GOD ORDAINS RESTORATION

DECEMBER 28, 2014

FIRST THOUGHTS 

AUTHORSHIP

·        The chronicler: Most scholars believe the Book of Ezra was written and compiled by a chronicler, quite possibly the same person who wrote 1 and 2 Chronicles.

·        Government documents: The Book of Ezra contains insertions of Aramaic text—memos and correspondence from Persian officials relating to events occurring in and around Jerusalem at that time.

·        Ezra: Portions of the book appear to come from the personal journal of Ezra himself, a Jewish priest and possibly a Persian high official.

READERS

·        Postexilic Jews.

DATE

·        Written between 440 and 400 B.C., probably a few decades after the return of exiles under Ezra and the purifying of the community. It is uncertain if the Book of Ezra or the Book of Nehemiah was written first.

·        Covers events from 538 B.C. to approximately 438 B.C. during the reigns of the Persian kings Cyrus the Great, Darius I, Xerxes I, and Artaxerxes I.

·        Certain events are contemporary with the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

CHARACTERISTICS

·        Originally, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were a single book in the Jewish Scriptures.

·        Ezra was not written in strict chronological order, nor does it include all events related to that time. Instead, the compiler used records and information that served his purpose of reestablishing Davidic and Deuteronomic authority.

·        The book traces the historical events of the return of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, the opposition encountered, and the lapse of the Jews into religious compromise. It also describes the completion and dedication of the temple and, under Ezra, the purifying of the people.

·        The writer emphasizes the need for individual and communal purity for God's people. These are the true recipients of God's blessing.

·        The book highlights the mysterious cooperation between the sovereign will and power of God, and the initiative and choices of people.” 

Excerpt From: Knute Larson, Max Anders & Kathy Dahlen. “Holman Old Testament Commentary - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.” B&H Publishing Group, 2010-02-08. iBooks.

This material may be protected by copyright. 

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT 

·        The time of Babylonian captivity for the Jews was at an end, just as the prophet Jeremiah had predicted.

·        It was time for the exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. 

Back to Basics 

“In 1958, Vince Lombardi accepted the position of head football coach at Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was not getting the ‘dream team’ The Packers had developed a tradition of losing; it was a team few respected.

Lombardi arrived in Green Bay firm in the belief that he could turn the pitiful Packers around. He brought to the shores of Lake Michigan the lessons he learned as assistant coach under Earl ‘Colonel Red’ Blaik of West Point Military Academy: stick with simple blocking and tackling, execute plays perfectly, and behave respectfully on the field. Lombardi expected strict obedience, dedication, and total effort from everyone. Long hours were the custom, intensive training the rule.

Legend has it that, after a particularly humiliating defeat, Lombardi stood before his tired and dirty football players in the locker room with the intense look they had come to recognize. The room was silent. Lombardi held up a football. Then he declared, ‘Gentlemen, this is a football’. From then on it was back to basics.

Three years after arriving in Green Bay, Vince Lombardi led his Packers to the National Football League championship. They became the dominant team in pro football, winning five[…]” 

Excerpt From: Knute Larson, Max Anders & Kathy Dahlen. “Holman Old Testament Commentary - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.” B&H Publishing Group, 2010-02-08. iBooks.

This material may be protected by copyright. 

EZRA 3:1-7, 10-11; 6:19-22    NASB 

VERSE 3:1

Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. 

·        The people were settled in their homes on their ancestral property.

·        The people gathered in Jerusalem unified in spirit as if they were one person. 

VERSE 3:2

Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 

·        Jeshua was the high priest and was thus the proper person to oversee the proceedings.

·        Jeshua’s brothers were the other priests who would carry out the work of the sacrifices.

·        Zerubbabel was the governor and thus gave the legal authority to the proceedings.

·        The others did the grunt work to rebuild the alter.

·        Now all is in place to offer the sacrifices according to the law which God gave to Moses.

·        God has given us an example to follow the law of the land in all things except where the law goes against God’s law.

·        They referred to what they had of God’s word to guide them to the exclusion of any one’s opinion.

