RESTORED PEOPLE

Ezra 1-2 Page 458

Sermon Big Idea: The journey to restoration begins by trusting the plan, provision, and purposes of God.

This journey will be a second exodus for God’s people.

Ezra 1:1-4 “1 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: 2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever 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 rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.””

Believe that what is happing around you is the plan of our sovereign God.

Every journey of restoration has a starting point. Interesting how this one started, because of the apparent source of the initiating action. It didn’t come from an internal revolt or protest from the Israelites.

From a worldly prospective it came from the actions and decree of the Persian pagan king Cyrus.

This happened in history 539 BC when he issues the Cyrus Cylinder

which some secular historians refer to as the first bill of rights.

The Cyrus Cylinder Size of a football and was buried as a foundation stone. is one of the most famous surviving icons from the ancient world.

Excavated at Babylon in 1879, the Cylinder was inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform on the orders of the Persian king Cyrus the Great after he captured Babylon in 539 B.C.

It marks the establishment of Persian rule and records how Cyrus restored shrines and allowed deported peoples to return home.

Although not mentioned, it is thought to be at this time that the Jews returned to Jerusalem to build the Second Temple, as recorded in the Bible.

Yet here we see the initiator isn’t actually Cyrus but God fulfilling His promises to His people through him (the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus).

For Cyrus, lets’ not be confused with his motives or the purity of His worship of God.

He was a pragmatic politician

who saw how other empires (like Babylon) had been so tightly ruled in attempting to belittle and eradicate their cultures, customs, and religions

that people actually became MORE hostile and rebellions to their imperial agenda.

Conversely Persia actually encouraged local tribes, cities, regions to continue (even more ‘faithfully’) their religious practices as a pacification strategy.

If they have their little gods but don’t interfere with Persian rule they will be content.

It is Cyrus that ordered the people of Babylon to continue to fund and participate in worshipping the god marduk (bull sun god of Babylon) and protect the temple because who he gave credit for helping him overcome Babylon.

When he calls the God of the Bible “the God of Heaven” that’s him showing deference to the people of the God of the Bible,

but not necessarily God himself.

He is the God in Jerusalem….. close but not right on.

Because Cyrus was Zoroastrian there is a chief God Ahura Mazada who is in a power struggle so the “God of Jerusalem” is just one of the “good gods” that helped a brother out in his quest to take over the whole world.

It didn’t last long for Cyrus because he was killed in battle in 530 BC and none of us woke up fearing Medo-Persia.

His whole life Cyrus thought he was building his own kingdom

only when in fact it was all for God to use him to not build an empire

but set people free to build God’s city for God’s people.

Exile is over. Jeremiah said 70 years of captivity but gave hope that God had plans for you. Before Persia, Babylon was used by God to judge Israel, but they would not flourish or endure. The God who rightly exiles also graciously restores and returns His people to His presence. God is always the initiator – using Cyrus to cast out enemies, God gave him authority, for a purpose as promised.

God directs the attitudes and actions of world leaders

So this is the way that Ezra begins his account of the first installment of the new exodus.

You remember what the Lord did to Pharaoh’s heart? He hardened it (Exod 7:3; 9:12)

Then we read in Deuteronomy 2:30 “30 But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day.”

And Daniel 5:20 says of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 5:20 “20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.”

So God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, hardened Sihon’s spirit and made his heart obstinate, and the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar was hardened.

When God stirs the spirit of Cyrus in Ezra 1:1, He is doing the same thing that He did at the first exodus and on these other occasions,

but in a different way.

As the new exodus begins, God stirs up the spirit of Cyrus.

Its true what Proverbs 21:1 “1 on screen

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

APPLICATION:

Are you worried about recent political developments? About what your government is doing? Do you believe Proverbs 21:1? This world is God’s stage.

The bad guys have their strongholds, but they remain God’s characters.

This is God’s cosmic drama. He will have His way.

Furthermore, Paul commands us to pray for the people in authority, though bad guys they may be.

The Bible shows us that God has the ability to move the stream of water (the king’s heart)

such that life gets worse for God’s people,

and God has the ability to stir up that stream of water such that God’s promises to restore and bless His people begin to be fulfilled.

Are you praying for God to prosper the gospel by means of the streams of water that now rule the word?

Do we have more hope in the next...

Governor

The next Superintendant

The next presidential Candidate, than God.

Look at how Ezra regards the prophecies of Jeremiah: “the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah” (Ezra 1:1).

