Ezra 4:1-24 - Adversarial Resistance to Restored Worship

Ezra 4:1-24

Resistance to Rebuilding the Temple

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” 4 Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Rebuilding of Jerusalem Opposed

6 In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 In the days of Artaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language. 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion:

9 From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions—representatives of the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond the River—and so forth.

11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and so forth:

12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished. 14 Now because we receive support from the palace, it was not proper for us to see the king’s dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king, 15 that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. And you will find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition within the city in former times, for which cause this city was destroyed.

16 We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.

17 The king sent an answer:

To Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and to the remainder beyond the River:

Peace, and so forth.

18 The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me. 19 And I gave the command, and a search has been made, and it was found that this city in former times has revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition have been fostered in it. 20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them. 21 Now give the command to make these men cease, that this city may not be built until the command is given by me.

22 Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?

23 Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease. 24 Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

The people of the land approached Zerubbabel to pretend to join them in rebuilding the house of the LORD, but it was a pretense to frustrate the effort and stop them from finishing it.  These ungodly men brought in to take the place of God’s people when they were exiled (2 Kings 17:24) lied about seeking God in their attempt to stop them that their lifeless idols would presumably prevail over the living God.  It is a pattern we later see Paul (Acts 20:29-30) warn us of, where those not knowing or seeking the Lord rise up or infiltrate the church to disrupt the children of God and keep us from worshipping in spirit and truth.  They seek to promote their own gods and ends under the cloak of ecumenicism while corrupting core doctrines and injecting others of their own making to stop the building of God’s kingdom on the foundation of Jesus Christ alone.  Such add requirements not given in scripture and then subtly and subsequently move the focus from grace in Christ alone to checklists and human efforts to win God’s favor.  In the time of Zerubbabel these outsiders attempted to infiltrate the kingdom and disrupt it, keeping the foundation from being built upon through lies and intrigue of ulterior motives while appearing helpful and portraying themselves as seekers or even worshippers of the same God, when they clearly were not.  Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel stood against them firmly to keep the, from corrupting the house and God and its construction, a lesson for us to be valiant for the truth and honor of God in Christ as scripture tells and instructs us to build this house of God in the hearts and minds and souls of the building blocks which we individually are, in truth and love and not as the world would have us do to keep us from the gospel work we have been called together to build with.  Back then, accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem were leveled to stop the work of God, often seen today in similar manner by accusing us of being “haters” for opposing unrighteousness and not supporting abominations as society has come to see as acceptable.  They wrote to King Artaxerxes in authority to stop the work of God in building His house by using slander and lies about how they would not pay taxes or support the government as loyal citizens, moving the government to rule against the people of God and their work for Him as rebels and disloyal enemies of the state.  They falsely claimed if the house of God was built that the government would lose all control of the people and the city with its surrounding territory, just as Christians throughout history also have been maligned to force laws to limit or stop the work of the Lord.  King Artaxerxes agreed by misreading history and have the order to shut down the work of building the house of God until years later when the Persian king Darius king assumed the throne and the truth came out of how the Babylonian emperor had specifically authorized the effort to rebuild God’s house without fear of rebellion or any other objections.  This battle against the people of the Book and its culmination in the gospel continues (Revelation 12:17) until the return of the Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, 19:16) and King of kings who rules over the nations who are opposed to Him and His house which we who are in Christ (Ephesians 2:21-22, 1 Peter 2:4-5) are.  There will always be adversarial opposition and resistance to restored worship as in the days of the Reformation and even ongoing today, but we must be valiant for the truth in love and devotion to building the kingdom on the foundation of Christ alone in His Grace alone without added and destructive teachings (Colossians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5) and philosophies of the world opposed to Him and us, whether they come from without or within.  Stand firm and build, even if delays slow the progress.  That is the lesson from this passage. 

Ezra 3:1-13 - Praise the Lord for His Foundation!

Ezra 3:1-13

Worship Restored at Jerusalem

1 And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening burnt offerings. 4 They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. 5 Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, although the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. 7 They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Restoration of the Temple Begins

8 Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the LORD. 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah, arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD:

“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.”

Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.

