Transcript Document
Christ Baptist Church Spring 2015 Chapter 4 Ezra – Overview Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter 1 2 3 3 – God stirs King Cyrus to act – God stirs the Israelites to return – God is worshiped, the Altar is built, foundation laid – Old men remember the old temple and weep …. 13 …..for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away. Chronology of the Persian Period PERSIAN KING CYRUS DATES 539-530 CAMBYSES 530-522 DARIUS I 522-486 XERXES ARTAXERXES I 486-464 464-423 BIBLICAL CORRELATION Return of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 1-3) Rebuilding at Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4) Haggai and Zechariah prophesy (520) Temple Completed (516) (Ezra 5-6) Story of Esther (Esther 1-9) Return of Ezra (458) (Ezra 7-10) Return of Nehemiah (445) (Nehemiah (1-2) Prophecy of Malachi (433) Ezra Chapter 4 - The Opposition Stirs Ezra 4:1-2 – Offer to help rebuild 1. Who heard about the temple work? 2. Who were these people? Link the adversaries of Ezra 4:2 with 2 Kings 17:24-34. Describe their worship. 3. How does this link account for the Jews’ hatred of the Samaritans (implied in John 4:9) and the mixed religion of the Samarians implied in John 4:22? Ezra Chapter 4 - The Opposition Stirs Ezra 4:1-3 The Jewish leaders response 3. How did Zerubbabel and Jeshua respond to their request? Explain why they responded this way. 4. What lesson do we learn from this? Whom should we likewise refuse to allow to become part of God’s work with us? (2 John 9-11, Gal 1:6-9,) Ezra Chapter 4 - The Opposition Stirs Ezra 4:4-5 Opposition begins 6. How did the people respond to this rejection of their request? • How do people today similarly respond, when we tell them their service to God is not acceptable? CYRUS 539-530 CAMBYSES 7. What 4 ways did the adversaries of God and his people try to stop the work? 530-522 DARIUS I 8. Which was the most cunning? How does Satan try to stop us from working for God in the same way? 522-486 Ezra Chapter 4 - The Opposition Stirs Ezra 4:6-16 Opposition under Xerxes & Artaxerxes 9. What did the enemy do next? Who wrote the letter? Xeres 486-464 10.What accusations did they make (v 11-16). Was it based on facts (2 Kings 24:1 and Jeremiah 38:17-23)? • What evidence was overlooked? Artaxerxes I 11.What accusations do people today make against the people of God to discourage us and discredit us? 464-423 12.Can you list other Bible examples in which God’s people were falsely accused or harassed to hinder their work for God? Ezra Chapter 4 - The Opposition Stirs Ezra 4:17 - 23 Artaxerxes response 13. What did Artaxerxes command in response to the letter? 14. How did the Jewish enemies respond to the letter? • What was the result? 15. Did the Jewish people do the right thing? How should they have responded? What can we learn from this? Weekly Challenges - Applying God’s Word • Watch for the opposition God’s work will encounter in your life • 1 Cor. 16:9… because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. • What forms are is the opposition taking? • Pray that you recognize the source of the opposition and see the opposition in a larger context. CYRUS 539-530 605 Nebuchadnezzar Ransacks Jeruselum ARTAXERXES 464-424 433 Prophecy of Malachi 520 Work on Temple resumed by Zerubbabel & Joshua, encouraged by Haggai & Zechariah; Haggai & Zechariah Prophesy 538 Temple project begun 500 582 3rd Deportation 530-522 XERXES 486-464 539 Return of Zerubbabel & Jeshua 586 2nd Deportation, Nebuchadnezzarr burns Temple to ground 600 DARIUS 522-486 CAMBYSES 530 536 Work on Temple stopped 520 510 500 486-464 Story of Esther 490 480 458 Return of Ezra 470 516 Temple Completed 460 445 Return of Nehemiah 597 Nebuchad. attacks Jeruselum; clears Temple, takes everything; 1st Deportation Ezra 1-4:5,24 Ezra 5-6 Ezra 4:6 False accusations files Ezra 4:7-23 Ezra 7-10 Chronology of the Prophets ASSYRIAN AGE BABYLONIAN AGE PERSIAN AGE TO ISRAEL TO JUDAH TO FOREIGN NATION Amos ca. 760 Hosea ca. 760-730 Isaiah ca. 740-700 Micah ca. 737-690 Jonah ca. 770 Habakkuk ca. 630 Zephaniah ca. 627 Jeremiah ca. 627-580 Daniel ca. 605-530 Ezekiel ca. 593-570 Nahum ca. 650 Haggai ca. 520 Zechariah ca. 520518 Joel ca. 500 Malachi ca. 433 Obadiah ca. 500 Timeline http://www.blueletterbible.org/images/rosepub/imageDisplay/#s=OT_timeline2_b