September 30, 2025 • 25 mins
# 254 - The Chosen People Return - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Prophets Haggai and Zechariah rouse a stalled people as King Darius’ decree clears the way to finish the second temple—yet God soon sends Ezra, a Torah-scribe, to confront hearts that have grown cold. With scrolls in hand and tears on the temple steps, Ezra leads Israel into costly repentance and true return, turning rebuilt walls into renewed worship.
Episode 254 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful; for he can’t deny himself.”
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Show Notes:
(01:42) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:32) The Chosen People Return
(23:35) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
He said, we can go back and reveal bit them.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
We can go home.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, can you believe it?
Speaker 4 (00:11):
We'll finally see Jerusalem.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
With that, men gathered their tools, women packed their woven baskets.
Elders dusted off family scrolls and whispered prayers of gratitude
they hadn't thought would ever come. Children ran through alleyways,
wide eyed, overhearing talk of a city they'd only ever
heard of in stories. Jerusalem. The Temple mount, once the
(00:39):
dwelling place of the Most High, stood in ghostly quiet.
Its courtyards were covered in ash and debris. The altar
was gone, desecrated long ago, leaving behind a scorched imprint
in the dust where fire had once burned.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
For the Lord, bring the rems, the coats the chiefs
without blemish, will begin and end each day with the
ascension offering. The entire sacrifice will be consumed on the
fire of the altar of the burnt offering, and the
fragrant aroma will be pleasing to the floor, represent of
(01:17):
a constant, diligent devotion or abandons from him.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
The people eagerly obey Jeshua, their high priest, as they
re established the altar of burnt offering on the temple mount,
the roaring fire like the steadfast North Star that lights
the way home in a vast cosmos of desolation.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Shallo, my friends from here in the holy Land of Israel,
i'm ya l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lets, sins of faith, love, and the
meaning of life. Through Israel story, we will find this
(02:06):
truth that we are all chosen for something great. So
take a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're
feeling extra grateful for these stories, we would love it
if you left us a review. I read every single
one of them, and if you're interested in hearing more
about the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you
(02:27):
can visit IFCJ dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
The altar still burned, stubbornly and brightly, that tiny speck
of light on the horizon of a vast and dark sea.
The temple around the altar remained a skeleton, half built,
half forgotten. Eighteen years had passed since the foundation was laid,
(02:56):
and the joy turned to silence in the hills of
Judo once more. But God had not gone quiet, nor
had he turned a deaf ear to the prayers of
his most steadfast, faithful followers. Despite the years of delay
and disappointment. He sent voices. The prophets Hagai and Zechariah
(03:18):
came to the city of Jerusalem and breathed new life
and new found vigor into the people of God.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Is it time for you to live in paneled houses
while the house of the Lord lies in ruins? Build
the temple that I may take pleasure in.
Speaker 6 (03:35):
It, not by mine, not by power, but by my spirit,
says the Lord.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Their words cracked through the complacency, and something stirred. Sir
uberbl stood again and once more rallied the people. Jeshua
took up his priestly robes with pride. The people, once afraid,
now remember they were not just survivors, they were builders.
(04:04):
But the enemies of the Jews picked up their scathing
correspondences and conniving schemes. Once more. Letters were sent to
the new king of Persia. King Darius reports that the
Jews were building again, reached his palace. Was it rebellion.
The enemies of the Jews claimed that it was they
(04:27):
stirred up trouble in all the ways they could concerned.
The new King Darius searched the records, but there buried
in the archives of Persia was the decree of the
former King Cyrus. Jeshua rushed from his living quarters to
where Zaruba Bell stood at the temple mount, overseeing the
(04:50):
reinvigorated workforce, who was out of breath. But the exuberant
expression on the now elderly man's face tugged at a
memory of long ago. In Sir ruber Bell's mind. He
couldn't help but smile at Jeshua's irritation at not being
able to choke out words after the exertion of running
up the hills.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Rubrable, My old friend, you'll never believe.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
Oh oh, here, read it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Sir ruber Bell bit back his laughter, but then took
the parchment and read aloud.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
A decree of King Darius.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Sir ruber Bell's eyebrows shot up at Jeshua, just read it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Therefore, you must stay away from that place. At an eye.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
Governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, I
knew our enemies were at it again. Keep going leave
the construction of the House of God.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
You, but the governor and.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
Elders of the Jews, rebuild this House of God and
its original site. I hereby is your degree concerning what
you are to do, so that the elders of the
Jews can read.
