.
B. To Teachers, always insert salvation message; also Christian values.

On the one side of the divine scale is His grace through the work of Christ; on the other end of the scale is
our trust in God. If we have believed the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the scale is balanced.
For unbelievers, the scales would not be balanced, because instead of Christ’s righteousness

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Children’s Worship Services Bethany Baptist Church
MAIN TOPIC : DANIEL and his Three (3) Friends (Under Persia)
Lesson # 2 : The WRITINGS on the WALL SPELLED DOOM
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Daniel Chapter 6

I. A NEW EMPIRE, A NEW KING (Daniel 6:1-9).

A. After the death of the last Babylonian King- Belshazzar- Darius, the Mede, immediately sets about to
reorganize and consolidate his fantastic new kingdom called Babylon. He divides the kingdom into
129 provinces, each under a governor. These governors are accountable to three presidents, with
Daniel being one of the three. There has been some historical question raised concerning the identity
of Darius. Three main explanations have been offered:
a. That he was really Cyrus under a different name.
b. That he was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus.
c. That he was a special “presidential assistant” named Gubaru, who was appointed by the
great Persian king, Cyrus, to rule over this city for him. The third view seems the most
logical one.
2. Daniel, now over eighty, was still blessed with so much skill and ability that Darius was
considering elevating him over the other two presidents (6:3).
3. This so infuriated both the presidents and the governors that they plotted to take away his life
(6:4).
4. Being unable to see the slightest flaw in his secular life, they determine to trap him in his
religious life (6:5).
5. Darius is tricked into signing a thirty-day decree which says that all praying during that time is
to be directed to the king himself (6:6-9).
B. A kneeling man (6:10-20).
1. Daniel learns of this and doubtless immediately sees through its clumsy effort to trap him. But
the old warrior continues worshiping God as before. We note:
a. He kept his windows opened. To close them would have been cowardly. To open them
(had this not been his custom) would have been foolhardy.
b. He continued praying three times a day, in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.
c. He knelt down. This is perhaps the most common prayer posture depicted in the Bible.
d. He faced Jerusalem. Solomon had given this procedure in his dedicatory prayer of the
Temple. (See 1 Ki. 8:44-48; 2 Chron. 6:36-39.)
2. Those vicious hunters who had set their trap now see the prey inside and’ gleefully rush to
Darius to deliver the death blow. Darius realizes he has been had and desperately seeks to find a
loophole in the immutable law of the Medes and Persians, but all to no avail (6:11-15).
3. Daniel is arrested and thrown down into a den of hungry man-eating lions. In the Bible the devil
is often likened to a lion. (See Ps. 10:9; 57:4; 2 Tim. 4:17; 1 Pet. 5:8; Dan. 6:16.)
4. After sealing the mouth Of the den with his own signet ring, Darius returns and spends a
sleepless and miserable night in the royal palace (6:17, 18).
5. At daybreak the next morning he rushes to the den, orders the cap stone removed, and calls out
in anguish:
“O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to
deliver thee from the lions?” (6:20).
C. A heavenly ban (6:21-28).
1. Out of the blackness of that den of doom there comes a cheerful and clear voice:

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 “O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they
have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O
king, have I done no hurt” (6:21, 22).
Peter and Paul doubtless had this thrilling event in mind when they later wrote:
“Who, through faith, subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped
the mouths of lions” (Heb. 11:33).
“Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their
souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Pet. 4:19).
That same heavenly messenger who had saved Daniel’s three friends in the furnace now
protected the prophet in the den.
2. The king’s reaction to all this was twofold; he was both glad and mad!
a. He rejoiced at the salvation of Daniel and issued a decree ordering all the citizens of his
kingdom to consider this almighty Judean God (6:23, 25-27).
b. He took immediate vengeance upon those who had tricked him in the first place and ordered them
along with all their families thrown into this same den. Their bodies were instantly torn apart by the lions
(6:24). Persian law was much

