ezra chapter 1

How Great is Our God

The Splendor of the King

clothed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice

all the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light

and darkness tries to hide And trembles at His voice

trembles at His voice

How great is our God

sing with me

How great is our God

and all will see

How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands

and time is in His hands

Beginning and the end

beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One

Father Spirit Son

The Lion and the Lamb

the Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names

Worthy of all praise

My heart will sing

How great is our God

Still

Hide me now

Under Your wings

Cover me

With in Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise

and thunders roar

I will soar with You

above the storm

Father You are King

over the flood

I will be still

and know You are God

Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

Destruction of the temple

• Proverbs 9:10“ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

• Psalm 111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

What were they taught during their captivity?

• You are a Jew not a Babylonian

• The law

• The holy days and festivals

• The prophets

They were not allowed to practice Judaism

The prophets

• God has something to say

• God has a plan

• God wants you to know His plan

• God’s plan is both personal and transcendent

• God sent you specific letters for you to know His plan

• God’s plan will always be accomplished

The causes of captivity are universal

• God always warns His people

• God will not violate free will of people

• The consequences of sin are universal

• God provides a means of escape

• God has a specific plan for salvation

Ezekiel 16

• God’s love for Jerusalem• Jerusalem’s Harlotry• Jerusalem’s Adultery• Jerusalem’s Lovers Will Abuse

Her• An Everlasting Covenant

• God’s Love for Jerusalem•  1 Again the word of the LORD came to me,

saying, 2 “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: “Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born.

• 6 “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ 7 I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. 8 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD.

• 9 “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord GOD.

Jerusalem’s Harlotry

• 15 “But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. 16 You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be. 17 You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them. 18 You took your embroidered garments and covered them, and you set My oil and My incense before them. 19 Also My food which I gave you—the pastry of fine flour, oil, and honey which I fed you—you set it before them as sweet incense; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD.

• 20 “Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, 21 that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire? 22 And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood.

• 40 “They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers. 42 So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. 43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me[a] with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.”

More corrupt than Sodom

• 46 “Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.

Sins of Sodom• 48 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your

sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.

An Everlasting Covenant   

60 “Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”

Background of the fall of Judah

• Why were they exiled?

• What were their crimes?

• What was God’s purpose in this judgment?

• Who did God use to discipline his people?

Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire

• Daniel explains the condition of captivity best– Oppressive rule– Idolatrous people– King commanded to be worshipped– Brutal consequences for disobedience

God controls the horns

God stirred Nebuchadnezzar's heart in his military conquests

Babylonian kingdom fell in 1 night to the Medes and Persians

Cyrus and Darius kingdoms grew at a supernatural rate

Who is Cyrus?What did he believe?

Who was Cyrus?• Isaiah 45 He would capture Babylon and set

the captives free, ending the 70 year captivity• Jeremiah 29:10 He released captive peoples

and allowed for religious freedom, and promised to rebuild the temple

• 2 Chronicles 36:22,23 Allowed Judeans return to the land of their fathers

• 2 Kings 25:27-30 He demanded political obedience and taxes to be paid. Assyrian and Babylonians forced their religion on conquered people- the Persians did not.

Ezra chapter 1

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:

All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.

Cyrus the Great Cylinder

“I returned to sacred cities on the other side of Tigris the sanctuaries of which have been in ruins a long time, the images which lived there in and established for them permanent sanctuaries. I also gathered all their former inhabitants and returned them their habitation…May all the gods whom I have resettled in their sacred cities ask daily Bel and Nebo for me long life and recommend me to Marduk my lord”…Cyrus’ memoirs- cylinder translation

God stirs the hearts of men

• Are you looking for God’s hand moving in your life?

• If you are unsettled by what is happening in your life, write it down, be patient and look for God’s hand.

Isaiah 44:28 

Who says of Cyrus,

‘He is My shepherd,       And he shall perform all My pleasure,       Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,”       And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”’

Daniel 9:24-25• "Seventy weeks are determined For your

people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. "Know therefore and understand, [That] from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, [There shall be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

• 7x69= 483 years would pass from the command to rebuild Jerusalem and when Messiah would come

• Jerusalem in ruins – March14, 445BC

• Jews go home to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the temple- Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah

The Math: 70 weeksIt took 7 weeks (x7)= 49 years to rebuild

Followed by an additional 62 (x7)=483yrs.

Using a 360 day per year Jewish calendar

March 14, 445 BC + 483 years

Takes you to

April 6, AD 32 Palm Sunday

Ezra 1:3

Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.

Returning to ruins

What will the land be like?

Feeding your family will be difficult

Where will you live?

Where will you get supplies?

Where will you get water?

Where will you work?

Valley of Megiddo (Armageddon)

How will you rebuild?

Live here: unprotected

Live here?

Who will you face?

Is God still angry?

Pack up! Let’s go!

Ezra1:3-4

• 3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.

• 4 And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

How important are leaders?

• 5 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

Remind you of anything?

• 6 And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

Exodus 12:35-36

• 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.

• 36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

• 7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods;8 and Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

• 9 This is the number of them: thirty gold platters, one thousand silver platters, twenty-nine knives, 10 thirty gold basins, four hundred and ten silver basins of a similar kind, and one thousand other articles. 11 All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with the captives who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:18 Plundered; Jeremiah 29:14 Restored Physical objects produce an emotional connection with the

past

Who is Sheshbazzar?

• Most likely he is Zerubbabel

• Zerubbabel was a direct descendant of David (royal blood line)

• Appointed Governor of Judah by Cyrus

• Led first groups back to Jerusalem

• Joshua the high priest went with him

God is sovereign!

Is God Stirring your heart?

Trust and Faith are the gateway to our worship

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own

understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,       And He shall direct your paths.

Discussion

Where do you find yourself inEzra 1?

Could God be directing yourcircumstances through a non-believer?

What are the similarities to the sojourners in Ezra that we Face as:

• We are working on our temple (of the Holy Spirit)

• We are working towards God’s kingdom not the kingdoms of earth

Where do you go FIRST when things get

bad?

• Faith/Trust produce worship.

If God is not first, look for hidden idolatry.

• What are you trusting in? Or are you tempted to trust in?

We need to turn from our idolatry

• Acknowledge them and ask for forgiveness and he will direct our paths

• Trust in the Lord alone and seek Him in His Word

• Rest in His sovereign promises• Pray out of the scriptures we studied

today

Individual and group prayer:Based on today’s passages in

scriptureHumility and thanksgiving

• Ezekiel 16:8 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD.

Trust and peace

• Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

• Turn from the ways of the world to the work of the lord: building his kingdom

• Ezekiel 16:49-50 …had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination.

• Ezra 1:3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord.

Walk by Faith

• Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Jerusalem circa 1900

• Ezekiel 16:8 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD.

• Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

• Ezekiel 16:49-50 …had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination.

• Ezra 1:3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

In difficult or scandalous times?

Habakkuk 1:2-3 

• The Prophet’s Question

•      O LORD, how long shall I cry,       And You will not hear?       Even cry out to You, “Violence!”       And You will not save.       Why do You show me iniquity,       And cause me to see trouble?       For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.

Where is God in difficult times?

Psalm 22:1-2 

My God, My God, why have You forsaken

Me?         Why are You so far from helping Me,          And from the words of My groaning?

O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do

not hear; And in the night season, and am

not silent.