Fear No Fear

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

“Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak set out and began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And with them the prophets of God were helping them.” (Ezra 5:1-2)

It had been almost three years since the work on the Temple stopped. Haggai prophesied to Zerubbabel over a period of three months (Haggai 1-2). Zechariah focused on the future of the Jews and the coming of Messiah (Jesus), as well as the end times (Zechariah 1-14). After hearing the Word spoken, Zerubbabel responded (Romans 10:17). He obeyed the Lord and started building the Temple again. Which got their enemies all worked up and they demanded the work stop. But they would NOT stop, continuing according to God’s instruction. So the enemies wrote the king of Babylon demanding a ‘final settlement’ of the matter. They got it.

The eyes of God were on the Jews and their elders. Darius, the king of Babylon, sent his response. The Jews were to continue work. The Temple was to be rebuilt. Firmly laid according to firm dimensions (Ezra 6:3-4). It was to be made of heavy stones and new timber. They were to be given money from the royal treasury. All Temple treasures were to be restored to the Temple, taken to Jerusalem, and deposited there. The people who had been making trouble were to remove themselves from Jerusalem and keep themselves FAR from there – leaving the work on the Temple alone. The governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews were the ones who were to build the Temple on its site. No one else. In addition, the cost of the king’s treasury to build the temple was to be taken from taxes of the regions of the enemies of the Jews and immediately paid from them directly to the Jews. Also, whatever they need for burnt offerings and sacrifices (young bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine, or oil) was to be provided to them as well. If anyone alters the edict of Darius, their house was to be pulled down and turned into a refuse heap and they were to be impaled on the timbers. According to Darius the Temple was going to be built and the troublemakers were going to pay for it. And finally, Darius asked God in Heaven to destroy any king or any people that lifted their hand to destroy the Temple. Now THAT is the favour of the Lord in action!

The enemies of the Jews were careful to do exactly what they were told. The people continued the work. They benefited from the prophesying of the prophets who had lit the fires under them again. The Temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius – four years after they restarted. Then the people celebrated with great joy. They offered for the dedication of the Temple 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 male goats. The priests were given their assignments by division as written in the Law. And Passover was kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, as it was written. They kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. It was a joyful time.

After all of this, during the reign of (a different) Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra (author of the book), a skilled scribe, was granted permission to visit Jerusalem. Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. It took him five months to travel there. He had it on his heart to teach statutes and ordinances of the Law in Israel. Ezra came with orders from the king. He was to investigate the people and make sure they were following the Law diligently. Anyone who wanted to live in Jerusalem, Judah, or Israel could go back with him. And the king gave him money to use for buying animals for sacrifices, as well as the freewill offering of the Jews of Babylon that they gave for the Temple. Anything else the Temple needed would be provided from the king’s treasury. Ezra took with him 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt – as much as needed. A talent was about 75 pounds. A bath was about 7 gallons. This was a LOT of stuff. Also, the king made it clear that priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants were not to pay tax, tribute, or custom to the government of Babylon. Ezra was told to establish judges and magistrates all over the countries of Judah and Israel. They were to know the Law of God to be qualified and Ezra was to teach anyone who didn’t know the Law. If someone did NOT keep the Law of God, they were to punished swiftly – by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment. This was also the hand of the Lord. Amazing favour.

Going by the count here (although the counts in Nehemiah differ) there are about 1,500 men (plus women and children) that went back with Ezra. They also brought servants for the Temple. (about 250). Ezra had talked about trusting in God like they all had, so he was embarrassed to ask the king for a protection escort for the people and all the valuables. So they camped by the river of Ahava and he proclaimed a fast. They sought the Lord for guidance as to what way they should travel. God answered. The priests were given charge of the valuables and they travelled to Jerusalem. No ambushes were laid against them and were delivered from their enemies – favour from the Lord. They arrived and stayed three days in Jerusalem.

On the fourth day the valuables were weighed out and deposited in the Temple. The new arrivals to Jerusalem gave for burnt offerings to the Lord 12 bulls, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering. They delivered the orders of the king to the king’s satraps and governors in the region. Those governors and satraps obeyed the king and supported the Jews and the Temple. Again, more favour of the Lord. See what obedience brings? No disruptions of the BLESSING.

Summary

Key Players: God, Zerubbabel, Zechariah, Haggai, Ezra, Darius

Key Verse(s): Ezra 5:1-4, 17; 6:3-12, 16-22; 7:6-10, 12-24; 8:21-23, 31-36