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“The Completion Of The Temple And Celebration”

Ezra 6:13-22 Teaching Aim: To see the relationship between the proper response to God’s Word and the receiving of God’s blessings. To realize the temple was completed right on time according to God’s prophetic timetable, demonstrating that we can trust God and His Word. To understand the Passover celebration is a type (or foreshadow) of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ for our sins!

DIGGING DEEPER INTO GOD’S WORD (BIBLE STUDY) Part I: Background to the last half of Ezra chapter 6 (Ezra 6:1-12) 1. WhichPersiankingorderedasearchbedonetofindthedecreeinwhichthelateKingCyrushad

authorizedtheJewstorebuildthetempleinJerusalem(vs.1)?Wherewasacopyofthisdecreefinallyfound(vs.2)?WhywasKingCyrusinthiscity?(SeeCommentaries)

2. Whatdoverses3-5revealaboutKingCyrus’sdecree?WeretheJewsobeyingCyrus’decreeashe

hadwrittenitorweretheyactingontheirowninitiative?WhatcommanddidDariusissuetotheprovincialgovernorTattenaiandhisassociatesinverses6&7?

3. WhatunexpectedcommanddidKingDariusissuetotheresidentsofTrans-Euphratesinverses8-

10?HowdoyouthinktheGentileresidentsofTrans-Euphratesfeltwhentheyreceivedthisdecree?WerethepagansbetterofforinworseshapeaftercomplainingabouttheJewsinJerusalem?Why?

4. WhatdidKingDariusdotoputsometeethintohisdecree(vv.11&12)?Inwhatwaywasthe

decreefromKingDariusIsimilartothedecreeGodissuedinRev.22:18-19?WhatfinalwarningwasgivenbyKingDariusinverse12afterhehadmadeitacapitaloffensetohindertheworkoftheJews?

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Part II: The completion of the Second Temple and its dedication (Ezra 6:13-18) 1. Accordingtoverse13,howquicklydidGovernorTattenaiandhisassociatesfollowtheordersof

KingDarius’decree?Whydoyouthinktheyrespondedsoquickly?Dopeoplerespondthisquicklytoourgovernment’sdemandstoday?Whyorwhynot?

2. What was the main reason the Jews resumed their construction of the temple in Jerusalem (vs. 14)? According to Haggai 1:1-6, had the Jews been more interested in building their own houses or in building God’s house? Do you find the same attitude is true of you today? Why or why not? What are you doing to contribute to the building of God’s house (the Church)? What happened as a direct result of the disobedience of the Jews (vs. 6)? Does God still discipline nations today with droughts? How should we respond once we realize our nation has sinned? (See 2 Chron. 7:14; 1 John 1:9)

3.WhydoyouthinkEzramentionedKingArtaxerxesIinverse14when,infact,hedidn’tbeginreigninguntilsome55yearsaftertheeventsofchapter6tookplace?(SeeEzra7:21-24&Commentaries)

4.Accordingtoourmoderncalendar,whenwastheSecondTemplecompleted(vs.15)?(See

Commentaries)HowmanyyearsdidthisoccurafterthetemplehadbeendestroyedbyKingNebuchadnezzarandhisBabylonianarmyin586B.C.?Whyisthe70gapbetweenthetwoeventsimportant?(SeeJer.29:11-12)WhyhadtheJewsgoneintothe70-yearcaptivityinthefirstplace?Haveyoueverhadtopaytheconsequencesforasinthatyou’vecommitted?Ifso,whathappened?

5. Accordingtoverse16,howdidtheJewishpeoplereactwhenthetemplewascompleted?Why

wasthetempleinJerusalemespeciallyimportanttotheJewishpeople?WhataresomeofthedifferencesbetweenthepurposeoftheJewishtempleandthepurposeofmodernchurchestoday?(SeeRom.6:10;Heb.9:24-28;1Pet.3:18;Eph.4:11-13)

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6. HowmanyanimalsdidtheJewishremnantoffertoGodwhentheyrededicatedthetemplein516B.C.(vs.17)?HowdidthiscomparetothenumberofanimalsofferedduringthededicationofSolomon’sTemplearound953B.C.?(See1Kings8:4-5,62-63)Whythehugedifferenceinnumbers?(See2Cor.8:12)Howdoweseethisprinciplebeautifullyplayedoutwiththewidow’smite?(SeeLuke21:1-4)WhataresomewaysthatyouarecontributingtotheworkoftheLORD?

