People of the Promise: Exile & Return – Lesson 9

 

For a few weeks will be studying the book of Ezra.  Who was Ezra?  He was a priest who was held in exile, but returned to Jerusalem with a group of other Babylonian exiles.  He was a priestly scribe known to be a scholar of the law.  He taught the people the law and reformed their religious life so the other nations around them could see they were God’s chosen nation.  He wrote the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Ezra 1-2

Ezra was a priest sent to lead a group of Jewish exiles from Babylon after 70 years of captivity back to their home in Jerusalem. He points us to Jesus because Jesus is the perfect priest that leads us to a better freedom and a better home.  They both made intercession for God’s people through sacrifice and prayer.  They both spoke for God.  The purpose of this book of Ezra is to show God keeps His promises.  

The city had been populated for 60 years and this was the second phase of the return.  When Ezra returned, he became frustrated and sorrowful; his heart ached because he found the people were not serving the Lord.  The people needed spiritual reformation.  He helped to rebuild the temple, renewed the celebration of festivals, and encouraged the people to make worship their top priority and to use God’s Word for living. 

Exiled Israelites Return – Ezra 1:1-4

In Ezra 1:1 we learn that in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord moved the heart of the king to make a proclamation.  He was to tell the people that he was going to build a temple at Jerusalem in Judah.  The people were to give him silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and offerings for the temple.  Cyrus explained his authority behind his decree.  He told the people that God of heaven had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and appointed him to build the temple for Him.

God has always had His hand in Israel’s history:

2 Chronicles 36:15-20 – God sent messengers again and again even though the people despised His words and scoffed at His prophets.

2 Chronicles 36:21; Jeremiah 25:12; 29:10 – The land enjoyed its sabbath rests for seventy years, then God will punish Babylon and bring His people back from exile and to their land.

2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Isaiah 44:28; 45:1, 13 – God moved the heart of the Persia king to rebuild the temple and to set His people free.

These details reveal God’s purposes and power.  God wants His people to not ignore His commands and to take His warnings seriously.  He wants them to repent of their sins.  God is faithful and never gave up on His people or abandoned them.  He has plans for them and the power to influence kings and nations to bring His plans about.  This is encouraging for us, because He will never give up on us and nothing can stop Him.

Even though Cyrus didn’t really believe that Israel’s God was the one true God, God still used him to accomplish His plan of setting the people free and rebuilding the temple.  “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” – Proverbs 21:1

If God can have the king’s heart in His hand, there is hope that He is using people and circumstances today to bring about good in a misguided world.

Principle:  God is sovereign over all.

God Provides – Ezra 1:5-11

God played a huge role in the return on the exiles.  He not only moved the heart of the king, but He moved the hearts of the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites.  It was probably very hard for them to just pick up and move after 70 years in captivity.  They would be going back to nothing, because everything had been looted and destroyed.  The journey would be long and dangerous. 

God works within and through people.  He puts hope in hearts and encourages through the friendship of others. Verse 6 tells us that God supplied them with practical need through their neighbors.  They assisted them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and valuable gifts, and offerings.

Principle:  God puts hope in hearts and encouraged through the friendship of others.

Names Recorded – Ezra 2

We’re told the names and roles among those who returned to Jerusalem.  There were descendants of Parosh and Bethlehem, priests from Jedaiah and Levites, singers, temple gatekeepers and servants, and descendants of servants of Solomon.  The whole number was 42,360 with 7,337 servants, 200 singers, 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.  There were really more because this list did not include women and children.

This list was made to legitimize land rights after they returned, it distinguished the true Israelites from others, and showed authorization from Cyrus for their return.

God is so great that He is able to take infinite interest in the most intimate details of our lives.  There is nothing so small that it escapes His notice and nothing too trivial for Him.  He always has known and always will know everything there is to know about everyone and everything.  This makes me feel special and loved that He is concern with the details of my life.

Worship was very important to the Israelites.  The moment they arrived they gave offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God out of devotion to Him.

