Amy Carmichael-What Better Story to Share at Christmas?

By Mary Vee

Year: January, 1904-1906 

Amy Carmichael: 36 years old

From Amy's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Amy Carmichael. I am a missionary in India.

Arulai was a ten-year-old girl. Her story of asking Jesus into her heart has been so exciting to share.This is now the fifth week I am continuing her story. 

Yes, a ten-year-old can have an amazing story! If you want to read the first four parts of Arulai's story here are the links: Part 1, Part 2 ,Part 3, Part 4

Arulai had heard Indian missionaries and foreign missionaries lived in the next village. I was one of those foreign missionaries working there.

Arulai set out the the morning to walk from her uncle's village to ours. On the way she stopped, concerned she didn't have anything to give as an offering. Every time she went to worship the Hindu gods she always had an offering. She prayed, "Oh, Living God, what can I do. How can I go to the Christian temple without something for the offering?"

She saw something on the ground reflect the sunlight. She bent down and found a coin. "I really wasn't surprised," she told me later. "Of course the Living God could put the coin there for me."

Arulai walked the rest of the way to the village then to the building where we held our meetings. She sat with the children and put her offering into the basket when it went by. She listened to the preacher talk about God. I remember watching her curious eyes so interested in every word.

After the meeting, Arulai looked my way. I walked to her. "Did you want to speak with me?"

She answered, "Oh yes. I have been searching for you. I saw you by the well near my home. I heard you and the other missionaries talking about the Living God. I decided then that I wanted to find you and ask you questions."

"Why me?"

"Because you are willing to dress like us. You also talked about the Living God. You look like a person who truly loves the Living God.

"I do," I answered. "How can I help you?" She asked me many questions. She didn't seem to understand what God had done for her.

"Arulai, we all have done bad things. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes. I know I have done bad things."

"These wrong choices are what prevent us from going to heaven. See, heaven is a perfect place where no sin (bad choices) can be."

"Because I've done bad things I can't go to heaven?" Arulai's beautiful brown eyes looked up toward me.

I kneeled next to her. "That's right. God really loves all of us and would like us to be with Him in heaven, but not one of us is good enough to go."

"What if we say we're sorry and then work to go to heaven."

Her sweet question made me smile. "That would be nice but we'd still have our old sin. No, we could never be good enough to go to heaven. And God knew we couldn't. But He loved us so much that He provided a way for us to be able to go to heaven with Him."

"What is the way?" she asked.

"Well, God sent His own Son to take our punishment. God's Son is perfect. He never ever did anything wrong. God's Son loved us so much that He left heaven to live with us. We call Him Jesus. 

"Jesus came as a baby, he grew up and taught us what God wanted us to do. There were evil people who convinced others to kill him. In those days they hung people on a cross until they died. That was the way. A perfect one had to die to pay the price for our sins. Three days after Jesus died, he rose from the dead and visited people He knew to show them He'd come back to life. Days later He went back to His home in heaven. So you see, Jesus, the Living God loves you so much, He took the punishment for your sins."

Tears dripped down Arulai's cheeks. "No Hindu god has ever done anything like that."

"I know. Jesus is giving you a gift, Arulai. The gift of life--if you believe."

"I want to believe, right now," she said. 

And so she did. We prayed and Arulai told God she believed His Son died for her and that she wanted Him to be her Savior.

Unfortunately, life is not easy for Hindu's who leave their faith to follow Jesus. 

Come back next time to read the more of this exciting story about little Arulai.


Resources used for this series:. 
Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Amy Carmichael: Rescuer of Precious Gems. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 1998. Print.
Davis, Rebecca Henry. With Daring Faith: A Biography of Amy Carmichael. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, 1987. Print.
Dick, Lois Hoadley. Amy Carmichael: Let the Children Come. Chicago: Moody, 1984. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Amy Carmichael: Rescuing the Children. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 2002. Print.
Wellman, Sam. Amy Carmichael: A Life Abandoned to God. Uhrichville, OH: Barbour Pub., 1998. Print.

Don't forget to comment! 
Let Amy hear from you!

Zechariah-4th Vision- How Our Sins Are Taken Away

By Mary Vee
Zechariah 3

From Zechariah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

An angel of the Lord visited me in a vision. It happened at night when I was alone.  Actually the angel ended up showing me several visions. This is the fourth vision. You can scroll down to past posts to read the first, second, and third visions.

