EZRA & NEHEMIAH BUILDING GOD S HOUSE. Lesson #3 Setting the Stage, Part 2: Return from Exile

Transcription

1 EZRA & NEHEMIAH BUILDING GOD S HOUSE Lesson #3 Setting the Stage, Part 2: Return from Exile

2 The Babylonian Captivity Review God s Law in Leviticus 26 If you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if... you reject My statutes,... and so break My covenant,... I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you.... You will perish among the nations, and your enemies land will consume you.

3 The Babylonian Captivity Review God s Law in Leviticus 26 Israel sins against God and worships false gods. Solomon & the Temple in 1 Kings 9 If you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,... this house will become a heap of ruins.

4 The Babylonian Captivity Review God s Law in Leviticus 26 Israel sins against God and worships false gods. Solomon & the Temple in 1 Kings 9 Israel sins against God and worships false gods. God Splits the Kingdom into Israel/Judah Israel sins against God and worships false gods. So does Judah.

5 The Babylonian Captivity Review Isaiah Prophesies Assyrian Captivity of Israel... the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria. (Isaiah 8:4)

6 The Babylonian Captivity Review Isaiah Prophesies Assyrian Captivity of Israel God Destroys Israel with the Assyrians So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. (2 Kings 17:18 19)

7 The Babylonian Captivity Review Isaiah Prophesies Assyrian Captivity of Israel God Destroys Israel with the Assyrians Judah still sins against God and worships false gods. Jeremiah Prophesies Babylonian Captivity of Judah The house of Judah have broken My covenant.... So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword. (Jeremiah 11:10; 20:4)

8 The Babylonian Captivity Review Isaiah Prophesies Assyrian Captivity of Israel God Destroys Israel with the Assyrians Judah still sins against God and worships false gods. Jeremiah Prophesies Babylonian Captivity of Judah God Destroys Judah with the Babylonians The Jews are captive in a foreign land for 70 years

9 The Babylonian Captivity Review 2 Chronicles 36:15 16 The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy.

10 The Babylonian Captivity Review 2 Chronicles 36:17 18 Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand. All the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he brought them all to Babylon.

11 The Babylonian Captivity Review 2 Chronicles 36:19 21 Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. Those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah...

12 Cyrus the Great (r BC) Persian king; conquered Medes then Babylonians Established largest empire yet known (Achaemenid Empire) King of kings Road system, postal system, official language... enlightened and tolerant king...

13 Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus

14 Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

15 Ezra 1:2 3 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

16 Ezra 1:4 5 Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem. Then the heads of fathers households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

17 Ezra 1:6 7 All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;

18 Ezra 1:8 11 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. Now this was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates; 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a second kind and 1,000 other articles. All the articles of gold and silver numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

19 What s up with Cyrus s decree? The king s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1) The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and He bestows it on whom He wishes. (Daniel 4:17) Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You. (Psalm 66:3)

20 What s up with Cyrus s decree?

21 Timeline Time!

22 Achaemenid Empire under Darius (ca. 500 BC)

23 Economic Adversity Fourfold Tax! King (federal) Satrap (state) Local Governor (municipal/county) Temple (tithe/capital campaign)

24

25 So what?

26 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26:14 17, 38 If you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if... you reject My statutes,... and so break My covenant,... I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you.... You will perish among the nations, and your enemies land will consume you.

27 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26:44 45 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD.

28 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

29 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61:2 3 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.

30 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61:3 4 So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

31 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity

32 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Captivity in a Foreign Land God Promises and Accomplishes Miraculous Delivery Ezra 1:6: All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering.

33 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Captivity in a Foreign Land God Promises and Accomplishes Miraculous Delivery Ezra 1:6 Exodus 12:35 36: Now the sons of Israel... had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request.

34 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Captivity in a Foreign Land God Promises and Accomplishes Miraculous Delivery God Promises to Bring His People into the Promised Land God Establishes/Renews His Covenant with His People

35 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Jeremiah 16:14 15 Therefore behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when it will no longer be said, As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but, As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them. For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.

36 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Jeremiah 16:16 Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks.

37 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29:10 For thus says the LORD, When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

38 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29:11 12 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

39 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29:13 14 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

40 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29:14 and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.

41 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29 Prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 51:11 Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for His temple.

42 Key Promises & Prophecies Promise in Leviticus 26 Deliverance Prophesied in Isaiah 61 Slavery in Egypt Babylonian Captivity Prophecy of Return in Jeremiah 29 Prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 51 Isaiah 44! (ca. 700 BC)

43 Isaiah 44:24, 28; 45:1 (ca. 700 BC) Thus says the LORD,... It is I who says of Cyrus, He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire. And he declares of Jerusalem, She will be built, And of the temple, Your foundation will be laid. Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, To subdue nations before him And to loose the loins of kings;

44 Isaiah 45:1 3 (ca. 700 BC) To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I,

45 Isaiah 45:3 5 (ca. 700 BC) The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God.

46 Isaiah 45:5 7 (ca. 700 BC) I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

47 Ezra 1:1 (ca. 538 BC) Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

48 Ezra 1:2 3 (ca. 538 BC) Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

49 What does this teach us? We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

50 Luke 2:1 3 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

51 Luke 2:4 6 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

52 Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

53 Jesus Is the True Deliverer Saves His People from Their Sins Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20 21)

54 Jesus Is the True Deliverer Saves His People from Their Sins (Matt. 1:21) Fulfilled the Law If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out,... I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. (Leviticus 26:3, 9)

55 Jesus Is the True Deliverer Saves His People from Their Sins (Matt. 1:21) Fulfilled the Law (Leviticus 26) Promised in the Prophets

56 Jeremiah 23:3 4 Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing, declares the LORD.

57 Jeremiah 23:5 6 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, The LORD our righteousness.

58 Jeremiah 16:14 15 Therefore behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when it will no longer be said, As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but, As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them. For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.

59 Jeremiah 16:16 Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will fish for them... Mark 1:16 17 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

60 Jesus Is the True Deliverer Saves His People from Their Sins (Matt. 1:21) Fulfilled the Law (Leviticus 26) Promised in the Prophets (Jeremiah 23; 16) King of Kings

61 King of Kings : Revelation 19:11 13 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

62 King of Kings : Revelation 19:14 16 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

63 The foundations of God s kingdom are laid through the worship of His people.

64 Sunday, January 7 NEXT TIME... Lesson #4 Restoring the Temple, Part 1: Laying the Foundation