II Chronicles 36:22-23, "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up."

During the first year of the reign of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, a proclamation was made by the king to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. 42,390 registered to return to the land of their fathers to do the work.

In the second year of their return (536 B.C.) they laid the foundation of the house of the Lord; however, their adversaries came against them and troubled the men who worked on the temple all the days of Cyrus king of Persia. During the reign of the house of Artaxerxes Israel's enemies brought a complete halt to the rebuilding of the temple (534 B.C.) until a new proclamation was made by the king.

In 520 B.C., during the reign of Darius I, a new proclamation was made and the temple work resumed. In 516 B.C., twenty years after beginning the rebuilding process, a new temple stood on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem.

Ezra 6:15, "And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king."

In the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra the scribe presented a request to the king because Ezra had, "prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Ezra returned to Jerusalem bearing the king's proclamation.

The book of Ezra covers two periods of time. Chapters 1-6 follows the rebuilding of the temple from 536-516 B.C. The Feasts of Lights, Hanukah, commemorates the dedication of the rebuilding of the temple. Chapters 7-10 covers the period of Ezra's return to Jerusalem dating approximately 458-457 B.C.

 Through Ezra's records we see a God Who is faithful to perform all His words, even as Daniel recorded "in troublesome times," and at such a time as He chooses.