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Children’s Worship Services Bethany Baptist Church
MAIN TOPIC : DANIEL and his Three (3) Friends (Under Persia)
Lesson # 3 : The Second JEWISH EXODUS: “We Shall Return!”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: EZRA 1 & 2
INTRODUCTION: The First EXODUS
This week, we shall study the return from captivity of Judah from Babylon in the year 539 BC. Please
note that the Jews were not alien to this kind of exodus. The first Exodus from a foreign land happened in around
1,871 BC, when about 2-3M Jews left slavery in Egypt , and walked through the wilderness for the next 40 years.
A review of important details regarding the Exodus from Egypt:
A. The first Jewish Exodus was the great deliverance extended to the Israelites when "the Lord
brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt" <Exo. 12:51>, "with a mighty hand and an outstretched
arm" <Deut. 26:8>, that is, "with full manifestation of divine power."
B. Brief History why the Jews were taken to Egypt:
1. The quiet life of the patriarchs terminated in the circumstances subsequent to the selling
of Joseph to the Ishmaelites and his later exaltation as viceroy or Prime Minister in
Egypt. 2. According to the biblical chronology preserved in the MT of the Heb. Bible, the
Israelites emigrated to Egypt around 1871 B.C. and were settled in the land of Goshen.
3. Multiplying rapidly in Egypt in the land of Goshen <Gen. 46:26-34> and identified with
the area around the eastern part of the Nile Delta, the children of Israel soon became an
important factor in Egyptian life. The land of Goshen was one of the richest parts of
Egypt, "the best of the land" <47:11>. Divine favor, and having Joseph as influential in
the land , plus their happy location – the fertile lands of Goshen- were factors in their
increasing strength.
4. However, the Jews entered a period of confusion and turmoil, at the accession of an
oppressive pharaoh called "a new king . . . who did not know Joseph" <Exo. 1:8>. That
started more than 400 years of being in slavery.
5. After exactly 430 years, God appeared unto Moses to announce His deliverance from
Egypt . Pharaoh did not make it easy for the Jews to go; and the Lord had to send the 10
plagues which were supernatural and consisted of events and phenomena that were natural to
Egypt, but with greater intensity and in unusual sequence.
6. Israel's exit from Egypt, as outlined in the Bible narrative <Exo. 12:37; 13:17-18,20;
14:1-2>, is through God’s mighty hand.
7. Total number of those who left Egypt : more than 600,000 footmen or men of war “20
years and above”; but including women and children: about 2 top 3Million people.
8. Number of years of exodus: because of their complaining at Kadeshbarnea when God
sent 12 spies to see the land – their travel took 40 years.

I. The Second EXODUS: From Babylon to Judah (under Zerubabel):

A. During the past weeks, we have seen how because of continued rejection of God and occupation
with idolatry –worship of the two (2) golden calves, or worship of Ball – God finally gave Israel and Judah
to their enemies.
1. Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians.
2. Judah was taken by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar.
B. We know that all the 10 tribes of Israel taken captive to Assyria all died there; and no one in exile
in Assyria was ever able to come back to their homes in Israel.
C. We have learned, however, that Judah (which inc the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) settled in
peace under oppressors who conquered them.

