Ezra 7 at TBC 100110PM

Introduction

Segway

Last sermon on Ezra was seven or eight weeks ago.
That's okay because there was a long time between chapter six and chapter seven of Ezra.

Context

pA) Old Testament  

Approximate dates

2000  -  Abraham leaves Ur and sacrifices to one God

            -   Gen 12.1 "I will make of you a great nation."

1500  -  Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt to the promised land.

         -  Ex.20.2 "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Thou shalt…"

1000  -  David rules the unified kingdom of Israel. 

           -  He is followed by his son, Solomon,

who builds the temple in Jerusalem.

500    -  Zerrubbabel, Ezra, & Nehemiah lead Jews back to the promised land.

           -  The last minor prophet, Malachi, finishes the OT about 4oo years before Christ.

Post-Exile Timeline

1. Destruction of  Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar—

605 BC Nebuchadnezzar  takes the Temple treasures and captives (including Daniel)

598 BC  Second conquest of Jerusalem with more captives and treasure taken

586BC Nebuchadnezzar destroys the temple in

2. Zerubbabel – 539-515BC - Temple Rebuilt - Ezra 1-6

Cyrus—539BC conquers Babylon and decrees return of peoples to their lands.

Cabyses not mentioned in Ezra.

Pseudo Smerdis - An usurper who ruled less than a year. 519BC

Darius I (the Great) - The temple was completed during his reign.

3.   Esther, Persian queen of Ahasuerus Book of Esther

4. Ezra – 458BC - People Reformed – Ezra 7-10

Artaxerxes I - Ezra and Nehemiah returned during his 40+ year reign.

· There is almost 60 years between Zerubbabel and Ezra.

· 58 years ago was 1951

· Harry Truman was president and the 22nd amendment limiting the terms of a president was ratified. North Korea captured Soul, South Korea.

5. Nehemiah – 444-425BC - Wall Built – Nehemiah 1-10

Artaxerxes I - Ezra and Nehemiah returned during his 40+ year reign.

 Theme of the whole book:

We need to trust, serve, and obey the sovereign God

who keeps His covenant and restores His people.

Chapter summaries

Ch. 1-6 – Zerubbabel – 539-515 BC

Ch. 7 – Ezra Returns      559 BC

Ch. 8 -  Return completed   559 BC

Ch. 9 -  Intercessory Prayer 559 BC

Ch. 10 -  Reforms completed 559 BC

Outline and Big Idea

1. State of affairs  (vrs. 1)

2. Ezra the Man  (1-6)

3. Summary of the Trip  (7-10)

4. Letter of Artaxerxes   (11-26)

5.  Ezra's Doxology  (27-28)

B) Big Idea for chapter seven

We should not be discouraged by our vocation, but see it as an opportunity to serve the Lord.

1. State of affairs (1)

1 Now after these things,

in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,

· Darius's son, Xerxes I or Ahasuerus (Ezra 6.8) had ruled and had Esther as his queen.

· The earlier zeal to return to the Mosaic ordinances that included separation from non-Jews waned.  Over this 58 year period some of them intermarried with unbelieving gentiles (9:1-2).  --Dr. Thomas Constable's Expo0sitory Notes on Ezra

· PAU Isaiah 53.6

  6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

      We have turned, every one, to his own way;

      And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

· Phonecia was in Greek hands.
There was a revolt in progress in the Persian empire at the time of Ezra.  Inarus, a Libian, had seized control of Egypt in 460 and had found ready support from the Athenian fleet in the Mediterranean. The revolt was crushed by Megabyzus between 456 and 454, so Ezra’s journey (458) comes right at its height.  -- IVP Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament.

· It was in Artaxerxes I's interest to have Judea be a orderly and organized area since it was close to Egypt.
"peace and goodwill..." --Thomas Constable's Expository Notes on Ezra

2. Ezra the Man (1-6)

A. Genealogy:  His credential as priest

1. The list of names.  (1 Chronicles 6 has a similar genealogy)

"Continuity with pre-exilic Israel was a major concern for the returnees." --Philip Brown
This establishes Ezra as a religious leader.
Ezra    

· A shortened form of Azariah.

· The time period between Ezra and Seraiah (about 140 yrs) the falls of Jerusalem and the return of Ezra would necessitate that there were three or four ancestors who had been omitted here.  A possible reason is that they would not have been able to function as high priests in the exile.

