The first decree commanded the building of the house of the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem. The returnees began construction of the Temple foundations shortly after arrival. Resistance from surrounding Gentiles halted further work on the Temple through an injunction. The people ceased efforts and turned to their own houses instead. The prophet indicated that the time for building the Lord's house had not come. Construction remained stopped for years until resumption. The Temple was completed after the delay. The people lacked sustained zeal for the house of their God once resistance appeared. The second decree focused on establishing magistrates and judges according to the law of God rather than on Temple construction.

God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write a prophecy that Cyrus would rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, He shall build My city and let My exiles go free, not for price nor reward. Cyrus' decree in 538 BC returned the Jews to Judea and authorized the rebuilding of the Temple. Since the Jews had no idols to restore to their Temple, Cyrus restored to them the Temple articles that Nebuchadnezzar had removed to Babylon after Jerusalem's fall. These acts fulfill Isaiah's prophecy that Cyrus would rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple as well as allow the exiles to return to their land. God raised Cyrus up to deliver the Jews from their captivity in Babylon and return them to their land. He also inspired Cyrus to institute his conciliatory policy toward foreign religions so that a Temple could be built to which His Son could come.

The Persian king Cyrus issued a decree allowing Jews to return to Judah and build a house for the Lord at Jerusalem. He also returned silver and gold Temple items taken by Nebuchadnezzar. The first group of returnees rebuilt the altar just before the Feast of Tabernacles in 537 BC and laid the foundation for the Temple in the second month of the following year. Local opposition halted all building by about 530 BC. God prodded the people through Haggai to resume the work. A favorable decision by the Persian emperor Darius enabled completion of the Temple in 516 BC. Ezra later received authority and funds to support the Jewish remnant and reform the people. Nehemiah received appointment as governor and oversaw maintenance of the Temple along with collection of tithes. Malachi rebuked the priests for irresponsible duties that profaned the altar with defiled offerings.