After the people returned from Babylonian captivity to Judah, Jerusalem, and the surrounding cities of their family origins, they first gathered together before the house of God to lay the foundation of the house.  They did this by rebuilding the altar for once again offering sacrifices of daily burnt offerings as required by the Law given to Moses long before but long for due to their wandering idolatry that led to the destruction of the house of God and subsequent captivity in a foreign country.  They also fought off their fear of the opposing nations hostile to the LORD and them as His people who had returned, and once more kept the Feast of Tabernacles to remember their previous wandering in the wilderness before first entering their land promised to Abraham that they now had been returned to.  Their thankfulness led to everyone willingly offering a freewill offering to the LORD from their meager possessions, yet they realized that the foundation of the house of God was not yet laid.  Zerubbabel ("sown in Babylon") led the effort to use masons and carpenters to lay the foundation of the temple, the house of the LORD, as the priests and Levites praised Him with trumpets and cymbals according to the ordinance of king David of Israel (Ezra 3:10 1 Chronicles 6:31; 16:4; 25:1) as they sang praises to Him while the foundation of the house was laid once more.  They sang this responsive psalm (Psalm 136:1, 1 Chronicles 16:34-35, 36) in thanksgiving for their deliverance from their captivity and pro from surrounding enemies, “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.”  They praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of God was laid, though some wept who remembered the first temple that had been destroyed before their captivity.  Their shouts of praise and weeping met together in an indiscernible sound heard far and wide.  We who have been redeemed from sin’s captivity of our soul’s bondage likewise shout out praises to the Lord for the foundation which He laid (1 Corinthians 3:11, Isaiah 28:16, Acts 4:11-12) that is the house of God composed of each of us (Ephesians 2:20-21, 1 Peter 2:4-5, 6-7) as priests to serve our God (1 Peter 2:9-10, Revelation 1:6, 5:10) with lament for the first foundation of creation lost in Eden and rebuilt by and on Jesus Christ, our Rock on whom we stand by faith in joyful grace.  Praise the Lord for His foundation! 

Ezra 2:1-70 - The Captives Brought Home!

Ezra 2:1-70

The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 7:6–73)

1 Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city.

2 Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 the people of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; 4 the people of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; 5 the people of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; 6 the people of Pahath-Moab, of the people of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; 7 the people of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 8 the people of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; 9 the people of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; 10 the people of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; 11 the people of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; 12 the people of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; 13 the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; 14 the people of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six; 15 the people of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; 16 the people of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; 17 the people of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; 18 the people of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; 19 the people of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; 20 the people of Gibbar, ninety-five; 21 the people of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; 22 the men of Netophah, fifty-six; 23 the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; 24 the people of Azmaveth, forty-two; 25 the people of Kirjath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; 26 the people of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; 27 the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two; 28 the men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; 29 the people of Nebo, fifty-two; 30 the people of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; 31 the people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 32 the people of Harim, three hundred and twenty; 33 the people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; 34 the people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; 35 the people of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; 37 the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; 38 the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; 39 the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy-four.

41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.

42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-nine in all.

43 The Nethinim: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephusim, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah, 54 the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha.

55 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, and the sons of Ami. 58 All the Nethinim and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

59 And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not identify their father’s house or their genealogy, whether they were of Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two; 61 and of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, and the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name. 62 These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled. 63 And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers. 66 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, 67 their camels four hundred and thirty-five, and their donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68 Some of the heads of the fathers’ houses, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God, to erect it in its place: 69 According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for the work sixty-one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly garments.

70 So the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

The captives of God’s people were brought home after sin and them bound and carried off (1 Chronicles 9:1) to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar as the consequence of rejecting their LORD God for unsuitable substitute statues of wood and stone from men’s imaginations.  The total number of repatriated people was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty plus nearly one thousand servants and singers.  They are meticulously listed here so that the people reading Ezra shortly after could verify these numbers were accurate accounts and they could glorify God for their redemption from bondage under the ungodly.  The people, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim (temple slaves assigned to the Levites and priests for service in the sanctuary), Solomon’s servants, and even those who were unable to identify their father’s house or their genealogy after such a long time in captivity — all these were accounted for by Ezra in scripture for us to consider how each person of God’s children matters in His eyes.  They all were returned each to his and her own original familial cities in to Jerusalem and Judah as re-homed and redeemed by grace.  How much more to be thankful for for we who are called out as His in Christ from out of the darkened world corrupted by sin (Ephesians 2:3) and under the Father’s wrath for rejecting His word and will until set free from bondage to sin (Romans 6:22, Ephesians 5:8, Galatians 4:3-4, Hebrews 2:15) and redeemed by Him!  May we likewise enter our homes and towns with thanksgiving and devotion to follow Him in living as we have been redeemed and called out of the bondage of sin’s darkness to be delivered into the glorious freedom (Ephesians 1:18, Romans 8:21, 2 Corinthians 3:17) of the children of God, ultimately with all of the restored creation.  We who were once captives to sin have been brought home by such indescribable grace as this account foreshadows for us! 

