Ezra - Chapters 1-6: The Work Begins as God Restores His People
Application: EZRA WAS BOTH A SCRIBE AND A PRIEST AND HE WAS A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF PHINEAS, THE SON OF AARON.
IT IS COMMONLY ACCEPTED THAT HE WROTE THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES, NEHEMIAH, AND THE BOOK THAT IS KNOWN BY HIS OWN NAME.
IN THE HEBREW BIBLE THE BOOKS OF EZRA & NEHEMIAH ARE NOT SEPARATE, BUT ARE ONE BOOK OF SCRIPTURE.
IN OUR STUDY BOOK WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS BOOK IS A CONTINUATION OF THE BOOK OF 2ND CHRONICLES.
THE 70 YEARS OF CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON ARE FINISHED AND THE PERSIANS HAVE OVERTAKEN BABYLON AND HAVE DIRECTED THAT THE JEWS MAY LEAVE AND RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND.
THIS WAS IN 536 B.C.
HERE CONTINUES OUR STUDY OF PROPHECY AND HOW THE LORD IMPLEMENTS HIS WILL THROUGH HIS ETERNAL PLAN.
WE SAW IN JEREMIAH 25:9-12 THAT THE LORD'S PROPHET HAD FORETOLD THE CAPTIVITY AND IT HAPPENED EXACTLY AS HAD BEEN TOLD.
NOW AT THE END OF THE 70 YEARS THE LORD ONCE AGAIN USES PROPHECY TO ANNOUNCE NOT ONLY THE ENDING OF THE CAPTIVITY BUT ALSO THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE MAN WHO WOULD MAKE IT SO.
ALMOST 170 YEARS BEFORE THE DIRECTIVE ALLOWING RETURN WAS ISSUED BY THE PERSIAN KING, CYRUS, THE LORD HAD HIS HOLY PROPHET ISAIAH ANNOUNCE IT AND ACTUALLY CALL THE NAME OF THE PAGAN KING HE WOULD USE TO ARRANGE THE RETURN.
ISAIAH 45:1-4:
“Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him: and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut:
I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight: I will brake in pieces the gates of brass, and will cut in sunder the bars of iron:
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel,
For Jacob my servant's sake and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.”
EZRA OPENS HIS WRITING TO SHOW US QUICKLY THAT THIS RELEASE OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE WAS NO COINCIDENCE OR HAPPY HAPPENSTANCE OF HISTORY.
EZRA 1:1 TEACHES US THAT GOD STIRRED UP THE SPRIT OF CYRUS TO PERMIT THE JEWS TO RETURN.
JOSEPHUS THE HISTORIAN WROTE THAT THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL'S CAPTIVES CAME TO CYRUS AND SHOWED HIM BOTH THE SCRIPTURES OF JEREMIAH AND ISAIAH AND PROVED TO HIM THAT ALMOST TWO CENTURIES BEFORE GOD HAD CALLED HIS NAME.
SO AN ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN ALLOWING THE PEOPLE TO RETURN, AND IN IT CYRUS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT GOD IN HEAVEN HIMSELF HAD GIVEN HIM HIS KINGDOM AND CHARGED HIM TO DO HIS WILL TO FREE THE PEOPLE.
ONLY 42,360 PEOPLE OUT OF MANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS CHOSE TO GO.
GOD HAD MOVED THE SPIRIT OF THE KING TO FREE THE PEOPLE AND HE ALSO MOVED THE SPIRIT OF THOSE WHO CHOSE TO RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND. EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE A MINORITY, THEY WERE A SPIRIT – STIRRED MINORITY.
THEY WERE DEDICATED TO THE DIFFICULT AND DISCOURAGING TASK OF RETURNING TO A RUINED CITY AND ONCE THERE TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WHICH IS IN JERUSALEM.
IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT GOD MOVED THEIR SPIRITS BECAUSE THEY FACED MANY DIFFICULTIES.
THE JOURNEY ITSELF WAS LONG, DANGEROUS, AND EXPENSIVE.
THEY RETURNED TO A CITY IN RUINS WITH NO PROPER HOMES, ROADS, OR CITY DEFENSE NEEDS SUCH AS WALLS.
THEY HAD FEW RESOURCES FOR THE WORK AND HAD TO RELY ON THE LORD TO PROVIDE THEM.
NOT ALL RETURNED TO JERUSALEM PROPER BUT MANY SPREAD ALL OVER JUDEA.
THERE WERE MANY ENEMIES.
THEIR LAND WAS STILL IN THE HAND OF ANOTHER EMPIRE.
BUT THOSE WHO STAYED GAVE SOME TREASURE TO THOSE LEAVING AS A FREE WILL OFFERING FOR THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
CYRUS ALSO COMMANDED THAT ALL THE TEMPLE GOLD VESSELS AND TREASURES BE GIVEN BACK TO THE CHOSEN PEOPLE TO CARRY BACK TO USE ONCE AGAIN INSIDE THE TEMPLE WHEN WORSHIP RESUMED.
EZRA 2:1-35 GIVES A LISTING OF THOSE WHO MADE THE RETURN.
EVEN TWO SPECIAL GROUPS RETURNED, BOTH THE NETHINIMS AND THE GIBEONITES WERE PART OF THE RETURN, AS THEY HAD BEEN SPECIAL SERVANTS OF THE LEVITE PRIESTHOOD.
A VERY SMALL GROUP OF LEVITES WHO COULD NOT PROVE THEIR LINEAGE, RETURNED, BUT WERE FORBIDDEN TO SERVE AGAIN UNTIL THE HIGH PRIEST, JOSHUA, CONSULTED WITH THE HOLY STONES OF URIM AND THUMMIM WHICH HAD BEEN GIVEN BY GOD TO AARON TO REVEAL HIS WILL.
NOW IN CHAPTER THREE WE SEE THE JOY IN THE CAMP.
DAYS OF SORROW FOR SO MANY YEARS WERE OVER AND JOY WAS FULL AS ALL THOSE WHO WISHED TO LEAVE BABLYON HAD THE FREEDOM TO DO SO.
ALL WAS NOT PERFECT HOWEVER, AND WHEN THEY RETURNED, THERE WAS MUCH WORK TO DO REBUILDING.
THERE WAS ALSO MUCH OPPOSITION FROM THOSE WHO HAD TAKEN UP LIVES IN THE PROMISED LAND WHILE THE JEWS WERE CAPTIVE.
CYRUS HAD MADE CLEAR IN HIS COMMAND THAT THE LAND WAS GIVEN BACK TO THE JEWS AS IT HAD BEEN THEIRS BEFORE AND NOW WAS TO BE THEIRS AGAIN.
THE RETURNING REMNANT WERE A TIGHT KNIT GROUP AND AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS THEY MET AT THE TEMPLE SITE TO DISCOVER WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.
3:1 SAYS THEY GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER, AND THE HEBREW LANGUAGE SAYS THEY MOVED AS “ONE MAN
ZERUBBABEL WAS THE APPOINTED CIVIC LEADER OF THIS GROUP.
HE WAS OF THE ROYAL SEED OF DAVID AND THEREFORE IN THE LINE OF THE MESSIAH.
MATTHEW 1:12-13 GIVE US HIS PLACE IN THE LINE OF JESUS.
JOSHUA WAS THE HIGH PRIEST AND WAS IN THE LEVITE LINE, A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF AARON.
THESE TWO GREAT MEN OF GOD TOOK THE LEAD IN THE WORK.
WE HAVE THE INTERESTING STORY GIVEN IN ZECHARIAH 3 OF THE CLEANSING OF JOSHUA BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, WHICH WAS JESUS APPEARING BEFORE HE WAS INCARNATE IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR FLESH.
IN THAT MOMENT WE SEE SATAN HIMSELF STANDING NEXT TO JOSHUA TO ACCUSE HIM BEFORE GOD.
BUT GOD CLEANSED HIM FOR THE WORK AND SPOKE IN THAT MOMENT OF A GREAT HIGH PRIEST LATER TO COME TO THE PEOPLE.
