Ezra-7-Lesson-9-Feb
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Book of Ezra STONY POINT CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL BIBLE CLASS WEEK 9 EZRA CHAPTER 7 Tom Harkins February 7, 2021 1 60 years have passed, Darius succeeded by Xerxes, the king that married the Jewish girl, Esther, who came to the aid her people, including the ones in Jerusalem, to preserve their lives Xerxes was succeeded by Artaxerxes, his son Artaxerxes, moved by the Spirit of God (I What’s been believe) supported Ezra in his desire to go to Jerusalem, bring the teaching and the Law of going on since Moses Ezra Chapter 6 Map of Persian Empire Ezra Chapter 4 and Ezra Chapter 7: Artaxerxes The Mention of Artaxerxes (and Xerxes) appears out of chronological order, as if the writer of Ezra did not know that Darius was Persian King at the time of the protesting letter. 21st Century writing is usually chronological, but not so for ancient writing. One plausible explanation is that this is a comparison between the protest sent to Darius I and similar protests sent to Xerxes and Artaxerxes. The reference to Darius I is to the building of the Temple, Xerxes and Artaxerxes refers to complaints concerning the building of the fortifications of Jerusalem after the completion of the Temple. Ezra-Who is Ezra Artaxerxes Letter What the King commands How Ezra is to fulfill the King’s commands A surprising view of how all this will work Ezra Chapter 7 Ezra’s proclamation of how good God is to place all of these resources and the King’s Return and commands to Ezra’s mission Artaxerxes Letter Ezra Sent to Teach the People 7 Now after this, vin the reign of vArtaxerxes king of Persia, wEzra the son of Serai ah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, so n of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chi ef priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe xskilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, yfor the hand of the LORD his God was on him. 7 And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and zsome of the priests and aLevites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple bservants. 8 And Ezra1 came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 Cyrus the Great-559-530 BC Cambyses-not mention in the OT-529-522 BC Darius I-521-486 BC Xerxes I-485-465 BC Artaxerxes-Commissioned both Ezra and then Book of Ezra and Nehemiah, 464-424 BC the kings of Persia Timeframe over both books, over 100 years!! He is the Chief Priest, his lineage goes back to Aaron, brother of Moses, the first Chief Priest of Israel. The fact that this lineage was preserved during the Exile to Babylon speaks to, not only the perseverance of the Priestly line by the Israelites, but to God keeping this line of priests for this very time. He is also a scribe, recorder of the Law, preserver of the documents from which our own Old Testament is derived Who is Ezra Seraiah-Last High Priest before the Exile to Babylon Zadok-A Chief Priest under King David, the Zadokites were loyal to God and did not follow the false gods, down through the years, were the High Priests in Zion until 171 BC Ezra’s heritage as Aaron-The brother of Moses, the first High Priest from the Exodus High Priestly character For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, cfor the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it dand to eteach his statutes and rules in Israel. Not a secretary, more like a lawyer Scribe preserved the written law, followed specific rules in transcribing the Law, reason why, even with human, flawed hands, we have a very reasonable version of the original text Scribe taught the Law-teachers, to bring the Law to those that did not know it Scribe administered the Law, interpreting and Ezra the scribe applying the Law 1 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, fking of kings, to Ezra the priest, the gscribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace.2 hAnd now 13 iI make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king jand his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and also to carry the silver and gold that the king jand his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, kwhose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 lwith all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and mwith the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. Clearly Ezra was not just going to Jerusalem, he was being sent by the King and his seven counselors Ezra was to find what was happening with the returnees, teach the Law, fulfill his role a High Priest and a give report back to the court He had the support of the King in this endeavor, being sent with resources for worship and sacrifice The Jews in Babylon were being encouraged to join Ezra in his going to Palestine The generous outpouring from this pagan king The letter from and his ministers seems….supernatural in King support of the people of God Apparently, supporting the “religion” of Artaxerxes….. foreign states was not unusual for Persian kings 7 With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and nyou shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. 18 Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. 19 The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king’s treasury. 21 “And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, 22 up to 100 talents3 of silver, 100 cors4 of wheat, 100 baths5 of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Works out to be 3.75 tons of silver! This amount happens to be the same amount demanded by Pharoah Neco as tribute from Judea, 2 Kings 23:33 (along with a talent of gold) Appears God was working out a balancing of the scales, a return to Judea of the wealth taken by previous authorities, given back by 100 Talents of the Persian King Silver sent by Artaxerxes 23 Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. 24 We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose otribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. 25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, pappoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. qAnd those who do not know them, you shall teach. 26 Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.” Ezra lived the Law, desiring not to just learn it but live it and to bring to the people of Judea now established there Ezra, a man who did not just study the law Artaxerxes was also imputing power to Ezra to enforce Jewish law in Judea, to appoint judges and magistrates and to grant tax exempt status for Temple workers, priests, etc. This seems to be giving considerable civil power to a scribe, a chief priest, not a civil leader, royal relative Further underscores Artaxerxes opinion of Ezra as a man of God, at least a man of the Jewish God Legal power given to Ezra 27 rBlessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, swho put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 tand who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers.