Ezra - Chapters 7-10: The People Return

Application: The student will comprehend how the godly service of one man can lead to blessings for many others.

NOW GOD HAS RAISED UP ANOTHER SERVANT TO LEAD THE PEOPLE SPRITUALLY AS THEY COME BACK TO THE LAND OF PROMISE AFTER THE 70 YEARS OF CAPTIVITY.

IN THE SAME NATURE AS MOSES & JOSHUA & DAVID, EZRA WAS SPIRIT LED TO SERVE THE PLAN OF THE LORD FOR HIS OWN.

EZRA WAS BORN IN THE CAPTIVITY AND WAS A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF LEVI, THE ONE CHOSEN TO BRING A PRIESTLY TRIBE TO MAINTAIN A SPIRITUAL DIRECTION FOR ALL THE CHOSEN PEOPLE.

OUR STUDY BEGINS WITH THE WORDS “AFTER THESE THINGS” WHICH MEANS AFTER THE 2ND TEMPLE WAS COMPLETED.

THE NEXT WAVE OF HEBREWS WAS NOW MIGRATING BACK TO JERUSALEM & THE SURROUNDING AREA OF JUDEA.

THE DEDICATION OF THE 2ND TEMPLE WAS IN 515 B.C.

EZRA WAS NOT ONLY A SCRIBE, MEANING A HIGHLY EDUCATED MAN OF SCRIPTURE, BUT ALSO WAS A PRIEST AND WAS ABLE TO TRACE HIS OWN LINE BACK TO AARON, THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST.

GOD WANTED NOT JUST TO HAVE THE BUILDING COMPLETED BUT ALSO WISHED TO HAVE THE PROPER ORDER OF WORSHIP TO BE RESTORED.

THIS REQUIRED THAT THOSE WHO SERVE IN THE NEW TEMPLE TO BE UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMANDS OF EXODUS.

EZRA ARRIVES IN PALESTINE IN 486 B.C. AMONG THE 2ND WAVE OF HEBREWS TO RETURN FROM PERSIA.

HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO RECENT RECOLLECTION OF THIS WORSHIP ORDER AS THE OLDER ORDER HAD BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE PRIESTS IN THE TIME OF SOLOMON WHO HAD NOT ONLY ALLOWED BUT HAD ENCOURAGED IDOL WORSHIP.

A SCHOLAR OF THE ORIGINAL LAW OF MOSES WAS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT GOD'S WILL, AND THAT MAN WAS CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE EZRA.

EZRA 7:10 TEACHES US THAT HE WAS SET IN HIS HEART FOR THE MISSION REQUIRED.

HE HAD LIKELY HELD SOME OFFICIAL OFFICE IN THE PERSIAN GOVERNMENT WHICH NOW HAD A NEW KING, ARTAXERXES.

HE HAD SOUGHT THE APPROVAL OF THIS KING TO LEAD A RETURN OF PEOPLE AND HE HAD BEEN GIVEN AN OFFICIAL LETTER WHICH WAS A ROYAL DECREE AUTHORIZING HIS MISSION.

EZRA WAS GIVEN THE APPROVAL TO GO, TO TAKE TREASURE WITH HIM, AND TO COLLECT MORE GOLD & SILVER FROM THOSE HEBREWS STAYING IN PERSIA.

HE ALSO TOOK WITH HIM THE REST OF THE HOLY GOLD TEMPLE VESSELS FOR JERUSALEM.

THESE THINGS TELL US THAT ARTAXERXES HAD COMPLETE FAITH & TRUST IN EZRA.

SO THE WILL OF GOD WAS UNFOLDING IN EVERY DETAIL OF EZRA'S MISSION, BEFORE HE LEFT PERSIA & THEN AFTER HE ARRIVED IN THE PROMISED LAND.

THE ROYAL DECREE ALLOWED EZRA TO SET UP JUDGES INSIDE JUDEA TO ACT IN MATTERS OF MOSAIC LAW.

PERSIAN TAXES WERE TO BE REMOVED FROM THIS MISSION SO THAT RESOURCES GIVEN WERE FULLY USED FOR THE PLAN OF GOD.

VERSE 7:27 TEACHES US THAT EZRA GAVE THE LORD FULL CREDIT FOR MOVING THE HEART OF THE KING TOWARD THE GOD GIVEN MISSION.

