Front matter (continued, part 62)
E Z R A
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
S o l o m o n I s a i a h
OUTLINE Key theme: Restoring the spiritual heart of the
nation Key verse: Ezra 7:10
Ezra 1—3 734 The Providence of God
Ezra 4—6 738 The Faithfulness of God
I. THE NATION IS RESTORED (1—6)
A. A remnant returns with Zerubbabel and
Ezra 7—8 742 The Good Hand of God
Joshua—1—2 B. The temple is rebuilt—3—6
1. The work begins—3 2. The work opposed—4 3. The work resumed—5 4. The work completed—6
Ezra 9—10 746 The Grace of God
II. THE PEOPLE ARE REDEDICATED (7—10)
A. A second group arrives with Ezra—7—8 B. Confession of sin—9 C. Cleansing of sin—10
Ezra 1
traitor—and the Holy City and the temple were destroyed in 587–586.
CHAPTER ONE Ezra 1—3 THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD T
But Jeremiah also announced that the captivity would be for seventy years (Jer. 25:1–14; 29:10; see Dan. 9:1–2). Bible students don't agree on the dating of this period, whether it begins with the Babylonian invasion in 606 or the destruction of the city and temple in 587–586. From 606 to 537–536, when the remnant returned to Judah, is seventy years, but so also is the period from the fall of Jerusalem (586) to the completion of the second temple in 516. Regardless of which calculation you accept, the prediction and its fulfillment are astonishing.3 Whether He promises chastening or blessing, God is always faithful to His Word. "Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you" (Josh. 23:14 nkjv). "There has not failed one word of all His good promise" (1 Kings 8:56 nkjv). "Heaven and earth shall pass away," said Jesus, "but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35).
I. The nation is restored (1—6) A.A remnant returns with Zerubbabel and Joshua—1—2
hank God He gives us difficult things to do!" said Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest.1
The first time I read that statement, I shook my head in disagreement, but I was young and inexperienced then, and it seemed smarter to do the easy things that made me look successful. However, I've lived long enough to understand the wisdom of Chambers' statement. I've learned that when God tells us to do difficult things, it's because He wants us to grow. Unlike modern-day press agents and spin doctors, God doesn't manufacture synthetic heroes; He grows the real thing. "The hero was a big man," wrote Daniel Boorstin; "the celebrity is a big name."2
In God's Hall of Heroes are the names of nearly 50,000 Jews who in 538 BC left captivity in Babylon for responsibility in Jerusalem. God had called them back home to do a difficult job: to rebuild the temple and the city and restore the Jewish community in their own land. This noble venture involved a four months' journey plus a great deal of faith, courage, and sacrifice; and even after they arrived in the Holy City, life didn't get any easier. But as you read the inspired record, you can see the providential leading of the Lord from start to finish; and "if God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
God is faithful to His covenant. In spite of their sins, these exiles were God's chosen people and children of the covenant He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 12:1–3). The nation had broken the covenant, but the Lord had remained faithful to His word. He had called the Jewish nation to bring blessing to all the earth, and He would see to it that they fulfilled their mission. Through them, the world would receive the knowledge of the one true and living God, the written Word of God, and ultimately the Savior of the world. "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). God is in control of the nations. It was the Lord who raised up Nebuchadnez-zar—"My servant" (Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10)—to chasten the people of Judah, and then He raised up Cyrus to defeat the Babylonians and establish the Persian Empire. "Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him" (Isa. 41:2 niv; see also v. 25). The Lord called Cyrus "my shepherd" (44:28) and "His anointed" (45:1), and Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would liberate the exiles and enable them to rebuild their city and temple (v. 13).
You see God's providence at work in three key events.
The release of the captives (1:1–4) More than a century before, the prophet Isaiah had warned the Jews that the people of Judah would be taken captive by Babylon and punished for their sins (Isa. 6:11–12;11:11–12; 39:5–7), and his prophecy was fulfilled. In 605, Nebuchadnezzar deported the royal family and took the temple vessels to Babylon. In 597, he sent into exile 7,000 "men of might" and a thousand craftsmen (2 Kings 24:10–16), and in 586, he destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and exiled the rest of the Jews in Babylon, except for "the poor of the land" (2 Kings 25:1–21).
God's people need to remember that the Lord God is sovereign over all nations and can do what He pleases with the most powerful rulers. Nebuchadnezzar had to learn this lesson the hard way (Dan. 4:28–32), but then he confessed: "His [God's] dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand" (Dan. 4:34–35).
In 538, Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, conqueror of Babylon, issued a decree that permitted the exiled Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple. This, too, had been prophesied by Isaiah (Isa. 44:28). What Cyrus did twenty-five centuries ago reminds us today of some important spiritual truths.
God is faithful to His Word. For at least forty years, the prophet Jeremiah had warned the leaders of Judah that the Babylonian exile was inevitable (see Jer. 20:4–6; 21:7–10); and he pled with them to repent of their sins and surrender to Babylon. Only then could they save the city and the temple from ruin. The leaders didn't listen—in fact, they called Jeremiah a
God can do as He pleases with the rulers of the earth; and He has demonstrated this in His dealings with Pharaoh (Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17), Ahasuerus (The book of Esther), Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:28), Augustus Caesar (Luke 2:1), and Herod Agrippa I
Ezra 1
to the captives (1:1), but He also stirred the hearts of the Jews to give them the desire to return to Judah (v. 5). "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). The same God who ordains the end (the rebuilding of the temple) also ordains the means to the end, in this case, a people willing to go to Judah and work.
(Acts 12:20–24). King Jehoshaphat said it perfectly: "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you" (2 Chron. 20:6).
People don't have to be Christian believers for God to use them. Whether a mayor, governor, senator, prime minister, ambassador, or president, God can exercise His sovereign power to accomplish His purposes for His people. This is one reason Paul exhorts believers to pray for those in authority, not that our political agenda might be fulfilled, but that God's will might be accomplished on this earth (1 Tim. 2:1–8). "God can make a straight stroke with a crooked stick," said Puritan preacher John Watson, and that's what he did with Cyrus!
The treasure (Ezra 1:5–11). Not only did the travelers carry their own personal belongings, but they carried 5,400 gold and silver temple vessels which had been taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8–17; Jer. 52:17–23; Dan. 1:2; 5:1–3).These items were carefully inventoried by the treasurer and delivered to Sheshbazzar, the appointed ruler of Judah. Who was Sheshbazzar? He's mentioned four times in Ezra (1:8, 11; 5:14, 16) but not once in any of the other post-exilic books. He's called "the prince of Judah" (1:8 kjv, niv), a title that can mean "leader" or "captain" and often referred to the heads of the tribes of Israel (Num. 1:16, 44; 7:2; Josh. 9:15–21). The word "Judah" in Ezra 1:8 refers to the district of Judah in the Persian Empire, not to the tribe of Judah; so Sheshbazzar was the appointed leader of "the children of the province [of Judah]" (Ezra 2:1).