7. WhatspecialsignificancewasthereintheJewishremnantofferingtwelvemalegoatsatthe

dedication(vs.17)?ThetennortherntribesweredispersedthroughouttheworldfollowingthedevastatingdefeatbytheAssyrianarmyin722B.C.Inthepost-exilicera,onlytwotribesremained:JudahandBenjamin.WillIsraeleverseeall12tribesbacktogetherasone?(SeeEzek.37:15-24)

8. Accordingto1Chron.24:1-19,howmanydivisionsofpriestsdidKingDavidassign?Whatfamous

eventtookplacewhileapriestinoneofthesedivisionswasservingaround5B.C.?(SeeLuke1:1-13)WhenEzrarefersto“theBooksofMoses”,which5booksoftheBiblemighthehavebeenreferringto?(Hint:Googleit!)

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Part III: The first celebration of the Passover in over 70 years (Ezra 6:19-22) 1. Onwhatdaywasthetemplecompleted?(SeeEzra6:15&Commentaries)Accordingtoverse19,

whendidthisPassovercelebrationtakeplace?HowmuchtimehadelapsedbetweenthecompletionofthetempleandthecelebrationofthePassover?HowmanyyearshaditbeensincetheJewshadlastbeenabletocelebrateaPassoverinJerusalem?

2.WhatisthetypologicalsignificanceofthePassoverlamb(vs.19)Whatarethe7FeastsofIsraelandwhatisthespecialmeaningofeach?(Hint:Googleit!)

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3. WhatwasrequiredofthepriestsandLevitesbeforetheycouldslaughterthePassoverlambs(vs.20)?HowwerethepriestsandLevitestobecleansed?(SeeNum.8:7)WhoslaughteredthePassoverlambsatthetimeoftheexodus?(SeeExod.12:3-8)Accordingtoverse20,whatchangehadoccurredbythetimeofthecompletionoftheSecondTemple?

4. WhatcanwelearnaboutthewillingnessoftheJewstoallowotherstocelebratethePassoverwiththemfromverse21?WhywasitimportantfortheseJewishproselytestoseparatethemselvesfrom“thefilthofthenations”and“seektheLORDGodofIsrael”?WhatifanysignificanceisthereintheJewsandGentileproselyteseatingthePassoverSedertogether?(SeeMatt.8:10-12)

5. WhyisitimportantforChristianstobeintheworldbutnotoftheworld?(SeeJohn17:14-19)Whatisthedifferencebetweenthetwo?

6. WhatisthespiritualsignificanceoftheJewish“FeastofUnleavenedBread”(vs.22)?HowistheremovalofsininourlivesportrayedthroughthisJewishfestival?(Hint:Googleit!)Whataresomeareasofsininyourlifethatneedtobesweptclean?Whatareyoudoingtosweepyourhouseclean?

7. Accordingtoverse22,howdidtheJewishremnantrespondwhentheywerefinallyabletocelebrate“thePassoverFeast”and“theFeastofUnleavenedBread”forthefirsttimeinover70years?HaveyoueverexperiencedthejoyofreturningtoChristianfellowshipafterbeingabsentforawhile?Howdiditfeel?WhyisitsoimportantforChristianstogatherinworshipandnotforsaketheassemblingtogether?(SeeHeb.10:24-25)

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8. HowinvolvedwastheLORDinturningKingDarius’hearttowardhelpingtheJews(vs.22)?Examinethefollowingstatementfrom“theWestminsterConfessionofFaith”ChapterIII(Section1)“Godfromalleternitydidbythemostandholycounselofhisownwill,freelyandunchangeablyordainwhatsoevercomestopass;yetsoastherebyneitherisGodtheauthorofsin;norisviolenceofferedtothewillofthecreatures,noristhelibertyorcontingencyofsecondcausestakenaway,butratherestablished.”Howdoesthisstatementrelatetothesituationinourcountrytoday?

9. HaveyouexperiencedthejoyofworshipingtheLORDandbeinginarightrelationshipwithHim?Ifnot,whynotrepentandreceiveChristasSaviorandLordrightnowthroughprayer?

MINER’S CORNER ~ Manna to live by!

• The faithful teaching of God’s Word and spiritual blessing go hand in hand! • The proper response to God’s Word will lead to blessing; disobedience will lead to cursing! • When under attack remember, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) • Being materially rich isn’t everything, it isn’t nearly as important as loving God and loving your neighbor! (Matt. 22:36-40) • The Passover lamb is a foreshadow of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins! • It is important for each of us to cleanse ourselves and prepare our hearts for worship! • God has been sovereign throughout history, He still raises leaders up and brings them down according to the spiritual climate of a nation!