From the viewpoint of ordinary human
beings, life appears governed by power and wealth, by international
relationships built on confusing alliances of greed and
self-interest, and by policies that come and go without enduring
purpose. It probably seemed so to those who lived around the
Mediterranean Sea and throughout Palestine after Nebuchadnezzar's
Babylonian Empire crumbled under the strength of Persia's King Cyrus.
One empire rose only to fall to another, ruthless men conquered and
subdued smaller nations, and decrees were issued and withdrawn
according to political advantage.
A little “back story” to Ezra. The
northern Kingdom of Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians in 722
B.C. And
then the southern Kingdom of Judah was taken captive by the
Babylonians in 586 B.C.
Later the once-powerful nation of Babylon was
defeated by a new world power, Persia.
In the opening verses of
the Book of Ezra, we are given a different perspective on world
affairs. We are taken from the ground level, with its distortions and
limited vision, and given a view from above. At this clarifying
distance we see that life on earth is not directed by the whim of
rulers or the might of armies but by the determination of God.
Cyrus, the king of Persia,
decrees that all captive peoples were allowed to return to their
homeland. Cyrus then authorized Ezra to lead a group back to
Jerusalem to complete the temple.
Who was Ezra? He was a
descendant of Serâyâh
(ser-aw-yaw')
the high priest who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar when he burnt the
temple and city of Jerusalem. He was a priest living in exile in a
land now controlled by Persia. His name means “Yahweh
helps.” And it was with Yahweh's help that Ezra was able to lead a
good number of the Israelites out of captivity and back to Jerusalem.
In his Book, Ezra gives us an account,
1. Of the Jews' return out of their
captivity, ch. 1, 2.
2. Of the building of the temple, the
opposition it met with, and yet the perfecting of it at last, ch.
3-6.
3. Of Ezra's coming to Jerusalem, ch.
7, 8.
4. Of the good service he did there,
in obliging those that had married foreign wives to put them away,
ch. 9, 10.
5. This beginning again of the Jewish
nation was small, but before destroyed again in 70 A.D.
It was once more a sizable nation.
And so as the scene opens in Ezra 1,
the Jews have just seen the overthrow of the hated Neo-Babylonian
Empire, in 539 B.C., by Cyrus the Persian. And Daniel has just been
put into a place of honor by Darius the Mede, whom Cyrus appointed to
rule over the Neo-Babylonian territories (Dan 5:30-6:3). Also through
God's grace the children of Israel afforded the protection and help
of three Persian kings (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes). And with the
leadership of such great and godly Jews as Zerubbabel, Joshua,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra, the second Temple was completed and true
worship restored in Jerusalem.
1. God Is Sovereign (vs.
1-4)
Ezra opens by echoing the
concluding words of 2 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 ~ Now
in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia -- in order to fulfill the
word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah -- the LORD stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation
throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
"Thus
says Cyrus king of Persia, "The LORD, the 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!'"
The history recorded in
the Book of Ezra is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's prophecy
concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon at the end of
seventy years. Ezra faithfully preserved the records of that great
return to Jerusalem and transmitted them to the church in this book.
(Vs. 1) places Ezra's Book
in historical context. This was not a myth, it was current events: In
the first year of Cyrus king of Persia.
Actually Cyrus had ruled over Persia for some time, but it was his
first year as king over the Babylonians and their collapsed empire.
This was the first year in which Persian rule came to bear on the
Jews and other subject people; and for most of them it was a welcome
relief.
Cyrus, did not know it,
but he was an answer to prophecy. God; is the one true king. He is
the One who establishes His glory and redeems His people through His
Word (delivered by prophets) and power (demonstrated in the heart of
a pagan). Cyrus, his kingdom, and his role in releasing the Jews from
Babylonian captivity, were predicted before he was even born.
"It
is I who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd!
And
he will perform all My desire.'
And
he declares of Jerusalem, "She will be built,'
And
of the temple, "Your foundation will be laid.'"
(Isaiah 44:28)
“I
have raised up him (Cyrus) to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I
will direct all his paths. He shall restore my city and free my
captive people-and not for a reward!"
(Isaiah 45:13)
70 years were up and it
was time to go back home, so God stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia
to bring it about. Cyrus made his
proclamation in vs. 2-4. "Thus
says Cyrus king of Persia,...” This
was the official language of political authority. At first glance it
looks like Cyrus has an unusual reverence for Israel's God. But like
many pluralistic cultures like his own, he was willing to give credit
to any and all gods for his success as well as to seek their
blessings for his rule. It was also a politically savvy move. He
might offend a few, but gain the support of many. His kingdom
retained strength not through suppression, but through support of
people's beliefs.
Cyrus,
trying to be a good politician claimed that the God of Israel told
him to
build a temple at Jerusalem in Judah.
Little did he know just how right he was. It was God who had
appointed Cyrus to do that very thing, as both Isaiah and Jeremiah
foretold. Here he was doing the work of the One True King and Cyrus
missed it. It seems that to him the God
of Israel was
of no great importance. God to him was just another tribal or local
god.
When
you look at verse 3, you can see that this was not a forced
relocation. Those who wanted to go could go and those who wanted to
stay could stay. If the Jews had a chance to return to their
homeland, why wouldn't they want to go? There are various reasons why
they might not choose to return to Israel.
- New homeland/ new gods
- Long and dangerous trip
- Not sure what they would find there
- Lots of hard work
Reasons
(excuses) people might not choose to follow Christ Jesus. If you have
not asked Christ Jesus into your heart, what reason (excuse) are you
using?
As you see God is
sovereign. And in His sovereignty God can bring about cooperation
among different people groups.
2. Cooperation (vs. 5-11)
The Jews (vs. 5) – Like Cyrus,
they were a people whose heart the spirit
of God had stirred up.
Ezra let's us know it was not man's
plans to rebuild the temple, but God's.
Not all answered the call.
- Jerusalem was the City of David
- Was where God's Temple had been built
- Was the center of worship
Only three tribes – Judah, Benjamin,
and Levites; the priest
The Gentiles (vs. 6) – Through
Cyrus' decree the inhabitants were to help the returning Jews.
When the time came, the people living
throughout the region did, in fact contribute to the rebuilding
project and to the welfare of those returning. Reminiscent of the day
of the exodus from Egypt, the Gentiles in the surrounding area of
Palestine gave what Cyrus demanded. God provided for His people in an
unexpected way and He still does.
The king (vs. 7-8) – Cyrus threw his
support behind the Jewish building project once more. First there was
his decree to let the Jews go back to Israel. If that were not enough
he told everyone along the way and in the vicinity of Palestine to
help out.
Now came the peace-DE-resistance. Cyrus
had all the sacred articles belonging to the temple of the Lord
brought out and given to shēshbaṣṣar
(shaysh-bats-tsar')
These were the things that had originally been carried off by
Nebuchadnezzar. These sacred articles were going to be restored to
the restored temple, where there would be restored worship of the
Most High God. When I read this I am reminded that God does not do
things in half measures.
Conclusion:
God's all-encompassing sovereignty and humanity's capacity for choice
exist together: God – absolute and unrivaled in His actions and
authority; humanity – free and responsible for their choices.
God exists in dimensions
we cannot comprehend. He is, was, and will always be. He is distinct
in three persons, yet He is not divisible – He is the Triune God.
Preexisting all things visible and invisible, and creator of all.
This is the God who orchestrated the return of the Jews to Palestine
and the rebuilding of the temple. And this is the same God who died
as God -man on the cross so that you might be restored to Him.
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