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 1. Under King Nebuchadnezzar, we have seen how Hebrew youths, Daniel and his friends,
Meschach, Shadrach and Abednego, stood by the Biblical principles they have been
taught, and influenced for good, King Nebuchadnezzar. After he was humbled by God in
Daniel chapter 4, King Nebuchadnezzar finally realized the sovereignty of Daniel’s true and living God
, and got converted. We learned that Babylon would be defeated by the Mede-Persians under
Cyrus the Great in 538 BC.
2. Under the new Persian Empire, King Cyrus assigned General Darius the Mede to be
governor of Babylon. We have seen last lesson how Daniel was admired by General
Darius and made him top of the 3 presidents over 120 elders in Babylon.
Also in the previous lesson, we have seen how Governor Darius saw how Daniel’s true
and living God delivered him from the mouths of the lions.
C. By this time, Daniel, who was about 14 to 17 years old, when taken to Babylon, was already old
– more than 80 years old – and he would be able to see the fulfillment of the prophecies of the
prophets Isaiah (made 140 years ago) and Jeremiah (made more than 100 years ago) that Judah
would return to their homeland after 70 years of captivity. Jer 25:11 “And this whole land shall
be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
II. The “STIRRING” STAGE : God Moves King Cyrus:
A. Who was Cyrus the Great ?
1. King Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon on October 12, 539 B.C. with his
general Ugbaru. He entered Babylon himself on October 29, 539 B.C. Cyrus was the
great king of the empire revealed in Daniel 2:32 as the breast and arms of silver that would
succeed the Babylonian Empire. (In Dan. 7:5 it is pictured as a bear, being raised up on one
side, having three ribs in its mouth.)
2. About two hundred years before, Isaiah had even called Cyrus by name (Is. 44:21–28;
45:1, 5), Cyrus first appears in the Old Testament when he proclaims the release of
the Jewish captives (vv. 1–4; 2 Chr. 36:22, 23).
3. He is known in Biblical and secular history as the powerful king of Persia (559–529 B.C.)
who released the Jewish captives to return to Jerusalem, after he had made the Persians the
dominant nation in the ancient world. In the Old Testament, he is most highly praised
as God’s “shepherd” (Is. 44:28) and His “anointed” (Is. 45:1).
B. God Moves King Cyrus: (To Teachers: Please read Ezra 1 with the class)
1. Most likely the proclamation in this verse was given in 538 B.C. Isaiah.
The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus: The Lord’s sovereignty is depicted in the
“stirring up.” Isaiah 45:13 says, “I have raised him up [same verb] … he shall build my city,
and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward” (cf. v. 5, where God is said to have
raised up the spirit of the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem; and 1 Chr. 5:26;
2 Chr. 21:16; 36:22; Jer. 51:11; Hag. 1:14). The Lord is not only the God of Israel or Judah,
but of the whole world. He inspired the favorable decree of Cyrus (cf. Prov. 21:1).
He hath charged me in V. 3 is another phrase depicting that it was God who moved Cyrus.
2. 1:2. The contents of the “proclamation” of verse 1 are now given in verses 2–4. This
action of Cyrus needs to be understood in the context that it was his policy to do
this for many different peoples in his empire. He would restore images of non-
Babylonian deities to their former cities, help bring back the native worshipers, rebuild
their sanctuaries, and solicit their patronage. Isaiah 45:4 is clear that Cyrus was not a
believer, since he did all of this “though thou hast not known me” (cf. Ex. 5:2, and
Pharaoh’s use of the term; Is. 19:21, that in a future day the Egyptians will know the
Lord; and Jer. 31:34, that Israel will also know the Lord in a future day). This decree
was discovered by Darius I (521–484 B.C.) 20 years later (6:2).
a. The decree said whosoever remaineth – referring to the remnants of Judah
– alive after 70 years – in Babylon would return to Jerusalem, to build the house of
the Lord.
b. And that Let the men of his place is a reference to the Gentile neighbors who
were to help by their donations. The non-Jewish neighbors – Gentiles- are now
to help the Israelites with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts.

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 The prophet Isaiah also referred to this as a “second” exodus in 43:14–28 and
48:20, 21 . This would recall the days of the Exodus (see Gen. 15:14 and the
“great substance” which was fulfilled in Ex. 12:35, 36)
c. In addition to these voluntary gifts, there were to be payments and releases
from the royal treasury, specified in a separate document that found its way into
the royal archives (6:8–10).
d. Cyrus, likewise, restored the vessels of the Tabernacle which were taken by
King Nebuchadnezzar when he invaded Babylon. The furniture of the temple,
including the ark of the covenant, was destroyed in 586 B.C. King Cyrus
donated the golden vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem Temple some
sixty years before. This totaled 5,469 gold and silver items.
e. 1:9–11. The vessels totaled 5,400, of which the 2,499 listed in verses 9 and 10
were evidently the largest or most important. The closing words, that were
brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem, mark one of the turning points of
history.
f. The journey would take approximately four months (7:8, 9)2. The rising (1:5-
11)
III. The Return Preparations:
A. God plants a holy desire in the hearts of many Hebrew people to return. Although only three
tribes are mentioned (Judah, Benjamin, and Levi), we know from other passages that there were doubtless
representatives from all twelve who returned. In 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 we are told at the time of Israel’s
civil war that various individuals from all twelve tribes moved to Jerusalem.