Ezra 1:1 “1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled...

Jeremiah spoke God’s word.

This is where we get our understanding of the Bible as being

both divine and human,

both authoritative and sufficient.

And we believe the Bible to be totally true and trustworthy because God is faithful to keep His word.

Turn to Isaiah 44 Page 719

This is a complete fulfillment of a very specific prophesy

Jeremiah 29:10 “10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.”

And then Isaiah 44:28-45:1 “28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ” 1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:”

Isaiah preceded

the exile by well over 100 years and the fulfillment by nearly 200.

Cyrus “First year” would be 539 BC and Isaiah was writing in 740-700 BC…

and he’s giving a play by play like a live broadcast.

This would be like someone writing in 1740 that not only there will be a large extermination of Jews by Germany, but that president Rosevelt of a yet to be developed nation will free the Jews form Nazi Germany.

If you read that in the rearview you might want to know what else he had to say.

The purpose of pulling this in is not bible trivia

but to see the God of the universe is the author of the story,

so He can be trusted to know, foretell, and even orchestrate

His story as it unfolds in time for us,

but for Him it is already written.

That should give us great peace

as we consider the promises of God in light of whatever circumstances you might find yourself in at this present moment.

So when in exile or captivity

take heart that God had already written a story

that He says is for your good, your flourishing, and a future hope.

Not only is God in Control of History and the future But his word is true

Look at how Ezra regards the prophecies of Jeremiah: “the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah” (Ezra 1:1).

Jeremiah spoke God’s word.

This is where we get our understanding of the Bible

as being both divine and human,

both authoritative and sufficient.

And we believe the Bible to be totally true and trustworthy because God is faithful to keep His word.

Look at what God does—He stirs up Cyrus so that what He spoke through Jeremiah “was fulfilled” (1:1).

God will keep His word.

If that nail isn’t already fixed in your thinking, let Ezra 1:1 place it, and let every testimony to it in this passage be like a hammer blow on that nail until it is firmly driven home. No human and no demon will ever dislodge it.

God will keep His word.

He will judge sin.

He will save those who trust in Jesus.

Holiness will lead to happiness.

God will keep His word.

He will save you and keep you saved.

He will always be with you

We has not tempted you

God is sovereign and in control. Not just with the big things and important people. But he is sovereign of your life and my life as well

Ezra 1:5 “5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.”

Just as God had “stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia

so now the people’s faithful response to that proclamation came from “everyone whose spirit God had stirred … to go up” (1:5).

God directs the attitudes and actions of His people

The Lord leaves nothing to chance.

Just as He stirred the spirit of Cyrus, s

o He stirs the spirits of these who return in the second half of Ezra 1:5.

The same terminology used in Ezra 1:1 for the stirring of the spirit of Cyrus is repeated in 1:5 for the stirring of the spirit of those who went up to Jerusalem.

Ezra repeated the same words in the two verses to show the Lord’s power both over Cyrus and over His people.

Look at the influence the Lord has!

APPLICATION:

Are there members of your family who are not interested in building the church, the temple of the Holy Spirit? Ask the Lord to stir their hearts.

Do you have friends or neighbors or people in your life that you would love to see moved to join the cause of covering the stage God built with His glory?

Do you see the rulers of the world and fear the detrimental effect they could have on the gospel?

Seek the Lord to stir their hearts. He can do this great work.

The Table

Revelation 5:12 “12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!””

God saved Israel from Slavery of Egypt.

God also saved them again from Captivity of Babylon.

As we take this bread we can to know that we have been saved from the slavery of Sin Because jesus is our Lamb and our Redeemer.

Lets Pray

Rev 5:9-10 “9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.””

Just as the blood of the lamb saved the Israelites form God’s wrath of death.

Christ’s blood on the cross has saved us form the wrath of God and has redeemed us from our sins by making us part of the family of God.

Lets Pray.

Entrust your life to the provision of a generous God

The Lord Jesus is the Provider, taking care of his people all along our journey.

1:6-8 “6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.”

God actually provided everything- including the internal change of heart inside his people!

In verse 5 the Scripture says that YHWH stirred up the heads of the different families to lead them back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Not only that, but God even provided their neighbors-

the Persians, Babylonians, and other people groups living among them-

to resource them with what they would need to accomplish this rebuild: silver, gold, goods, and even livestock.

Additionally, in verses 9-11,

Ezra 1:9-11 “9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.”