The king's decree boldly acknowledged the Lord and called Him "the Lord God of heaven" (Ezra 1:2), a title that's used seventeen times in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. The decree addressed two kinds of people: (1) those who wanted to return to their land and (2) those who preferred to remain in Babylon. The latter group was urged to give offerings to help finance the expenses of the journey and the restoration of the temple.4
Many Bible students believe that Sheshbazzar was another name for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, who with Joshua the high priest directed the work of the remnant as they rebuilt the city and the temple. He's mentioned twenty times in the postexilic books, and according to 2 Chronicles 3:16–19 was a grandson of King Jehoiakim and therefore a descendant of David.
The Jews also accepted gifts from their Gentile neighbors (v. 6 niv). When the Jews left Egypt, they plundered the Egyptians (Ex. 12:35–36) and collected the wages the men should have received during their years of slavery. Now the Jews were making their "exodus" from captivity, so they collected wealth from their pagan neighbors and dedicated it to the Lord.5
Ezra 5:16 states that Sheshbazzar laid the foundation of the temple, while Ezra 3:8–13 attributes this to Zerubbabel, and Zechariah 4:9 confirms it. It seems
2. The return of the remnant (1:5—2:70) God not only stirred the spirit of Cyrus to grant freedom
Zerubbabel
Nehemiah
Ezra
Temple
People reformed
Wall rebuilt
rebuilt
400 silent
Neh.'s second
Captivity
70 years Gap 57 years Gap 12 years
years
return 430 (?)
Haggai
Malachi 450–430 (?)
Esther 483–473
Zechariah
520–518
Ezra 1—2
try; otherwise they couldn't serve in the temple or share in the benefits of that service, such as the tithes and offerings and the assigned portions of the sacrifices.
logical to conclude that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel were the same person. It wasn't unusual in that day for people to have more than one given name, especially if you were a Jew born in a foreign land.
In verses 3–20, the names of eighteen Jewish families are listed, totaling 15,604 males. When they took a census, the Jews usually included men twenty years of age and older (Num. 1:1–4), but we aren't certain what procedure was followed here. In Ezra 1:21–35, the volunteers were listed according to twenty-one cities and villages, a total of 8,540 men. We don't know the names of all these 24,144 men, but they were important to the Lord and to the future of the nation and its ministry to the world.
When you add the numbers given in Ezra 1:9–10, they total 2,499, but the total given in verse 11 is 5,400. A contradiction? Not necessarily, for it was important that Zerubbabel and the leaders keep a careful inventory of the temple treasure, and it's not likely they would make that big a blunder. The statement in 1:10, "and other vessels a thousand" suggests that verses 9–10 list the larger and more valuable items, while many smaller objects weren't even listed in categories.
The priests and Levites were especially important to the nation (vv. 36–42), for without them, there would be no reason to rebuild the temple. Four groups of priests totaled 4,289 men, and they would be assisted by 341 Levites, some of whom were singers and gatekeepers. The Levites also assisted the priests in teaching the people the law of the Lord (Deut. 33:8–10; Neh. 8:5–8). The 392 "Nethinim" (Ezra 1:43–54) and "children of Solomon's servants" (vv. 55–58) were workers in the temple who were not priests or Levites. In Hebrew, "Nethinim" means "those given" and seems to refer to prisoners of war who were given to the priests to perform menial tasks in the temple. (See Josh. 9:23, 27 and Num. 31:30, 47.) "Solomon's servants" were probably a similar group of men, established during Solomon's reign. Eighty years later, Ezra would have to send for more Levites and Nethinim to help with the temple ministry (Ezra 8:15–20).
The leaders (2:1–2). From the parallel list in Nehemiah 7, we must add the name of Nahamani (Ezra 2:7), bringing the total to twelve men, one for each of the tribes. The Nehemiah in verse 2 is not the man who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, because he didn't come on the scene until 444. And the Mordecai listed isn't the Mordecai of the book of Esther. "Jeshua" is Joshua the high priest, who is mentioned twentythree times in the postexilic writings. He was an important part of the leadership of the remnant and served at the side of Zerubbabel the governor.
Geographically, the Southern Kingdom (Judah) included only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; but over the years, people from the other ten tribes had moved to Judah, so that all twelve tribes were represented in the captivity. The Bible says nothing about "ten lost tribes"; it appears that all twelve are accounted for (James 1:1; Acts 26:7).
The disqualified (Ezra 1:59–63). There were 652 people who couldn't prove their Jewish ancestry. (The towns mentioned were in Babylon, not Judah.) Zerubbabel and Joshua didn't send these people back home but allowed them the rights of "strangers and foreigners" (Ex. 22:21, 24; 23:9; Lev. 19:33–34; Deut. 10:18; 14:29). We aren't told how many priests were unable to provide adequate credentials, but we are told that they were excluded from serving in the temple. No doubt some men thought they could enter the priesthood and have a much easier time living in Jerusalem, but Zerubbabel rejected them. God had made it clear that any outsider who attempted to serve at the altar would be put to death (Num. 1:51; 3:10). These men were treated as "strangers" and allowed to make the journey, but Zerubbabel the governor6 excluded them from the priestly privileges until they could be tested by "the Urim and Thummim."7 This was the means provided for the high priest to determine God's will (Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21).
Everything in God's work rises and falls with leadership. When God wants to accomplish something, He calls dedicated men and women to challenge His people and lead the way. A decay in the quality of a nation's leaders is an indication that trouble is ahead. The British essayist Walter Savage Landor wrote, "When small men cast long shadows, it's a sign that the sun is setting."
The families and clans (Ezra 1:3–35). The long lists of names given in Scripture, including the genealogies, may not be interesting to the average reader, but they're very important to the history of God's people. Unless there's an inheritance involved, most people today are more concerned about the behavior of their descendants than the bloodline of their ancestors, but that wasn't true of the Old Testament Jews. It was necessary for them to be able to prove their ancestry for many reasons.
To begin with, unless you could prove your ancestry, you couldn't enter into the rights and privileges of the Jewish nation, of which there were many. The Israelites were a covenant people with an important God-given task to fulfill on earth, and they couldn't allow outsiders to corrupt them. Furthermore, the Jews returning to Judah couldn't reclaim their family property unless they could prove their lineage. Of course, it was especially important that the priests and Levites certify their ances-
The totals (Ezra 1:64–67). The total that Ezra gives (42,360) is 12,542 more than the total you get when you add up the individual figures given in the chapter. Nehemiah also gives 42,360 (Neh. 7:66). However, in giving this list, Ezra didn't say that these several groups represented all the men who left
Ezra 2—3
by the law, which would include a burnt offering each morning and evening and extra offerings for special days. It wasn't necessary to wait until the temple was completed before offering sacrifices to God. As long as there was a sanctified altar and a qualified priest, sacrifices could be given to the Lord. After all, it's not the external furnishings but what's in the heart that concerns God the most (1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 51:16–17; Hos. 6:6; Mark 12:28–34). Laying the foundation (Ezra 3:7–13). The work didn't begin until the second month of the next year, which means they spent nearly seven months gathering materials and preparing to build. It was in the second month that Solomon started building the original temple (1 Kings 6:1), and he gathered his materials in much the same way (Ezra 3:7; 1 Kings 5:6–12). Joshua and Zerubbabel were in charge of the project, assisted by the Levites. "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" asked David (Ps. 11:3), and there's only one answer: lay the foundations again! That's what spiritual revival is all about, getting back to the foundations of the Christian life and making sure they're solid: repentance, confession, prayer, the Word of God, obedience, and faith.
