Sermon Tone Analysis

Pam and I arrived on the scene here just over 9 months ago.

The day we pulled into the driveway of the parsonage to 15 ready helpers, with shocked faces as they saw not 1 but 2 trucks packed to the brim and 2 vehicles on trailers behind, packed to the brim, we have fallen in love with Liberty Chapel.

It fast became home to us.

Before long, as we were all unloading all of our belongings, it became clear that we were coming to a terrific church family, but also a wounded church family.

It had been 4 years since Allen had announced his retirement and that last year of his full-time ministry here.

Those 4 years have been very challenging for Liberty Chapel, and I got a sense early on that we were, in many ways, at a phase as a church family where we needed to rebuild what once was a strong and vital ministry in Montgomery County.

One of the most important challenges of a Pastor is to choose which direction to head as a church on Sunday mornings.

Way back in August of last year, as I was thinking and praying through what direction we should head on Sunday mornings, I felt God impressing on my heart that the 2 Old Testament Books of Ezra & Nehemiah, books that deal primarily with the Nation of Israel in the midst of a rebuilding phase, would be very beneficial for us as a church family.

Since the Book of Esther takes place right in the middle, historically, of Ezra, and also fits well with what many are dealing with right now, I decided to thrown it in at no extra charge!

With that in mind, let’s begin our journey through these powerful books.

These books were likely written around 400 BC and up until 300 AD they were not 2 books but 1, and to this day, in the Hebrew Scriptures they are still considered 1 book.

The author was Ezra, who was a Scribe, and was likely born when the Northern kingdom of Judah was being held captive in Babylon.

He is also the author of 1 & 2 Chronicles, in fact the last 2 verses of 2 Chronicle are almost identical to the first 2 verses of Ezra.

Now to fully understand these books, we need to go back in time roughly 5-600 years before the events recorded in these books took place.

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Back in Time

The Nation of Israel had just left Egypt, after being there for 430 years, most of which they were in slavery.

While they were still in the wilderness, Moses, God’s spokesman to the people, brought some very specific laws for Nation to follow.

We find one of those Laws in Leviticus 25:1-5

Leviticus 25:1-5 & 20-22 & 26:33-35

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Now I would imagine that if we were getting ready to settle into the Promised Land, at hearing this command we would be wondering, “Ok, so If we are not to plant crops that 7th year, how are we to survive?”

As if anticipating the question, God tells Moses in verses 20-22: Next Slides

So the promise from God to the Nation was, “Just watch what I do in the 6th year, in the 6th year you are going to get 3 times the normal crop!”

So God is basically saying to them; “I’m going to prove Myself to you in the 6th year!”

But instead of rejoicing at God’s provision as the end of year 6 came, they got greedy and made plans for planting in the 7th year.

And they did this over and over again for the next 430 years.

Not one single time did they honor God with a Sabbath rest for the land.

Moses also made known to them what would happen if they didn’t obey God in Leviticus 26:33-35: Next Slides

This as well as their continual idolatry, is exactly what lead to their 70 years of captivity in Babylon.

Their captivity took place in 3 phases.

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3 Phases of Captivity for Judah.

As I was preparing for this weeks message, and was thinking through the 3 phases of captivity, a thought came to me.

Could God have been giving the Nation a chance to repent by having them taken into captivity in phases as opposed all at one time?

As you read through Scripture, it becomes clear that God is a God of second chances, and of course many times our chances go way beyond second chances.

However, another thing is also clear in Scripture, there also comes a time when God says “Enough is enough!” and no longer withholds His judgement.

When that time comes, His judgement comes swiftly.

We see it in Scripture, but we also see it in life.

In this instance, with the Nation Of Judah, God gives them 2 clear chances before bringing a swift and powerful judgement upon them.

Actually, in some ways you could say he gave them 3 chances, because they had also witnessed the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel as a result of their disobedient hearts.

Their captivity took place in 3 phases.

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Captivity Phase 1-Rulers and Nobles.

The first judgement came in 607 BC when God directed Nebuchadnezzer to specifically attack the leadership of the Nation.

It was during this phase that Daniel was taken.

While Daniel was a young man of God, the vast majority of those taken into captivity were evil.

The King, and those serving directly beneath him were evil men who had turned their backs on God, and in doing so, the Nation followed their lead.

As a result, God directed Nebuchadnezzar to remove them.

This needs to be an important lesson for us, both as a church family, but also as individual families.

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As a church, we want men and women in leadership that have a strong vibrant, growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The same thing can be said for leaders in the family.

Dad’s, Mom’s, Grandparents; it is vitally important that we set an example of Godly leadership in the home, because those God has placed under us in the church and in the home follow our lead.

As a whole, the leaders in Judah were wicked and God removed them.

By the way, God left the prophet Jeremiah behind to warn those remaining in Judah of their need to turn to the Lord.

They turned a deaf ear to Jeremiah and as a result 8 years later Nebuchadnezzer returned.

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Captivity Phase 2-Craftsmen, Teachers & Spiritual Advisors.

Now Judah was without leadership and without economic vitality.

Again God left some prophets behind to warn them, you would have thought this would have served as a wake up call for the Nation, think again, instead we read in 2 Chronicles 36:16 Next Slides

2 Chronicles 36:16

The last thing you want to hear from God is that there is no remedy, but that is where Judah found themselves.

So God sent Nebuchadnezzer back one last time: Next Slides

Captivity Phase 3-All that Remained.

What followed was 70 years of captivity in the Babylonian empire, which is exactly what Jeremiah had prophesied to a nation that refused to listen to his repeated warning.

Just as their captivity took place in 3 phases, so did their freedom from captivity, we will look at these in more detail later, but here is the 3 phases and where we find them in Scripture.

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Restoration Phase 1-Return to Rebuild the Temple

This first phase took place in 537 BC and we see the details of this in Ezra chapters 1-6.

Ezra writes the first 6 chapters as a historian, because he was not born at the time.

Between chapters 6 & 7 there is about 100 years and it is during that 100 years that the Book of Esther takes place.

We will find more details about the story of Esther when we go through the Book of Esther later.

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Restoration Phase 2-Ezra Arrives to Lead and Teach the Law of God.

This phase takes place in 458 BC and we read about this Ezra chapters 7-10.

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Restoration Phase 3 -Nehemiah Returns to Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem.

This phase takers place in 445 BC and is recorded in the book of Nehemiah.

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Ezra

Now, with this brief history lesson completed, let’s begin our study of the Book of Ezra.

Of course to do this, we need to look briefly at the Book of Daniel.

As you will recall, it was sin that brought the Nation of Judah into the 70 years of captivity.

And as you will also recall, Daniel was a part of phase 1 of the captivity.

Well Daniel kept track of the time during the captivity, and as the 70 years is nearing completion, we see Daniel doing what Godly leaders do, he prays for the people.

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Daniel 9:1-3

I really wish we had more time this morning, because Daniels prayer is very powerful.

I challenge each of you to take the time to read it this afternoon.

You can find it starting in Daniel 9 reading verses 4-19

Read Daniels prayer-Daniel 9:4-19

Daniel knew that it was sin that brought them into captivity, and he also understood that restoration only takes place for those with a repentant heart.

We need to understand the same truth.

I don’t know where you are in your journey with God, but if you have been struggling with a life that is lived more for your own sinful desires than a life devoted to living for God, you need to follow Daniels lead.

A good place to start is by making Daniels prayer your prayer.

Personalize Daniels Prayer, make it your prayer.

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The Providential Hand of God

What do you think that phrase means, the Providential Hand of God?