Episode 115 Ezra 1 and 3 Rebuilding the Temple

Dr. Amy Robertson and Dr. Robert Williamson discuss Ezra 1 and 3. The people are released from Exile to return to Jerusalem, where they find the Temple in ruins and the altar torn down. They discuss the importance of ritual in connecting the people with God and with each other, the mingling of joy and sorrow that attends to new beginnings, and the urgency of pressing ahead even when the situation seems overwhelming.