Speaker 7 (05:59):
The House of God.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
The cost is to be paid in full to these
men out of the royal revenue from the taxes of
the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the
work loss whatever is needed. Young bulls, rams and lambs
were burnt offerings to the God of the Heavens of wheat, salt,
wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem.
(06:23):
Let it be given to them every day without fail,
so that they can offer sacrifices.
Speaker 7 (06:28):
Of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and
pray for the life of the King and his sons. Yes,
I can't believe what I'm reading. Our God has been
influencing the very hand of the King.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I also issued a creed concerning any man who interferes
with disdirective. Let a being be torn from his house
and raised up. He will be impaled on it and
his house will be made into a garbage toumbe. Because
of this offense, May the God who caused his name
to dwell there overthrow any king or people who dares to.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
Farm or interfere with this house of Indians. I there
is have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.
Never in all my years.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Would you have ever expected to have a king defend you. Oh,
the last one gave us gold, and now this one
will impale our enemies.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Sir Ruber Bell and Jeshua, two very old friends now
at this point then howled with laughter and disbelief, and
with that the resistance faded. The work resumed, and the
second temple, under Zaruba Bell's leadership was finished. At last,
(07:52):
it was in Solomon's temple. It didn't shine with gold,
but it stood whole and complete. At long last. Decades passed.
Jerusalem had a temple again, but something was still missing,
and many more Jews still remained in exile in the
(08:14):
far reaches of the Persian Empire. They had been saved
by the brave acts of Queen Esther and sustained by
the cleverness of Mordecai the Jew. In the years following
the rebuilding of the temple. Eventually, King Xerxes was replaced
by King Artaxerxes, and a new generation of leaders arose,
(08:37):
and so from the courts of Persia came a new voice.
He was a scribe of the priestly line of Arran.
He was a man devoted to the law of Moses,
and the hand of the Lord was upon him. His
name was Ezra. Ezra was a scholarly man, but he
was no passive scribe. His fiery devotion to the law
(09:01):
of the Lord set him apart. It could be polarizing, yes,
but it also sparked something in the hearts of the people.
He taught with authority. He called sin what it was,
and he carried the weight of their covenant as if
it were bound to his own soul. His passion stirred minds,
(09:22):
moved hearts, and inevitably caught the attention of the king.
One day, Ezra was summoned to the regal throne room
of Babylon. He entered wearing the simple robes of a scribe, threadbare, practical,
ink stained, standing in stark contrast to the opulent grandeur
(09:44):
that surrounded him. Gold pillars, polished floors and rows of
intimidating guards and nobles in fine linen. Then the royal
scepter was lifted. Ezra straightened his spine, lifted his gaze,
and summoned the fire that burned within him. He stepped forward,
(10:05):
not with entitlement, but with authority born from conviction. He
stood not only as a servant of Artaxerxes, but as
a messenger of the Living God.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Tell me, Israel, for you have found favor with me.
What is it you desire more than anything else? I
will grant you anything your request.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Ezra stood stunned. He held no title, no position in
the palace, but he carried something greater. The favor of
the Lord and the law of Moses edged deep into
his soul. He had studied it, he had lived it,
and now, more than anything, he longed to teach it,
(10:54):
to awaken his people to the truth they had forgotten.
Speaker 8 (10:59):
My King, You, you honor me, this is my request.
Allow me to return to my people in Jerusalem. I
long to worship the Lord there at the rebuilt Temple.
I also desire to bring the law of our prophet Moses.
