Ezra s Account Of The Journey To Jerusalem. Ezra 8:1-36

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1 Message 08 April 30, 2017 Ezra s Account Of The Journey To Jerusalem Ezra 8:1-36 Story: Roger Simms, hitchhiking his way home, would never forget the date May 7. His heavy suitcase made Roger tired. He was anxious to take off his army uniform once and for all. Flashing the hitchhiking sigh to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek, new Cadillac. To his surprise the car stopped. The passenger door opened. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back, and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat. Going home for keeps? Sure am, Roger responded. Well, you re in luck if you re going to Chicago. Not quite that far. Do you live in Chicago? I have a business there. My name is Hanover. After talking about many things, Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to witness to this fiftyish, apparently successful businessman about Christ. But he kept putting it off, till he realized he was just thirty minutes from his home. It was now or never. So, Roger cleared his throat, Mr. Hanover, I would like to talk to you about something very important. He then proceeded to explain the way of salvation, ultimately asking Mr. Hanover if he would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger s astonishment the Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger thought he was going to be ejected from the car. But, to his astonishment the businessman bowed his head and prayed with Roger to receive Christ. This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, he said. Five years went by, Roger married, had a two-year-old boy, and a business of his own. Packing his suitcase for a business trip to Chicago, he found the small, white business card Hanover had given him five years before. In Chicago he looked up Hanover Enterprises. A receptionist told him it was impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but he could see Mrs. Hanover. A little confused as to what was going on, he was ushered into a lovely office and found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties. She extended her hand. You knew my husband? Yes I did. Roger told how her husband had given him a ride when hitchhiking home after the war. Can you tell me when that was? It was May 7, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army. Anything special about that day? Roger hesitated. Should he mention giving his witness? Since he had come so far, he might as well take the plunge. Mrs. Hanover, I explained the gospel to your husband. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Jesus Christ that day. Explosive sobs shook her body. Getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, I had prayed for my husband s salvation for years. I believed God

2 Message 08 April 30, would save him. And, said Roger, Where is your husband, Mrs. Hanover? He s dead, she wept, struggling with words. He was in a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never made it home. 1 Mr. Hanover was transported home to Jesus right after he invited him into his heart as Savior. Mrs. Hanover s prayers for her husband s salvation were answered. Intro: This morning we return to Ezra, who was about to lead some 5,000 Jews, Priest, and Levites home to Jerusalem. As we have seen, Ezra repeatedly praises God for extending His lovingkindness to him. We concluded last week with Ezra thanking God for extending His, lovingkindness (hesed loyal covenant love ) to him by putting all these things into the heart of the king, his counselors, and mighty princess (7:27). Ezra was strengthened, according to the hand of the LORD his God, to begin the process of selecting leading men from Israel to make the difficult and dangerous trip from Babylon back to Jerusalem (7:28). Ezra chapter 8 records Ezra s account of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the names of the personal that returned with him. The chapter is divisible into 3 headings: The list of returnees (vv. 1-20); The preparation for the journey (vv ); and The presentation of valuables to the temple treasury (vv ). I. The List Of Returnees (Ezra 8:1-20) A. The register of family heads (vv. 1-14) In verses 1-14 we have the register of those Jews, tribal heads and the personal that returned voluntarily with Ezra, to help resettle and reestablish a larger Jewish presence in the Holy Land. 8:1 Now these are the heads of their fathers households and the genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes: 2 of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush; 3 of the sons of Shecaniah who was of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah and with him 150 males who were in the genealogical list; 4 of the sons of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and 200 males with him; 5 of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel and 300 males with him; 6 and of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 males with him; 7 and of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 1 J. Kirk Johnston, Why Christians Sin (Discovery House, 1992),

3 Message 08 April 30, males with him; 8 and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him; 9 of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 males with him; 10 and of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him; 11 and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 males with him; 12 and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him; 13 and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah and 60 males with them; 14 and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud and 70 males with them. Once again, this registry contains the names of the major men (family heads) who returned, as well as the numbers of family members who accompanied them. The total number of men who returned was 1,514 including 18 heads of families and 1,496 other men. Keep in mind this list does not include the number of women and children who would have accompanied their husbands. With women and children the returnees may have numbered around 5,000. Many of the people listed here were related to the families who had returned with Zerubbabel 79 years earlier in 537 B.C. (chap. 2). Several of the family names recorded here in 8:3-14 can be correlated with the registry in 2:3-15. B. The register of Levites and temple servants (vv ) 15 Now I assembled them at the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I observed the people and the priests, I did not find any Levites there. 15 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers. 17 And I sent them to Iddo the leading man at the place Casiphia; and I told them what to say to Iddo and his brothers, the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God. 18 And according to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; 19 and Hashabiah and Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men; 20 and 220 of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, all of them designated by name. According to verse 15 Ezra assembled the people at the River Ahava, location unknown, and when he observed the people and priests who had assembled, he was disheartened when he didn t find any Levites there (v. 15). The Levites, whose function was to study, teach, and preserve (copy) the Law of God, were