The first vision happened while I was in Jerusalem. We were rebuilding the temple. Darius was in his second year of reign in Babylon. The second and third followed, all in the same night. This is the fourth vision I saw:

The angel pointed away from me. I saw Joshua, the high priest before the angel of the Lord. Satan stood to the right of Joshua. Satan accused Joshua of many sins. He yelled and pointed his finger at Joshua then faced the angel of the Lord and demanded the high priest be punished.

The Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. Is this man not like a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

Joshua stood there, dressed in filthy clothes. The angel turned to some men who stood close by and said, "Take off his filthy clothes."

The angel of the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."

I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So the men put a clean turban on Joshua's head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord watched.

The angel of the Lord neared Joshua then and said, "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these who are standing here."

The angel of the Lord then said, "Listen, O high priest, Joshua." He looked in another direction and said, "And your associates seated before you who are men symbolic of things to come." He turned back to Joshua and said, "I am going to bring my servant the Branch. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua? There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it. I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

"In that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree," declares the Lord Almighty.

Author's note: This vision foretells the coming of Jesus the Christ. He is the Branch, God's Son, the one who would have the power to remove sin and stand in our defense against Satan's accusations.

God showed Zechariah a few more visions. Come back next time to see the rest of the story.

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source: Matthew Henry's Commentary volume 4, Hendrickson Publishers. 2000.

1.  Who was Zachariah? 
2.  Who did Satan accuse in this vision?
3.  Who did Satan take his case too?
4.  Who is the Branch?
5.  What would the Branch do for everyone who believed? 

Zechariah-And then I Saw Another Vision of What Was to Come

By Mary Vee
Zechariah 2

From Zechariah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

An angel of the Lord visited me in a vision. It happened at night when I was alone.  Actually the angel ended up showing me several visions. This is the third vision. Short, but full of good news.

The first vision happened while I was in Jerusalem. We were rebuilding the temple. Darius was in his second year of reign in Babylon. The second and third followed. This is the third vision I saw.

A man stood near me. He held a measuring line in his hand. 

I asked him, "Where are you going?"

"To measure Jerusalem," he said. "To find out how wide and long it is."  

As he turned to leave another angel came to him and said, "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. I, will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.'

"Flee from the north. I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven. Come home to Jerusalem and I all be its glory within," said the Lord. 

"Hurry, Escape. Everyone who lives in Babylon!. The Lord Almighty says, 'I will punish all the nations who have attacked and plundered your city. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.

"Shout and celebrate. For I am coming and will live among you," says the Lord. "Many nations will join the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. 

"The Lord will inherit Judah and will choose Jerusalem. Be still and know, the Lord has roused himself from his holy place."

Author's note, Bible scholars have studied these visions and the rest of the Bible for years. Many have dedicated their lives to this study to understand the truths God has left us. I went to their books to find insight to this vision. According to Bible scholars, one of the great points made in this vision is that no matter how many ask Jesus into their heart, there will be room in heaven for all who do. 

Second, this vision reminded young Zechariah that although he was not ready to understand the terrible things that will come, there is hope. Jerusalem will be both safe and great. (p.1109)

Third, the angel shouted to those in Babylon to return to Jerusalem. Sadly many had chosen to stay with their beautiful homes and businesses. They didn't want to leave all their riches to return to their homeland which had been destroyed where they could worship God with their brothers. What they didn't see was they were slaves in Babylon. They could be free in Jerusalem.

Fourth, this vision tells how Jesus will leave His place in heaven to be born and live with us, teaching God's ways and explaining truths. That the Jews will know who He is by the miracles and His teachings. And He did. We celebrate His birth with Christmas. This was the future for Zechariah but the past for us. "Yet there were those who died in ignorance and unbelief, for if they had known who He was, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (p.1111) 

God showed Zechariah a few more visions. Come back to see what God showed him.

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source: Matthew Henry's Commentary volume 4, Hendrickson Publishers. 2000.

1.  Who was Zachariah? Was he young or old?
2.  What is a vision?
3.  Will there be room in heaven for everyone who asks Jesus into their heart?
4.  Why didn't some of the Jews want to go back to Jerusalem?
5.  Who was the one that will leave His throne above to live with us? 

Amy Carmichael-I Know the One You Seek

By Mary Vee

Year: January, 1904-1906 

Amy Carmichael: 36 years old

From Amy's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Amy Carmichael. I am a missionary in India.

Arulai was a ten-year-old girl. Her story of asking Jesus into her heart has been so exciting to share.This is now the fourth week I am telling more of her story. 