· The fact that Jeshuah is not mentioned probably indicates that Ezra was from a different part of Seraiah’s line.

the son of Seraiah,   

· Priest under Zedekiah . Z. was killed by Nebuchadnezzar.  (2 Kings 25.18-21; Jer 52.24).

· He was killed by Nebuchadnezzar in Ribulah (2 Kings 25.18-21).

· 1 Chronicles 6 tells us that his son Jehozadak, not included in this genealogy, was carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar.)

the son of Azariah, 

· This common name was also the name of one of Daniel's companions.

the son of Hilkiah,  

· The high priest under Josiah. (2 Kings 22.4)

² the son of Shallum,

the son of Zadok,   

· Solomon appointed him chief priest in place of Abiathar, who supported Adonijah in his rebellion against David/Solomon (1 Kings 1.7-8)

the son of Ahitub, 

³ the son of Amariah,

————————————————————

the son of Azariah,

· “it was he who ministered as priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem” (1 Chronicles 6.10)

· Six from the 1 Chronicles 6 genealogy missing here. (Johanan, Azariah, Ahimaaz, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah)

————————————————————

the son of Meraioth, 

⁴ the son of Zerahiah,

the son of Uzzi,

the son of Bukki, 

⁵ the son of Abishua,

the son of Phinehas,

Remembered in Psalm 103  (Num. 25:1-9)

²⁸ They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

²⁹ Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.

³⁰ Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

the son of Eleazar,

Greek translation in Lazarus

the son of Aaron the chief priest—

The fact that this genealogy end with Aaron instead of Levi gives us an indication of its purpose.

2. Overview

1. Ezra: Reinstituting the Mosaic Law

(an undetermined number missing names)

2. Seven priests between the temple and Ezra

3. Azariah: officiated at the consecration of the temple (1 Chronicles 6.10)

(Six from the 1 Chronicles 6 genealogy missing: Johanan, Azariah, Ahimaaz, Zadok, Ahitub, Amariah)

4. Seven priests between the Temple and Aaron

5. Aaron: the first High priest

3. Observations:

· This is not an exhaustive genealogy or list of men who served as High Priest. 

· This genealogy is “stylized” and poetic in its structure.

· So its purpose was not to give a detailed proof, but to highlight Ezra’s credential to serve as a priest.  (This was important for him in relation to his work with and in the Temple.)

B. Occupation: A skilled scribe from Babylon

6 this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. 

1. Origin: from Babylon

· It was not in the friendly surroundings of the Promised Land, but in the foreign culture and land of Babylon that God did the work in Ezra.

2.  Occupation: scribe

skilled  מָהִיר   Strong's H4106 - mahiyr  quick: hence prompt, apt in business, skilful

ylt, kjv—ready; nasb, nkjv, esv—skilled; niv, nlt—well versed

Note how the meaning shifts from the literal to dynamic versions.

· In this case it is emphasized by the word skilled, or literally ‘rapid; (cf.Psalm 45:1) – suggesting a quickness of grasp and ease of movement amid this complex material which was the fruit of devoted study described in verse 10.  --Kidner

scribe    סָפַר   Strong's H5608 – caphar  v. to scratch or write  n. a Muster-officer or secretary/scribe 

· TWOT-- Like the Hebrew sōpēr which is not limited to mere writing, but is also a term applicable to governmental and military officials.

· ylt, kjv, nasb, nkjv, esv—scribe; niv, nlt—teacher

· The more dynamic translations are often helpful, but may be too interpretive here.

· As a scribe, Ezra was possibly a member of the Persian bureaucracy. It was a common practice for ancient Near Eastern governments to employ persons trained not only as secretaries or clerks, but as diplomats and lawyers. These individuals were used to interpret documents from subject and allied peoples. They were also sent on investigative missions to aid the king and his advisors in making decisions. -- Matthews, Victor Harold ; Chavalas, Mark W. ; Walton, John H.: The IVP Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament.

· This phrase shows that the author of this verse combined the Persian office of secretary with that of a Jewish scholar of the law of God. --F. Charles Fensham in The Books of Eara and Nehemiah  -  The New International Commentary of the Old Testament

C. Enablement: “the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.”

6 this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. 

· This is a phrase that Ezra uses (with some variation) three times in chapter seven in the singular (on him) and three times in the plural (on us) in chapter eight. 

· It seems to highlight events that show God’s hand in the return.

· “Means: according to the divine favour or divine care arranging for him…”  --C.F. Keil in Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Application:  God has ordained our background, and is using our talents and occupations for His glory.

