Rebuild Ezra 7 English 2/16/25

as we continue our journey, through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah,

I want us to really plant here, as we meet some new characters in our story. Is a quote, I found by a minister in Texas. A setback is a setup for a comeback. Who will do the mouthful. But I set up a setback is a setup for a comeback, think maybe put a little simpler, maybe it's not, but the inverse of that is a comeback is set up by set. Your sports fan at all. This was one of the coolest times but also one of the worst times in 2016. The Cleveland Cavaliers I was living in Cleveland, I was in residency if it's the Cleveland Cavaliers were down three games to one, they lost three games to the Golden State Warriors are on the road to look like their series with over, they were going to win an NBA championship. For the sad part about it is my mom was very sick during the time that she had pancreatic cancer. And the last time that she was awake, Last time she was coherent was getting 5G and I actually watching together, she was a big Cavaliers fan. She was Cleveland sports in the last night that she really was awake and with it before she passed, we got to watch Game 5 and it was a turning point. If I was a turning point because Cleveland want and they weren't down three games to one. Now is 3 to 2 and it was could they win two more games? And hopefully they did one of those fit in the shots in NBA finals, history, Kyrie Irving made and then LeBron James coming down the floor blocks. Andre Iguodala was easy, layup. And let those two plays They're going to know, come back. I got those two plays though. They would have never been in position. I've been, I had hundreds of plays before that over the previous two or three games. And a setback but it set them up for an incredible comeback.

Take me to the sports Trina. I know maybe probably Ellis. This was from Super Bowl 51 Julio Jones had one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history for the Atlanta Falcons, and with two minutes left in the third quarter. Basically, 3/4 the game over, New England was down, 2:32 And Tom, Brady cemented himself is probably the greatest quarterback of all time by then leading a comeback. There's no need for a comeback if there hadn't been a setback.

And if you will recognize many of the pictures here, this show Band of Brothers characterizes, many of the stories of 141st Airborne throughout World War II and maybe one of the greatest comeback in military history was at the Battle of the Bulge. When the Germans went on in defensive, through the Belgian Forest. Watering Americans and Allied troops. But under the direction of General, George Patton mounted, a massive comeback and by standing, their ground and bastogne were able to turn the tide of the war and March on Germany in World War II.

Come back is only set up though by setback. If you remember our timeline that we looked at last week, the temple is now completed. Simple. Now completed after about 22 years from the time of the decree of Cyrus to the temple. Being finished, 16 years in the middle of that. We're completely wasted. No one did anything. There was no work done on the temple, it took about six years total to build the temple and what they tell me. It's back to work the two years. It took him lay the foundation. They were finished with the temple and about four years after they finally got back to work. That in itself is a comeback. Anybody who knows anything about building things. Don't Anybody that would know that if you leave the foundation for 16 years with nothing on top of it, you're probably might as well just to start it over.

They are just a small microcosm of the comeback. God is Planning for his people. The winter is almost destroyed around 586. The 70-year Exile in the Babylonian captivity. God is Planning something special for his people. And setback after setback, many of which are self-imposed, he is leading this come back to go to people for his own possession.

Is today between Ezra chapter 6 and Ezra chapter 7. We have another 55 years old.

You turn one page in the Bible and it's like what happened? If you notice, when the timeline the Book of Esther is probably best position chronologically between Ezra chapter 6 and Ezra chapter 7. There's a lot of things happening in Babylonian captivity to God's children Israelites in 55 years.

He's like, I'm not 55.

A lot can happen in a short. Of time. And every chapter 7 picks up somewhere between 460 and 4:55 BC. And we encounter this man named Ezra So, we're going to spend the next few weeks talking about. You know, text today we're going to meet more of the characters in The Comeback that God is Planning. I want you to see from our texts this morning to Ezra ordered his heart.