Yes, a ten-year-old can have an amazing story! If you want to read the first three parts of Arulai's story here are the links: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Arulai had asked Jesus into her heart after searching for answers to her questions.  Who is the real God? A foreign woman visiting her village answered her questions. She explained to a group of children about the God who loved them. Arulai learned she shouldn't worship the Hindu gods anymore. They couldn't do anything for her anyway.

Her parents became upset with her. She had embarrassed them by not worshiping the family gods. They decided to send her to her uncle's house. He claimed to be a Christian. Her dad and mom didn't even say goodbye.

She walked many miles by herself until she arrived at her uncle's house. Although he welcomed her into his home, he taught her that she could follow the Hindu customs of honoring the Hindu gods while still being a Christian.

This didn't sound right to her, but she couldn't disobey her uncle. She wanted to see the lady who stood at the well and wore a sari. This woman could answer her questions and teach her more about the living God.

One day, her uncle said, "Your father is going to arrange your marriage soon."

Arulai became very upset. Her father would make her marry a Hindu man and that man would make her worship the Hindu gods. She ran to her room and fell on her bed.

She cried herself to sleep many nights after hearing the news, "Please living God, let me speak with the woman who had stood at the well and wore the sari. Please!!"

One day, a girl a little older than herself stopped on the road. The girl said to Arulai, "Do you want to learn about the true God?"

Arulai couldn't believe what she heard. "Yes! Of course! I've heard stories from some foreigners who came to the village. They told me about the living God and now I believe in the true God but want to learn more. One of the people who told me stories was a foreign woman who wore a sari. I wish I could learn more from her."

"That woman is my mother. She and the others live in the next village."

She does? I can actually meet her?

Come back next time to read the more of this exciting story about little Arulai.


Resources used for this series:. 
Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Amy Carmichael: Rescuer of Precious Gems. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 1998. Print.
Davis, Rebecca Henry. With Daring Faith: A Biography of Amy Carmichael. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, 1987. Print.
Dick, Lois Hoadley. Amy Carmichael: Let the Children Come. Chicago: Moody, 1984. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Amy Carmichael: Rescuing the Children. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 2002. Print.
Wellman, Sam. Amy Carmichael: A Life Abandoned to God. Uhrichville, OH: Barbour Pub., 1998. Print.

Don't forget to comment! 
Let Amy hear from you!

Zechariah-A Vision At Night

By Mary Vee
Zechariah 1

From Zechariah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

An angel of the Lord visited me in a vision. Actually there ended up being several visions.

The first vision happened while I was in Jerusalem. We were rebuilding the temple. Darius was in his second year of reign in Babylon.

The vision happened at night. An angel stood by me and a man sat on a red horse among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown, and white horses.

The man sitting on the horse said, These are the horses the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.

The horsemen reported, "We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace."

The angel asked, "Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah."

The Lord spoke to the angel then the angel turned to me and said, "Tell everyone this message from the Lord Almighty. 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, but am very angry with the nations that feel safe. I was only a little angry, but these nations added to the problem. 

"'Therefore, I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem, declares the Lord Almighty. My towns will overflow with prosperity and I will comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.'"

I then had a second vision right after the first.

In this one I looked up and saw four horns. "What are these?" 

The angel answered, "These are the horns that scratched Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

I saw four craftsmen and asked, "What are these coming to do?"

The angel answered, These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head. But the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who attacked Judah to scatter its people."

These visions had a meaning not only for those who lived when I lived, but for you who are reading today. God gave me a few more visions. I will share them next time.


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1.  Who was Zacharian
2.  What happened to him at night?
3.  Who did he speak with?
4.  What was the message?
5.  Who was the message for?

Ezra-Darius and the LAST Time the Advisors Tricked Him

By Mary Vee
Ezra 6 

From Darius' Chronicles

Photo Courtesy

My name is Darius. I am king over the territory belonging to the Medes and the Persians which includes the Babylonian provinces. 

One of the problems I am forced to deal with as king is bickering people. 

One recent event really blew up and it was because I listened and didn't check the facts. Well, I made sure to not let that happen again.

What was the problem, you ask? 

Well, a few of my advisors took it upon themselves to spy on the Jews who returned to Jerusalem. I must admit I didn't have the whole story. Before I became king,  the Jewish captives had been given permission to return to their home. Some did. Some did not. I had too many other issues to worry about and didn't have time to deal with this.