B. Those Hebrews remaining in Babylon contributed toward this venture.

C. A careful listing of their genealogy (2:1-57) was made. The family trees of those who returned were
carefully recorded for posterity. Especially to be noted was their leader, whose name was
ZERUBABEL.
D. Who was ZERUBABEL?
1. This humble man was the grandson of Jehoiachin (Ezra 3:2; 1 Chron. 3:19).
2. He was the head of the tribe of Judah at the time of the return from the Babylonian captivity.
3. History. In the first year of Cyrus, Zerubbabel was living in Babylon and was recognized as
a prince of Judah in the captivity. He was probably in the king's service, as he had received
an Aram. name (Sheshbazzar) and had been entrusted by Cyrus with the office of governor of
Judea.
4. Goes to Jerusalem. Zerubbabel led the first colony of captives to Jerusalem,. He was
accompanied by the following:
a. Jeshua the high priest,
b. a considerable number of priests, Levites, (4,289 of them); this was about 10%
of the returning remnant.
c. and heads of houses of Judah and Benjamin.
5. Total number of those returning was 42,360 Jews; including women and small children.
6. There were also listed 200 singers in chapter 2:65 The singers listed here were not the
temple choir of v. 41. These were professional singers employed for banquets, feasts,
and funerals (see 2 Chr. 35:25; Eccl. 2:7, 8). Their presence could be an indication of
luxury (see 2 Sam 19:35).
It appears that many of the Jewish people had achieved some prosperity while living
in Babylon. The Jews had not been enslaved in exile; they had only been restricted
from returning to their land.
7. Likewise, they brought along with them the following:
a. Their horses were 736 ; their mules, 245;
b.
Their camels, 435; their asses (male cows) 6,720 .

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 .
And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is
at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work 61,000 drams of gold, and
5,000 poundS of silver, and 100 priests’ garments.
So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters
dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
8. Their exodus/travel took them 4 months.
IV. PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
A. When we continually reject God’s standard and laws, His justice always chastise.
B. However, God’s mercy will never His children; God knows His own , and will always deliver.
C. To Teachers, always insert salvation message; also Christian values

Next week’s Lesson: The REBUILDING of the Temple

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Children’s Worship Services Bethany Baptist Church
MAIN TOPIC : DANIEL and his Three (3) Friends (Under Persia)
Lesson # 4 : The REBUILDING of the TEMPLE by Zerubabel.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Ezra 3-6
Memory Verse : Ps 5:7 “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:
and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”
INTRODUCTION:
Last week, we have studied that the Jewish captives in Babylon were allowed to return in their homeland
when the Lord stirred the hearts of King Cyrus of Persia. About more than 42,000 Jews returned led by
Zerubabel.
Now it became necessary that the returning Jews were built a temple so they can have a place of worship.
I. The IMPORTANCE of the TEMPLE:
A. The Jewish Temple is a building set apart for the worship of God. There had been three (3)
buildings at Jerusalem that successively bore the name of Temple:
1. Solomon’s temple (built by Solomon)
2. The Temple of Zerubabel (built by Zerubabel)
3. Herod’s Temple (built by Herod and was existent during the time of the Lord Jesus
Christ).
As these were all built upon the same site and after the same general pattern, they were in nature
and design the same, namely, that of the one built by Solomon. This latter was, in its essential features, a
reproduction of the Tabernacle, in more lasting material and having the necessary adjuncts of a permanent
building.
Please note that during the Exodus, the Jews worshipped in the Tabernacle which at that time was
mobile – it could be assembled and packed up – during the last 38 years of wandering in the desert.
II. SOLOMON’S TEMPLE: Solomon’s temple was most elaborate and exquisitely done ; and was said to be
the jewel of Solomon’s architectural prowess.
A. Preparation. King Solomon, as soon as he was securely seated upon the throne, made
arrangements for beginning to build the Temple <1 Chr. 22,28-29>. He entered into a treaty with Hiram
king of Tyre, stipulating that this monarch should permit him to get cedar and cypress wood and blocks of
stone from Lebanon, and that he would allow workmen sent by Solomon to fell the wood and quarry and
hew the stones, under the direction of skilled workmen, subjects of Hiram.
In return Solomon was to send supplies of wheat, oil, and wine.
B. So, in the fourth year of his reign, c. 960 B.C., Solomon began the erection of the sacred edifice,
which was built on Mt. Moriah. The edifice was completed in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign, i.e., in
7-1/2 years (c. 953 B.C.).
C. The Structure. The Temple proper was a building formed of hewn stones on the outside.
On the inside the walls were lined with wood, so as to cover the stones; the walls and roof were
covered with cedar and the floor with planks of cypress wood.
The side walls were covered over with carved work, representing cherubim, palms, garlands, and
opening flowers <1 Kin. 6:18; 2 Chr. 3:5>, so that all was overlaid with thin plates of gold.
The floor as well as the walls and ceilings were covered with gold <1 Kin. 6:30>.
D. The Furniture. After the completion of the building, Solomon had the Ark placed in the Holy of
Holies, and dedicated the Temple with solemn thanksgiving and prayer, accompanied with liberal
thank offerings.
E. However, when Babylon invaded Jerusalem, King Nebuchadnezzar gathered together all the
treasures of the Temple, including the golden utensils, and carried them off <24:13>.
Eleven years later Jerusalem was destroyed by the Chaldeans/Babylonians , who burned the
Temple to the ground after pillaging it of its remaining valuables, which they took to Babylon
<25:9,13-17; Jer. 52:13,17-23>.