Principle:  God is faithful to His chosen people, to discipline for their sins and to restore so they might live faithfully to Him.

Next week we will continue our study in Ezra. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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People of the Promise: Exile & Return – Lesson 7

 

Daniel 9

Daniel’s Prayer – Daniel 9:1-19

Daniel had earned the trust of each administration he served in.  Under all these leaders he moved to the top.  He had a keen mind, could interpret dreams, and could solve difficult problems.  He had great knowledge and a great attitude always wanting to do stay true to God.  He believed in God’s promises and trusted in Him.

Daniel was committed to God and His Word.  He always trusted God and stayed in prayer through many difficult time – when captured by the Babylonians and when put in the lions’ den.

We should all be more like Daniel.  He is a shining example of what a faithful Christian should be ---

He was fully committed to the Lord. 

He trusted in the Lord through hard times. 

He had a heart to serve others. 

He was a man of integrity and refused to compromise his faith.

He was brave and stood up for his beliefs.

He was humble and obedient to God.

He had a disciplined prayer life.

He was trustworthy and fulfilled his responsibilities.

He always gave God the glory.

As Daniel prayed he listed the attributes of God.  He said that God was great and awesome and keeps His covenant of love with all who love and obey His commands, and that He was righteous, merciful.

Daniel confessed the people’s sins on their behalf.  They had rebelled and not obeyed or kept God’s laws.  All Israel turned away and refused to obey. Because of their sins, God brought disaster upon them.

In verses 15-19 Daniel pleaded to the Lord to turn His anger and wrath away from Jerusalem and hear his prayers and petitions.  He asked that the Lord look on them with favor and to open His eyes and ears and act and to not to delay. 

There is a division between God’ holiness and humanity’s sinfulness.  God addressed this issue:

Matthew 7:13-14 – we inter heaven through the narrow gate.

Luke 16:26 – there is a great chasm between heaven and hell.

John 3:16-17 – God sent Jesus into the world to save all who believe in Him.

Principle:  Let your prayers humbly take you into the presence of God by praising Him, confessing sins, and praying for others.

God Responded to Daniel’s Prayer – Daniel 9:20-23

While Daniel was praying, God sent Gabriel to him again.  Gabriel was the angel who came to Daniel and interpreted his dream in Daniel 8:15-16.  Gabriel was the one who announced to Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son in their old age in Luke 1:5-38.

Gabriel appeared at this time to provide Daniel with greater understanding.  He was told that God holds him in high esteem or in other words, Daniel is greatly loved because he had remained faithful.  Gabriel gave him a message of Israel’s future, using the words seventy weeks of time.

Principle:  God hears and responds to our sincere prayers.

Vision of Seventy “Sevens” – Daniel 9:24-27

The “seventy sevens” is 70 weeks and refers to years.  It’s a time frame of 70x7 years or 490 years.  The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus returns and sets up His millennial kingdom.  The 69 of the sevens has been fulfilled in history with the crucifixion.  This leaves 1 more “seven” to be fulfilled.  The final “seven” or 7 years of Daniel is what we call the tribulation period has not yet occurred.  There is a gap between the 69^th and 70^th week.  Some call it “the time of the Gentiles”. Some believe since Israel rejected Jesus, God put the 70^th week on hold and turned His attention to the Gentile nations.

“Restore and rebuild Jerusalem” refers to the time when God will bring His people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land they were promised. (Jer. 30:1-3; 31:23-25; Ez. 36:8-12)

“The Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing” points to Jesus’ crucifixion.  His death fulfills the prophecy of being put to death and having nothing.  He bore the weight of humanity’s sin on the cross. (Isaiah 53:1-9; Matt. 16:21; Acts 4:26)

“An abomination that causes desolation” refers to the Antichrist setting himself up as god in the temple (Dan11:31; 12:9-13; Matt 24:1-31).  He will break the covenant at the mid-point (the last 3 ½ years is known as the great tribulation)

Principle:  God has a time table and He is keeping things on schedule.

Next week we will continue our study of Daniel.  -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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