Ezra wasn't enough. And clean or desserts. He's wasn't enough. First, Ezra or his heart. Look with me at chapter 7 and we'll begin in verse 11. After these events. I believe events. Wow, three words. For 55 years after these events, this is the epitome of a flash for during the reign of King artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra psoriasin, Azariah son, will Kaya son. And if you notice the next few verses or his genealogy it says a 6 team up from Babylon. He was ascribed. Building the law of Moses, which the Lord, the god of Israel was given the king and granted him everything he requested because the hand of the Lord, his God was on him. Some of the Israelites priest, Levi, singers Gatekeepers, Temple service, accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King artaxerxes. Ever came to Jerusalem in the fifth month in the seventh year of the king. He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first one and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month since the gracious hand of God was on him. Now azra, I determined in his heart. The study, the law of the Lord. Obey it. And teaches statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Azra had determined in his heart. The study of law of the Lord obey it and teach it statues and ordinances in Israel. Does that sound a lot like or scripture? Reading this morning, the Shema prayer. The Israelites would pray every morning and every night, hear o Israel. Listen, do Israel Iero. Israel. The Lord Our God. The Lord is one. Love. The Lord. Your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Bored. I'm giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children, teach them, teach them to the people around, you talk about them. When you sit your house, when you walk down the road, when you lie down, when you get up these words, these thoughts, these actions are to be on your heart and on your soul, binding, as a sign on your hand, but then be a symbol on your forehead, write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city, Gates. See, the Shema. When Jesus asked, what is the primary command? He answers with the Shema. Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself. Is tomorrow in the foundational. Declaration of God's Rule and Reign Over his people. It's the thing that we order our entire being around. Because he has one. The Lord is one. He is the creator. He is the one who created us, he is the one that gives us breath. He's the one that gives us life. He's the one that sustain us He's the one.

And every single fact of our existence must be ordered around that. But he is deserving of our love and our sacrifice. He is deserving of every single ounce of our being being dedicated and oriented toward and around him. Then we will revolve around him, that we will revolve around his creation. That everything we do will be in service to others.

Rather than a service for sale. God's Rule and Reign Over his people. This is the foundation in pink. Azra, ordered his heart. Under the rule and reign of God. From the very beginning in the garden, Adam and Eve were tasked with ruling and reigning over creation. When God set up his priests outside the temple, he gave them the order to rule and Reign Over the temple. every single person who is a creation of God has been given some measure of stewardship, I just a fancy way of saying you've been given Dominion to rule and Reign Over the things in your orbit.

Ezra Rule and Reign Over what God delegated.

He knew that his job, his passion, everything in his life, was going to be ordered around being a scribe.

A lawn mower. A lawgiver, a lot expert and Not only would he know the law, but he was going to do his best to live up to it and Obey it. And Not only would she live up to it and Obey it himself? What do with his eat it?

Is his be free? Didn't teach it to everyone else.

It was an editor's job to build the temple. It wasn't Ezra job to build the walls around Jerusalem. It wasn't as big as job to fix every single thing that is wrong with the world.

Ezra was given dominion over a specific thing, and it was his job to rule and Reign Over It. Let me see the story of Ezra and full of what you're going to realize is he wasn't going back to finish the temple or make it better. He wasn't going back to rebuild the walls and get protection to the children Israel. He was going back to restore the law.

Help people fall back in love with God's message in his word for his people. The show the true repentance, is it teach them what it means to love God, with all your heart. And with all your mind, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, That was his role. Nothing more and nothing less.

But like I said, it was ruling rain. Like our is limited.

God didn't make me king of the universe.

Because I wish you that God didn't put me in control of very much. when you go to how complex and complicated our world has become, when you see how connected we are, the more connected we become we realized the more complicated lives have become We almost know too much. And we see and look around at Injustice is all over the place at home and abroad.

I don't like you but I can't control those things.

Doesn't mean I don't want to. Doesn't mean I don't work towards trying to help. It doesn't mean I don't care.

The guy gave me something Limited.

Give me something to do. The media and gave you gifts. Can you put people around you?

And I think as we go through as written Nehemiah, we need to re-establish this principle. But we are limited. As we are rebuilding. And we're not individually in charge of it all. But there is no one person we can put the burden of everything on.

Because no one has that much control.

