PREACHING THROUGH THE BIBLE: EZRA

PREACHING THROUGH THE BIBLE: EZRA

THE FOUNDATION RESET

PREACHING THROUGH THE BIBLE: EZRA
Ezra 3:8-13

I. INTRODUCTION

TITLE

NAME

Ezer = ‘help’

Probable meaning of title = ‘Jehovah helps’

HEBREW BIBLE

Ezra and Nehemiah—were one book

Chronicles-Ezra-Nehemiah—were one continuous story

First two verses of Ezra are identical to last two verses of II Chronicles

Ezra-Nehemiah precedes Chronicles

SEPTUAGINT

Ezra-Nehemiah—were called Esdras Dueteron—‘Second Esdras’

‘First Esdras’—was the apocryphal Book of Esdras

LATIN BIBLE

Divided Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra = Liber Primus Esdrae—‘First Ezra’

Nehemiah = ‘Second Ezra’

PROTESTANT BIBLE

Maintained division of Latin Bible

Renamed books—‘Ezra’ and ‘Nehemiah’

AUTHOR

AUTHORSHIP—NOT STATED IN BOOK

EZRA—WAS THE OBVIOUS AUTHOR

Talmud attributes it to Ezra

Portion of book is in first person—Ezra implied—7:28-9:15

Priestly emphasis in book—and Ezra, himself was a priest—7:1-5

Ezra had access to Nehemiah’s library and documents—II Mac 2:13-15

Ezra probably used this library to write Ezra 1-6—and Chronicles

EZRA—THE PERSON

Priestly heritage

Descended from Aaron—through Eleazar, Phinehas, and Zadok—7:1-5

Studied, practiced, and taught the Law—as an educated Scribe—7:6, 10

Contemporary of Nehemiah—Neh 8:1-9 and 12:36

Went to Jerusalem in 457 BC

With support of King Artaxerxes—in 7th year of his reign—7:7-8
Artaxerxes—was 3rd king of Persia (465-424 BC)—3rd son of Xerxes I
Artaxerxes’s decree—for the return of exiles—7:12-26

According to Jewish tradition

Ezra helped to found the Great Synagogue

120 Jewish scholars—including several prophets

Received OT scripture—from the three post-exilic prophets

Haggai—Zechariah—Malachi

Formally identified and adopted the OT canon

Ezra collected the OT books into a unit

Ezra originated synagogue form of worship

BACKGROUND—SCOPE—SETTING

BACKGROUND—BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY

70-year Babylonian Captivity—II Chr 36:20-21

Jeremiah prophesied—it would last 70 years—Jer 29:10

Confirmed in historical account—II Chr 36:21

Three waves of deportation into exile—607 BC—597 BC—587/6 BC

Calculating the 70 years—two possibilities

Political captivity

From initial defeat of Jerusalem—605 BC
To return of first Remnant—536 BC

Religious captivity

From destruction of first Temple—587
To completion of second Temple—516 BC

BACKGROUND—CYRUS’S DECREE—FOR EXILES TO RETURN

Background

Cyrus of Persia defeated Belshazzar of Babylonia—539 BC

Fulfilled prophesy of Daniel 5—mene mene tekel upharsin

The Decree—538 BC—II Chr 36:23

The Lord 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 the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!

HISTORICAL SCOPE—OF EZRA AND NEHEMIAH

Ezra 1-6

Begins 538 BC—first return—under Zerubbabel

Ends 515 BC—completion of Temple-building

Followed by gap of 58 years

During interlude—Book of Esther—483-473 BC

Ezra 7-10

457 BC—second return—under Ezra—spiritual restoration of Israel

Nehemiah

444-425 BC—from Nehemiah’s arrival—to rebuilding of Jerusalem wall

HISTORICAL SETTING—CHRONOLOGY

607—First Deportation
605—Fall of Jerusalem
597—Second Deportation
587/6—Third—final—Deportation
538—First Return—Zerubbabel—made governor of Israel
536—beginning of Temple-building—foundation was laid
534—Temple-building discontinued
520—Temple-building resumed
520 and following—ministry of Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
515—Temple completed
483-473—Esther was queen—under Xerxes
458—Second Return—Ezra—under Artaxerxes
444—Third Return—Nehemiah—under Artaxerxes

COMPOSITION

AUTHORSHIP—EZRA

DATE OF WRITING

Between 458 BC (Ezra’s return)—and 444 BC (Nehemiah’s arrival)

PURPOSES

TELLS STORY OF—ISRAEL’S RETURN AND REBUILDING OF TEMPLE

TELLS STORY OF—SPIRITUAL RESTORATION OF JEWISH PEOPLE

THEMES

GOD’S SOVERIEGN RULE OVER HISTORY

Preserving and causing His people to prosper during the Captivity
Working through pagan kings to return His remnant to Israel

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE

He restored the Remnant

Jer 29:24—I will be found by you, declares the Lord, 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.