These are those who came back from the captivity, a returning remnant of Jerusalem and Judah who had been carried away by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  God had banished His people for their unfaithfulness until they once again could appreciate and worship Him.  Not all left to captivity, and only a select remnant returned home by the decree of Cyrus, which was the hand of God’s providence.  These returned to their own cities which they had been taken from, restored by grace.  The groups are mentioned here: first the majority of the people, then the priests, Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, all servants of the LORD.  Following these, we see the Nethinim, sons of Solomon’s servants, and finally some who could not identify their lineage among God’s people.  This band of over forty-two thousand assembled together to give generously towards rebuilding the house of God, giving as they could to the work as they took up residence in the land once more.  This is a picture of God’s grace to all His people in Christ as well, for we are but a remnant of all who hear the gospel, the words of life, and have been chosen to worship and serve Him until the New Jerusalem comes to the new earth where we will be restored forever in His house, in His presence.  This long list in the second chapter of Ezra demonstrates God’s care to name each one who is His and what each has done for Him, just as our books will be opened before Him in the end of time, revealing our good and bad thoughts and deeds, but also His grace in writing us as chosen in the Lamb’s book of eternal life (Philippians 4:3, Revelation 20:12, 21:27, 22:3-4).  We who are in Christ are returning captives out of sin’s dominion (Romans 6:7-11, Ephesians 4:8).  May we begin building His kingdom here in the lives of others for His worship and praise. 

Ezra 1:1-11 - Giving All to Restore Worship and Honor God

Ezra 1:1-11

End of the Babylonian Captivity (2 Chronicles 36:22, 23)

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, and also put it in writing, saying,

2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:

All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. 3 Who is among you of all His people? May 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 God), which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

5 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods; 8 and Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This is the number of them: thirty gold platters, one thousand silver platters, twenty-nine knives, 10 thirty gold basins, four hundred and ten silver basins of a similar kind, and one thousand other articles. 11 All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with the captives who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra continues where 2 Chronicles left off in the history of God’s people from their exile into captivity and the rebuilding of Jerusalem on the path to restore true worship as the people turned from sin to Him.  God used Cyrus, the king of Persia, to rebuild the ruins of the house of God and the walls of the city to bring back the place of worship to give them another chance to follow and worship the LORD in spirit and truth.  He moved His spokesman Jeremiah the prophet to bring word to Cyrus and that foreign ruler heeded the words spoken to him, in contrast to the past rulers of Judah who should have had a closer relationship with their own God.  This foreign king ruled that he was going to build God a house again in Jerusalem as he was commanded by the LORD who had given him his rule over the nations by grace as he confessed that it was not his own doing.  All he had was given by the LORD God of Israel and he bore witness to all who heard that it was so and for that reason he had called the people of God exiled in his own land to volunteer to be part of the rebuilding of the house of their and his God.  He made it clear that the LORD God of Israel is God.  It is as we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of all kings (Romans 10:9, 1 Timothy 6:15, Philippians 2:11, Revelation 19:16) now.  Do we learn from this example to build the house of God (Ephesians 2:19-20, 21-22, 1 Peter 2:4-5) which is the body of Christ, all redeemed believers who received Him and confessed Him as Lord of lords and King of all earthly rulers?  Cyrus drove the effort to build God’s house to honor and worship Him out of the ruins sin had brought upon the nation and inspired the people of the LORD to donate whatever valuables they could to restore and maintain the house of God.  Do we likewise invest in the kingdom through our local church bodies?  Cyrus even restored the precious dedicated things taken by Nebuchadnezzar when the temple was looted and the city leveled, giving it back to the restored captives on their return to bring the worship and sacrifices back as they once had been to honor God and seek forgiveness and redemption with reconciliation through those sacrifices; today we seek to please God and not earn our redemption because Jesus has reconciled us.  Our sacrifices now are a response of dying with Christ (Mark 8:34-35,  Galatians 2:20) as we take up the cross to bear it with Him and live lives as sacrifices willingly (Romans 12:1) offered to please Him with wholehearted thankfulness in return.  May we continue to give our all (in our possessions which have been given us for worship and with our soul’s absolute sacrificial devotion) to restore and keep sincere worship (1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Corinthians 5:8) in spirit and in truth as we honor God in His Son our Lord and Savior.  This is the challenge given by the example of Cyrus who was moved by God and who moves us now in Christ by His indwelling Spirit.