EZRA FULLY UNDERSTOOD WHO HAD MADE ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

CHAPTER 8 BEGINS WITH A LONG LIST OF NAMES OF THOSE RETURNING IN THIS 2ND WAVE.

TWELVE GROUPS WERE MENTIONED WITH A TOTAL OF 1514 MEN, CONSISTING OF 18 HEADS OF FAMILIES.

WITH WOMEN & CHILDREN IT SEEMS BETWEEN 4000 – 5000 WERE IN THIS 2ND WAVE.

IN VERSES 15-20 EZRA CALLS THOSE OF THE GROUP OF NETHINIMS TO TRAVEL WITH HIM. THESE WERE THE GROUP ORIGINALLY SET UP BY DAVID TO HELP THE PRIESTS SERVE IN THE TEMPLE.

220 OF THESE AGREED TO GO.

NOW IN VERSES 8:21-30 EZRA IS CAREFUL TO SEEK GOD'S FAVOR UPON THE JOURNEY.

THERE WAS THREE DAY FAST TO CONSECRATE THE MISSION AND IN FAITH THIS GROUP ASKED FOR THE HAND OF GOD TO PROTECT THEM ALONG THIS PATH TOWARD JERUSALEM, A JOURNEY OF MANY HUNDREDS OF MILES.

ALL THE TREASURE WAS PUT INTO THE HANDS OF 12 PRIESTS FOR THE TRIP TO COME TO SAFEGUARD FOR DELIVERING TO THE NEW TEMPLE.

NOW IN VERSES 8:31-35 WE SEE THE ARRIVAL OF THE GROUP AT THEIR JOURNEY'S END.

THERE IS NO RECORD THAT ANY HARM CAME TO THESE FAITHFUL ONES AND THAT THEY ARRIVED IN JERUSALEM SAFELY.

PRAYER & FASTING DERIVED THE PURPOSE AND PROTECTION OF GOD FOR THE MISSION HE HAD PLACED INTO THEIR HEARTS AND SECURED IN THE HEART OF HIS CHOSEN LEADER, EZRA.

A THREE DAY REST WAS MADE AND ON THE FOURTH DAY, A FULL ACCOUNTING WAS GIVEN OF ALL TREASURE, FUNDS, AND VESSELS FOR THE TEMPLE.

A JOURNEY OF 4 MONTHS WAS NOW COMPLETE.

NOW THESE RETURNING FAITHFUL WERE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY HAD NEVER BEFORE DONE, TO WORSHIP JEHOVAH GOD IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE IN HIS HOLY CHOSEN LAND.

SACRIFICES WERE MADE ON THE HOLY ALTAR AND A NEW BEGINNING WAS MADE IN THE YEAR OF 456 B.C.

BULLS, RAMS, LAMBS, & GOATS WERE OFFERED UP IN THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD, EXACTLY FOLLOWING THE FOUR TYPES OF ANIMALS OFFERED IN CHAPTER 6.

IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE BUILDER RAISED UP BY GOD TO CONSTRUCT THE TEMPLE, ZERUBBABLE, HAD NOW DIED AND GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD.

IN VERSES 9:1-4 WE SEE THAT NOW EZRA WAS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF DAY TO DAY AFFAIRS OF THE JEWS IN JUDEA.

NOW IT WAS TIME TO FULFILL THE TRUE PROMISE OF THE MISSION WHICH WAS TO LIFT UP THE TEMPLE AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORSHIP THERE TO GOD.

BEFORE THE FULL CONSECRATION COULD HAPPEN, CERTAIN PROBLEMS HAD TO BE FACED.

THERE HAD BEEN STRONG VIOLATION OF THE WORD OF GOD AGAINST THE INTERMARRIAGE OF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WITH PAGANS WHO ALSO LIVED IN THE LAND SINCE THE CAPTIVITY.

THIS WAS NOT A MATTER OF JUST EVERYDAY WORKING MEN, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED LEADERS SET UP TO GUIDE THE PEOPLE.

IT ALSO WAS FOUND TO BE WIDESPREAD WITHIN EVEN THE LEVITES WHO WERE SURELY SUPPOSED TO KNOW BETTER AS THEY SPENT THEIR LIVES IN PRIESTLY MATTERS.

THESE PAGAN PEOPLE MARRIED BY THE HEBREWS WERE DIRECTLY DESCENDED FROM THE CAANANITES THAT THE HEBREWS UNDER JOSHUA HAD NOT DRIVEN OUT OR DESTROYED.