A few of my advisors, though, didn't like the situation. They went to Jerusalem and saw the Jews rebuilding their temple. I knew a former king of Babylon, a man named Nebuchadnezzar, had conquered the Jewish city and burned their temple to the ground. 

The advisors wrote me, reporting all the work the Jews were currently doing. They seemed to think this Jewish temple would give power to the Jewish people. They requested I have the work stopped. I didn't see anything wrong with the request. I ordered the work to stop.

A second letter came from my advisors claiming the people had indeed stopped their work at first, but then, resumed. When asked why they were disobeying orders, the Jews claimed Cyrus gave them permission to rebuild.

Cyrus? Really? A former king of the Medes and Persians? 

This new information turned the whole issued into a huge problem. Cyrus was not only a Mede, but also my relative. I couldn't undo one of his orders. I called the guard to conduct a search for Cyrus's decree. It took some time but they finally found it. And to my great disappointment, the Jews were right.

Great. Now I have to undo what I said to the advisors. That doesn't look good for a king.

I called the complaining advisers, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates and Shethar-Bozenai and their officials to come to my chambers. 

I said to them, "You are to stay away from Jerusalem. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site. 

I also decree you must pay out of the royal treasury all the funds needed for the construction, specifically from the Trans-Euphrates funds. Whatever is needed--young bulls, rams, male lambs for offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem must be given to them daily for sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and then pray for the well-being of the king and his sons without fail.

AND, I decree that if anyone, ANYONE at all changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble. May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I, Darius, have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

MOVE IT!!!

Those advisors left with a panic look on their faces. 

I must admit, I found my chat with those advisors rather entertaining. 

Especially when I received the report that they carried out my orders with diligence. That should be the last time they trick me.


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1.  Who was Darius?
2.  Why was he upset with his advisors from Trans-Euphrates?
3.  What did he tell them to do?

Amy Carmichael- Three Requests

By Mary Vee

Year: January, 1904-1906 

Amy Carmichael: 36 years old

From Amy's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Amy Carmichael. I am a missionary in India.

Last week I introduced you to ten-year-old Arulai. Her story of asking Jesus into her heart has been so wonderful to share.This is now the third week I am sharing more of her story. 

Yes, a ten-year-old can have an amazing story! If you want to read the first two parts of Arulai's story here are the links: Part 1 Part 2

Arulai returned to the well at the same time the next day hoping to hear the foreign man and two women speak about the living God. 

She heard them call the living God the Lord Jesus and invited the people listening to a meeting. 

Arulai went to the meeting and sat with other children. The words spoken touched her heart but she had doubts. Is this man really talking about the living God. How do I know He is real? Maybe I just want it so badly their words seem true. 

Ten-year-old Arulai decided to ask this living God for three things. If, she thought, he gives me two of the three I will believe he is the living God.

Because she had gone to the meeting she arrived home later than usual. Her mother stood at the doorpost with a broom in her hand. Her face was very angry and Arulai knew she would be beaten. 

"Living God," she prayed, "For my first request I ask you keep my mother from punishing me."

But stepped close to the house, her mother grabbed her by the arm and hit her. Her mother yelled, "You are a disgrace to our family. What will others say when they hear you have gone to listen to those low-caste people? I will beat this idea out of you." 

This was not the first time Arulai had been beaten. But it didn't mean the pain was any easier to take. The real problem was Arulai worried that the living God didn't answer her prayer.

The next day she went to another meeting and heard the man speak. Again she sat with other children. The man asked, "Have any of you been punished for coming here to learn about the Lord Jesus?"

The other children pointed to Arulai. One of the women said, "The Lord Jesus will give you strength to face this if you call on Him."

Arulai left the meeting feeling happy inside. She loved to hear the stories and words from the man and women. On her walk home she decided to ask for the second request from the living God. She saw a tamarind tree with ripe fruit hanging from the branches. The law in the country said it was illegal to pick fruit from the trees that do not belong to you. But if the fruit fell to the ground, it could be taken. 

"Living God, Lord Jesus, please make this fruit fall at my feet." A piece of fruit fell to the ground. Arulai picked up the fruit and smiled. It looked delicious and she was sure this was a gift from the living God.

Still there was a third prayer that she would need to ask the living God to prove He was real. She neared her house and saw her mother in the doorway. "Please, living God, don't let my mother beat me. Show me you are real."

She neared the house and cowered like usual. Her mother reached out her arm but this time she did not hit Arulai. She gently hugged her daughter and said, "You're here! I thought you were lost!"