Babylon, nor do we know how many more joined after the list was completed. It's possible that he counted men only from Judah and Benjamin, so that pilgrims from the other ten tribes make up the difference.
We do know that an additional 7,337 servants, both men and women, went along, which speaks well of their Jewish masters and mistresses, for these servants (slaves?) might have been sold in Babylon and remained there. Apparently, they preferred to be with the Jews. This many servants (one-sixth of the total) also suggests that some of the Jews had become wealthy in Babylon.
The 200 singers (Ezra 1:65) were not a part of the temple ministry but were "secular singers" who performed for Jewish festive occasions such as weddings (see 2 Chron. 35:25). From the time of the exodus (Ex. 15), the Jews composed songs to honor God and celebrate the blessings of life. Over a dozen different musical instruments are named in Scripture. The captivity in Babylon hadn't been a time for singing (Ps. 137:1–4), but now that the Jews were "heading home," they had a song to sing.
B.The temple is rebuilt—3—6 1. The work begins—3
The rebuilding of the temple (2:68—3:13) Ezra wrote nothing about the long trip (900 miles) or what the Jews experienced during those four difficult months. It reminds us of Moses' description of Abraham and Sarah's journey to Canaan: "and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came" (Gen. 12:5). "It is a strange narrative of a journey," said Alexander Maclaren, "which omits the journey altogether … and notes but its beginning and its end. Are these not the main points in every life, its direction and its attainment?"8
Note the emphasis on unity. The people gathered together (Ezra 3:1); the workers stood together (v. 9); the Levites sang together (v. 11); and all the while, the people were working together to get the foundation laid. Their tasks were varied, but they all had one goal before them: to glorify the Lord by rebuilding His temple. This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote "make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose" (Phil. 2:2). Following the example of David, when he brought up the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 16), and Solomon, when he dedicated the temple (2 Chron. 7:1–3), the priests and Levites sang praise to the Lord, accompanied by trumpets and cymbals; and the people responded with a great shout that was heard afar off. (See Ps. 47:1; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1–4; 135:3; 136; and 145:1–11.) The people united their hearts and voices in praise to the Lord for His goodness to them.
Investing in the work (Ezra 2:68–70). This was undoubtedly a thank offering to the Lord for giving them a safe journey. The people gave their offerings willingly and according to their ability, which is the way God's people are supposed to give today (2 Cor. 8:8–15; 9:6–15). According to Nehemiah 7:70–72, both the tribal leaders and Zerubbabel the governor gave generously, and the common people followed their good example.
But at this point, their "togetherness" was interrupted as the young men shouted for joy and the old men wept "with a loud voice." Why were they weeping on such a joyful occasion? Because they had seen the original temple before it was destroyed over fifty years before, and the new edifice was nothing in comparison. (Haggai would later preach a sermon about this. See Hag. 2:1–9.) These godly old men longed for "the good old days," but it was the sins of their generation that had caused the fall of the kingdom to begin with! Had their generation listened to the prophet Jeremiah and obeyed God's Word, Jerusalem and the temple would still be standing.
Setting up the altar (Ezra 3:1–3). The seventh month would be Tishri, our September–October, a month very sacred to the Jews (Lev. 23:23–44). It opened with the Feast of Trumpets; the day of Atonement was on the tenth day; and from the fifteenth to the twenty-first days, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. But the first thing Joshua the high priest did was restore the altar so he could offer sacrifices for the people. The people were afraid of the strong nations around them who resented the return of the Jews, and they wanted to be sure they were pleasing to the Lord. Again, we see a parallel with Abraham, who built an altar when he first came into the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:7). This is an Old Testament picture of Matthew 6:33.
It's unfortunate when the unity of God's people is shattered because generations look in opposite directions. The older men were looking back with longing
Joshua also restored the various sacrifices commanded
Ezra 3—4
while the younger men were looking around with joy. Both of them should have been looking up and praising the Lord for what He had accomplished. We certainly can't ignore the past, but the past must be a rudder to guide us and not an anchor to hold us back. God's people are a family, not a family album filled with old pictures; they're a garden, not a graveyard covered with monuments to past successes.
their homes and temple. In fact, the prophet Jeremiah had instructed them to be the best citizens possible (Jer. 29:1–7). Lacking a temple and priesthood, the Jews developed synagogue worship during their captivity, and with the synagogue appeared the body of teachers we know as the scribes and Pharisees. Life in captivity was neither dangerous nor unbearable, and for many of the Jews, the long journey back to Judah was an impossible challenge. The book of Esther and the book of Daniel prove that God had work in Babylon for some of the Jews to do. 5 Is it right for God's people to accept and use for God's work wealth that comes from unbelievers? In one sense, the Babylonians owed this money to the Jews whom they plundered so ruthlessly during their invasion of Judah. The prophet Haggai (2:8) makes it clear that all wealth belongs to God and He can distribute it as He sees fit. However, we need to follow the example of Abraham and refuse wealth that would compromise our testimony or put us under obligation to unbelievers (Gen. 14:18–24). Deuteronomy 23:17–18 warns us that money earned from sinful activities is not welcomed by God. 6 "Tirshatha" in the KJV, a Persian word translated "governor" in the NIV and NASB. The same title was given to Nehemiah (Neh. 7:65, 70; 8:9; 10:1). It means "the feared one" and is the equivalent of "Your Excellency" or "Your Reverence" in English. Charles Spurgeon's wife used to call him "the Tirshatha." 7 We aren't told why Joshua the high priest didn't have the Urim and Thummim, as they were an important part of his glorious vestments. During the Babylonian captivity, the Jews didn't seem to have the special miracles from God that had often accompanied them (Ps. 74:9), although the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel had wonderful revelations from God. There is no biblical evidence that the use of the Urim and Thummim was restored after the captivity. 8 Maclaren, Alexander. Expositions of Holy Scripture (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974), vol. 1, 77. 9 Ibid., vol. 3, 290.
