I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezra 3-5.

    One of the things which always bothers me when I read this passage is the fact that the Returned Exiles refused to allow those who were living in the land to help them rebuild the Temple.I can think of reasons why they may have done so, but none are given in the passage. It seems to me that this was a mistake on their part. As a result of rejecting the offered help, the Returned Exiles created opposition to their efforts. By the way in which they rejected the help, they made it clear that they considered those living in the land inferior to themselves. In addition, they indicated that those others were not welcome to worship God. Yet, the people living in the land had been worshiping God for many years, even though imperfectly. I believe that the Returned Exiles should have accepted the help of those living in the land under conditions. They should have allowed them to help under the condition that they give up their worship of other gods, and that they modify their worship practices to be in line with the Law of Moses. Rather than reject the help outright, they should have accepted it on the condition that those who wished to help follow the same rules as those who started the project.