I will bring spiritual revival to my people.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Then hear my decree Ezra, priests and scribe of the
law of your God. I am sending you not just
as a servant, but as an ambassador of your people
and of your God. You may return to Jerusalem, and
any of your fellow Israelites who wish to go with you, priests,
(11:41):
levite servants, they may go as well. You are to
evaluate the state of Judah and Jerusalem according to the
law you carry, and you shall bring with you silver
and gold from my treasury and from my counselors, given
freely to the God whose dwelling is in Jerusalem. Gather
(12:03):
also whatever your people offer freely with it, purchase sacrifices, bulls, rams, lambs,
grain and drink offerings present on the altar of your God.
And whatever remains you may use as you see fit
according to the wisdom of your God. Take with you
(12:26):
the sacred vessels given for the service of the temple,
And if you lack anything, draw from the royal treasury
without fear. Let the needs of your God's house be
met in full. May your God be honored, for I
desire no wrath to fall upon my realm or my sons.
(12:50):
Go in peace, Priest of Jerusalem, May the hand of
your God be upon you.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
As we fell to his knees. Overcome with awe and gratitude,
he thanked the king with formal words, but his heart
poured thanks to the Lord alone. He knew exactly whose
hand had moved the heart of Persia. True to his word,
(13:17):
King Artaxerxes granted Ezra all that he asked, gold, silver,
livestock for sacrifice, and the freedom to appoint judges and
teach the law throughout the province. It was an extraordinary
favor meant to secure peace, order and divine protection over
(13:37):
the empire. So Ezra gathered a second wave of exiles,
among them priests and levites, temple servants and gatekeepers, singers
and scribes, families who still believed, elders who longed to
see revival, sons and daughters who longed to walk in
(13:58):
the promises of their ana ancestors. Before they departed, Ezra
assembled them all near the river a harve. He looked
upon the crowd, men, women, children, young and old, and
knew the road ahead would demand more than travel. It
would demand obedience and discipline.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
You are not merely returning to a land, You were
returning to a covenant. The road ahead will not be easy.
But we do not serve a god of ease. We
serve the Lord of heaven and Earth, who brought us
out of Egypt, who brought us through exile.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
That now calls us back to himself.
Speaker 9 (14:43):
Let no one walked this road. Lightly, purify your heart,
prepare your hands.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
We do not go home as we were. We go
home as a holy people.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
The crowd gathered around and murmured with conviction. Some even
began weeping. Others nodded solemnly, as for a great to
warm the scrolls in his hand, and lifted them overhead.
Speaker 9 (15:10):
This is the word of the Lord, the law of Moses,
recorded here on these scrolls. This is what sets us
apart from every other nation.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
This is not just tradition.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
It's our identity, our inheritance, our life. Our brothers have
returned to the land of promise, and now we.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Must walk it once more.
Speaker 9 (15:37):
Do you not remember the words of Moses before we
first entered this land. These are not idle words for you,
They are your life.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
He warned us.
Speaker 9 (15:48):
Not to turn aside, not to the right or to letter.
And now, after all.
Speaker 8 (15:55):
This exile, after all.
Speaker 9 (15:57):
This loss, we must not lose our again, we will
keep his commands, we will live by his word, and
we will return not just to this land, but to
our God.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And with that they fasted and they prayed as they
prepared themselves for their long journey to Jerusalem. The generations
who remembered the first rounds of deportations from Judah had
long died out. So when Ezra and his second wave
of returning exiles crested the final hill aways off from
(16:36):
the Jerusalem of their people's collective memory, they were astonished.
The land of promise, the land of their forefathers, the
city established by David. But when Ezra stepped into Jerusalem
scrolls in hand, the city felt different. The city bustled,
(16:58):
but the spiritual pulse was faint. Sacrifices continued, but conviction
was missing. Ezra's heart sank as he walked the temple courts.
He watched men priests even walk hand in hand with
women from nations who worshiped false gods. He saw altars
(17:19):
in alleyways and up on high places, incense curling into
skies meant for bow Lord?
