first. This was right, as the altar was the foundation of
all the temple services. Altars existed long before temples had been
built. For a while the building of the temple was interrupted by the
foes of Judah, but at last it was completed, the people being
encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. So they dedicated the
temple with much joy, and restored the sacrifices as Moses, the man of
God, had commanded. For all of this see Ezra 1-6 and the books of
Haggai and Zechariah.

#97. Ezra.#--Now comes a period of about 60 years, in which we have no
knowledge of the condition of affairs in Jerusalem. At last, however,
Ezra, the scribe, goes up to the Holy City, and with him a number of
patriotic Jews. The work of Zerubbabel was the rebuilding of the
temple. That of Ezra was emphatically the reformation of religion
among those who were in Judah and Jerusalem. There was much danger
that through intermarriages with the people of the land the Jews would
again abandon the religion of their fathers. A large part of Ezra's
effort was aimed against this evil. The people declared their
willingness to do as Ezra dictated, and so the danger from this
direction was for the time being avoided.

#98. Nehemiah.#--Soon after this we come to the story of Nehemiah. He
was cupbearer to Artaxerxes, a position of much ease and wealth. But
the welfare of Jerusalem lay near his heart, and he made it his
business to know how matters were progressing in that city. Certain of
his brethren at one time brought him evil tidings from there. In
consequence he betook himself to prayer that God would give him such
favor in the eyes of the king that he would allow him to go to
Jerusalem and build the walls that had been thrown down. In those days
a city without walls was in a pitiful condition, exposed to the
assaults of all its foes. For four months Nehemiah prayed without any
visible answer. Then it came at last in a moment. One day at the table
the king noticed that the face of his cupbearer was sad. "Why is thy
countenance sad?" he inquired. Then Nehemiah (after an instant of
silent prayer) told the king all that was in his heart. At once the
permission was given him for which he had waited and prayed for four
months. So off he started as soon as possible.

#99. Nehemiah's Prayer.#--Note just here the nature of Nehemiah's
prayer. It was not like so many modern prayers, one for _ease_. No, it
was a prayer for opportunity to make _sacrifice_ an