Arulai smiled. Jesus Lord truly is the living God. And He is the one who could help her with her temper problem.

Unfortunately this is not the end of her story. God is not a genie. He has a plan for our lives. Sometimes that plan involves problems that help us learn more about Him .


Come back next time to read the more of this exciting story about little Arulai.


Resources used for this series:. 
Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Amy Carmichael: Rescuer of Precious Gems. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 1998. Print.
Davis, Rebecca Henry. With Daring Faith: A Biography of Amy Carmichael. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones UP, 1987. Print.
Dick, Lois Hoadley. Amy Carmichael: Let the Children Come. Chicago: Moody, 1984. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Amy Carmichael: Rescuing the Children. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub., 2002. Print.
Wellman, Sam. Amy Carmichael: A Life Abandoned to God. Uhrichville, OH: Barbour Pub., 1998. Print.

Don't forget to comment! 
Let Amy hear from you!

Ezra-Hah! The Proof Backed Up The Jews Word

By Mary Vee
Ezra 6 

From Ezra's Journal

Photo Courtesy Bringing Cedars logs to rebuild the temple

My name is Ezra. I am a prophet sent by God to give His message to the Jews living in Jerusalem.

Spies came to the city of Jerusalem. Spies that didn't want to see the temple being built. They bullied us and threatened us to stop the work. 

At first we listened. We were afraid. But then God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage us to keep building. 

The spies saw us disobeying their orders and wrote to the king of Babylon. They paced, waiting to hear news from him.

King Darius received the letter from the spies. Scroll down to the last story to read their letter. 

Darius didn't know about the arrangements the former king, Cyrus had made years ago. He had taken the spies word and believed their first letter. "Now the Jews are saying they had permission from King Cyrus?"

Darius said, "I can't undo a decree made by Cyrus. If these Jews are right, they need to be able to build this temple of theirs." He called for his soldiers. "Go, search in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. Look for one written by King Cyrus giving the Jews permission to rebuild their temple."

The men left for the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media and were gone for a long time. They searched through all the scrolls, wanting to be sure they had the correct one. One of the men held up the parchment, "I found it."

They took the scroll to Darius. "Read me what it says," Darius ordered.

These words were read: 
In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem.

Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem. They are to be deposited in the house of God.

Come back next time to see what Darius said to those spies.

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1.  Why did the spies try to get the Jews in trouble?
2.  What king did they ask for help?
3.  Where did the king search for the records?
4.  What did the scroll say?

Ezra-When Rebellion is Good

By Mary Vee
Ezra 5 

From Ezra's Journal

Photo Courtesy Bringing Cedars logs to rebuild the temple

My name is Ezra. I am a prophet sent by God to give His message to the Jews living in Jerusalem.

Haggai and Zechariah were sent by God to give messages to the people. The words meant so much to us. 

I must admit we had been slack in following through with rebuilding the temple. Our eyes had been on ourselves and our own needs. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah not only encourage us to get to work, point out our errors, but also reminded us how much God loves us.

Spies came into our city. They didn't like seeing the work. They had written a letter to the king of Babylon and he had ordered us to stop building. We did. In fear of our lives.

But God's message through Haggai and Zechariah encourage us to work no matter what the king of Babylon or the spies said. Haggai, Zechariah, and I rolled up our sleeves and worked with the others. The men of Jerusalem needed to see the prophets of God committed to God's work, too.

The spies returned. Needless to say they were not happy. Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates asked, "Who said you could rebuild this temple and restore this structure?" Before anyone could answer he raised his voice and pointed to our leaders, "What are the names of the men constructing this building?"

We stood there, not answering the questions. The spies became so angry they stomped away threatening to send King Darius a letter.

Dear King Darius:

Cordial greetings.

The king should know that we went to the district of Judah. The people are building the temple with large stones and placing timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

We asked the leaders who authorized the work and for the names of those who were working.

They answered: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

"In the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. He even sent gold and silver articles from the original temple to be put back where they belonged. He said, to rebuild the temple on its original site. We have been working on the temple but have not finished it yet."

"Now it if pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter."

While the spies waited for the king to answer, we worked to rebuild the temple.

Come back next time to see what happened.

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1.  What two prophets encouraged the people to build the temple?
2.  What king did the people say gave them permission to build the temple.
3.  Who did the spies tattle to?
4.  What did the people and the prophets keep doing?
5.  Why didn't the people obey the spies?