We have similar generational disagreements in the church today, especially when it comes to styles of worship. Older saints enjoy singing the traditional hymns with their doctrinal substance, but younger members of the church want worship that has a more contemporary approach. But it isn't a question of accepting the one and rejecting the other, unless you want to divide families and split the church. It's a matter of balance: the old must learn from the young and the young from the old, in a spirit of love and submission (1 Peter 5:1–11). When they were new, many of our traditional hymns were rejected for the same reasons some people reject contemporary praise choruses today. "But each class [the young and the old] should try to understand the other's feelings," said Alexander Maclaren. "The seniors think the juniors revolutionary and irreverent; the juniors think the seniors fossils. It is possible to unite the shout of joy and the weeping. Unless a spirit of reverent regard for the past presides over the progressive movements of this or any day, they will not lay a solid foundation for the temple of the future. We want the old and the young to work side by side, if the work is to last and the sanctuary is to be ample enough to embrace all shades of character and tendencies of thought."9
Every local church is but one generation short of extinction. If the older believers don't challenge and equip the younger Christians and set a godly example before them (Titus 2:1–8; 1 Tim. 5:1–2), the future of the congregation is in jeopardy. The church is a family, and as a family grows and matures, some things have to fall away and other things take their place. This happens in our homes and it must happen in the house of God. To some people, "change" is a synonym for "compromise," but where there's love, "change" becomes a synonym for "cooperation with one another and concern for one another."
CHAPTER TWO Ezra 4—6 THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD T
2. The work opposed—4
herefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God" (Deut. 7:9 nkjv). Moses said that to the new generation of Israelites before they entered Canaan, a truth they would need as they faced the enemy and claimed their inheritance. New generations and old generations both need to be reminded that God is faithful.
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1).
Notes 1 My Utmost for His Highest, July 7. 2 Boorstin, Daniel J. The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America (New York: Harper and Row, 1964), 61. 3 If we calculate from the fall of Jerusalem (587–586) to when the first group of exiles returned (538), we have about fifty years. Perhaps we should see this as another evidence of God's mercy, for He shortened the time of their exile. 4 It may seem strange that not all the Jews elected to go back home, but they had been in Babylon several decades and had settled down to as normal a life as they could have away from
"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24 nkjv). Paul wrote that to some young Christians in Thessalonica, people who were being persecuted for their faith. They needed to be reminded that God's commandments are God's enablements.
"God being who He is," said A. W. Tozer, "cannot cease to be what He is, and being what He is, He cannot act out of character with Himself. He is at once
Ezra 4
(Gen. 12:1–3). If in any way the people of Israel were corrupted, the success of their God-given ministry would be jeopardized.
faithful and immutable, so all His words and acts must be and must remain faithful."1
J. Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to inland China, described the successful Christian life as "not a striving to have faith … but a looking off to the Faithful One …"2 He knew the words of Paul: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful. He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13 nkjv).
God's people today must maintain a separated position and not get involved with anything that will compromise their testimony and hinder God's work (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1;2 Tim. 2:3–5).
However, separation must never become isolation (1 Cor. 5:9–10) because God has a work for believers to do in this world (Matt. 5:13–16; John 17:14–18). Jesus was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Heb. 7:26), and yet He was the friend of sinners and sought to win them (Luke 15:1–2; Matt. 9:10–11; 11:19). God's people separate from the world so they can be a witness to the world.
The Jewish remnant that returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple was depending on God's faithfulness to see them through. If God wasn't faithful to His covenant and His promises, then there was no hope. But the God who called them would be faithful to help them finish His work (Phil. 1:6), as long as they trusted Him and obeyed His Word.
Accusation leading to fear (Ezra 4:4–5, 24). Satan had come as the serpent to deceive (2 Cor. 11:3) and had failed, and now he came as the lion to devour (1 Peter 5:8), and he succeeded. The enemy told lies about the Jews and encouraged the people of the land to do everything possible to discourage the workers and hinder the work. They even hired counselors to influence the local officials to stop the project, and they succeeded.
In these three chapters, we see how God was faithful to His people in every stage of their work for Him.
Stage one: the work opposed (4:1–24) From the beginning, the remnant faced opposition from the mixed population of the land who really didn't want the Jews inhabiting Jerusalem and rebuilding the temple. Opportunity and opposition usually go together; and the greater the opportunity, the greater the opposition. "For a great and effective door has opened to me," wrote Paul, "and there are many adversaries" (1 Cor. 16:9).
"Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem" (Ezra 4:24). This was during the reign of Cyrus (559–530) who had given the Jews the right to return to their land and rebuild their temple. From 536 to 530, the work had progressed, but in 530, it stopped and didn't resume until the year 520, when Darius was king. This defeat wasn't because the king had issued a decree against them, but because the Jewish remnant feared the people of the land. The Jews had begun to get more interested in their own houses than in the house of God (Hag. 1:1–11).
Cooperation leading to compromise (Ezra 4:1–3). The first attack of the enemy was very subtle: the people of Samaria, the former northern kingdom, offered to work with the Jews to help them build the temple. These people claimed to worship the same God the Jews worshipped, so it seemed logical that they should be allowed to share in the work. On the surface, the Samaritans seemed to be acting like good neighbors, but their offer was insidious and dangerous.
Other opposition to God's work (Ezra 4:6–23). At this point in the narrative (vv. 6–23), Ezra cited other instances of the work being attacked, including the events that occurred during the times of Darius, who reigned from 522 to 486 (vv. 5, 24); Xerxes (v. 6), who was the Ahasuerus in the book of Esther and reigned from 486 to 465; and Artaxerxes I (vv. 7–23), ruler from 465 to 424. Ancient writers often summarized historical events in this manner before moving on to finish their account. Ezra's main interest, of course, was in the opposition that came while the temple was being rebuilt during the reigns of Cyrus and Darius. The long parenthesis in vv. 6–23 deals with the rebuilding of the city (v. 12) and not the rebuilding of the temple. It's additional evidence of the fact that whenever God's people try to serve the Lord, somebody will oppose them.3
The Samaritan people, being a mixture of many races, weren't true Jews at all. When the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom, they deliberately mingled the nations they had defeated; and this led to racial and religious confusion (2 Kings 17:24–41). The Samaritans didn't worship the true and living God, for they "feared the Lord, yet served their own gods" (2 Kings 17:33; see John 4:22). The Jewish leaders had already rejected the professed Jews who had been in exile in Babylon (Ezra 2:59–63), so they weren't about to accept the people of the land who obviously didn't belong to the covenant nation and couldn't prove their Jewish lineage.
Why was the Samaritan offer so dangerous? Because if these outsiders had begun to mingle with the Jewish remnant while helping to build the temple, it wouldn't have taken long for the two groups to start socializing and intermarrying, and that was contrary to the law of Moses (Ex. 34:10–17; Deut. 7:1–11; 12:1–3). Israel was a nation set apart from the other nations (Num. 23:9), because God had given them a special task to perform in the world
In the seventh year of Artaxerxes I (458–457), Ezra the scribe took a group of liberated Jewish exiles to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the city (7:1). Eastern rulers depended on their local officials to act as spies and report anything suspicious. Rehum, the officer in charge, conferred with the other officials and decided that the rebuilding of the city was a threat to the peace
Ezra 4—5
Never underestimate the power of the faithful preaching of God's Word. Charles Spurgeon, the famed British Baptist preacher, said, "I cannot help feeling that the man who preaches the Word of God is standing, not on a mere platform, but on a throne."6
of the empire. So he dictated a letter to Shimshai the scribe and had it sent to the king.
