Transcript Document
Christ Baptist Church Spring 2015 Chapter 5 Ezra Overview Chapter 1 • God stirs King Cyrus to act Chapter 3 • Old men remember the old temple and weep … • “Sound heard far away.” Chapter 2 • God stirs the Israelites to return • 50,000 obeyed Chapter 4 • Opposition begins • subversion, discouragement, fear, bribery, frustration Chapter 3 • God is worshiped! • the Altar is built, foundation laid Haggai 1 • The people return to God Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word Ezra 5:1-2 1.What changed? What caused the transformation? Ezra 5:3-6 2. Who questioned the Jews about finishing the work on the temple? 3. Thought question: What was the question in v3? Was the question genuine? Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word Ezra 5:3-6 4. What question was asked in V4? • Do you think there was apprehension to add personal names to the list? • Would you have wanted to add your name to that list? 5. In the face of opposition they did not back down! • Who does Ezra give credit to for their strength and the continuation of the work? 6. What decision was made (v5)? Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word Ezra 5:6-17 – Dear Darius 7. Compare the tone of this letter to the one in chapter 4 (starting in v 12). 8. Where does Tattenai go and how does he refer to God (v8)? 9. How is the work progressing? • What do you think motivated the Jewish people? See Haggai 1:12, Proverbs 1:7. 10. What material is being used? Where do you think the timbers came from? (see Ezra 1:7 and Haggai 1:8). Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word • 6 “To • 8 Be • “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now And this was their reply to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. • 12 from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the • 13 • 14 15 • 15 this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. • Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.’ • 17 James 3:1-12 - Taming the Tongue For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. Psalm 109:2 • • 11 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up foundations. • 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. • Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the 14 king, • • in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.” Darius the king, all peace. it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. 11 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” 16 Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.” Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word Ezra 5:11-12 – The Response 11. What answer had the Jews given regarding why the temple had been destroyed? 12. What does the answer imply about the condition of their heart to God before and after captivity? 13. Personal Question: Are you ready to defend your faith in the same way today? Ezra Chapter 5 – Standing Firm on God’s Word Ezra 5:13-17 – The Response 14. Who did they say gave them the authority to build the temple? See Ezra 1:1 to see who was actually behind it. 15. What did Tattenai request of the king? 16. How did the Jews’ response in this case differ from chapter 4 when their enemies then insisted they stop work? Weekly Challenges - Applying God’s Word Dr Thomas L Constable, Notes on Ezra, 2010 pg 24 Chapter 4 -- Opposition to Building Chapter 4 Opposition Arises PERSIAN KING CYRUS Vs 1-6 Vs 24 Vs 7-16 Vs 17-23 DATES BIBLICAL CORRELATION 539-530 Return of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 1-3) Time Line Temple work begins Rebuilding at Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4) 538 536 530 520 516 CAMBYSES 530-522 DARIUS I 522-486 Haggai and Zechariah prophesy Temple Completed (Ezra 5-6) XERXES ARTAXERXES I 486-464 464-423 Story of Esther (Esther 1-9) Return of Ezra (Ezra 7-10) Return of Nehemiah (Nehemiah (1-2) Prophecy of Malachi 458 445 443 Timeline http://www.blueletterbible.org/images/rosepub/imageDisplay/#s=OT_timeline2_b