4 Message 08 April 30, extremely important to carrying on the work of God among the returnees. Zerubbabel you may recall from chapter 2, verse 40 faced the same problem. He only had 74 Levites, less than 1.5% of the nearly 50,000 that joined him in the first return. Scholars suggest the reluctance on the part of the Levites may have been due to their inferior status in comparison to ministering priests. Ezra sent for a number of leading men, whose names I have trouble pronouncing, and for two noted teachers of the Law, Joiarib and Elnathan, and sent them to Iddo the leading man at the place Casiphia. He instructed this delegation of 11 respected leaders to request Iddo s help in assembling some Levites and temple servants to return to Jerusalem to minister in the house of God. Casiphia was home to a colony of Levites and Nethinim, temple servants. 18 Ezra praises God for once again extending His gracious hand in bringing him a man of insight, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, namely, Sherébiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 men; and 20 additional sons and brothers of the sons of Merari. These 38 Levites were joined by 220 Nethenim, a special class of temple servants, whom David and the princes had established to serve the Levites. God takes note of those Jews, Levites, and temple servants who were willing to return with Ezra. God will always take note of those who are willing to love and to serve Him and His people. Have you secured your name in the Lamb s Book of Life by inviting Jesus Christ to be your Savior from sin and death? If not, ask God to forgive you and to wash you clean of your sin this morning. A word to believers: God wants to use you to study His word, so you can teach His word to your brethren, and share the good news about Jesus Christ with the lost. I challenge you to ask God to make you an Ezra. We need you! Alright, we have looked at the various lists of returnees in verses 1-20, look next with me at the preparations for the journey in verses Follow along as I read Ezra 8, verse II. The Preparation For The Journey (8:21-30) A. Ezra s spiritual preparation for the journey (vv ) 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little

5 Message 08 April 30, ones, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him. 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty. 21 Ezra called on the people to fast and pray, and to humble themselves before God, and to seek His favor (hesed-lovingkindness) for a safe journey for themselves, their children, and their possessions. Being humble before God shows one s spiritual dependence, and serves as an acknowledgment that God is in total control. Ezra declined Artaxerxes offer to provide a royal escort, because he assured him that God would grant them a safe journey. Look at verse 22 For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him. Ezra trusted God s covenant promise to Abram in Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who oppose you. Ezra displayed an amazing amount of faith in God to keep him safe from the many enemies and dangers on the way back to Jerusalem. v. 23 Ezra and the people fasted and prayed, and God listend to them. B. Ezra s strict accountability of precious metals and temple articles (vv ) 24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and with them ten of their brothers; 25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the utensils, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel present there, had offered. 26 Thus I weighed into their hands 650 talents of silver, and silver utensils worth 100 talents, and 100 gold talents, 27 and 20 gold bowls, worth 1,000 darics; and two utensils of fine shiny bronze, precious as gold. 28 Then I said to them, You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leading priests, the Levites, and the heads of the fathers households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. 30 So the priests and the Levites accepted the weighed out silver and gold and the utensils, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

6 Message 08 April 30, vv Ezra next appointed 12 of the leading priest, along with two leading men and ten of their brothers to take charge and be responsible for all the silver and gold, and the temple utensils they were transporting to Jerusalem. 25 Ezra divided and weighed the silver and gold among these 24 trusted men. He recorded all these gifts that had been given by King Artaxerxes and his counselors as a free-will offering to the God of Israel (7:15-16). This was a staggering amount of silver and gold given by the King and his counselors. 26 Ezra weighed into these men s hands 650 talents of silver and silver utensils worth 100 talents of silver. A talent was about 75 pounds so 750 talents of silver would be equivalent to 56,250 pounds or 28 tons. Silver is currently selling for $20.00 an once, and since 28 tons of silver would equal 900,000 ounces, the silver would be valued at roughly 18 million dollars. The 20 gold bowls, worth 1,000 darics, would equal 4,550 darics. A Persian daric weighed 4.55 ounces. Gold is currently selling for $1, an ounce, which would value 4,550 darics at around $6,051, dollars. The equivalent value of the silver and gold today would be around 24 million dollars. It s no wonder why King Artaxerxes wanted to provide an armed escort. 29 Ezra instructed these 24 men to watch protect and keep the silver and gold and precious utensils entrusted to them until they arrived and weighed them before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the father s households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. Ezra exercised strict accountability of all that King Artaxerxes entrusted to him. III. The Presentation Of Valuables To The Temple Treasury (8:31-36) 31 Then we journeyed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way. 33 Thus we came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. 34 And on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the utensils were weighed out in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 Everything was numbered and weighed, and all the weight was recorded at that time. 35 The exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to the LORD. 36 Then they delivered the king s edicts to the king s satraps, and to the

7 Message 08 April 30, governors in the provinces beyond the River, and they supported the people and the house of God. Ezra provides very few details about the actual journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He and his 5,000 returnees left Babylon on the 12 th of the first month, March. This departure date coincided with the Passover Feast, and served as a reminder of Israel s first Exodus from Egypt on the first Passover in March 1446 B.C. They completed the 900 hundred mile journey arriving in Jerusalem four months later on the first of the fifth month, July. As was his custom, Ezra attributed their success to the hand of God, who was over them and delivered them from the hand of the enemy and ambushes along the way They rested for three days and then on the fourth day they presented all the silver and gold and utensils to the priests and Levites at the temple. Everything was weighed out and accounted for. 35 The exiles who had returned from captivity with Ezra offered burnt offering to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, one bull for each tribe is implied here. Again, the 12 tribes of Israel are not lost. God will call forth a remnant from each of the 12 tribes when Christ returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom on this earth (Matt. 19:27-30). This passage concludes in verse 36 with Ezra delivering a copy of King Artaxerxes edict to the surrounding Persian officials (royal satraps and governors), who were ordered to carry out his wishes under Ezra s leadership. This caused the surrounding peoples to assist the Jewish postexilic community. The section ends in a dramatic climax God s good hand was so evident on His people that even their surrounding Gentile enemies helped them by providing sacrifices to fellowship with God. Applications: 1. Fashion your life after Ezra, who recognized all that he was and enjoyed was the direct result of the gracious hand of the LORD his God. 2. You must spend time in God s Word and presence so you can be transformed from glory to glory into the very image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). 3. Remember, God s blessings come to those who study and obey His Word. 4. Perhaps you re like Mr. Hanover who didn t know Christ. Pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sin, and He will.