Rehum gave four reasons why the king must order the Jews to stop rebuilding Jerusalem. First, history showed that Jerusalem was indeed a "rebellious and wicked city"; unfortunately, this was a fact that even the Jews couldn't deny. If Jerusalem were restored, Rehum argued, it would rebel against the king and declare its independence (4:12).4 As long as Jerusalem was in ruins, it was defenseless against the king's forces.
Haggai began his ministry of the word on August 29, 520 (Hag. 1:1), and five of his messages are recorded in the book that bears his name. A month or two later, he was joined by a young man named Zechariah, a priest whom God had called to be a prophet (Zech. 1:1). These two men delivered God's word to the leaders and the remnant, "and they [the Jews] prospered through the prophesying [preaching] of Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah" (Ezra 6:14).
Second, an independent Judah would mean loss of revenue and tribute to the empire (v. 13),5 but, third, a successful rebellion would also bring dishonor to the king. What king wants to have one of his provinces successfully rebel against him? This might encourage other provinces to follow their example. Finally, if the Jews succeeded in rebuilding and rebelling, they would no doubt conquer the entire territory across the Euphrates (v. 16), and this would really hurt the king and his empire.
Any work of God that isn't built on the Word of God will never prosper. Moses' success as the leader of Israel came from his faith in and obedience to God's word (Deut. 4:10). Joshua's success in conquering the enemy in Canaan was based on his devotion to the word of God (Josh. 1:8). When we obey God's Word, we can expect "great reward" (Ps. 19:11). If we want to know the power of God, we must also know the Word of God (Matt. 22:29).
The king's officers searched the archives and found proof that the Jews had indeed been ruled by mighty kings (David, Solomon, Josiah, Hezekiah) and also by rebellious kings, so Rehum's accusations were correct. During the declining years of Judah, their kings had made and broken treaties with Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon and had refused to pay tribute to Assyria and to Babylon. Their own record indicted them.
3. The work resumed—5
God used local officials (Ezra 5:3–17). As governor of the province of Judah, Tattenai (Tatnai) was concerned about what the Jews were doing in Jerusalem, and rightly so. It was his responsibility to protect the interests of King Darius and the welfare of the empire and to see to it that peace and security were maintained. So, when the project was resumed, Tattenai investigated and asked two questions: (1) "Who gave you the authority to do this?" and (2) "What are the names of the men working on the building?"
The king ordered the Jews to stop rebuilding the city. In fact, it's likely that the Persians wrecked the work the Jews had already completed, and the report that Nehemiah received from his brother described what the Persians had done, not what the Babylonians had done (Neh. 1:1–3). It wasn't until the arrival of Nehemiah in 445 that the work was resumed and the walls were finished and the gates restored.
The Jews didn't look upon the Persian officer as a troublemaker, but graciously answered his questions. After all, they had nothing to hide, and the eye of the Lord was upon them. God saw to it that the work was allowed to go on while Tattenai contacted the king to find out what to do.
Stage two: the work resumed (5:1—6:12) From 530 to 520, the Jews concentrated on building their own houses and neglected the house of the Lord. The Lord chastened His people to encourage them to obey His commands (Hag. 1:6), but they refused to listen. What means did God use to get the work going again?
God's people must "walk in wisdom toward those who are outside" (Col. 4:5 nkjv) and "walk honestly toward them that are outside" (1 Thess. 4:12), otherwise we have no effective witness where a witness is greatly needed. "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established" (Rom. 13:1 niv; and see 1 Peter 2:11–17). When it comes to the believers' relationship to civil authorities, there's no place for arrogance, accusation, or carnal anger masquerading as zeal for the Lord. Even where we disagree with officials, we can do it graciously (Dan. 1; 3; 6; Acts 4:19–20; 5:29; 1 Peter 2:13–25). One of the things that worried Tattenai was the structure of the temple, with its large stones and timbered walls. It looked more like a fortress than a sanctuary! And the work was progressing so rapidly that he wondered if the Jews were planning to revolt.
God used preachers of the Word (Ezra 5:1–2). It was by the Word of the Lord that the world was created (Ps. 33:6–9), and by that same Word the Lord governs His creation and His people (Ps. 33:10–11). Church history shows that when God wants to arouse His people to do His will, He calls people to proclaim the Word of the Lord. The preaching of Martin Luther brought about what we call "the Reformation," a movement that transformed not only Germany but the entire Christian world. The preaching of John Wesley produced a spiritual awakening in Great Britain that swept many into the kingdom of God. Historians tell us that the Wesleyan Revival helped to rescue England from the kind of blood bath that France experienced during the French Revolution.
The Jews knew their history and told Tattenai how
Ezra 5—6
and even used the authority and wealth of a pagan king to further the work.
the temple was built (the "great king" being Solomon) and why the temple was destroyed. They related how Nebuchadnezzar exiled the Jews in Babylon and how decades later Cyrus gave them permission to return to their land and rebuild their temple. Cyrus also gave them the temple treasures so that the ministry could be established again according to the law of Moses. The facts were all there; the king's secretaries could check the archives to see that the Jews were telling the truth.
The joy of dedicating (6:13–18). Though there was no ark in the Holy of Holies, and no glory filled the house, the temple was still dedicated8 to the Lord because it was His house, built for His glory. Instead of weeping over what they didn't have, the Jews rejoiced over what they did have, and this is always the attitude of faith.
Careful to "[make] the most of every opportunity" (Eph. 5:15–16), the Jewish workers framed their answers to glorify the Lord. They didn't try to cover up the sins of the nation (Ezra 5:12) and they openly acknowledged that they were "the servants of the God of heaven" (v. 11). Both in their words and their demeanor, they presented a clear witness to this important Persian official, and God used him to certify their right to build and guarantee supplies from the king!
When King Solomon dedicated the temple that he built, he offered so many sacrifices that they couldn't be counted (1 Kings 8:5), plus 142,000 peace offerings which were shared with the people (1 Kings 8:63). The Jewish remnant offered only 712 sacrifices, but the Lord accepted them. Most important, they offered twelve male goats as sin offerings, one for each tribe, because they wanted the Lord to forgive their sins and give them a new beginning.
God used Darius the king (6:1–12). The royal secretaries searched the archives and located the scroll Cyrus had left containing the edict that governed the return of the Jews to their land. It authorized the Jews to rebuild their temple and even gave the limits of its dimensions.7 Cyrus permitted large stones to be used for the walls and promised to pay the costs from the royal treasury. He also ordered the local officials to provide beasts for the daily sacrifices. His motive here may have been mixed, because he wanted the priests to pray for him and his sons, but the people of God are supposed to pray for those who are in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–4). "Let the work of this house of God alone!" (Ezra 6:7) literally means, "Keep your distance!" Neither the local Persian officials nor the people of the land were to interfere, but rather do everything they could to support the work. The king described the terrible judgments that would come to anybody who didn't obey his edict (vv. 11–12). So, what started out as an investigation ended up as a royal decree that protected the Jews and provided for them!
