This was a time of wonderful opportunity for the Jews. The highest agencies of heaven were working on the hearts of kings, and it was for the people of God to labor with the utmost activity to carry out the decree of Cyrus. They should have spared no effort to restore the temple and its services, and to re-establish themselves in their Judean homes. But in the day of God's power many proved unwilling. The opposition of their enemies was strong and determined, and gradually the builders lost heart. Some could not forget the scene at the laying of the cornerstone, when many had given expression to their lack of confidence in the enterprise. And as the Samaritans grew more bold, many of the Jews questioned whether, after all, the time had come to rebuild. The feeling soon became widespread. Many of the workmen, discouraged and disheartened, returned to their homes to take up the ordinary pursuits of life.

I denne tid havde jøderne deres gyldne anledning. Himmelens højeste repræsentanter påvirkede kongers hjerter, og nu gjaldt det om, at Gud folk gjorde deres yderste for at efterkomme Kyros befaling. De skulle ikke have sparet sig nogen anstrengelse for at genopbygge templet, genindføre tempeltjenesten og bosætte sig i deres hjem i Judæa. Men da Gud greb ind, var mange af dem uvillige til at handle. Fjenderne gjorde hårdnakket modstand, og lidt efter lidt mistede håndværkerne modet. En del af dem kunne ikke glemme det, der var sket den dag, da grundstenen blev nedlagt, og mange var skeptiske over for arbejdets gennemførelse. Efterhånden som samaritanernes dristighed voksede, begyndte mange af jøderne at spørge, om tiden i det hele taget var inde til at bygge. Denne indstilling bredte sig hurtigt. Mange af håndværkerne blev modløse og nedslåede og rejste hjem for at søge andet arbejde.