When an ancient nation was defeated and deported to a foreign land, that usually marked the end of that nation's history. The exiles either died in slavery, or they lost their national identity. After the northern ten tribes of Israel were led off into the Assyrian captivity, they were never heard from again. We still refer to them as the "lost ten tribes." If God had not intervened, that would also have been the fate of the exiles from Judah who were deported to Babylon

But because of God's promise to Abraham, God could not abandon Abraham's descendants.

Ezekiel and Daniel

During all 70 years of their exile, God designated chosen messengers to maintain contact with his people in Babylon. God spoke to them through two men: Ezekiel and Daniel. Ezekiel was a priest who lived among the exiles; Daniel was a statesman who lived at the royal court.

We usually associate Ezekiel with visions. When God called Ezekiel to be a prophet, he gave him a vision of the glory of the Lord, that awesome appearance of the covenant God in cloud and flame and smoke. The most unusual vision God granted Ezekiel is the one that occupies chapters 40 to 48 of his book. It's an elaborate vision picturing the restored temple of God, the redeemed community.

Daniel had been deported to Babylon as a young man, possibly a teenager, and remained there for 70 years. His basic message was: "Israel's God is superior to the idols of heathen nations." Daniel's prophecy reassured a people crushed by defeat and deportation: "God is still in control. He will carry out his gracious plan despite opposition from hostile world powers."

The preaching of Ezekiel and Daniel sustained the faith of the believing exiles. Then the exile came to a sudden end in 539 b.c., when Medo-Persian King Cyrus toppled Babylon and announced to the exiles: "You're free to return home!"

Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Several years later the first contingent of exiles (fewer than 43,000) reached Jerusalem. The returned exiles' top priority was rebuilding the temple, which lay in ruins. In less than a year they had laid the foundation, but then trouble started. Their Samaritan neighbors opposed them, and other enemies threatened physical harm if the Jews didn't stop building. As a result, the building project came to a standstill for 16 years. By that time the Jews had gotten used to worshiping in the ruins of what had been their temple. Besides that, times were hard, and they had convinced themselves: "The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built" (Haggai 1:2).

Then the prophet Haggai came on the scene. He rebuked the people sharply for setting wrong priorities and reminded them of God's love for his chosen people. Four years later the temple was dedicated.