Jeremiah 29.11

 ¹⁰ For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

3. Summary of the Trip (7-10)

7 Some of the children of Israel,

the priests,

the Levites,

the singers,

the gatekeepers, and

the Nethinim

came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 

⁸ And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ⁹ On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. ¹⁰ For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. 

A. The People

the children of Israel

the priests,

the Levites,

the singers,

the gatekeepers, and

the Nethinim

Nethinim  נָתִין   Strong's H5411 - Nathiyn  temple servants                 

Ylt, kjv, nkjv—Nethinim; nasb, esv, niv, nlt—temple servants  

· The specific groups mentioned are part of the temple worship.

B.  The Timing

1. When ?

· ⁸… in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ⁹ On the first day of the first month

· the first day of the first month points to the Passover festival.  --D.A. Carson However, no specific mention is made of Passover in the text.

· The spring time would have been a good time to travel.

· Apparently eleven days lapsed between when the caravan assembled and the actual day of departure described in Ezra 8.31 (³¹ Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. ).

2. How long ?

⁹ On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem

Length of the trip  

· 4 months/119 days

· Most likely they would have taken the norther caravan route (approximately nine hundred miles) up the euphrates, perhaps turning west at Mari across to Tadmor, then southwest through Dmascus andon into Palestine.

· It would be like walking from Tulsa to Columbus OH

· They would have averaged about 8-10 miles a day.

Dangers along the way

3. ⁹… according to the good hand of his God upon him.

C.  The Preparation

¹⁰ For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. 

Prepared  כּוּן  Strong's H3559 – kuwn  to establish, fix, make ready

Ylt, kjv, nkjv—prepared; nasb, esv—set; niv—devoted; nlt—determined to

Heart  לֵבָב   Strong's H3824 - lebab   the soul, senses, emotions of the mind  

niv, ylt both omit the word from the text.

The word “heart” (lēbāb) connotes the whole of one’s being. (F. Stolz ) Ezra thus concentrated his whole life on the study of the law. --F. Charles Fensham in The Books of Eara and Nehemiah  -  The New International Commentary of the Old Testament
 

Seek דָּרַשׁ   Strong's H1875 - darash   Lit. to tread a place with the feet, to frequent a place, to seek or search after, to study    

ykt, kjv, nkjv—seek; nasb, esv, niv, nlt-- study

 

do it  עָשָׂה  Strong's H6213 - `asah  to labour, to work about anything

Ylt, kjv, nkjv, esv—do; nasb—practice; niv—observance; nlt--obey

 

statutes חֹק  Strong's H2706 – choq  a clear communicated prescription of what one should do ^--Swanson, James: Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament).  

ylt, kjv, nasb, nkjv, esv—statutes; niv—decrees; ylt--regulations;

 

ordinances  מִשְׁפָּט   Strong's H4941 - mishpat   1. the act. of deciding a legal dispute or case, or the sentence given  2. right, that which is just, lawful, according to the law  --

ylt, kjv—judgment(s); nasb, nkjv—ordinances; esv—rules; niv—laws; nlt--regulations

 

“The preacher who practices what he preaches is generally know for short, simple sermons.”

 

APPLICATION:

What is your heart set to?  We rarely do what is good by chance or accident.

“And Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” Daniel 1:8

Daniel's mind going to Babylon and Ezra's leaving were similar.

4. Letter / Commission from King Artaxerxes I  (11-26)

The letter is in Aramaic, the language the king would have used.

A. Introduction and Greeting

11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel: 

¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings,

 To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. 

· king of kings -a typical self designation by the Achemenid kings.

· “a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven” was an official Persian title, so that some have gone so far as to translate “minister/secretary of state for Jewish affairs.”  --H.G.M. Williamson in Word Biblical Commentary

· Perfect peace, and so forth.  There is some debate about how this phrase should be translated, but it should be understood as a typical greeting.

B. To the people of Israel

¹³ I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with

¹⁴ And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand; ¹⁵ and

whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem; ¹⁶ and

whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem—

¹⁷ now therefore, be careful to

buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and

offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ And

whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the will of your God. 

¹⁹Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 

²⁰ And whatever more may be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion you to provide, pay for it from the king's treasury. 

1) Summary:

Whereas you are being sent…

1. to inquire about how the law was being kept

2. to carry the temple vessels and money

Now therefore, be careful to…

1. buy things to offer

2. offer them

3. fulfill the will of your God

4. deliver the vessels

5. whatever more, etc…

2) Key points:

1. Teach and enforce the laws of God, especially the temple worship.

2. Provide for the Temple worship and sacrifices.

C. To the treasurers

²¹ And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that

whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently, ²² up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit. 