We're Limited. Over and over throughout the New Testament, Paul gives instructions about different groups of people where to take care of. Right, you're the one I'm talking about. 1st Timothy Chapter 5. He talks about how if you won't provide for your family, The place isn't that? It's worthless. You're as bad as someone who doesn't believe.

Why?

Because our rain and our rule. Is first and foremost, over ourselves and our families. And God is ordered the world first and foremost around ourselves and our families. And if we don't take care of ourselves and our family, it doesn't matter who else we take care of because that's our rule in our rain.

And then he spreads it out and he says you have Rule and Reign also over your brothers and sisters in Christ. The widows and orphans that are in your community as we keep expanding.

I don't have control over what's happening in Africa. I don't have what control over what's happening in other countries. I don't even have control over. What's happening in this country and neither do you

Maybe if we reorient around the way, God told us to orient our world and our rule in our rain like Ezra the one who is entrusted with little will then be entrusted with much.

Is there school in Rain? Like ours is one of these. Mecu number to the Ezra by himself, wasn't enough to lead. God's comeback story. Look at verse 12, our desserts. King of Kings. Is another character coming into the story and he's called the King of Kings because all the kings of the world at this time, in this region, report to him. The king of the Persian Empire that is conquered all the other Empires.

Riding toys with the priest, an expert in the wall of the god of Heavens. He says readings.

You are important and how special you have to be to get the most powerful person in the world. To write you a letter and say, greetings, The familiarity.

The persuasiveness that you must have. That the feeling of of interest in what happens to you like, artaxerxes must know him. Artaxerxes treats. This Jewish scribe, like a friend. He says he works 13-hour issue with the free that any of the Israelites in My Kingdom including their priests and Levites who want to go to Jerusalem. May go with you. You always were a Kudos LED an uprising. You could have gotten all these people that were told who were going to follow him back to Israel. He could have got them together and let her Revolution.

But instead, the government that is conquered Empires, that conquered, the Empire, that conquered Everest, people is saying you have my blessing.

So, do your part?

Does Route 18. You may do, whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

Y'all paying taxes? My government going to hoard your money. Running to put it into some little, you know, I don't know program that you can't access. It's yours. Do the will of your God and better yet. Not only the money that your people give are. We not going to tax? And are we not going to hoard? But we're going to let you have use of the royal treasury to pay for anything else you needed. The house of your God.

State-funded worship.

Woohoo. In a democratically established country in western civilization like ours where there has been over and over pounded into our heads that there is a distinct separation of church and state. Is it pretty cool? Government is on board with. This is a 21-19 artaxerxes issue a decree to all the treasures in the region west of the Euphrates whatever as were the priest, an expert in the law of God of the heavens, ask of you. Must be provided in pool. Every Grant the applies for stamp of approval.

Whatever is demanded by the god of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the god of the heavens. So that Rath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. And you as well according to God's wisdom that you possess a point magistrate in judges to judge all the people in the region Weston fries who know the laws of your God in the teach, anyone who does not know them.

What? Good to have your own law, you have to have your own rule, you can have your own rain money. Who is this? King.

Is it being sprayed of Yahweh?

The king who is scared that the Wrath of the god of the Israelites is going to fall on him and his family.

If nothing else, whether he believes in God or not, whether he worships the one true God or not. He and minimum is fearful of the God, who is the god of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

What happened?

What would happen? Star, how to save. Was it pro.

minimum, if this kind of state is it the parade of God and what he might do

If he's not obey.

Some of you really think this would be awesome, unlimited funding for God's people, they can rule and Reign Over their own little world.

How cool would that be?

Had a little news flash for you.

It wouldn't be enough.

It would be enough. Because we're going to see in Ezra chapter 9, but Ezra goes back. And even though all his efforts and all of the rebels at 4 to rebuild the Temple, the people are back doing the same junk. They were doing to begin with

You can put the most Pro God person in a position of power and Leadership over any Nation on this planet. And I can promise you that as long as soon as this somebody's going to mess it up.

Tell you that I'm in our government, no matter who is in charge and no matter who is in a position of power, no matter how Pro or anti God program teachers Pro and type whatever. They're not going to be enough.