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Is this what we have come to?
Speaker 10 (17:30):
A temple built with clean.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
Hands, defiled by divided hearts?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Ezra climbed the steps of the temple courtyard. He fell
to his knees before the old time. His hands clutched
his beard and tore at his garments. Crowds began to gather.
They knew that the king had sent them an ambassador.
They knew he would be a holy man, someone important.
(17:56):
But when they saw his anguish, torment, and broken heart
over their sins, their lack of conviction, the moments quieted.
No one had seen grief like this since the days
of exile. No one had seen profound, godly grief like
this for lifetimes. Ezra, the man who was tasked with
(18:19):
bringing spiritual revival and reform to God's people, fell on
his face before them and before the Lord my.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
God, ashamed, a shamed the grief.
Speaker 10 (18:34):
First, our guilt has written high that our heads and
our black flowed waters rich nervants.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The people stilled further. As they listened, they scarcely drew breath.
This favored official, this ambassador of the King, was lumping
himself in with their sin. He saw himself as one
of them. He knew that a failure for just one
of God's people was a failure for all so special,
(19:11):
so prized. So loved were God's children that it grieved
both the heart of God and his prophets and priests
on their behalf. Silence hung heavy and charged fertile soil
for the seeds of conviction and repentance to take root from.
Speaker 8 (19:29):
The days of our ancestors. Until now we have sinned
again and again.
Speaker 10 (19:37):
Yet you God, have not destroyed us. You gave us remnant,
You gave us favor before kings. You brought us home,
You gave us hope, And we we have returned again.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
What can we say?
Speaker 10 (19:59):
We stand in eye guilt, and yet here we are
because of your mercy.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
The crowd stirred at his words. Some knelt, others began
to weep.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
We have been unfaithful. Is there still hope?
Speaker 1 (20:16):
A man named Shekhanaya stepped forward, his voice steady.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Let us make a covenant before our God to do
what is right, to send away these wives and their
children according to the law.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Let it be done carefully, rightly, Let it be done.
Speaker 9 (20:36):
Rise up, Ezra, This task is yours, and we are
with you.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
The people murmured, some sobbed, others turned their faces to
the sky. One by one, heads of households began to nod,
then speak.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
We were blind, but now we see Ezra.
Speaker 6 (20:59):
Teach us again, teach us all.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Ezra's eyes burned with unshed tears. He stood taller than before,
not because of pride but purpose. The law wasn't just
in his hands. It was alive again in the hearts
of the people, and with humble, repentant hearts restored in Israel.
(21:23):
Once more, Ezra stood and began the difficult work of reform.
A thorough investigation followed, house by house, marriage by marriage,
name by name. Some left families behind, others walked away
from comfort. The process was painful, personal, and deeply complex,
(21:46):
but it was also sacred because they were not just
rebuilding a city. They were rebuilding a covenant. They had
returned to the land, rebuilt the altar, and laid the
ten or stone by stone. But now at last they
began to return to God, not just with their hands
(22:09):
or their rituals, but with their whole hearts. Spiritual revival
had come not in the form of thunder or fire,
but through repentance, realignment, and a return. The ruins of
their past were still visible, and the scars of exile
had not fully faded, but something new had begun to
(22:33):
rise from the rubble, something deeper than stone or gold.
God was planting righteousness where rebellion once grew, restoring what
had been lost, exchanging ashes for beauty, mourning for joy.
And though the city's walls still lay in ruin, the
(22:55):
hearts of the people had begun to stand tall again.
Another return was still to come, another rebuilding still awaited.
But the story of restoration was already in motion. Because
when God calls his people back, he doesn't just rebuild
(23:15):
what was. He restores what could be. He calls them
to return.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review We read them, and me personally I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six I
Hashem vishmerechra Yeah Heir, hashempanavele y sa hashempanavelera Salon. May
(23:58):
the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord
make his face shine upon you. May he be gracious
to you. Made the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
(24:30):
producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by
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Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky,
(24:50):
and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music
by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie
and Chris Bay. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team
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(25:12):
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If you enjoyed the Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein. Please
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Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
He said, we can go back and reveal bit them.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
We can go home.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yes, can you believe it?
