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nfidence steadfast unto the end； God will make the way clear。 Success will come to them as they struggle against difficulties。 Before the intrepid spirit and unwavering faith of a Zerubbabel； great mountains of difficulty will become a plain； and he whose hands have laid the foundation； even 〃his hands shall also finish it。〃 〃He shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings； crying； Grace； grace unto it。〃 Zechariah 4：9； 7。
Human power and human might did not establish the church of God； and neither can they destroy it。 Not on the rock of human strength； but on Christ Jesus； the Rock
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of Ages； was the church founded； 〃and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it。〃 Matthew 16：18。 The presence of God gives stability to His cause。 〃Put not your trust in princes； nor in the son of man；〃 is the word that comes to us。 Psalm 146：3。 〃In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength。〃 Isaiah 30：15。 God's glorious work； founded on the eternal principles of right； will never come to nought。 It will go on from strength to strength； 〃not by might； nor by power； but by My Spirit； saith the Lord of hosts。〃 Zechariah 4：6。
The promise； 〃The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house； his hands shall also finish it；〃 was literally fulfilled。 Verse 9。 〃The elders of the Jews builded； and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo。 And they builded； and finished it； according to the commandment of the God of Israel； and according to the commandment of Cyrus； and Darius； and Artaxerxes king of Persia。 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar ＇the twelfth month＇； which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king。〃 Ezra 6：14； 15。
Shortly afterward the restored temple was dedicated。 〃The children of Israel； the priests； and the Levites； and the rest of the children of the captivity； kept the dedication of this house of God with joy；〃 and 〃upon the fourteenth day of the first month〃 they 〃kept the Passover。〃 Verses 16； 17； 19。
The second temple did not equal the first in magnificence； nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence which pertained to the first temple。 There was
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no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication。 No cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly erected sanctuary。 No fire from heaven descended to consume the sacrifice upon its altar。 The Shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place； the ark； the mercy seat； and the tables of testimony were not found there。 No sign from heaven made known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah。
And yet this was the building concerning which the Lord had declared by the prophet Haggai： 〃The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former。〃 〃I will shake all nations； and the Desire of all nations shall come： and I will fill this house with glory； saith the Lord of hosts。〃 Haggai 2：9；7。 For centuries learned men have endeavored to show wherein the promise of God； given to Haggai； has been fulfilled； yet in the advent of Jesus of Nazareth； the Desire of all nations； who by His personal presence hallowed the precincts of the temple； many have steadfastly refused to see any special significance。 Pride and unbelief have blinded their minds to the true meaning of the prophet's words。
The second temple was honored； not with the cloud of Jehovah's glory； but with the presence of the One in whom dwelt 〃all the fullness of the Godhead bodily〃God Himself 〃manifest in the flesh。〃 Colossians 2：9； 1 Timothy 3：16。 In being honored with the personal presence of Christ during His earthly ministry； and in this alone； did the second temple exceed the first in glory。 The 〃Desire of all nations〃 had indeed come to His temple； when the Man of Nazareth taught and healed in the sacred courts。
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Chapter 49
In the Days of Queen Esther
Under the favor shown them by Cyrus； nearly fifty thousand of the children of the captivity had taken advantage of the decree permitting their return。 These； however； in comparison with the hundreds of thousands scattered throughout the provinces of Medo…Persia； were but a mere remnant。 The great majority of the Israelites had chosen to remain in the land of their exile rather than undergo the hardships of the return journey and the re…establishment of their desolated cities and homes。
A score or more of years passed by； when a second decree； quite as favorable as the first； was issued by Darius Hystaspes； the monarch then ruling。 Thus did God in mercy provide another opportunity for the Jews in the Medo…Persian realm to return to the land of their fathers。 The Lord foresaw the troublous times that were to follow during the reign of Xerxes；the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther；and He not only wrought a change of feeling in the hearts of men
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in authority； but also inspired Zechariah to plead with the exiles to return。
〃Ho； ho； come forth； and flee from the land of the north；〃 was the message given the scattered tribes of Israel who had become settled in many lands far from their former home。 〃I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven； saith the Lord。 Deliver thyself； O Zion； that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon。 For thus saith the Lord of hosts； After the glory hath He sent me unto the nations which spoiled you： for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye。 For； behold； I will shake mine hand upon them； and they shall be a spoil to their servants： and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me。〃 Zechariah 2：6…9。
It was still the Lord's purpose； as it have been from the beginning； that His people should be a praise in the earth； to the glory of His name。 During the long years of their exile He had given them many opportunities to return to their allegiance to Him。 Some had chosen to listen and to learn； some had found salvation in the midst of affliction。 Many of these were to be numbered among the remnant that should return。 They were likened by Inspiration to 〃the highest branch of the high cedar；〃 which was to be planted 〃upon an high mountain and eminent： in the mountain of the height of Israel。〃 Ezekiel 17：22； 23。
It was those 〃whose spirit God had raised〃 （Ezra 1：5） who had returned under the decree of Cyrus。 But God ceased not to plead with those who voluntarily remained in the land of their exile； and through manifold agencies He made
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it possible for them also to return。 The large number； however； of those who failed to respond to the decree of Cyrus； remained unimpressible to later influences； and even when Zechariah warned them to flee from Babylon without further delay； they did not heed the invitation。
Meanwhile conditions in the Medo…Persian realm were rapidly changing。 Darius Hystaspes； under whose reign the Jews had been shown marked favor； was succeeded by Xerxes the Great。 It was during his reign that those of the Jews who had failed of heeding the message to flee were called upon to face a terrible crisis。 Having refused to take advantage of the way of escape God had provided； now they were brought face to face with death。
Through Haman the Agagite； an unscrupulous man high in authority in Medo…Persia； Satan worked at this time to counterwork the purposes of God。 Haman cherished bitter malice against Mordecai； a Jew。 Mordecai had done Haman no harm； but had simply refused to show him worshipful reverence。 Scorning to 〃lay hands on Mordecai alone；〃 Haman plotted 〃to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus； even the people of Mordecai。〃 Esther 3：6。
Misled by the false statements of Haman； Xerxes was induced to issue a decree providing for the massacre of all the Jews 〃scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces〃 of the Medo…Persian kingdom。 Verse 8。 A certain day was appointed on which the Jews were to be destroyed and their property confiscated。 Little did the king realize the far…reaching results that would have
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accompanied the complete carrying out of this decree。 Satan himself； the hidden instigator of the scheme； was trying to rid the earth of those who preserved the knowledge of the true God。
〃In every province； whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came； there was great mourning among the Jews； and fasting； and weeping； and wailing； and many lay in sackcloth and ashes。〃 Esther 4：3。 The decree of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked； apparently there was no hope； all the Israelites were doomed to destruction。
But the plots of the enemy were defeated by a Power that reigns among the children of men。 In the providence of God； Esther； a Jewess who feared the Most High； had been made queen of the Medo…Persian kingdom。 Mordecai was a near relative of hers。 In their extremity they decided to appeal to Xerxes in behalf of their people。 Esther was to venture into his presence as an intercessor。 〃Who knoweth；〃