It has been my privilege to associate with Dr. Joel Joseph for nearly 2 decades. He has been a serious student of the word. His scholarly work on "Rebuilding of the second temple during the Persian period", throws light on many complex biblical passages. How the socio-political, religious and economic factors play complex roles in shaping of societies and its ideologies are deeply addressed in this critical study. I am sure this will be a wonderful tool for students of theology who seriously desire to understand and interpret complex nature of societies in Asiatic context with its integration of the biblical message.