Speaker 4 (00:11):
We'll finally see Jerusalem.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
With that, men gathered their tools, women packed their woven baskets.
Elders dusted off family scrolls and whispered prayers of gratitude
they hadn't thought would ever come. Children ran through alleyways,
wide eyed, overhearing talk of a city they'd only ever
heard of in stories. Jerusalem. The Temple mount, once the
(00:39):
dwelling place of the Most High, stood in ghostly quiet.
Its courtyards were covered in ash and debris. The altar
was gone, desecrated long ago, leaving behind a scorched imprint
in the dust where fire had once burned.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
For the Lord, bring the rems, the coats the chiefs
without blemish, will begin and end each day with the
ascension offering. The entire sacrifice will be consumed on the
fire of the altar of the burnt offering, and the
fragrant aroma will be pleasing to the floor, represent of
(01:17):
a constant, diligent devotion or abandons from him.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
The people eagerly obey Jeshua, their high priest, as they
re established the altar of burnt offering on the temple mount,
the roaring fire like the steadfast North Star that lights
the way home in a vast cosmos of desolation.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Shallo, my friends from here in the holy Land of Israel,
i'm ya l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day
we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories
filled with timeless lets, sins of faith, love, and the
meaning of life. Through Israel story, we will find this
(02:06):
truth that we are all chosen for something great. So
take a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're
feeling extra grateful for these stories, we would love it
if you left us a review. I read every single
one of them, and if you're interested in hearing more
about the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you
(02:27):
can visit IFCJ dot Org. Let's begin.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
The altar still burned, stubbornly and brightly, that tiny speck
of light on the horizon of a vast and dark sea.
The temple around the altar remained a skeleton, half built,
half forgotten. Eighteen years had passed since the foundation was laid,
(02:56):
and the joy turned to silence in the hills of
Judo once more. But God had not gone quiet, nor
had he turned a deaf ear to the prayers of
his most steadfast, faithful followers. Despite the years of delay
and disappointment. He sent voices. The prophets Hagai and Zechariah
(03:18):
came to the city of Jerusalem and breathed new life
and new found vigor into the people of God.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Is it time for you to live in paneled houses
while the house of the Lord lies in ruins? Build
the temple that I may take pleasure in.
Speaker 6 (03:35):
It, not by mine, not by power, but by my spirit,
says the Lord.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Their words cracked through the complacency, and something stirred. Sir
uberbl stood again and once more rallied the people. Jeshua
took up his priestly robes with pride. The people, once afraid,
now remember they were not just survivors, they were builders.
(04:04):
But the enemies of the Jews picked up their scathing
correspondences and conniving schemes. Once more. Letters were sent to
the new king of Persia. King Darius reports that the
Jews were building again, reached his palace. Was it rebellion.
The enemies of the Jews claimed that it was they
(04:27):
stirred up trouble in all the ways they could concerned.
The new King Darius searched the records, but there buried
in the archives of Persia was the decree of the
former King Cyrus. Jeshua rushed from his living quarters to
where Zaruba Bell stood at the temple mount, overseeing the
(04:50):
reinvigorated workforce, who was out of breath. But the exuberant
expression on the now elderly man's face tugged at a
memory of long ago. In Sir ruber Bell's mind. He
couldn't help but smile at Jeshua's irritation at not being
able to choke out words after the exertion of running
up the hills.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Rubrable, My old friend, you'll never believe.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
Oh oh, here, read it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Sir ruber Bell bit back his laughter, but then took
the parchment and read aloud.
Speaker 6 (05:23):
A decree of King Darius.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Sir ruber Bell's eyebrows shot up at Jeshua, just read it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Therefore, you must stay away from that place. At an eye.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
Governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, I
knew our enemies were at it again. Keep going leave
the construction of the House of God.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
You, but the governor and.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
Elders of the Jews, rebuild this House of God and
its original site. I hereby is your degree concerning what
you are to do, so that the elders of the
Jews can read.