He kept His covenant with David

Zerubbabel was a direct descendant of David

Grandson of Jeconiah [Jehoiachin]

See I Chr 3:17-19
See Mt 1:12-13

OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD

1:1—Cyrus’s decree fulfilled the Word of the Lord
3:2—Zerubbabel offered sacrifices following the Law of Moses
6:14—they completed the Temple in obedience to God’s command
6:18—they appointed priests according to the Law of Moses
7:6-14—Ezra studied, practiced, and taught the Law of Moses
9:4ff—purged foreign marriages, according to God’s commandments
10:5—they took an oath to obey God’s law

RESTORATION OF ISRAEL

Rebuilding of Temple

Reformation—spiritual—moral—social restoration of the Remnant

Spiritual leadership—raised up by God—Zerubbabel and Ezra

STORYLINE AND STRUCTURE

STORYLINE

Continues storyline from II Chronicles

Describes second ‘Exodus’—from Babylonia to Israel

First return—under Zerubbabel—to rebuild Temple (chapters 1-6)

Isaiah prophesied—Is 44:28-45:4

Named Cyrus—as the king who would publish the decree
Predicted—the rebuilding of the Temple

Distance—900 miles from Babylon to Jerusalem

49,897 people returned—chapter 2—[out of estimated 2-3 million population]

42,560 Israelites—plus 7337 slaves—2:64-65

Tribes that returned—Judah, Benjamin, Levi

Rebuilding the Temple

Restoration of Altar first—then foundation laid—chapter 3
Suspension after enemy opposition and decree by Artaxerxes—chapter 4
Haggai and Zechariah encouraged people to restart building—chapter 5
Work renewed under Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua—chapter 5
Persian Governor Tattenai—challenged existence of Cyrus-decree—chapter 5
Darius confirmed Cyrus’s decree—ordered Tattenai to assist—chapter 6
Completed on 3 Adar (March) 515 BC—6th year of Darius’s reign—6:15-18

[Interlude—58 years—while Esther was queen in Persia]

Second return—under Ezra—to reform Israel spiritually (chapters 7-10)

Ezra brought 1754 heads of families

1496 males [and families?]
258 Levites [and families?]

Date = 457 BC

5th month—of 7th year of Artaxerxes
81 years after arrival of Zerubbabel
58 years after completion of Temple

Artaxerxes’s decree—chapter 7

Supplied treasures, money and supplies for Temple and offerings
Granted priests, Levites, singers and doorkeepers tax exemption
Gave them authority to govern the people in their province
Allowed them to teach the Law—even to non-Jews

Reformation of the People—chapters 9-10

Ezra discovered many had intermarried with foreigners
Ezra offered prayer of confession
Repentance of people brought spiritual revival
People pledged to renounce marriages and live by God’s law

STRUCTURE

Part One—Rebuilding the Temple—Chapters 1-6

First Return of People—chapters 1-2

Cyrus’s Decree—1:1-4
Gifts from Israel and Cyrus—1:5-11
Census of Returning Remnant—2:1-67
Completion of Journey—2:68-70

Construction of Temple—chapters 3-6

Altar and Sacrifices Restored—3:1-7
Temple Foundation Laid—3:8-13
Temple Construction Interrupted—Chapter 4
Temple Construction Renewed—5:1-5
Opposition by Governor Tattenai—5:6-17
Darius’s Decree for Renewed Construction—6:1-12
Completion and Dedication of Temple—6:13-18
Celebration of Passover—6:19-22

Part Two—Reformation of the People—Chapters 7-10

Second Return of People—chapters 7-8

Artaxerxes’s Decree—chapter 7
Census of Returnees—8:1-14
Addition of Levites—8:15-20
The Return Journey under God’s Protection—8:21-36

Reformation of the People—chapter 9-10

The Sin of Israel’s Intermarriage—9:1-4
Ezra’s Prayer of Intercession—9:5-15
People Repent and Covenant to Obey God—10:1-5
People Take Action and Identify Offenders—10:6-44

II. BIBLICAL TEXT

Ezra 3:8-13—8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of the house of the Lord. 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers stood united with Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah and the sons of Henadad with their sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the workmen in the temple of God. 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. 12 Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.