·        This is an example to us to refer to the Bible for our guidance. 

VERSE 3:3

So they set up the altar on its foundation, for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. 

·        The Jews were out numbered and have been facing many taunts and threats, so they were in terror of them; but they did the work anyway.

·        Evidently they had a little faith and God honored it. 

“     But the reason for their so quickly rearing the altar is noteworthy. It was because ‘fear was upon them because of the people of the countries.’ The state of the Holy Land at the return must be clearly comprehended. Samaria and the central district were in the hands of bitter enemies. Across Jordan in the east, down on the Philistine plain in the west, and in the south where Edom bore sway, eager enemies sulkily watched the small beginnings of a movement which they were interested in thwarting. There was only the territory of Judah and Benjamin left free for the exiles, and they had reason for their fears; for their neighbours knew that if restitution was to be the order of the day, they would have to disgorge a good deal. What was the defence against such foes which these frightened men thought most impregnable? That altar!

     No doubt, much superstition mingled with their religion. Haggai leaves us under no illusions as to their moral and spiritual condition. They were no patterns of devoutness or of morality. But still, what they did carries an eternal truth; and they were reverting to the original terms of Israel’s tenure of their land when they acted on the conviction that their worship of Jehovah according to His commandment was their surest way of finding shelter from all their enemies. There are differences plain enough between their condition and ours; but it is as true for us as ever it was for them, that our safety is in God, and that, if we want to find shelter from impending dangers, we shall be wiser to betake ourselves to the altar and sit suppliant there than to make defences for ourselves. The ruined Jerusalem was better guarded by that altar than if its fallen walls had been rebuilt.”

Alexander McLaren 

VERSES 3:4-6

4 They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required;

5 and afterward there was a continual burnt offering, also for the new moons and for all the fixed festivals of the LORD that were consecrated, and from everyone who offered a freewill offering to the LORD.

6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, but the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. 

·        The Feast of Booths commemorated the wanderings in the wilderness.

·        On this particular occasion these celebrations marked the beginning of a renewal of the sacrificial system.

·        They were meticulous in observing everything according to the law given to Moses.

·        So often we begin by diligently focusing our worship to always be pleasing to God, but all too soon we grow lax.  

VERSE 3:7

Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia. 

·        This is an example for us to set our priorities right.

·        First was the worship, then came the rebuilding of the temple.

·        Ample provision and the proper authority was in place to accomplish this. 

VERSES 3:10-11

10 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD according to the directions of King David of Israel.

11 They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, "For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever." And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 

·        What bittersweet emotions must be at play among those old enough to remember the temple and its overthrown debris!

o   In their minds eye they see the old temple with its splendor and imagine where the rubble fit in it, and yet excited about the beginning of rebuilding and hoping this new one would be as magnificent.

·        The younger one would only be excited about the rebuilding at hand and full of confidence that it would be the best ever; never having seen the old one to compare. 

VERSES 6:19-21

19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month.

20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

21 The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover. 

·        Upon the restoration of the temple, the exiles observed the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

·        Passover was (and is) one of the most important rituals of Jewish life.God’s act of deliverance was not only ancient history but part of their current experience.

·        Whoever offered a sacrifice had to be ceremonially clean.

o   Having prepared themselves, the priests were able to offer the Passover lamb.

·        Everyone needs God’s mercy.

·        Notice that the lamb was slain for all the people, including the priests and Levites.

·        The inclusive nature of sin (“all have sinned”) requires an inclusive sacrifice. 

VERSE 6:22

And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. 

·        The restored exiles had many reasons for being joyful.

·        Primarily, the Lord had made them joyful because the Persian king’s attitude had changed.

·        The ruler of Persia was in fact the king of both the defeated Assyrian Empire and the Babylonian Empire.

·        Ezra 6:1-15 tells how the Persian king researched the archives and discovered that the Jews had received the permission and support of King Cyrus to rebuild their temple.

·        The king then rescinded a ban that had been placed on the Jews’ work, and the temple was finally completed in 515 B.C.