Speaker 7 (05:59):
The House of God.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
The cost is to be paid in full to these
men out of the royal revenue from the taxes of
the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the
work loss whatever is needed. Young bulls, rams and lambs
were burnt offerings to the God of the Heavens of wheat, salt,
wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem.
(06:23):
Let it be given to them every day without fail,
so that they can offer sacrifices.
Speaker 7 (06:28):
Of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and
pray for the life of the King and his sons. Yes,
I can't believe what I'm reading. Our God has been
influencing the very hand of the King.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I also issued a creed concerning any man who interferes
with disdirective. Let a being be torn from his house
and raised up. He will be impaled on it and
his house will be made into a garbage toumbe. Because
of this offense, May the God who caused his name
to dwell there overthrow any king or people who dares to.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
Farm or interfere with this house of Indians. I there
is have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.
Never in all my years.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Would you have ever expected to have a king defend you. Oh,
the last one gave us gold, and now this one
will impale our enemies.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Sir Ruber Bell and Jeshua, two very old friends now
at this point then howled with laughter and disbelief, and
with that the resistance faded. The work resumed, and the
second temple, under Zaruba Bell's leadership was finished. At last,
(07:52):
it was in Solomon's temple. It didn't shine with gold,
but it stood whole and complete. At long last. Decades passed.
Jerusalem had a temple again, but something was still missing,
and many more Jews still remained in exile in the
(08:14):
far reaches of the Persian Empire. They had been saved
by the brave acts of Queen Esther and sustained by
the cleverness of Mordecai the Jew. In the years following
the rebuilding of the temple. Eventually, King Xerxes was replaced
by King Artaxerxes, and a new generation of leaders arose,
(08:37):
and so from the courts of Persia came a new voice.
He was a scribe of the priestly line of Arran.
He was a man devoted to the law of Moses,
and the hand of the Lord was upon him. His
name was Ezra. Ezra was a scholarly man, but he
was no passive scribe. His fiery devotion to the law
(09:01):
of the Lord set him apart. It could be polarizing, yes,
but it also sparked something in the hearts of the people.
He taught with authority. He called sin what it was,
and he carried the weight of their covenant as if
it were bound to his own soul. His passion stirred minds,
(09:22):
moved hearts, and inevitably caught the attention of the king.
One day, Ezra was summoned to the regal throne room
of Babylon. He entered wearing the simple robes of a scribe, threadbare, practical,
ink stained, standing in stark contrast to the opulent grandeur
(09:44):
that surrounded him. Gold pillars, polished floors and rows of
intimidating guards and nobles in fine linen. Then the royal
scepter was lifted. Ezra straightened his spine, lifted his gaze,
and summoned the fire that burned within him. He stepped forward,
(10:05):
not with entitlement, but with authority born from conviction. He
stood not only as a servant of Artaxerxes, but as
a messenger of the Living God.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Tell me, Israel, for you have found favor with me.
What is it you desire more than anything else? I
will grant you anything your request.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Ezra stood stunned. He held no title, no position in
the palace, but he carried something greater. The favor of
the Lord and the law of Moses edged deep into
his soul. He had studied it, he had lived it,
and now, more than anything, he longed to teach it,
(10:54):
to awaken his people to the truth they had forgotten.
Speaker 8 (10:59):
My King, You, you honor me, this is my request.
Allow me to return to my people in Jerusalem. I
long to worship the Lord there at the rebuilt Temple.
I also desire to bring the law of our prophet Moses.
I will bring spiritual revival to my people.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Then hear my decree Ezra, priests and scribe of the
law of your God. I am sending you not just
as a servant, but as an ambassador of your people
and of your God. You may return to Jerusalem, and
any of your fellow Israelites who wish to go with you, priests,
(11:41):
levite servants, they may go as well. You are to
evaluate the state of Judah and Jerusalem according to the
law you carry, and you shall bring with you silver
and gold from my treasury and from my counselors, given
freely to the God whose dwelling is in Jerusalem. Gather
(12:03):
also whatever your people offer freely with it, purchase sacrifices, bulls, rams, lambs,
grain and drink offerings present on the altar of your God.