They're not going to be enough to root out every Injustice on this planet. They're not going to be enough through. Even the smallest of Injustice has on this planet. There's a lot of fraud in government and corruption in government and abuse in government. I think that is beyond a shadow of a doubt, true that every government on this planet.

because when people get involved and selfishness becomes involved, things get messed up. and even though Ezra is doing his part and God is using King, artaxerxes to do his part, it's still not going to be enough to lead the comeback, the God has intended for his people. And that leads us to our third point point that King artaxerxes wasn't enough. Having the most Pro God King in the last I don't know 150 years having the most probe God leader of the last 150 years. It wasn't enough.

It doesn't verse 27 blessed. Be the Lord. The god of our ancestors who has put it into the king's mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and who has shown favor to me before the king counselors and all his powerful officers? So I took courage because I was strengthened by the hand of the Lord, my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me. Did you go back? Go over tape. 8:21 Ezra says, I Proclaim too fast. idea how the river so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions,

Proton. I didn't mean he would get everything ever says. I did it and I fasted and I humble ourselves and I prayed because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and Cavalry protect us from enemies during the journey. Since we had told him, the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him. But his Fierce anger is against all who abandoned So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this and he was receptive to our prayer.

I know about you but don't like to last week's sermon. I'm in a hurry. Been 55 years or something, since they finish the temple, and I've got the power and the rule in the rain to go back and do something to, to get it better, and to make it better and to keep improving. And progressing, as forward, I'm getting to Jerusalem at the fast as I can.

I'm probably not camping out by the side of the river and fasting and praying for days at a time.

But Ezra knew what you and I know. And that God's hand, it doesn't matter how or does her she's feels. It doesn't really matter what Ezra does. God is the one who is in control.

And we have to ask ourselves how did this head-of-state become Pro? God if you want to call it that, how did he become Pro worship? How do you become Pro is real life? I do hear the short list. Was it God putting like you know, thoughts into Darius and Cyrus and artaxerxes and Zuri was God, like telecasting, think one of them to do into their brains and forcing them against their will. I don't believe that for a second. A simple reading of this book and the Book of Daniel and the Book of Esther in the book of haggai and Zechariah will show you. That God's hand is on things. Throughout time. but if it weren't for Jeremiah Daniel might not have been who Daniel was. And if it weren't for Nebuchadnezzar appointing, Daniel, and Daniel to be in his sort of inner circle of servants. If Daniel hadn't stood up and said, I'm not going to eat the King's food, the Daniel hadn't stood up and said, you know what, I'm not going to play to Darius. if Daniel had been who Daniel was Ezra may not have had favor with artaxerxes years later,

But God uses people who order themselves around him. Did they influence and Rule and Reign Over at this point, the most powerful Empire that it ever existed?

Use Daniel friends. Shadrach Meshach in a Bendigo in the fiery furnace. The prove that he was in control to use these different Kings in these different decrees as his people regain favor, because they were ordering themselves around him. If you remember back from our lesson on, how did we get scripture? And we said, is it human written or God written? And we said, it's this

that is both its yes, I am not either or isn't that what we see from this whole story of Adeline in captivity God, using people who are oriented around him to accomplish his will The story of Esther is so incredible. Because King Xerxes is Hebrew, name is listed in the book of Ezra, but it's King Xerxes. The first His wife. It's on the wrong side of it, and she sent away. And there's an edict put out for a new wife. And this beautiful Hebrew young woman named Esther is chosen to be Queen of the empire.

What?

She doesn't tell him. I'm in this evil person named Cayman wants to commit Mass genocide against the Israelite and because there's a decree put out saying, yep will do that versus can't take it back.

Mordecai her uncle told the messenger to reply to Esther, don't think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you were in the Pink Palace. Even those powerful person, the second most powerful person in the entire nation. You really think that's going to save you? If you keep silent at this time. What are the face year? Did you keep silent relief and deliverance are going to come to the Jewish people from another place? But your father's family was destroyed. Who knows perhaps you have come to your Royal position. but such a time as this

azra ordered and oriented himself Esther, Daniel all these people, but they weren't enough and even in combination with a government who is on their side, it wasn't enough, but was ultimately enough. Is God using multiple people to save and sustain his people throughout time? Until a point.