GOD HAD TOLD HIS PEOPLE IN DEUT 7:1-4 THAT THESE WERE AN ABOMINATION TO HIM AND THE HEBREWS WERE NOT TO MIX WITH THEM WHATSOEVER.

EZRA'S REACTION TO THIS TERRIBLE CONDITION WAS TYPICAL OF OLD TESTAMENT GRIEF, TEARING OF CLOTHES, (NUM 14:6) &

PULLING HAIR FROM HEADS & BEARDS, (ISAIAH 22:12), & VERSE 9:3 SHOWS EZRA WAS SICKENED & SHOCKED AT THIS GREAT SIN OF THE PEOPLE.

THIS WAS AN OPEN AND SHAMEFUL DEFIANCE OF GOD.

EZRA WAS SO STRICKEN WITH GRIEF UPON FINDING HOW STRONG THIS SIN HAD COME TO BE THAT HE HIMSELF WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK FOR A TIME.

NOW IN VERSES 9:5-15 EZRA KNEW IT WAS TIME FOR PRAYER & CONFESSION.

HE ARRANGED A MEETING OF THE PEOPLE AND HE FELL ON HIS KNEES BEFORE GOD WITH OUTSTRETCHED HANDS AND LAID THE SIN OF THE PEOPLE BEFORE THE LORD.

HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS SIN WAS WIDESPREAD AND GROWING AND WAS SURE TO BRING MUCH DISPLEASURE FROM GOD.

AFTER GOD HAD DONE SO MUCH TO DELIVER THEM, VERSE 10 ASKS HOW COULD SUCH A THING HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AMONG THEM?

CHAPTER 10 BRINGS THE BEGINNING OF THE ANSWER NEEDED.

THE OPEN PRAYER OF EZRA BEFORE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE STRUCK A NERVE IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE.

SHECHANIAH, ONE OF THE LEVITES WHO HAD RETURNED, SPOKE CLEARLY IN THIS MOMENT IN VERSE 2, AND SAID THAT TRESPASS HAD BEEN MADE AGAINST GOD, AND YET THERE WAS A PATHWAY TO HOPE FOR A SOLUTION.

HE SAID THAT NOTHING LESS THAN A RETURN IN FULL TO THE LAW COULD RESOLVE THE MATTER.

THE TASK OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS MOMENT FELL UPON EZRA.

HE DID NOT SHRINK FROM THIS TASK NOR DID HE SHIRK HIS DUTY TO LEAD THE PEOPLE OUT OF THIS MESS.

AS ISAIAH TEACHES IN HIS CHAPTER 59, THESE PEOPLE'S INIQUITY HAD SEPARATED THEM FROM THEIR GOD.

EZRA FASTED AND PRAYED AND CALLED FOR A GATHERING IN 3 DAYS, WITH A PENALTY TO BE LEVIED ON ANY WHO DID NOT COME.

THIS PENALTY WOULD BE THE FORFEIT OF ALL LEGAL RIGHTS.

THE URGENCY AND SEVERITY OF THIS MOMENT WAS MADE CLEAR TO ALL THE PEOPLE.

NOW IN VERSES 10:9-17 WE SEE THAT ALL CAME AND THE TIME OF THE YEAR WAS THE JEWISH 9TH MONTH, OUR DATE WOULD BE DECEMBER 15, 457 B.C.

THE PEOPLE SAT IN THE TEMPLE SQUARE SHIVERING IN COLD RAIN AND IT SEEMS THAT OVER 70,000 PEOPLE ARRIVED TO HEAR EZRA SPEAK.

HE DID NOT BEAT AROUND THE BUSH OR TRY TO DEFLECT AWAY HOW GREAT WAS THE SIN OF THESE CHOSEN PEOPLE.

HE SAID THAT BY THEIR ACTION IN MIXING WITH THE PAGAN PEOPLES, MORE IDOL WORSHIP WOULD BECOME COMMON AND THIS WAS THE REASON THEY HAD ORIGINALLY LOST THE LAND.

ALL MUST REPENT OF THIS GREAT ABOMINATION AND MUST SHOW PROPER REPENTANCE BY SEPARATING THEMSELVES FROM THEIR PAGAN WIVES & HUSBANDS.