And whatever remains you may use as you see fit
according to the wisdom of your God. Take with you
(12:26):
the sacred vessels given for the service of the temple,
And if you lack anything, draw from the royal treasury
without fear. Let the needs of your God's house be
met in full. May your God be honored, for I
desire no wrath to fall upon my realm or my sons.
(12:50):
Go in peace, Priest of Jerusalem, May the hand of
your God be upon you.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
As we fell to his knees. Overcome with awe and gratitude,
he thanked the king with formal words, but his heart
poured thanks to the Lord alone. He knew exactly whose
hand had moved the heart of Persia. True to his word,
(13:17):
King Artaxerxes granted Ezra all that he asked, gold, silver,
livestock for sacrifice, and the freedom to appoint judges and
teach the law throughout the province. It was an extraordinary
favor meant to secure peace, order and divine protection over
(13:37):
the empire. So Ezra gathered a second wave of exiles,
among them priests and levites, temple servants and gatekeepers, singers
and scribes, families who still believed, elders who longed to
see revival, sons and daughters who longed to walk in
(13:58):
the promises of their ana ancestors. Before they departed, Ezra
assembled them all near the river a harve. He looked
upon the crowd, men, women, children, young and old, and
knew the road ahead would demand more than travel. It
would demand obedience and discipline.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
You are not merely returning to a land, You were
returning to a covenant. The road ahead will not be easy.
But we do not serve a god of ease. We
serve the Lord of heaven and Earth, who brought us
out of Egypt, who brought us through exile.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
That now calls us back to himself.
Speaker 9 (14:43):
Let no one walked this road. Lightly, purify your heart,
prepare your hands.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
We do not go home as we were. We go
home as a holy people.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
The crowd gathered around and murmured with conviction. Some even
began weeping. Others nodded solemnly, as for a great to
warm the scrolls in his hand, and lifted them overhead.
Speaker 9 (15:10):
This is the word of the Lord, the law of Moses,
recorded here on these scrolls. This is what sets us
apart from every other nation.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
This is not just tradition.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
It's our identity, our inheritance, our life. Our brothers have
returned to the land of promise, and now we.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Must walk it once more.
Speaker 9 (15:37):
Do you not remember the words of Moses before we
first entered this land. These are not idle words for you,
They are your life.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
He warned us.
Speaker 9 (15:48):
Not to turn aside, not to the right or to letter.
And now, after all.
Speaker 8 (15:55):
This exile, after all.
Speaker 9 (15:57):
This loss, we must not lose our again, we will
keep his commands, we will live by his word, and
we will return not just to this land, but to
our God.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
And with that they fasted and they prayed as they
prepared themselves for their long journey to Jerusalem. The generations
who remembered the first rounds of deportations from Judah had
long died out. So when Ezra and his second wave
of returning exiles crested the final hill aways off from
(16:36):
the Jerusalem of their people's collective memory, they were astonished.
The land of promise, the land of their forefathers, the
city established by David. But when Ezra stepped into Jerusalem
scrolls in hand, the city felt different. The city bustled,
(16:58):
but the spiritual pulse was faint. Sacrifices continued, but conviction
was missing. Ezra's heart sank as he walked the temple courts.
He watched men priests even walk hand in hand with
women from nations who worshiped false gods. He saw altars
(17:19):
in alleyways and up on high places, incense curling into
skies meant for bow Lord?
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Is this what we have come to?
Speaker 10 (17:30):
A temple built with clean.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
Hands, defiled by divided hearts?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Ezra climbed the steps of the temple courtyard. He fell
to his knees before the old time. His hands clutched
his beard and tore at his garments. Crowds began to gather.
They knew that the king had sent them an ambassador.
They knew he would be a holy man, someone important.
