Ezra....The Temple Is Completed

Last time we spoke together we discussed the idea that:

We rebuild our heart, our mind and our life during times of crisis, by:

1. remembering WHO GOD is

2) remembering Who We ARE

3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

4 I will build you up again

and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Jer. 31:3

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jer. 29:10

For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is He who will save us. Isa. 33:22

EXPLAIN THE GAME OF CHESS AS AN INTRO.....

Checkmate or NOT!.....

Charles Morris ....Haven Today....2/22/21

Checkmate....

haventoday.org

There is a picture of a chess game hanging in Paris. On one side of the painting is the Devil, and on the other side is a lad about sixteen years of age. They are playing chess. The Devil has a leering, triumphant expression on his face. He has just licked this boy at chess, and the boy is sitting there with his head bowed and big tears trickling down his cheeks. The Devil has just won in the game of life over this lad. He has no strength, he has no way out, and he has given up. The title of the picture is "Check Mate". He had him. A famous chess player came through one day. He looked at the painting. He felt sorry for the boy and he hated the looks of the Devil.

He began to study the board and after studying it he realized something as very much wrong.

He called the curator and they determined that the title didn’t fit the scene because the forlorn-looking player actually has the ability to defeat his opponent, though he obviously doesn’t realize it. The painting is a lie. His king can still make another move!

Isaiah assured the people of Judah that God always provides a way of escape. Although they would be deported to Babylon because of their sinfulness, Isaiah prophesied that a future day of release would come when they would have to leave hurriedly. But they wouldn’t have to worry. Just as God had provided water for the Israelites in the desert, He would also provide for them on their long trek homeward.

Many of us have experienced situations that appeared hopeless. We saw no way out, but we prayed and God opened a way. He made that “impossible” move. We can trust Him. He can never be checkmated. God is the only King who can never be defeated.

Think of what this pictures provides, think of the spiritual implications of what this picture depicts as we relate it to the book of Ezra.

Isaiah assured the people of Judah that God always provides a way of escape. Although they would be deported to Babylon because of their sinfulness. Isaiah prophesied that a future day of release would come when they would once again be called to leave their current home and return to their true home.

But they would not have to worry for He would provide.

Isaiah 44 n Isaiah 45.......God would provide Cyrus to release His people.

OUR GOD IS THE ONE WHO HAS THE LAST (FINAL) MOVE!

LET’S CONSIDER EZRA 1-6 THIS AM

The Bible Knowledge Commentary Date

The Book of Ezra covers two distinct time periods. Chapters 1–6 cover the 23 years from the edict of Cyrus to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (538–515 B.C.).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary Historical Setting

The setting of the book is the postexilic era when the faithful Israelites were returning from Babylon to Judah so that they could reestablish their temple worship.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary Historical Setting

The people who returned to the land of promise were publicly acknowledging that they believed God would reestablish the nation and usher in a time of kingdom blessing.

*We rebuild/build our heart, our mind and our life during times of crisis, by:

1) remembering WHO GOD is

2) remembering Who We ARE

*We rebuild/build our heart, our mind and our life during times of crisis by:

1) remembering WHO GOD is

The Israelites got into trouble when they took their eyes off of God and onto their situation...

continuing with our RECAP:

3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ezr 3:3). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Chpt. 4 Opposition to the Rebuilding...

536 BC

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ezr 4:1–2). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

520 BC

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. 16 yrs...

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ezr 4:24). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Scripture Reading:

SETTING IS THAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAD STARTED TO REBUILD, GOT SCARED AND STOPPED......PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AL...

AND NOW 16 YRS LATER AT THE PROMPTING OF THE PROPHETS, HAGGAI n ZECHARIAH, THEY FOUND THEIR COURAGE AND RE-STARTED TO BUILD.

READ 5:1-7...

DARIUS’ RESPONSE....

12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

13 Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy[1] [1] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ezr 6:13–16).

What can we learn from Ezra 1-6?

How will we handle Opposition?

How we we handle wordly possessions?

How they use their time???

The Jews were more to blame for their inactivity than their opponents, and Haggai tried to arouse them from their lethargy. When the governor of Trans-Euphrates and other officials tried to interfere with the rebuilding efforts, Darius full supported the Jews.. In 516 BC the temple was finished.

The people got afraid

The people became complacent

The people were comfortable

(where is this? book of Haggai 1)

HOW ABOUT US?

PLEASE HEAR THIS.....IF YOU ARE WAITING FOR THE VACCINE TO BE WIDE SPREAD AND YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE UNTIL HERD IMMUNITY IS OBTAINED THAT IS FINE. IF THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE.

Honestly, isn’t it easier to allow our home comfort to become clouded with the Corona Virus sometimes?

Isn’t it truly easier to stay at home and allow others to build what needs to be built at our Church?

Have you fallen into the trap where your pajamas might be clouding your thinking about what the Lord would have you to do?

Isn’t it amazing that some have felt so disconnected but if I were to ask, “how much time are you spending in God’s Word, and they were honest, it would be very small…

God sent His prophets to help guide the Jewish people back onto the straight path…We have not only those prophets but also the very words of His beloved Son for our our guidance

THROUGH THIS VERY CHALLENGING TIME, WHERE ARE YOU WITH YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD?

OUR GOD IS THE ONE WHO HAS THE LAST (FINAL) MOVE!

IS HE TUGGING AT YOUR HEART STRINGS CALLING YOU BACK INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM AND WITH HIS CHURCH…OPEN YOUR BIBLE…CALL A FELLOW CHRISTIAN AND TALK

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END OF SERMON AL DON’T GO ANY FURTHER

Do You really believe that Our God is the God Who Sees? Ge. 16:11-13

Do you really believe that He is the God Who Knows you by NAME? Ex. 13:11

Do you really believe that His plans can not be thwarted?

ENTER HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH

Ezra 5:1 NIV84

1 Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.

Ezra 6:14 NIV84

14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.

42 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do all things;

no plan of yours can be thwarted1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Job 42:1–2 }

A Prophecy Against Assyria

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,

“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,

and as I have purposed, so it will stand.

25 I will crush the Assyrian in my land;

on my mountains I will trample him down.

His yoke will be taken from my people,

and his burden removed from their shoulders.”

26 This is the plan determined for the whole world;

this is the hand stretched out over all nations.

27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?

His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Is 14:24–27)

NO ONE CAN THWART GOD’S PURPOSES...

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ro 8:31). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him?

His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Is 14:27). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it; 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ps 24:1)

Do you really believe that His plans can not be thwarted?

The enemies of Judah and Benjamin1

1 Martin, J. A. (1985). Ezra. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary

WHAT ARE THE ENEMIES IN MY LIFE TRYING TO STOP MY WORK?

GOLF

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Peter’s Confession of Christ

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. 1

1 The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Mt 16:13–20). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.