2 Chronicles 36:15-23 - Turn from Sin to Rebuild Worshiping Him

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

The Fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1–21; Jeremiah 52:4–30)

15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.

17 Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. 19 Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. 20 And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

The Proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1–4)

22 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, and also put it in writing, saying,

23 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:

All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!

This epilogue of the book chronicling the journey of Israel and Judah from serving the LORD to  rejecting Him for lifeless pursuits is summarized with sadness in these verses.  Yet a glimmer of hope shines through at the very end as God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.  It begins the summation of the downward journey by describing how the people chosen by God chose badly by mocking and hating the messengers of His word given to call them to repentance in His compassionate mercy, to turn from their sin back to Him.  Such scoffing against the spoken and written word of God brought them to a place where no remedy was seen and His wrath was poured out on them by the merciless hand of the Chaldeans who had no compassion for the people of the LORD as He had shown them with long suffering.  Everything was taken from their place of worship where they once met with God and found forgiveness in atoning sacrifices and sang songs of worship to Him who they once wholehearted served.  All was taken to Babylon and Jerusalem was burned and broken down with all the possessions they once held dear.  They served Persia as slaves just as God told them by the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:9) as the ruined land had Sabbath rest for a time, until the seventy years were fulfilled (Jeremiah 29:10) for them to learn and turn as promised.  Then the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to build the house for God in Jerusalem of Judah since all kingdoms on earth had been entrusted to him.  He called on volunteers from the people of God who were taken captive to Babylon to aid in the work of rebuilding the house of God and he blessed them in His name as he urged them to go and rebuild that the LORD would be once again worshiped there by His wayward sons and daughters.  This inspires we who are in Christ to turn from our own sins and idols to constantly turn back to serve our Lord wholeheartedly when we fall.  May we build up these houses of worship which are our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19) in whom He dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 2:22, Romans 8:11) that He may be worshipped by the living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) which we are who make up the house of God (Ephesians 2:21, 1 Peter 2:4-5) we are building together.  May we do as Cyrus called the wayward people of God to do, turning from sin (1 John 1:9, 2:1-2) to rebuild our worship of Him when we fail and fall, cleansing ourselves (2 Corinthians 7:1), these houses of God, from all unrighteousness.  Amen. 

2 Chronicles 36:1-14 - Delivered to or From Bondage of Sin?

2 Chronicles 36:1-14

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31–33)

1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 Then the king of Egypt made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him off to Egypt.

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:34—24:7)

5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.

The Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8–17)

9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 10 At the turn of the year King Nebuchadnezzar summoned him and took him to Babylon, with the costly articles from the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakim’s brother, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 24:18–20; Jeremiah 52:1–3)

11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. 13 And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

Jehoahaz the son of king Josiah was made king then abruptly taken to Egypt by the Pharaoh Necho whom Josiah refused to hear the word of God from.  The Egyptian monarch made the brother of Jehoahaz, Eliakim, king in Jerusalem and Judah instead.  This was a bad choice since Eliakim (renamed as Jehoiakim) only pursued doing evil in God’s estimation until the king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carried him off captive from the land along with treasure from God’s house.  His son Jehoiachin took over the throne and also did evil in God’s sight until he also was carried off to Babylon with more treasures from God’s temple.  Following this, Jehoiakim the brother of Zedekiah was made king and he also was an evildoer, refusing to listen to God through the words of Jeremiah the prophet and even rebelling against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  He refused to turn from sin to the LORD as he hardened his heart and his example caused the priests and leaders of God’s people to sin more and more.  They defiled God’s consecrated house with their idolatry and accompanying immorality as they spiraled into complete apostasy.  The end of the kingdom on earth was nigh as they spiraled away in sin and refused to even try to follow the LORD anymore.  This all happened to demonstrate that all are born sinners (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23, 5:12) and destruction is guaranteed if righteousness is to be found in man’s efforts unless God intervenes.  This is why Christ came, to bring good news of His grace and mercy to take on our sins and nail them to the cross (Colossians 2:14, Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 5:8-9), and then forgive us and reconcile us with Him that we may escape the destruction we all deserve (Romans 6:23) under the bondage of sin and the devil who lied to us from the beginning (Genesis 3:1, 4-5) and continues to lead others into rebellion against our Lord and captivity to sin (2 Timothy 2:25-26, Hebrews 2:15) of disbelief and rejection of God’s word.  May we learn from the kings who rejected God’s word that we may pay heed to all He says in the scriptures and humble ourselves before Him as our true and righteous King of all kings to deliver and keep us from captivity to sin and find rest and eternal hope in Him. 

