The text does not record exactly when the exiles arrived in Jerusalem, but it was probably sometime in 537 B.C. since Cyrus issued his decree in 538 B.C. The "seventh month"(v. 1) of the Jew's sacred calendar was Tishri (late September through early October).
The following calendar shows the months and festivals of the Hebrew year.60
The people then reassembled in Jerusalem to erect the altar of burnt offerings, the centerpiece of their worship (cf. Gen. 12:7). The seventh month was especially important on the Jewish sacred calendar because in it the Jews celebrated three of their annual festivals. These were the Feast of Trumpets on Tishri 1, the Day of Atonement on Tishri 10, and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) on Tishri 15-22 (Lev. 23:24-25; 27:32; 34-44). Tishri was the first month of the Jewish civil calendar, and the Feast of Trumpets was a kind of New Year celebration. It was on this day that the returned exiles began to offer sacrifices on their altar again (v. 6). In presenting burnt offerings to God even before the foundation of the temple was in place, the Jews showed their earnest desire to be living sacrifices to Him. That is what those sacrifices symbolized (Lev. 1; cf. Rom. 12:1).61In re-establishing their ancient worship, these Jews, under the leadership of Jeshua and Zerubbabel, were careful to follow the Law of Moses (v. 2; cf. Exod. 27:1-8; 38:1-7; Deut. 12:4-14). The absence of reference to Sheshbazzar suggests that he may have died.
One reason the people began offering sacrifices again was their fear of their neighbors (v. 2). They called on the Lord to protect them. Normally prayers for the Lord's blessing on His people accompanied the daily morning and evening sacrifices (cf. Exod. 29:38-42; Num. 28:3-8).
"Courage is not lack of fear; it is the will to act in spite of fear."62
