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Ezra 1-3 Good Evening, Thank You All for Coming out Tonight. Also, We Want to Welcome Those of You Viewing Online Tonight Page 1 of 42 Ezra 1-3 Good evening, thank you all for coming out tonight. Also, we want to welcome those of you viewing online tonight. Tonight we are going to be starting the Book of Ezra, as we continue our study through the Old Testament here on Wednesday Nights. Before we begin tonight, I just want to remind you that this Friday is the Exalt Worship Night, it will be at 6pm here in the sanctuary and there will be Childcare as well. Those nights have been very fruitful as we have turned our attention solely upon our God in Worship. Please plan on being here, and maybe invite a friend. Let’s Pray and we will get into God’s Word this evening. So, I am excited to be through the Kings and Chronicles, so we can now get into this very important series of Books, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Page 2 of 42 These books are actually grouped with 4 others, from the Prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, and the Book of Daniel is also links with this group. They all deal mostly with the close of the 70 years of captivity that Jeremiah the prophet predicted would make up Israel’s sabbatical years. Jer. 25:11-14 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 'Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,' says the Lord; 'and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13 So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. 14 (For many nations and great kings shall be served by them also; and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their own hands.)'" Page 3 of 42 It was during this seventy years that the people of Israel were taken captive by the Babylonian Empire, and as we will see by the time those years were up, the Persian Empire had overthrown the Babylonians and had become the dominant empire at this time. Babylon was the “Fountainhead” of idol worship and false, demonic religion. Understand, all forms of wicked teachings, and false doctrines have their roots in Babylon. In the tribulation period, it rises to its prominent place in Satan’s agenda again, as it will be destroyed once and for all. Babylon’s agenda has always included to lead people away from God’s Truths, and God’s Word. And understand, the Jew’s time in this hub of Satanic worship healed them of their own lust for idols that they struggled with even early on out of Egypt, when Aaron made the golden calf, even unto Jeroboam’s golden calves, to Ahab and Jezebel’s introduction of the Canaanite form of idolatry. Page 4 of 42 They were always drawn to it… Yet, this seventy years in the midst of this pagan and wicked religion taught them very clearly the wretchedness of leaving the God of their forefathers, and His Scriptures. Really, the next part in Israel’s history will highlight their return to the Word of God. It will also carry much application for our lives even today. This is the amazing thing about God’s timeless Word, we find that even the things written long ago, have incredible meaning for our lives today Now, Ezra penned this Book during the reign of King Cyrus of the Persian Empire, who began his reign in 538 BC, again many, many years ago. The Jews saw Ezra and Nehemiah as one book, but the Christians divided into two books, but both are believed to be the same Author as 1 and 2 Chronicles, this man Ezra. Page 5 of 42 The writing styles are similar from Book to Book, and as we will see here shortly, Ezra begins just as the Book of 2 Chronicles ends. We will look at the first 3 chapters tonight, which will carry 3 important components with in the narrative. The first being, The End of the Babylonian Captivity, and the Release of the Captives. Secondly, the Remnant will Return to Jerusalem, and they will be listed by names and groups of people. And thirdly, the rebuilding of the Temple will begin… So let’s look at the first verse now of Chapter 1. End of the Babylonian Captivity(2 Chron. 36:22,23) 1:1 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, Page 6 of 42 Now, to understand a fuller picture of what is taking place here, understand the true starting point of all of this is found in Daniel, who understood the times. Dan 9:2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Daniel knew the times, because he was a man of the Word, and it is interesting that this man Daniel as he comes to this realization, that the time was almost fulfilled in captivity, he immediately goes to prayer. This realization brought him to his knees, and it brought him to personal confession and he even confessed the sins of the nation. And after owning up to and confessing the sins of himself and his people, Daniel boldly asks for healing, and forgiveness. Dan 9:18-19 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which Page 7 of 42 is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name." And it is on the back of this prayer from this godly leader, God starts to move on the heart of the king of Persia. God began to answer His servant’s prayer. Perhaps it was Daniel that brought the prophetic Word to the king. Interesting it was not only Jeremiah that prophesied about the events that would come about. But Isaiah approximately 150 years before Cyrus was even born said… Isa 44:28-45:1 44:28 Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," Page 8 of 42 And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."' Cyrus, God's Instrument 45:1 "Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held — To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: Now, that would have gotten the attention of this powerful king for sure, and the Lord stirs him now to fulfill the prophecy. So, Daniel’s private devotional and prayer life led to him being used greatly for the Kingdom of God’s sake, and for the Children of Israel. Don’t ever diminish or belittle your own quiet time with the Lord, being in His Word, and fellowshipping with Him in your prayer time. Of course, when you fully yield yourself to all that God speaks to you, and you obey what He is showing you, Page 9 of 42 you are allowing God to use your own life for great purposes. Andrew Murray said, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.” And Daniel in one way or another was used here to influence the king of Persia to make this decree concerning the Jews. It is mostly what we ended with last time in 2 Chronicles 36… 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. 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, Page 10 of 42 besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem. Understand no man is so powerful that God cannot direct his ways. I understand today many are very concerned with the trajectory of our country, but understand, it is God who controls the times and seasons. This most powerful king was still subject to the plan of God, and he recognizes God’s Hand upon his life, especially if the Isaiah scroll was shown to him. He realized that he was placed in this prominent position to perform the will of His Creator.
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