THE WORD EZRA USED IS “STRANGE” TO DESCRIBE THESE PAGANS, IN THE HEBREW THE WORD IS NOKRIY (NOK-REE) AND IS MEANT TO DESCRIBE FOREIGN HARLOTS, ADULTEROUS ONES, AND THOSE OUTLANDISH.

ALL THOSE PRESENT SPOKE WITH ONE VOICE AND WERE WILLING TO FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND OF EZRA.

THE NUMBER OF GUILTY WAS LARGE.

THE CURRENT WEATHER WAS DIFFICULT.

AN ORDERLY PROCESS WAS NEEDED TO HANDLE THE ISSUE.

FAMILY RULERS WOULD WORK WITH PRIESTS TO HANDLE EACH INSTANCE IN A CASE BY CASE METHOD.

EVERY PAGAN WIFE WHO AGREED TO FULLY GIVE UP HER IDOL WORSHIP AND SHOW FAITH IN JEHOVAH WOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAY.

THIS WAS THE SAME METHOD ALLOWED IN THE INSTANCES OF RAHAB & RUTH IN OLDER DAYS (BOTH OF WHOM WERE LATER LISTED IN MATTHEW 1 AS IN THE BLOOD LINE OF THE MESSIAH).

THERE WERE SOME OPPOSED TO THIS REMEDY AND SPOKE AGAINST IT.

BUT WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE PROCESS HAD BEGUN.

IT TOOK THREE MONTHS TO HEAR EVERY CASE.

THOSE WHO REFUSED TO TURN TO JEHOVAH GOD WERE GIVEN A BILL OF DIVORCE AS DESCRIBED IN DEUT 24:1-4.

IN VERSES 10:18-44 THERE IS GIVEN A LENGTHY READING OF THOSE NAMED AS HAVING TAKEN PAGAN WIVES.

THERE WERE 18 PRIESTS, INCLUDING SOME OF THE SONS OF JOSHUA, THE HIGH PRIEST (WHO HAD BEEN CLEANSED BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IN ZECHARIAH 3 OF HIS OWN SIN AS SATAN STOOD BESIDE HIM).

TEN ADDED LEVITES WERE FOUND GUILTY.

86 OTHER MEN ARE LISTED AS GUILTY AS WELL.

ALL PUT AWAY THEIR PAGAN WIVES AS PER THE COMMAND OF EZRA.

EZRA OBEYED GOD AND SURRENDERED HIMSELF TO GOD'S SERVICE.

HE WAS LED AND GUIDED BY THE LORD TO IMPLEMENT HIS WILL WITHIN THE CHOSEN PEOPLE.

HE PRAYERFULLY ASKED FOR THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO SPEAK TO HIM IN GUIDANCE.

HE GAVE THE GLORY OF EVERY TASK TO GOD WHO GIVES ALL BLESSINGS.

THESE WERE DRASTIC MEASURES TO DEAL WITH DRASTIC SINFUL TRESPASSES AGAINST GOD BY HIS OWN PEOPLE.

THESE MEASURES WERE NECESSARY.

THE LAW DEMANDED IT IN DEUT 7:1-6.

THESE UNIONS WOULD TURN HEBREW FAMILIES TOWARD IDOL WORSHIP ONCE AGAIN.

THE JUDGMENT OF GOD IF THESE ABOMINATIONS STOOD WOULD CAUSE HIM TO DESTROY THE NATION.

THEY HAD BEEN CHOSEN TO BE A HOLY PEOPLE ON EARTH AND THEREFORE TO BECOME SO, STRICT OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW WAS GIVEN AS A NECESSITY.

AS WE CONSIDER THIS DIFFICULT MATTER, WE CANNOT PEOPERLY DO SO IF WE DO NOT FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THE CAPTIVITY WAS BROUGHT MOSTLY FOR IDOL WORSHIP AND TURING AWAY FROM THE GOD WHO HAD CHOSEN AND BLESSED THEM WITH THE LAND OF PROMISE.

WHAT WAS HIS FIRST COMMAND TO MOSES WRITTEN IN STONE?

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME!!!!!

SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE, AND THAT HONOR STILL RESTS WITH ISRAEL EVEN IN OUR TIME,

CAN WE DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT OUR OWN TIME AND HOW WE AS A PEOPLE DISHONOR & DISOBEY BOTH THE HEAVENLY FATHER AND THE SON SENT TO BE OUR SAVIOR & GUIDE?