(17:56):
But when they saw his anguish, torment, and broken heart
over their sins, their lack of conviction, the moments quieted.
No one had seen grief like this since the days
of exile. No one had seen profound, godly grief like
this for lifetimes. Ezra, the man who was tasked with
(18:19):
bringing spiritual revival and reform to God's people, fell on
his face before them and before the Lord my.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
God, ashamed, a shamed the grief.
Speaker 10 (18:34):
First, our guilt has written high that our heads and
our black flowed waters rich nervants.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The people stilled further. As they listened, they scarcely drew breath.
This favored official, this ambassador of the King, was lumping
himself in with their sin. He saw himself as one
of them. He knew that a failure for just one
of God's people was a failure for all so special,
(19:11):
so prized. So loved were God's children that it grieved
both the heart of God and his prophets and priests
on their behalf. Silence hung heavy and charged fertile soil
for the seeds of conviction and repentance to take root from.
Speaker 8 (19:29):
The days of our ancestors. Until now we have sinned
again and again.
Speaker 10 (19:37):
Yet you God, have not destroyed us. You gave us remnant,
You gave us favor before kings. You brought us home,
You gave us hope, And we we have returned again.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
What can we say?
Speaker 10 (19:59):
We stand in eye guilt, and yet here we are
because of your mercy.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
The crowd stirred at his words. Some knelt, others began
to weep.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
We have been unfaithful. Is there still hope?
Speaker 1 (20:16):
A man named Shekhanaya stepped forward, his voice steady.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Let us make a covenant before our God to do
what is right, to send away these wives and their
children according to the law.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Let it be done carefully, rightly, Let it be done.
Speaker 9 (20:36):
Rise up, Ezra, This task is yours, and we are
with you.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
The people murmured, some sobbed, others turned their faces to
the sky. One by one, heads of households began to nod,
then speak.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
We were blind, but now we see Ezra.
Speaker 6 (20:59):
Teach us again, teach us all.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Ezra's eyes burned with unshed tears. He stood taller than before,
not because of pride but purpose. The law wasn't just
in his hands. It was alive again in the hearts
of the people, and with humble, repentant hearts restored in Israel.
(21:23):
Once more, Ezra stood and began the difficult work of reform.
A thorough investigation followed, house by house, marriage by marriage,
name by name. Some left families behind, others walked away
from comfort. The process was painful, personal, and deeply complex,
(21:46):
but it was also sacred because they were not just
rebuilding a city. They were rebuilding a covenant. They had
returned to the land, rebuilt the altar, and laid the
ten or stone by stone. But now at last they
began to return to God, not just with their hands
(22:09):
or their rituals, but with their whole hearts. Spiritual revival
had come not in the form of thunder or fire,
but through repentance, realignment, and a return. The ruins of
their past were still visible, and the scars of exile
had not fully faded, but something new had begun to
(22:33):
rise from the rubble, something deeper than stone or gold.
God was planting righteousness where rebellion once grew, restoring what
had been lost, exchanging ashes for beauty, mourning for joy.
And though the city's walls still lay in ruin, the
(22:55):
hearts of the people had begun to stand tall again.
Another return was still to come, another rebuilding still awaited.
But the story of restoration was already in motion. Because
when God calls his people back, he doesn't just rebuild
(23:15):
what was. He restores what could be. He calls them
to return.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
If your faith has been kindled by this podcast and
it has affected your life, we'd love it if you
left her review We read them, and me personally I
cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I
leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six I
Hashem vishmerechra Yeah Heir, hashempanavele y sa hashempanavelera Salon. May
(23:58):
the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord
make his face shine upon you. May he be gracious
to you. Made the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle
Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey
dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only
made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
(24:30):
producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky,
(24:50):
and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music
by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie
and Chris Bay. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, Rabbi Edward Abramson, and the team
at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
(25:12):
more Prey dot Com productions on the Prey dot Com app,
available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
If you enjoyed the Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein. Please
rate and leave a review,
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