God had been so faithful to the returned exiles! In accordance with prophecy, the Persians defeated the Babylonians, and in 538 BC issued a decree to allow the exiles to return home. 43,000 Jews returned to Judah to begin rebuilding from the remnants of their old lives. It wasn’t long, however, before discouragement and distraction slipped in. Before they knew it, the people were back to their same old struggles - not idolatry of pagan gods, but idolatry of self! Haggai encouraged them (and us) to prioritize God above all else.