Joshua the high priest also consecrated the priests and Levites for their ministry in the completed temple. David had organized the priests into twenty-four courses so they could minister more effectively (1 Chron. 24:1–19). It wasn't necessary for all of them to serve all the time, for each course was assigned its week of ministry at the temple (Luke 1:5, 8). The statement "as it is written in the law of Moses" (6:18) refers to the consecration of the priests, not their organization. (See Lev. 8—9.)
4. The work completed—6
The joy of remembering (Ezra 6:19–22). Passover was just a few weeks later and the Jews gathered in their families to remember how God had delivered them from bondage in Egypt (Ex. 12). Each year, the Jewish men were required to make three trips to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. During their years in exile, how the hearts of the Jews must have yearned for the day when once again they were free to go to their Holy City and worship God.
The leaders invited all the Jews and Jewish proselytes to share in the Passover, even those who couldn't prove their lineage. As long as the males were circumcised (Ex. 12:43–49) and had separated themselves from the paganism of the people of the land, they were welcome. It speaks well of the Jewish remnant that they reached out in this way and didn't try to establish an exclusive "holier than thou" fellowship.
But suppose the Jewish remnant had been offensive and treated Tattenai and his associates with defiance and disdain? His letter to headquarters might not have been as positive as it was, and this could have changed everything. Peter admonishes us to speak "with gentleness and respect"(1 Peter 3:15 niv) when unsaved people question us, because this glorifies God and opens new opportunities for witness. God's eye is upon His people as they serve Him, so we need not fear what men can do to us.
The temple had been dedicated, and now the people were dedicating themselves to the Lord. During the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Jews had to remove all yeast (leaven) from their dwellings, a picture of personal purification. To a Jew, yeast was a symbol of evil, so Passover was a time to put away all evil from their lives. What good is a dedicated temple if you don't have a dedicated people? Once again, Jewish worship would take place in the Holy City in a restored temple dedicated to the Lord. No wonder the people were rejoicing! And it was all because of the faithfulness of God. He had "turned the heart of the king"9 to assist the people, and now the work was completed (Prov. 21:1).
Stage three: the work completed (6:13–22) On the twelfth day of the last month of 515, the temple was completed, about seventy years from the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians in 586, and about five and a half years after Haggai and Zechariah called the people back to work (5:1). God had been faithful to care for His people. He provided encouragement through the preaching of the prophets
Ezra 6—7
God and Israel when so much was working against him.
No matter what our circumstances may be, we can trust God to be faithful. "Great is thy faithfulness" isn't just a verse to quote (Lam. 3:23) or a song to sing. It's a glorious truth to believe and to act upon, no matter how difficult the situation in life might be.
That God's good hand was upon this man doesn't minimize the importance of his personal piety or his great ability as a scholar, nor does it ignore the great help King Artaxerxes gave him.2 God uses all kinds of people to accomplish His will, but if God's hand isn't at work in us and through us, nothing will be accomplished. It's the principle Jesus taught His disciples, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 nkjv). What did God do for the people of Israel during those difficult days after the Babylonian captivity?
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations" (Ps. 89:1 nkjv).
Notes 1 Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1961), 85. 2 Taylor, Dr. and Mrs. Howard. Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret (London: China Inland Mission, 1949), 111. 3 Ezra 4:8—6:18 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, and so is Ezra 7:12–26. These letters and the decree were copied from official documents kept in government archives. 4 Ezra 4:12 is the first place in Scripture where you find the word "Jews." It refers, of course, to the people of Judah. 5 Historians estimate that Artaxerxes I collected between 20 and 35 million dollars annually from his subjects. 6 Spurgeon, Charles. Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1986), vol. 7, 13. 7 When he laid the foundation of the temple, Zerubbabel followed the dimensions given in the law of Moses, but the edict allowed him to make a bigger structure. 8 The Hebrew word for "dedication" is hanukkah, which is the name of the Jewish holiday in December during which they remember the rededication of the temple in 165 BC. The temple had been taken by the Gentiles and defiled, but the courageous Jews, led by Judas Maccabeus, captured it, cleansed it, and dedicated it to the Lord. 9 That Darius, King of Persia, should be called "king of Assyria" in 6:22 shouldn't disturb us. In Nehemiah 13:6, Artaxerxes, king of Persia, is called "king of Babylon." Darius' kingdom included Assyria, so the title applied.
He raised up a godly leader (7:1–6, 10) It was the year 458 and Artaxerxes I was King of Persia (465–424). Nearly sixty years had passed since the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, and the Jewish remnant was having a very difficult time. It was then that God raised up Ezra to lead a second group of refugees from Babylon to Judah to bring financial and spiritual support to the work and to help rebuild the city.
Every person is important to God and God's work; but, as Dr. Lee Roberson has often said, "Everything rises and falls with leadership." When God wanted to deliver Israel from Egypt, He raised up Moses and Aaron. When Israel was divided and defeated, He called Samuel to teach the word and David to serve as king. Richard Nixon was right when he said that leaders are people who "make a difference,"3 and Ezra was that kind of man.
When God wants to judge a nation, He sends them inferior leaders (Isa. 3:1–8); but when He wants to bless them, He sends them men like Ezra.
His noble ancestry (Ezra 7:1–5). There were some priests in the Jewish remnant who couldn't prove their ancestry (2:61–63), but Ezra wasn't among them. He had the best of credentials and could prove his lineage all the way back to Aaron, the first high priest. Some famous spiritual leaders are named in this genealogy, men like Hilkiah, Zadok, and Phineas.4 Of course, being blessed with godly ancestors is no guarantee of success for their descendants, but it's a good beginning. God promises to bless the descendants of the godly (Deut. 4:40; Ps. 128). "I don't know who my grandfather was," said Abraham Lincoln; "I am much more concerned what his grandson will be." Ezra knew the names of his ancestors and what these men had done, and he made the most of his heritage. He didn't squander the rich spiritual legacy they had entrusted to him but used it to honor the Lord and serve His people. What a tragedy it is when the descendants of godly families turn away from the Lord and lead lives of disobedience and rebellion (Judg. 2:10–15).
CHAPTER THREE Ezra 7—8 THE GOOD HAND OF GOD W
II. The people are rededicated (7—10) A.A second group arrives with Ezra—7—8
hen talk show hosts and hostesses ask successful people the "secret" of their great achievements, the answers they get are varied and sometimes contradictory. Some successful people will give credit to their sobriety and personal discipline, while others will boast that they lived just the way they pleased whether anybody liked it or not. "I always maintain my integrity" is counterbalanced by "I pushed my way to the top no matter who got stepped on."