²³ Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 

²⁴ Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God. 

kors  This Hebrew word, untranslated, denotes a round vessel used as a measure both for liquids and solids. It was equal to one homer, and contained ten ephahs in dry and tenbaths in liquid measure (Ezek. 45:14). The Rabbins estimated the cor at 45 gallons, while Josephus estimated it at about 87.   —-Web Encyclopedia

baths   A liquid measure, possibly 8-9 gallons.

1) The officials were told to:

1. Provide generous resources for worship.

2. Let the commands of God be fulfilled.

3. No taxes on those involved with the Temple.

2) The Reason For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

· The King of Persia was covering his bases and appeasing all the gods he could so they would not harm him.   

· This is more of an evidence to the King’s polytheism and superstition that trust in the Yahweh.

D. To Ezra

²⁵ And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them.

²⁶ Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment. 

1. Establish a legal system for the Jews.

2. Teach the laws of God.

3. Punish those who don’t observe God’s law.

Application:

· Ezra's commission may have had a secular purpose, but Ezra used the opportunity to accomplish God's work.

· We should use our vocation to worship and serve the Lord.

p 5.  Ezra's Doxology (27-28)

²⁷Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, ²⁸ and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes.  So I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

A.  God’s work on the King put such a thing as this in the king's heart

Compare with Ezra 1.1

 ¹ Now 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…

B. God’s favor on Ezra

mercy חֶסֶד   Strong's H2617 - checed (kheh'·sed)  lit. zeal towards, in a good sense:  goodness, kindness, faithfulness, favour

ylt—kindness; kjv, nkjv—mercy; nasb—loving-kindness; esv—steadfast love; niv—good favor; nlt—unfailing love

C. God’s strengthening of Ezra as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me

Encouraged  חָזַק  Strong's H2388 – chazaq   1) to make strong, strengthen  2) to make firm

ylt, kjv, nasb—strengthened; nkjv, nlt—encouraged; esv, niv—took courage;

Application:  We should be careful to recognize, acknowledge, and be encouraged by God’s hand at work in our lives.

Key truths in chapter 7

· We see in chapter seven another “chapter” in the fulfillment of His promise to return His people to the Land.

1. We need to trust, serve, and obey the sovereign God who keeps His covenant and restores His people.

————————————————-

·  Ezra’s secular position in Babylon … did not hinder his calling to be God’s servant and agent of reform and reconstruction.”  --Mark A. Throntveit in Ezra-Nehemiah from Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.

·  

2. We should not be discouraged by our vocation, but see it as an opportunity to serve the Lord.

————————————————-

· “… his determination to “study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the statues and ordinances in Israel” (7:10),

· in conjunction with the empowerment of “the hand of the Lord his God which “was upon him” (7:6, 9, 28a).”   --Mark A. Throntveit in Ezra-Nehemiah from Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.

· the hand of the Lord his God which “was upon him

6-The king granted him all his request

9-journey from Babylon to Jerusalem

28-mercy before King, counselors, and mighty princes

· We should "set our hearts" to seek and serve the Lord, and rely on “His good hand”.

H.G.M. Williamson in Word Biblical Commentary

Derek Kidner in Ezra and Nehemiah  -  Tyndal Old Testament Commentaries

Mark A. Throntveit in Ezra-Nehemiah  -  Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for teaching an Preaching

F. Charles Fensham in The Books of Eara and Nehemiah  -  The New International Commentary of the Old Testament

C. Coleman Luck in Ezra and Nehemiah  -  Everyman's Bible Commentary

Edwin Yamauchi in The Expositor's Bible Commentary

Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa in Talk Thru the Old Testament

Dr. Judah J. Slotki in Eaniel-Ezra-Nehemiah  -  Soncino Books of the Bible

Thomas L. Constable in Notes on Ezra 2009 Edition

J.G. McConville in Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther  -  The Daily Study Bible Series (Westminster Press)

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

WebBible Encyclopedia http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/home.html

Matthews, Victor Harold ; Chavalas, Mark W. ; Walton, John H.: The IVP Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament.

C.F. Keil in Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Merrill F. Unger in Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament

John A. Martin in The Bible Knowledge Commentary

Mark A. Throntveit in Ezra-Nehemiah from Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.

Philip Brown in A Literary and Theological Analysis of Ezra