III. EXPOSITION

BACKGROUND

TIMING

Similar to building of First Temple

Solomon began building First Temple also in second month—I Kgs 6:1

Two reasons

During dry season—ideal time to build

First—they observed the Passover—[implied]

Celebrated God’s deliverance—in second Exodus
Paralleled what Israel did under Joshua—before taking Jericho—Joshua 5

CONTINUITY

Sons of Asaph—David assigned to worship with musical instruments—I Chr 16:5 and 25:1

Verse 11—paraphrases Psalm 100:5

For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.

In David’s thanksgiving prayer—for the return of the Ark—I Chr 16:34
The people sang this at the dedication of the First Temple—II Chr 5:13

PROPHECY FULFILLED

Jer 33:11—after Jerusalem was destroyed—this Psalm would be sung again with joy

PRIORITY OF WORSHIP

WORSHIP COMES FIRST—TO HONOR GOD

They built the altar and sacrificed first—before building the Temple—3:2-6

The occasion and place—for sacrifice—repentance—rededication—acceptance by God

Examples—people who built altars first

Noah—Gen 8:20—immediately after exiting the ark
Abraham—Gen 12:7—upon entering Canaan
Elijah—I Kgs 18:30—repaired the altar on Mt. Carmel—before calling on God

GOD’S PRESENCE—IS UNCONFINED

Not in a building

They came to—the house of God—but the Temple was gone!

This was the holy place without walls—appointed by God—to meet Him

Like Bethel—though this term is not used here—vv 8,9,11 [bayith Elohim/Jehovah]

Where Abram first sacrificed—Gen 12
Where Jacob had his ladder-dream—Gen 28

Not in an object

The Ark of the Covenant was not present—lost after destruction of Jerusalem

WORSHIP INSTILLS CONFIDENCE

Feast of Tabernacles—celebrated God’s provision in wilderness—v4

Feast of Passover—celebrated God’s deliverance from bondage—implied v8

WORSHIP UNIFIES GOD’S PEOPLE

Worship—at the center of community life—they stood ‘united’—v9

United in joy and sorrow mingled together—to produce a ‘loud shout’—vv12-13

WHY THE WEEPING

ABSENCE OF PREVIOUS HOLY THINGS

No Ark of the Covenant—no Shekinah—nor Urim and Thummim

SPLENDOR NOT AS GREAT AS BEFORE

Evidence from prophets

Hag 2:3—who of you remembers the Temple in its former glory?
Zech 4:10—who has despised the day of small things?

Foundation stones

Costly jewels—were used in the foundation of the First Temple—I Kgs 7:9-10

Splendor of worship music

David’s orders outlined in 1 Chr 15:16-21

Musical service in Ezra fell short of this

No psalteries or harps—essential parts of David’s system

Perhaps—musical skills of Levites had declined during captivity

Ps. 137:1-2,4—By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it we hung our harps. . . . How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

SIZE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE

Cyrus’s decree—laid out he plan for this Second Temple

It was intended to be larger than the First Temple

I Kgs 6:2—length 60 cubits—height 30 cubits—width 20 cubits
Ez 6:3—height 60 cubits—width 60 cubits

SETTING AND CONDITIONS

Israel was extremely prosperous and powerful under Solomon’s rule

The Remnant had very little in comparison

WEEPING FOR PAST SINS—WHAT HAD BROUGHT THEM TO THIS POINT

REASONS FOR JOY—THE ‘LOUD SHOUT’

OBVIOUS REASONS

Restored relationship favor of God—evidenced by their delivery

Freedom to worship God—reason for first Exodus

Freedom from Captivity—and joy of homecoming

Restoration of national identity

Renewed hope for the future

HIDDEN REASONS—EMBEDDED IN MEESIANIC PROPHECY

This Temple—would be even more glorious than Solomon’s!

It would witness the coming of the Messiah

Hag 2:9—The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts, and in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.

This Temple—would be instrumental in blessing all nations

The renewal of God’s covenant with Israel

A promise given to the ‘dispersed of Israel’ who would gather there

The ‘House of Prayer’—that Jesus would cleanse and prepare for all nations

Is 56:6-8—[Jesus quoted in Mk 11:17]—6 Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the sabbath and holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. 8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.