But if we had interviewed Ezra and asked him the secret of his successful life, he would have said humbly, "The good hand of the Lord was upon me,"1 a phrase that's found six times in Ezra 7 and 8 (7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31). Nothing but the blessing of God can explain how an obscure Jewish priest and scholar, born in Babylonian captivity, could accomplish so much for
His remarkable audacity (Ezra 7:6). You wouldn't expect a priest and scholar like Ezra to dare to approach a mighty king and ask for permission to take a group of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem. Most scholars are retiring by nature, happy with their books and thoughts, and
Ezra 7
What a model for all preachers and teachers of the Bible to follow!
unwilling to get involved in the everyday affairs of life. The American poet and professor Archibald MacLeish wrote, "The scholar digs his ivory cellar in the ruins of the past and lets the present sicken as it will." But not Ezra!
Each generation needs to discover the precious treasure of the Word of God, but that can't happen unless previous generations are faithful to learn the Word, guard it, obey it, and teach it. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Tim. 2:2 niv).6
Ezra's careful study of the Word of God had increased his faith (Rom. 10:17) and helped him understand God's plans for the Jewish remnant, and he wanted to be a part of those plans. Certainly as he studied the Old Testament Scriptures, he prayed for God to help His people, and God answered that prayer by calling him to go to Jerusalem. He gave Ezra the boldness to approach the king and the king a desire to cooperate with Ezra's requests.
The three qualities mentioned in Ezra 7:10 are paralleled in our Lord's words in Matthew 13:52—"Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old" (nasb). Ezra was a scribe who studied the Word, a disciple who obeyed and practiced the Word, and a householder who shared the Word with others. He's a good example for us to follow.
When the first group of Jews left for Jerusalem in 537, it was because God moved upon the heart of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1–4), but now it was a lowly priest whom God used to touch the heart of King Artaxerxes.
His exceptional ability (7:10). When you recall that Ezra was born in Babylon, you can better appreciate his achievement as a skilled student of the Jewish Scriptures. Undoubtedly, some of the priests had brought copies of the Old Testament scrolls with them to Babylon, and these became very precious to the exiled spiritual leaders of the nation. There was no Jewish temple in Babylon, so the priests and Levites weren't obligated to minister, but some of them, like Ezra, devoted themselves to the study and teaching of the Word of God.5
(Ezra 7:7–9 gives a summary of the journey to Jerusalem, the details of which we will study later.)
He directed a pagan ruler (7:11–28) Just as God had worked in the heart and mind of Cyrus (1:1–4) and Darius (6:1–12), so He moved upon Artaxerxes I to permit Ezra and his people to return to their land. After hearing Ezra's requests, Artaxerxes took several steps to assist the Jews in this important undertaking.
Authorization (7:11–12, 25–26). First, Artaxerxes appointed Ezra as the leader of the group and also as the king's agent in Judah, even to the extent of giving him the right to inflict capital punishment on offenders (v. 26). From the way the king described Ezra in his official letter, it's clear that he was impressed with this Jewish priest-scribe and the law which was the center of his life and ministry. The references to the law of God being in Ezra's hand (vv. 14, 25) may refer to actual scrolls that Ezra brought with him for his audience with the king, or perhaps it simply means "which you possess" (see v. 25 niv).
When it comes to our relationship to the Word of God, Ezra is a good example for us to follow. He was a man with a prepared heart, devoted to the study of the Scriptures. "For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord" (v. 10 nasb). He would have agreed with the psalmist who wrote, "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Ps. 119:97 nkjv). Even the king recognized and affirmed Ezra's great knowledge of the Scriptures (Ezra 7:11–14).
But Ezra did more than study the Word of God; he also practiced it in his daily life. It's in the obeying of the Word that we experience the blessing, not in the reading or the hearing of it (James 1:22–25). "This one is blessed in what he does" (v. 25 nkjv, italics added), not in what he thinks he knows. If our knowledge of the truth doesn't result in obedience, then we end up with a big head instead of a burning heart (1 Cor. 8:1; Luke 24:32), and truth becomes a toy to play with, not a tool to build with. Instead of building our Christian character, we only deceive ourselves and try to deceive others (1 John 1:5–10).
Liberation (vv. 13–14). In his official letter, Artaxerxes gave the Jews the privilege to leave Babylon and go to Jerusalem with Ezra and join the remnant in rebuilding the city walls (4:12). Refer back to Ezra 4:7–23 for the account of the trials the Jews had in spite of the king's encouragement, and keep in mind that it was the rebuilding of the city, not the temple, that was involved, along with the spiritual restoration of the people. (See the suggested outline of the book of Ezra.)
Ezra not only studied and obeyed the Word of God, but he also taught it to others. The priests and Levites were commanded by God to be teachers in Israel (Lev. 10:8–11; Deut. 33:10; Mal. 2:7), because that was the only way the people could learn God's truth. The common people couldn't afford to own scrolls of the law, so it was up to the priests and Levites to read and explain the Scriptures to the people. "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading" (Neh. 8:8).
In 537, the first wave of Jewish refugees, about 50,000 of them, returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel's leadership to rebuild the temple. Now, in 458, Ezra was authorized to lead the second group, 1,500 men plus women and children, to help restore the walls and gates and to bring spiritual renewal to the people.
In 444, Nehemiah would arrive and finish the job of building the walls and hanging the gates.
Ezra 7—8
relocate without paying a great price. Even our Lord had a problem enlisting disciples who were too settled in their successful lifestyles (Luke 9:57–62), and that explains why there's still a shortage of laborers (10:2).
Compensation (7:15–26). The Lord had told the struggling people in Jerusalem, "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine" (Hag. 2:8 nkjv), and now He proved it by opening the royal treasury and providing money to buy sacrifices to be offered at the temple in Jerusalem. The king commanded his officers beyond the river to give the Jews money out of the local royal treasury and defined the limits (Ezra 7:22). A hundred talents of silver would be nearly four tons of silver!
Recruiting (Ezra 8:1–20). Wisely, Ezra gathered eighteen men who were the heads of Jewish families, knowing that they could influence their relatives, and the result was a total of 1,515 men, plus women and children (v. 21), who agreed to go with Ezra to Jerusalem. It wasn't as large a company as the first contingent that had gone with Zerubbabel and Joshua nearly eighty years before, but that didn't discourage them. If you compare the names in this list with those in Ezra 2:3–15, you'll see that many of Ezra's companions were related to those first settlers. The pioneer spirit seems to run in families.
Then Artaxerxes gave Ezra the sacred articles from the original temple that hadn't been carried back by Zerubbabel (v. 19). Finally, he allowed Ezra to receive gifts from the Jews who remained in Babylon and from anybody else in the realm who wanted to contribute (see 1:4). Not every Jew wanted to go back, and not all were able, but all could contribute something to the work.
The group left Babylon on the first day of the fifth month (7:9) and after about a week of travel stopped at the River Ahava (probably a canal) for three days before proceeding (8:15, 31). During that time, Ezra took inventory of the people and discovered that there were no Levites going with them,7 so he sent a special committee of eleven leading men to recruit some Levites for the journey. The committee returned with only 38 Levites, but 220 temple servants came along with them. It's too bad the numbers weren't reversed, but even then, the laborers were few.
