Ezra

Ezra Chapter 1

The Proclamation of Cyrus

• Ezra 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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 
• 2  Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 

Cyrus was mentioned by name to the prophet Isaiah. Josephus mentions this and claims that Cyrus was shown this prophecy and that caused him to be influenced to fulfill this prophecy. He could have also met Daniel. Daniel could have been the one that showed Cyrus this prophecy. Isaiah prophesied this years before Cyrus was ever king of Persia. Some believe however that Cyrus was the son of Esther and her husband, King Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes 1. If that was the case then the influence of Esther would have caused him to be sympathetic to the Jewish people since Esther was a Jew. I've read that some believe King Darius was the son of Esther and the king. However, God planned that Cyrus would be the one to allow the Jews to return home and build their temple. Isaiah prophesied long before Cyrus was born.

• Isaiah 44:28  That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. 

This was written over 150 years before Cyrus was born. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah's captivity was to be for 70 years under Babylon, so after the fall of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, Cyrus allowed them to return and build their temple again.

Jeremiah foretold of their return to their own land after 70 years.

• Jeremiah 25:11  And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 
• 12  And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. 

Also concerning the return of the captives is foretold by Jeremiah in chapter 29.

• Jeremiah 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 
• 11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
• 12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 
• 13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 
• 14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. 

This promise is to Israel after their captivity. In these latter times some have used verse 11 in Jeremiah 29 to mean the church in the latter days but this is for Israel. Perhaps their thinking is that Babylon is sort of a symbol of our bondage to sin and when we come to Christ we are set free and this verse can apply to us today. Verse 13 is also quoted at times to mean anyone that searches for God. There are many other verses in the New Testament that can apply to the church, even the words of Jesus that are for anyone Israel or the Gentiles that believe in the gospel. So we are included in the promises through faith in Christ but these verses in Jeremiah are mainly a message from God to Israel at that time.

We need to be careful not to take verses out of context and apply them where we want them. The reason is that in doing that we unknowingly may shut Israel out of God's promises in the minds of those that read or hear what is said. As a nation they have not yet recognized Jesus as their Messiah but that doesn't mean that the church takes their place. We don't want to forget the words of Paul that tells us that "All Israel shall be saved."

The church never replaces Israel. Beware of believing that latter day false teaching. Through Christ we are added to the promises given to Israel but we never replace them. God has not forsaken them. Latter day believers need to be thankful to be included in the great plan of God's salvation through Jesus, never be boastful and full of pride against Israel.

• Romans 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 
• 19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 
• 20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 
• 21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 
• 22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 
• 23  And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 

Babylon was destroyed and the Medes and Persians took over the land which is how Cyrus was able to allow the Jewish people to return home after 70 years of Babylonian captivity.

This story of the rebuilding or the temple and the return of the Jews was actually preparing the way to the scriptures to be fulfilled about the 1st coming of the Messiah, Jesus who was to come into human flesh and later die as a sacrifice for our sins. This takes place over 400 years later than when they returned from Babylon captivity. He did come the first time and He will come a second time as well.

• Ezra 1:3  Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. 
• 4  And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. 
• 5  Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 

It is so awesome the Cyrus was aware that the real God was the God of Israel. God knew about Cyrus before he was born. God used him to let His people return to Israel. We know that another king rose up later to stop the work but then a king after him started it back again. A lot of times when one starts a project for the Lord, there may arise those that try to hinder it. This is where faith and trust in God is needed to get things going again and keep us from getting discouraged. Never give up. God wins in the end.

• Ezra 1:6  And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. 
• 7  Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; 
• 8  Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 
• 9  And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, 
• 10  Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. 
• 11  All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. 

Not only was the money raised to rebuild the house of the Lord but Cyrus ruled that all that the vessels that Nebuchadnezzar took from the former temple and actually put the treasures in a house built for idols, be returned to them. We really need honest and good people as leaders of all nations. When Jesus returns to set up His kingdom, these things will be done. All things will be made right.

We have so much corruption, hate and fear in today's world. All caused by forsaking the real God and either subsituting false gods or not believing in God and thinking we evolved from nothing. It would be fearful to think the future of humanity is in the hands of mortal human beings. Ugh. I love the thought of my God, my Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit He has given me and is with me to keep my soul safe for eternity. All believers will receive a new body that will never die and have eternal life. No more pain, no more fear, no more death, no more hate, no evil, nothing can ever harm us again.

It is so sad to see our own country of the United States abandon God in the public schools since the early 1960s. We use to say the Lord's prayer and the pledge of Allegiance every morning in school. I was saddened when I attended my granddaugher's graduation to see the prayer they use to give was changed to some kind of reflection speech. Very sad to see them shove out the one that gave them all these good things we enjoy in this free country. God deserves more than that.-DC

Ezra Chapter 2