Cyrus made sure that all the items from the temple that had been previously looted by the Babylonians and stored in their treasuries decades before would now be given back to the people of God and returned back into the temple when it was rebuilt- down to all the gold basins, bowls, and other vessels made of gold and silver!

This whole situation again describes a “second exodus” for Israel.

The first exodus was when they were delivered out of slavery from Egypt.

Now in this second exodus, YHWH delivered his people again- this time from exile in Babylon.

God is the Provider who would take care of all their needs

for their journey and for the rebuilding of the city and temple.

He would not abandon them to fend for themselves

on their journey back to Jerusalem or in the rebuilding process of the city walls and the temple.

He provided for them and would continue to do so every step of the way!

This theme of the assistance from neighbors in Ezra 1:4

reminds us of something that happened at the exodus from Egypt:

in Exodus 3:21–22 the Lord declared to Moses,

And I will give these people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you go,

you will not go empty-handed.

Each woman will ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry, and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters.

So you will plunder the Egyptians.T

hat’s exactly what happens in Exodus 11:2–3 and 12:35–36.

Warren Gage has noted, “every instance of tabernacle-temple erection undertaken in the Bible finds the edifice built of victory plunder” (Gage, Gospel of Genesis, 22n21).

Moses built the tabernacle with Egyptian gold.

Solomon built the temple with materials David had plundered in his conquests (1 Chr 26:26–27 “26 This Shelomoth and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts that David the king and the heads of the fathers’ houses and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated. 27 From spoil won in battles they dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the house of the Lord.”

Zerubbabel built the temple we see here in Ezra with this gold taken from the nations,

and Jesus took captivity captive and distributes gifts as He builds the temple of the Holy Spirit, the church, equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph 4:7–16 “7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

The Lord Jesus is the Provider, taking care of his people all along our journey.

In their first exodus, how many ways did YHWH take care of Israel?

And yet, they were so cynical at those moments when they needed to trust that he’d provide water and food,

that he’d defend them from their enemies,

or that he’d lead them in conquering the Promised Land.

They were so discontent in their hearts and so quickly made their own idols and complained against the Lord!

Distrust, Cynicism and discontent plague our hearts too as we go along this journey of following Jesus to our heavenly home.

APPLICATION:

These are both very hard to see in our hearts, but I’ll try.

Cynicism can look like unwillingness to pray and talk to God about our situations and what we might need. It can also look like procrastinating on things you know God wants you to follow through on: you keep putting off that get-out-of-debt plan (thinking “I can never get out of this debt”) or that request to meet up to resolve a conflict with someone (thinking “that person will hurt me again”).

Discontent can look like constantly thinking that others have it better than you or restlessly chasing after various things to occupy your affections and attention. You might not be able to listen to the Lord or talk to him because you are frustrated with the path that he’s taken you on so far.

But the bar for the Father’s care for us is set at the giving of the Lord Jesus, as the apostle Paul wrote in...

Romans 8:32 (ESV): He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things.

First, in what specific ways have cynicism and discontent distorted your view of the Lord? a) Think about the ways you have become cynical towards God and in his provision in your life. Is it in your lack of prayer? Is it in putting off or avoiding things you know God wants you to follow through on? Or think about the ways you express discontent towards God and in his provision in your life. Is it in in constantly thinking others have it better than you? Is it in that restlessness in your heart that always chases after other things to occupy your affections and attention? I want to call us to repenting of these things as the Holy Spirit convicts us!

Follow the covenant-making God who has called you for a purpose.

All God’s word is profitable for teaching, reproof, etc. So a deeper study of these verse will not be fruitless.

But when you see the preaching of the Old Testament in Acts,

you often see cliff notes versions, and summaries.

At times this is how we’ll preach and teach through this text.

Read it, listen to it on your Bible app meditate on it,

name your kids or your goats from this list (a few of my favorites are Ono “the other Elam” Hagabah.

But there is much to glean as disciples of Jesus on how

we respond to the call of God to walk out of exile and into the mission of renewal for His glory.

We see in this chapter there is a general call but a specific response.

Chapter 1 Cyrus had given this decree and that has gone out on blast inviting and encouraging people to return to their true home.

We saw in verse 5 that hearts were stirred by God.

AND now have deeper confirmation of God’s stirring by being giving a specific account of the census of those who responded to the call with active obedience.

Look at chapter 2

Ezra 2:1-2 “1 Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 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:”

Verse 1-2 You have clear leadership beginning with Zerubbabel, and nearly a dozen others.

