Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

The book of Ezra was written by Ezra (a possible author of Chronicles as well) around 460 to 440 BC. He narrates the return of the Jews to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the priest Jeshua. Then several decades later, he himself is charged to go to Jerusalem and check on the work being done there. This is seventy years after the Judeans were taken into captivity to Babylon (Jeremiah 25:12).

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the king proclaimed the Jews would return to build the temple in Jerusalem. This was prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-13). This is what Daniel was praying about (Daniel 9). When it came to pass, there was MUCH rejoicing. “When Yahweh restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. Then they said among the nations, “Yahweh has done great things for these people.” Yahweh has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore, O Yahweh, our fortunes like the streams in the Negeb. Those who sow with tears shall reap with rejoicing. He who diligently goes out with weeping, carrying the seed bag, shall certainly come in with rejoicing, carrying his sheaves” (Psalm 126). Cyrus decreed that Yahweh is God of the whole earth and gives kingdoms to men (Cyrus is one of only a small handful of secular kings that acknowledged this). Cyrus also decreed that God had given him the task to see that the Temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem (in Ezra 6:3-4 the declaration includes the dimensions of the Temple).

The Jews were allowed to return to Judah and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. They were allowed to take with them all the treasures of the Temple that had been carried off – 5,400 vessels of gold and silver. The people of Cyrus’ kingdom were commanded to assist the Jews by giving them money, goods, and livestock so that they could accomplish this. They were encouraged by the people of Babylon and they went to Jerusalem well provisioned for success. The heads of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, and all the Jews whose hearts were moved by God gathered themselves up and got ready to return. This was a GREAT day.

“Now these were the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exile whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:” (Ezra 2:1-2)

49,897 Jews returned to Judah. 42,360 regular people. 7,337 servants and maids. 200 singers. Zerubbabel (he is sometimes called Sheshbazzar, but they are believed to be the same person) was the leader. Jeshua was the head priest going with him. Zerubbabel is also mentioned in Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. They were given (apart from the Temple vessels) 61,000 gold drachmas (approx. 1,100 pounds of gold), 5,000 minas of silver (about 3 tons of silver), and 100 priestly robes.

The journey back took them about seven months from declaration to arrival. They dwelt in the cities there, and the Jews from Israel went up and lived in their cities as well. Even the Temple servants that went with them dwelt in the cities. God’s promises were coming to pass. He is EVERFAITHFUL!

Their next step was to gather in Jerusalem. Jeshua and his fellow priests built an altar and they offered burnt offerings on it. They did it according to what was written in the Law. This was a good start. Spiritual things first, worshipping God before all else. One of the reasons they did this was to push down the fear they had of the nations around them. The Jews’ return was NOT looked on with favour. But they built the altar, set it up, and performed the morning and evening offerings on it. They did it to make sure their trust was on the Lord, looking to Him and not their fears. They also held the Feast of Tabernacles, following it exactly as written. They started keeping the New Moons and the other appointed feasts. In addition, they gave freewill offerings. They put God first and did it willingly and joyfully.

They gave money to the masons and carpenters. They sent food, oil, and drink to Sidon and Tyre in exchange for cedar logs from Lebanon – something they had permission from Cyrus to do. And in the second month of the second year of their return, they began to work to restore the Temple. Everyone pitched in, and all Levites over twenty years old supervised it to make sure it was being done properly. That’s seven months of preparation for this task. When the foundation was laid, the priests were wearing their robes and blowing trumpets, banging cymbals, and praising the Lord. Everyone shouted with a great shout of praise, because the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid down.

That’s when the snakes came out.

“Now the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Yahweh the God of Israel. And they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, and they said to them, “Let us build with you. Like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him from the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assyria who brought us up here. But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, “It is not for you but for us to build a house for our God. For we ourselves alone will build it for Yahweh the God of Israel, just as Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”” (Ezra 4:1-4)

These people were descendants of those Assyrians (and others) who gave lip-service worship to God, but also sacrificed to idols (2 Kings 17:5-33). They were adversaries of Israel. They were not on God’s side. Their help was totally rejected, so they turned to trying to deject the Judeans. They caused trouble with the building project. And they hired people to make trouble with the king of Babylon, trying to get the whole thing scrapped.

These hired counsellors sent a letter to the king of Babylon. They called Jerusalem an evil city, always prone to rebellion. Now it was being built back up. The walls would be repaired. And then the people would rebel again – as they always did – and not pay taxes, tribute, or custom. That would hurt the king’s treasury and the people of the nations around Jerusalem would hate to see that happen. They suggested that the king check the historical records of the kings of Babylon and see just how rebellious and troublesome these Jews were.

The king of Babylon was no longer Cyrus, but Artaxerxes. He looked it up. He saw how they had rebelled. And he sent orders that the work be stopped. So the enemies of the Jews rose up, went armed to Jerusalem, and forced the work on the Temple to cease. It stayed stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

Summary

Key Players: God, Cyrus, Zerubbabel

Key Verse(s): Ezra 1:2-4, 7-11; 2:1-2, 64-70; 3:1-6, 10-13; 4:1-5, 17-24