THE FIRST REBUILDING TASK WAS TO RECONSTRUCT THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE, WHICH HAD TO BE FIRST ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOSES.
EZRA 3:3 TEACHES THIS TASK WAS UNDERTAKEN AND QUICKLY COMPLETED.
SO THIS FAITHFUL REMNANT WAS WORKING HARD TO ADHERE TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
EZRA 3:7 TELLS US OF THE PLANS TO RECONSTRUCT THE TEMPLE.
RESOURCES WERE GIVEN AND CONSTRUCTION BEGAN BY REUSING THE OLD TEMPLE STONES STILL ON SITE FROM THE DESTRUCTION.
VERSES 11-13 SHOW US A REVIVAL MEETING TO CELEBRATE.
THEY GAVE THANKS AND THE ELDERS WEPT WITH JOY, WITH BOTH CRYING AND HAPPY SHOUTING ALL HEARD AT THE SAME TIME.
NOW IN CHAPTER FOUR WE ARE FACED WITH A SOBERING TEACHING THAT STILL IS VALID EVEN TODAY.
WHERE THE WORK OF GOD IS EVIDENT, THE WORK OF THOSE OPPOSED TO GOD IS ALSO PRESENT.
HINDERANCE OF THE WORK OF THE LORD IS NOT NEW OR OLD, IT SIMPLY IS CLEAR FROM THE GARDEN UNTIL NOW. IT NEVER ENDS.
ADVERSARIES APPEARED AND OFFERED TO HELP IN THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
THESE WERE NOT JEWS AND WERE NOT INTENDING TO BE HELPFUL IN THE WORK.
LATER IN JUDE 4 WE SEE THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF SUCH MEN, AS JUDE SAYS THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREEPING IN UNAWARES.
HERE IS THE AGE OLD LESSON OF THE NEED TO BE VIGILANT TO ASSURE THE WORK OF THE LORD IS NOT EITHER DELAYED OR DETERRED.
ZERUBBABEL QUICKLY DISCERNED THE SITUATION AND GAVE THESE WHO WERE TRYING TO INSERT THEMSELVES AMONG THE JEWS A THREEFOLD ANSWER:
YOU HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON WITH US TO JOIN US IN THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
WE ALONE WILL CONSTRUCT THE TEMPLE TO OUR GOD.
THIS WORK HAS THE APPROVAL OF CYRUS.
FROM THIS POINT ONWARD THESE NEWLY ARRIVED PEOPLE TRIED STRONGLY TO STOP THE WORK ON THE TEMPLE.
THEY APPEARED CONSTANTLY TO MAKE FUN OF AND BELITTLE THE WORKERS.
BUT THE JEWISH WORKERS ORIGINALLY STOOD FIRM AND SUPPORTED THE DECISION OF THEIR LEADERS TO DO THIS WORK THEMSELVES.
BUT THESE OUTSIDERS OVER TIME WEAKENED THE RESOLVE OF THE JEWS, CAUSING THEM TO SLACKEN THE EFFORT ON THE TEMPLE.
WHEN THE WORK WAS NOT FULLY STOPPED THESE OUTSIDERS WROTE FALSE REPORTS TO THE ROYAL COURT IN PERSIA SAYING THAT IF THIS WORK SUCCEEDED THEN PERSIA WOULD BE WEAKER AS THE JEWS WOULD BECOME FAR MORE POWERFUL.
THE PERSIAN COURT SEEMED TO LISTEN AND DECREES WERE ISSUED TO STOP THE WORK, AND THE OUTSIDERS SEEMED TO HAVE WON.
THE WORK WAS ENDED UNTIL THE 2ND YEAR OF KING DARIUS, RECORDED FOR US IN HAGGAI CHAPTER ONE.
SATAN'S WORK TO DEFEAT THE EFFORTS WAS TEMPORARILY SUCCESSFUL.
GOD DOES NOT ACCEPT DEFEAT AND WE NOW SEE WHAT HE DID.
GOD RAISED UP TWO PROPHETS, ZECHARIAH AND HAGGAI, BOTH WITHIN THE REMNANT THAT HAD RETURNED WHO NOW CHALLENGED THE PEOPLE TO RENEW THE WORK ON THE TEMPLE AND THE PEOPLE RESPONDED POSITIVELY.
OPPOSITION ONCE MORE REARED IT'S UGLY HEAD.
BUT PERSIAN LAW WAS INTERESTING THAT ONCE A DECREE HAD BEEN MADE, IT COULD NOT BE CHANGED.
SO THE EARLIER DECREE OF CYRUS PREVAILED AND EZRA HIMSELF NOTED THAT GOD HAD BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THIS FACTOR AND THAT THE ORIGINAL DECREE WAS UNCHANGEABLE BY THE LATER ONE.
IN EZRA 6:6 THESE OUTSIDERS WERE COMMANDED TO “BE YE FAR FROM THENCE”, MEANING THEY WERE TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS WORK AND NO LONGER ATTEMPT TO STOP IT.
DARIUS WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO THEM TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF THE JEWS AND THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR THEM TO DO UNDER CYRUS.
RESOURCES FOR THE WORK WERE RENEWED FROM PERSIA AS DARIUS DECIDED TO FULLY SUPPORT THE WORK ON THE TEMPLE.
HE SHOWED MUCH RESPECT FOR THE GOD OF ISRAEL AT THIS MOMENT.
WE SEE IN 6:10 JUST HOW FAR HE HAD COME IN HIS HEART TOWARD THIS WORK BY HIS REQUEST TO THE JEWS:
“Offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons”
TO ASSURE THE WORK WOULD BE COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER DELAYS OR OPPOSITION DARIUS INVOKED A SEVERE PENALTY AGAINST ANYONE WHO SOUGHT TO HINDER THE WORK.
WOODEN TIMBER WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THE HOME OF THE ONE WHO ACTED AGAINST THE WORK, AND HE WOULD BE HANGED FROM HIS OWN TIMBERS AND HIS HOUSE MADE A HILL OF DUNG.
SO OPPOSITION WAS TRULY ENDED WITH THIS SERIOUS THREAT AND THE TEMPLE WAS FINISHED.
BY COMPARING JEREMIAH 29:10 WITH 2ND CHRONICLES 36:20 IT IS FOUND THAT THE TEMPLE WAS COMPLETED AND DEDICATED 70 YEARS AFTER SOLOMON'S TEMPLE HAD BEEN DESTROYED.
SO AFTER MANY HARDSHIPS AND STOPS AND STARTS, THE LORD'S WORK WAS DONE AND A DAY OF CELEBRATION WAS HELD.
TWELVE MALE GOATS WERE SACRIFICEDTO MARK THE FACT THAT ALL TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL WERE PRESENT AT THE DEDICATION.
THE PRIESTHOOD WAS ESTABLISHED ONCE MORE AMONG THE PEOPLE AS INSTRUCTED BY THE LAW OF MOSES.
THE DEDICATION WAS IN THE MONTH OF ADAR, OUR MONTH OF MARCH.
THE NEXT MONTH WOULD BE NISAN, THE MONTH OF THE PASSOVER AND THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD WAS ONCE MORE HELD, WHICH NONE OF THOSE RETURNED HAD EVER HAD AT A TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
ZECHARIAH 3 TEACHES US HOW THE LORD WAS WORKING CLOSELY TO ARRANGE HIS WILL BE DONE IN THIS MATTER.
HE MADE THE PRIEST JOSHUA CLEAN OF HIS OWN SIN AND DID SO WHILE SATAN HIMSELF WAS SEEN TO STAND CLOSELY BY BUT SPEAKING NOT A SINGLE WORD WHILE GOD'S WILL WAS WORKED.
NOW LASTLY, IN 6:21 WE SEE THE PEOPLE ALSO SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM THE FILTH OF PAGAN WORSHIP AND ONCE MORE CAME TO “SEEK THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL”.