Acts 4:24

The effect of opposition during Cyrus’ reign 4:24

The reference in this verse to the work stopping indicates that at this point, the writer returned to the opposition he had been describing earlier (Acts 4:1-5). Acts 4:6-23 are parenthetical. They record later events and simply illustrate the continuing antagonism of Israel’s enemies in the years that followed the main event in view in this chapter. [Note: H. H. Rowley, "Nehemiah’s Mission and Its Background," Bulletin of the John Rylands Library of the University of Manchester 37:2 (March 1955):540-43.]

Work on the temple ceased in 536 B.C., as the writer noted here. The workers had only completed the foundation. Construction did not recommence until 520 B.C., 16 years later.

"Even when they [the restoration Jews] strove to again lay the foundations of that most important symbol of the presence of God, their sanctuary, discouragement took its toll; and the whole project came to a complete stop for sixteen long years (Ezra 4:24). Everything was wrong: they lacked the means, then the inclination, and finally even the will to build the temple; for their every attempt met with constant opposition both from within the small group and from the outside (Ezra 3:12-13; Ezra 4:1-22). So it would have remained had not God graciously sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1)." [Note: Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Toward an Old Testament Theology, p. 250.]