Chronicles 35:20-27 - Hearing is Humble Obedience to Fight With

2 Chronicles 35:20-27

Josiah Dies in Battle (2 Kings 23:28–30)

20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. 21 But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.” 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

23 And the archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.” 24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem. So he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodness, according to what was written in the Law of the LORD, 27 and his deeds from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Josiah let his success in the LORD cloud his judgment and hearing from God when the Egyptian king Necho spoke as from the mouth of God for him to not interfere in the battle with Carchemish.  This Carchemish was the Hittite capital lying northeast of Israel on the Euphrates river.  It was captured by Pharaoh Necho and then later taken from him by Nebuchadnezzar.  The Pharaoh was not attacking Josiah or the people of God, yet Josiah still refused to listen to God speaking through him and interfered to his own demise of pride.  This is a warning to us all that some battles are not ours to engage in and may have consequences if the word and will of the Lord are not heeded.  Too often we rush in like spiritual fools instead of seeking the direction we should take (Isaiah 30:21) from the word of God and prayer, along with godly (Proverbs 20:18, 24:6, Romans 11:33-34) counsel.  Josiah lunged headlong into a war he was told not to fight and his deaf meddling led to his destruction from the LORD at the hand of an archer who hit his mark in the Valley of Megiddo.  The man of God, Jeremiah, mourned the death of the king who did so well until that moment of pride (Psalm 16:8, 1 Corinthians 10:12) refuted in his fall.  We also may miss the mark in our sinful pride of left unchecked by God’s word and wise counsel delivering it through a word of counsel, a sermon, or even a study in the scriptures.  May we learn to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6-7, 8-9) instead to serve as we ought to work God’s will (1 Peter 5:10-11) through our calling and gifting as we aim to glorify the Lord and not ourselves.  He will then work through our humble obedience to perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us in His grace as we acknowledge the battles belong to the Lord as we follow Him to fight the good fight in His wisdom and might as led by His Spirit and word (2 Timothy 2:2, 3:16-17) through prayer and godly counsel.  Hearing the word and will of God is humble obedience to fight the good fight with.

2 Chronicles 35:1-19 - Remembering the LORD’s Deliverance

2 Chronicles 35:1-19

Josiah Keeps the Passover (2 Kings 23:21–23)

1 Now Josiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD. 3 Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD: “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves according to your fathers’ houses, according to your divisions, following the written instruction of David king of Israel and the written instruction of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father’s house of the Levites. 6 So slaughter the Passover offerings, consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.”

7 Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s possessions. 8 And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle. 9 Also Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their places, and the Levites in their divisions, according to the king’s command. 11 And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites skinned the animals. 12 Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the lay people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle. 13 Also they roasted the Passover offerings with fire according to the ordinance; but the other holy offerings they boiled in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people. 14 Then afterward they prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering burnt offerings and fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also the gatekeepers were at each gate; they did not have to leave their position, because their brethren the Levites prepared portions for them.

16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 18 There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