Paul says in the New Testament version of this even though we get consumed with our government right now, Even though we get frustrated by our governments, even though we may be really excited by our governments. Paul says, everyone must submit to the governing authorities since there is no Authority except from God.

You live in communist, China. Submit to the authority. You wouldn't Democratic America. Submit to the authority.

The one who resists The Authority is opposing, God's command and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

You're not enough, the government's not enough. Only God is enough.

Maybe.

right now, 2025 United States of America is experiencing a national comeback.

lady there been setbacks Maybe you think that our nation has never been worse off than it is today? And maybe we got the right people in place for a national comeback.

Maybe. We're experiencing a national setback. Is any people here? Who think that? It's a come back, and they're going to probably be people here and in our communities. And people your friends with you think this is the biggest setback,

Well, Daniel thought getting thrown into the fiery furnace was a massive setback.

And Esther thought Mass genocide against for people with a massive setback. A comeback setup. Bicep back.

Maybe we are experiencing a church, come back.

Or maybe we haven't been fasting and praying and humbling ourselves enough. We're actually experiencing were about to experience a massive Church, setback? Maybe your family or your personal life is having a massive come back.

Or maybe you're experiencing a personal setback. if this lesson has taught you anything,

Is it that you're asking? Are we bracing for a setback for building a comeback? This lesson is taught you anything. It should be the only God knows.

God only knows. God only knows if he's going to use people here who are oriented around him to build up themselves, their Church, their nation and start from there. If he's going to use the evil and the self-centeredness that lives within every single one of us to cause a great setback. So that one day 3050 90 years from now, there will be an amazing comeback I don't know where I am in the story and you don't either. Only God knows.

So, do whatever, dude. What are your heart around the rule and reign of God? Rule and Reign Over the things he delegated to you. And do it well. Why do you think that the main things that are listed for church leadership or how you manage your family? Cuz that's what God has given to you to manage. So manage it will rule it. Well rain over it. Well,

Now, is it whatever you doing?

Going to make this church. Perfect time to make your family. Perfect. Going to make our country, perfect.

I remember that God is already orchestrated. Please come back. The world has ever seen.

Not yet for it says, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel. The by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth from you crucified and whom God raised from the dead. I am this man is standing here before you help me. This Jesus.

The stone rejected by you daughters. All you people who thought that you were building these moral lives on a spiracy of principles. All of you people who thought you were building a massive, come back for the children of Israel. All you people who thought that you had this part to play in this story and you would see It. Ultimately fulfilled. You missed the Chief Cornerstone.

He was the stone that you didn't think you could build with. All you saw was a setback.

But there is no salvation. Your salvation in no one else. There's no other name under Heaven given to people, I, which we must be saved. I don't know if you read the passage during the work supper this morning, but if he's in Chapter 2 says that we were dead in our trespasses. You weren't enough. Government wasn't enough. Reverse for it, says black. I got. But I granted, you Mercy. Who is Saint the Christ?

And only he the king of kings. Artaxerxes thought he was the King of Kings.

Jesus's hand, God's hand has been on an over every government, and every person who's ever lived

Question is, do you get to choose the order yourself around him?

Or you going to follow out his command and orders for this. Come back for. Cuz you were dead. Then they lied again.

All of us when we get close to that.

Can only make us better.

Death is not the end. It's not the final setback. Is the final step back before the ultimate come back.

Only the King of Kings is enough.

How are you rebuilding this week? Do we need to reorder Our Lives? I need to reorder what we try and have Rule and Reign Over. Do we need to reorder How We Rule and reign with what principles we put in our hearts? That guy is everyday. We need to let go of some of the stuff. Read to let go of worrying about what's happening in Washington DC for London, England or whatever Capital around the world. Do you think is the center of power?

Because the second, you think. This is the ultimate set back. That's probably planning. Yet another comeback. Really need this morning. Come now while we stand and why we sing