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III. The TEMPLE of ZERUBABEL: (Ezra 3) Upon returning from captivity in Babylon, Zerubabel started
rebuilding the Temple for the Lord.
A. The returnees to Jerusalem celebrated laying the temple’s foundation in almost the same way that
the previous generation had celebrated the first temple (see 2 Chr. 5:13). Two choruses were sung
responsively. One group sang For He is good; the other group responded with For His mercy endures
forever (see Neh. 12:31).
B. It had been about 50 years since the first temple had been destroyed, and many of the older men
(ancient men) who had seen the earlier buildings wept now because of the sorrowful contrast in size and
splendor. Up to this point, only the foundations of the Temple had been started.
C. The Adversaries or Enemies of Judah at this time: the Samaritans
Starting in Ezra 4, however, Satan tried his best to prevent the Temple from going up. The
antagonists were the Samaritans (half-Jew) who had married heathen spouses , and defamed God. They
formulated two (2) strategies to stop the rebuilding of the Temple:
1. Satan through the Samaritans tried COMPROMISE (4:1-3). Judah’s enemies suggested
they all have a part in building some kind of universal house of worship
a. Please note that if Zerubabel agreed for the Samaritans to help them, they would
mix the true worship of God with the worship of false gods.
b. Zerubabel and the High Priest that time – Jeshua – refused. The people offering
help were not friends, but adversaries (v. 1). They may have sacrificed to the Lord, but
they were idolatrous at the same time (see 2 Kin. 17:29–35).
c. The Samaritans became active enemies of Israel’s rebuilding program for the
next several years. The Samaritans troubled the Jewish people, perhaps with threats
and attempts to cut off their supplies.
2. Satan through the Samaritans tried SLANDER.
a. The Samaritans then hired counselors, or lawyers, probably to represent them
against the Jewish community at the Persian court. Their enemies then wrote lies
concerning them to the Persian officials.
b. They reminded the King of Jerusalem’s history as a hotbed of rebellion and
suggested he stop all building action. The King agreed and issued the order to halt
(4:18-23).
D. The Jews had been forced to stop working on the temple (4:24). Now years later, God revived
His work. He instructed His prophets to prophesy, and He expected His people to respond in faith and
action. The phrase who was over them is a reminder of the sovereignty of God. No king other than the
Lord Himself commanded His people.
1. 5:2 Zerubbabel and Jeshua the high priest led the people once again in rebuilding the
temple. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah joined in this call to action.
2. When the temple rebuilding resumed, resistance renewed. The Samaritans took the
matter to a certain Persian governor by the name of Tattenai . Tattenai’s responsibility was to
research if indeed the former king, King Cyrus, indeed authorize the return of the Jews and the
rebuilding of the Temple. His research revealed so.
E. The new King – King Darius- then issued a decree to allow the rebuilding of the Temple. The
Temple was finally completed after 20 years.
IV. PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
A. Satan always put adversaries to prevent believers from worshipping God. In this story, Satan
prevented the rebuilding of the Temple; but God will always fulfill His plan and purpose. No one
– not even the forces of Satan – can hinder His plan for the spread of the Gospel.
B. Now think of the churches being built all over the world – even in restricted access nations – Satan
would not want people in these areas to be saved; but God would always make a way for the
Gospel to be preached.
C. In this age, we live in a free nation. Churches are built anywhere in the Philippines; but even
inside the churches, Satan prevents believers from worshipping God. How? Distractions, people
can be inside the church but their minds and spirits are not there. People with unconfessed sins
making the motion of going to church, but not getting the essence of worship.

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 Let it not be so in our midst. God has given us the local church as the authorized place of worship
in this dispensation. Let us take advantage of this privilege so we can go in spiritual maturity.
D. To Teachers, please pray for other applications relevant to your class. Always insert salvation
message in your lessons.

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