Like Darius before him (6:10), Artaxerxes was anxious that the God of Israel bless him and his sons and give success to his kingdom (7:23), so his generosity had somewhat of a selfish motive behind it. But it's doubtful if any person, king or commoner, ever does anything from an absolutely pure motive. It was remarkable that a pagan ruler would be this generous toward a captive people from whom he could hope to gain nothing. After all, if the God of Israel hadn't been able to protect the Jews from Babylonian captivity, what could He do to help the Persians?
Trusting (vv. 21–23). Ezra's whole approach to this trip was a spiritual one, for if the good hand of God wasn't with them, everything would fail. But to receive the blessing and help of God, they had to humble themselves and seek His face, so Ezra called for three days of fasting and prayer, asking God to protect them on their long journey.
What Artaxerxes did for the Jews was clearly because of the good hand of God that was at work on behalf of God's chosen people. Finally, Artaxerxes exempted the priests, Levites, and temple servants from paying taxes or being conscripted for special duty to the empire (v. 24). Even if he had selfish motives, Artaxerxes was concerned that the temple ministry be strong and steady. To make certain that everything went smoothly as the Jews rebuilt the city, the king gave Ezra extensive authority to enforce the law (v. 26).
Ezra could have asked for an armed escort, but he felt that a request for protection would dishonor the Lord in the eyes of the pagan king. He had already told Artaxerxes that God's good hand was upon him and the Jews, so how could he then ask for human help? Ezra was relying on God's covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3), that those who bless the Jews are blessed by God, and there's a fine line between faith and presumption. Fourteen years later, Nehemiah didn't hesitate to request an armed escort from the king (Neh. 2:9), and Paul was glad for the Roman soldiers who protected him during his journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea (Acts 23). Were they less devoted than Ezra? Of course not! Undoubtedly the Lord gave Ezra special faith for this journey because He knew that Ezra's desire was only to glorify God. When you consider the factors involved in this expedition, you can see what great faith Ezra possessed. Here were several thousand Jews, inexperienced in travel and warfare, carrying a fortune in gold and silver, led by a scholar, not a soldier, and planning to travel through dangerous territory that was infested with brigands, and yet their leader didn't want an army to protect them! If anybody deserves the "Great Faith Award," it's Ezra!
Celebration (vv. 27–28). This is the first occurrence of first-person narrative in the book; it continues through 9:15. He praises the Lord for moving the king to cooperate with his plans, and he sees this event as proof of God's mercy or covenant love. Ezra took no credit for this accomplishment; it was all the result of the "good hand of God" upon him. Without wasting any time, he assembled the chief men of the tribes and gathered the people who felt moved to travel to Jerusalem.
He gathered a willing remnant (8:1–30) Many of the Jews were comfortable in Mesopotamia and quite satisfied to live and die there. During the captivity, they had followed Jeremiah's counsel to be good citizens and settle down to normal lives (Jer. 29:1–7). Over the decades, the old generation had died and a new generation had arisen that had never seen Jerusalem or the temple and probably had little interest in the welfare of their fellow Jews sacrificially laboring there. No doubt some of the Jewish men were in government employ or in business and were unable to
Committing (Ezra 8:24–30). To twelve leading
Ezra 8
Reckoning (Ezra 8:33–34). The priests took the treasure to the temple where it was weighed and inventoried, and all the facts were written down so an official report could be sent to the king. "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40). God's servants must be faithful in every area of ministry, but especially in the matter of money. When you read 2 Corinthians 8—9, you see how scrupulous Paul and his associates were in handling the "relief offering" that the Gentile churches were sending to Jerusalem. "For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men" (2 Cor. 8:21).
priests, Ezra committed the responsibility for the treasure: twenty-five tons of silver, nearly eight tons of silver and gold vessels, plus various other vessels and the offering given by the people. The twelve men represented the twelve tribes of Israel and had an obligation to them, but even more, it was the Lord's treasure and these priests would one day give an accounting to Him.
In one sense, this event is a parable of the Christian life. God's people are on a difficult and dangerous journey to the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22), and the Lord has committed certain of His treasures to us. Our task is to protect what He's given us and be ready to give a good account of our stewardship when we get to the end of the journey. The only difference is that, in our journey, God expects us to invest and increase the treasure and not just guard it. (See Matt. 25:14–30; 1 Tim. 1:11, 18–19; 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:13–14; 2:2.)
Worshipping (Ezra 8:35). The Jewish residents and the new arrivals gathered at the altar to worship God and declare their unity as His people. The twelve burnt offerings and twelve sin offerings were for the twelve tribes of Israel represented by the Jewish remnant in Jerusalem. Unlike the initial worship over seventy-five years before, when the altar was first set up, there's no record of anybody lamenting for "the good old days" (3:11–13).
He gave them a safe journey (8:31–36) As these Jewish èmigrès trudged through the wilderness, I wonder if they sang Psalm 121 to each other?
The new arrivals were worshipping in their land, at their temple altar, for the first time in their lives! How Ezra's heart must have been stirred as he stood at the altar and participated in the worship service! "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.' Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!" (Ps. 122:1–2 nkjv)
I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Clearance (Ezra 8:36). Having taken care of the spiritual matters that related to the nation and the temple, Ezra then presented himself and his credentials to the local Persian officials. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Luke 20:25). He gave them the king's letter, and the officers were quick to obey the king's orders and assist the Jews in their projects. Ezra left Babylon with God's law in his heart and the king's letter in his hand and the good hand of God upon him. No wonder his mission was a success.
Ps. 121:1–4 nkjv
Arriving (Ezra 8:31). They left Babylon on the first day of the first month (7:9), tarried three days at the Ahava canal (8:15), and then left that encampment on the twelfth day of the first month (8:31), arriving at Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month (7:9). They covered at least 900 miles in four months' time, and the good hand of God protected them and their possessions all the way.
Notes 1 Of course, God is spirit and doesn't possess literal hands such as we do. The phrase is what theologians call "anthropomorphic," that is, attributing to God something that is true of humans ("anthrop" = human; "morphos" = form). God doesn't have eyes, but He "sees" what's going on in the world; He doesn't have ears, but He "hears" our cries. Because He's a Person, God has the ability to act and respond, and the Bible uses human terminology to explain this. When Isaiah wanted to show the greatness of God, he said that God measured the waters "in the hollow of His hand" (Isa. 40:12); and the psalmist reminds us that all God has to do to feed His creatures is open His hand (Ps. 104:28). "You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing" (Ps. 145:16 nkjv). 2 He was called "Artaxerxes Longimanus," which is Latin for "Artaxerxes the long-handed." (The Greek equivalent is "Macrochier.") He may have been called "the long-handed" because his great authority reached out so far, or because he was generous to his subjects. But it was God's hand that moved the