You have clarity on the family linage of many “The sons of” and for others their geographic background “the men of” you have break down of roles.

Each group and person You have “know men” priest, singers, levites temple servants.

Ezra 2:64-65 “64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers.”

All told there are nearly 50,000 over a few years.

This is not an insignificant amount.

They are well equipped for their journey.

Each of these families, tribes, locations, offices and roles represent people who have known exile,

who by God’s Spirit have been moved by a vision of going back to a place of dwelling in/near the presence of God.

They left what they knew

the misery,

the security,

even the mission of helping the cities they were in flourish for a long journey away from familiarity (Jer 29:7 “7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” )

into an unknown adventure

participating in renewal and restoration of God’s people

dwelling again with God.

Each step they take for 4 months is a step of faith.

They know turning back is not their home.

They know they have been called to return to a home that they have only been told about but have never seen or experienced.

Our restoration begins with the heart.

The make-up of this first wave of exiles is telling in how God executes renewal in the life of His people.

God doesn’t start with the structures or the laws, he starts with the hearts.

The first wave was not the builders,

but he brought back worshippers.

It doesn’t matter how skilled you are at building something if the object of and nature of your worship is distorted.

This is telling in how God designs renewal.

Nehemiah with the structure is LAST.

Right worship is first.

How God’s people came to their own ruin was from worship problems,

not a skill or ability issue.

You want renewal, have right worship.

Ezra 2: 59-63 “59 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. 61 Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim.”

There is this large group who were outside the clear family line but wanted to participate so they walked.

Only problem they couldn’t prove they belonged to the people through genealogies.

They were not found in the book and considered unclean.

They were denied full participation in the community and holy foo

They could not participate in the worship or work of Christ till they could prove they were form preistly families.

Our restoration is determined by faith not by family.

As Christians, we live in a far better time where we don’t need to trace our family linage to prove we’re part of Abraham – Isaac – Jacob’s family.

We don’t have to look through our bloodline to see to see if we belong to the family.

We look to the lines of blood that flowed down the cross from Jesus who’s sacrificial death in our place purchased our redemption and adoption into the family of God.

APPLICATION

We don’t have to prove it we have to receive it.

It was His royal declaration “it is finished” on the cross that declared an end of our captivity to sin and death.

Have you entered into the family of God.

Receive restoration and forgiveness on the basis of Christ’s work, not yours.

Come to Christ through faith in the cross of Christ.

We don’t have anything to prove, we have a place to go, a mission to be on and all who claim Christ as their new family get to partake of the holy meal (Communion)

We are released and free to begin a new journey out of Babylon and to a new Jerusalem with a called out community of God’s people that at times seems small and out of balance but is perfectly arranged and deployed for God’s purposes.

CONCLUSION:

The beginning of Ezra is a retelling of the Exodus story out of Egypt,

but more importantly, it foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ and his forever Kingdom on the New Earth.

We are home (now) in Jesus and as we wait for his (not yet) return and our forever home with him.

Jesus Christ is the home away from exile for which you were destined.

We are no longer exiles.

We are no longer in captivity.

But we are not yet home. As God stirs our hearts with His Spirit He leads us home to Jesus who makes us to be his home - his temple.

So the home we are destined to be in is not ruined city but resting in Jesus Christ is the home away from exile for which we are destined for and walk towards as we

Trust Jesus.

What is your Babylon? Where are you in exile?

As we come to the table respond to the call of God to be saved, to put down sin.

As we come to the table

What ruins are you recognizing in your life.

How is God reforming your life.

What regressions did you experience this week that need to repented of.

The Offering

Ezra 2:68-70 “68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. 70 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel in their towns.”

Everyone of them had been blessed by God with resources and networks of people around them God doesn’t call them to more than they are capable of or equipped for.

He calls them to respond to gracious salvation with clear generosity.

They’re blessed by the government, their communities, AND they gave of themselves for the purpose of God’s kingdom being established and His presence being made know in the place they were called to.

We have been perfectly equipped by God with favor, influence, blessing, so each of us is called to give cheerfully to fund the mission God has called us to be on. So saved people on the journey are people who freely give because they have been feed to give.

We give because we’ve been given much and we are motivated by the mission we’ve been called to.

cheerful giving is certainly about more than money, but it is also never about less than money.

Where have you been blessed or equipped by God that according to your ability you should be directing to His mission? You worship God with everything your time, your talent, AND your money. This is why we give.