Neville Goddard on Ezra 1:1-11 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Ezra 1 in context

Scripture Focus

1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

2Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

4And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

5Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

7Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

8Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:1-11

Biblical Context

Ezra 1:1-11 shows Cyrus issuing a decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after exile; the LORD stirs his spirit, prompting contributions and the return to worship.

Neville's Inner Vision

Within you the scene unfolds as a spiritual allegory. The king is not a man in Persia but the I AM that stirs your consciousness to awaken and build an inner sanctuary. The word the LORD speaks through a prophet becomes the living idea that your exile—limited thoughts and habits—can end. When the spirit rises in you, a proclamation is spoken in the silence of your mind: you now build a temple where you truly live in God. The gifts of silver and gold, the vessels and the utensils, are not external things but your mental powers—memory, imagination, desire, and discipline—released in service of your central purpose. Those around you who bolster their hands symbolize supportive beliefs, habits, and circumstances that align with your vision. Even the returning vessels reclaimed from an old temple symbolize past experiences repurposed to serve a new, higher function. The total count of vessels shows abundance available when you acknowledge that the God of heaven has given you all kingdoms of your inner realm. Your return is a spiritual exodus—an inward restoration of awareness that you are the builder of your inner house.

Practice This Now

Imaginative_act: Close your eyes and assume the inner temple is already rebuilt; say 'The LORD God of heaven is with me, and I am building my inner temple.' Feel the sense of right order and notice how thoughts, feelings, and opportunities align to support your vision.