Josiah celebrated the remembrance of the deliverance of the LORD (Exodus 12:23, 27) when He passed over the death of Israel’s firstborn in Egypt when protected by the blood of the lamb on their dwellings.  We now likewise should rejoice and celebrate Jesus Christ who is our Passover Lamb of God (Isaiah 53:7, 1 Corinthians 5:7) for His deliverance of us from the wrath of God on our sin in a similar manner.  We do this by daily thanksgiving and proclamation of the good news of His grace on the doorways of our lives passed over from judgment and also as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper of communion with Him as the disciples celebrated in advance by partaking of the Lamb slain for them at the Passover meal (Luke 22:7-8, 19-20) in the upper room before His sacrifice of Himself as the Lamb of God slain for the sins (John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Revelation 13:8) of all who come to Him in repentance and faith.  King Josiah must have had some understanding of the implications of the Passover which the Scriptures told of in Egypt that Isaiah spoke of, but even if he had no idea of what was to come, the Spirit of God moved him to thankful celebration of the deliverance from the bondage in Egypt that was also freedom from sin’s bondage on us all.  Josiah had the Ark of God’s co promises put in the most holy place in God’s house by the hands of the priests as our Lord put Himself on the mercy seat for us as His house built for worship (Hebrews 4:16, 1 Peter 2:4-5) with the same joy (1 Peter 1:8-9, 10), inexpressible and full of glory.  Josiah gave the lambs to the individual people to offer as Passover offering to be sprinkled with their blood in remembrance of the Passover lamb’s lifeblood on the doorways just as Christ the Lamb of God gave His own blood to apply to our lives, marking us as kept from death by His own offered in our place.  Such a wonderful mystery revealed in due time through the scriptures!  Here we read that “There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet,” and we now keep the true Passover in Jesus Christ as only intimated then and should keep our remembrance of His salvation for us through His blood ever in our hearts and souls to express in even more unlimited joy than that of the time recorded here in return, as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1, Galatians 2:20) conforming (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) to be like Him in holiness and with joy inexpressible and full of His glory.  Remember the Lord’s deliverance! 

2 Chronicles 34:1-33 - True Worship is Based on God’s Word

2 Chronicles 34:1-33

Josiah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 22:1, 2)

1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 4 They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with axes. 7 When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22:3–20)

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. 9 When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites who kept the doors had gathered from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, from all Judah and Benjamin, and which they had brought back to Jerusalem. 10 Then they put it in the hand of the foremen who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they gave it to the workmen who worked in the house of the LORD, to repair and restore the house. 11 They gave it to the craftsmen and builders to buy hewn stone and timber for beams, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to supervise. Others of the Levites, all of whom were skillful with instruments of music, 13 were over the burden bearers and were overseers of all who did work in any kind of service. And some of the Levites were scribes, officers, and gatekeepers.

14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 So Shaphan carried the book to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 And they have gathered the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.

23 Then she answered them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.’“‘ 26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD. 28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

Josiah Restores True Worship (2 Kings 23:1–20)

29 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD. 31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32 And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the LORD their God. All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers.

Josiah followed in the good footsteps of his grandfather Manasseh and not in the evil acts of his father Amon.  The account given is in God’s word tells us that he walked in the ways of his father David the man after God’s own heart and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left (Proverbs 4:27, Isaiah 30:21), walking straight and true in holiness as a pleaser of the LORD.  He destroyed all the false worship in the land he could find and restored true worship of the only living LORD God after finding the written word of God and repenting for himself and the people who had strayed from it and Him.  Hilkiah the priest had found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses and passed it to Josiah, beginning the process of change due to reading God’s word and will contained in the instructions for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) that had been neglected far too long under his predecessors who had not all pursued the knowledge of the LORD or even desired to follow in true worship because they did not have and did not follow God’s word.  He reestablished true and right worship based on the guidance and commandments of the LORD as it was written to live by and honor Him after realizing they all stood under the wrath of God for their sinful state seen in their actions and ways of living.  We also see our state being born in the inherited original sin of Adam who turned from God’s word and have been rescued from the wrath of judgment (John 3:36, Romans 3:23, 5:8-9, 6:23, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Revelation 6:17) to be restored to our right standing in true worship through the work and words of Jesus Christ.  Like Josiah, the gospel has moved we who received Christ to repentance and faith in God’s word and work to deliver us from this wrath to come and has answered our humble response with life in place of the judgment of our due death.  He read the words of the book to the people to follow the LORD with all his and their hearts and lives according to the words of God written there.  They all made a stand for following God by His word they heard as they were cut to the heart (Acts 2:37) as we were also, and they responded in restored worship as we have imitated in our own conversion’s response.  May we likewise remove all abominations from our lives and pursue ongoing conformity to Christ (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) in sanctification of holiness as we follow Him and do not depart from devotion to our Lord all the days of our lives.  Our true worship then is based on listening to hear, understand, and follow His word that reveals His will to honor and worship Him (John 4:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, 15) in spirit and in truth, holding fast to all He says to worship truly to please Him all the days of our lives.  Do we pursue the knowledge and knowing of the Lord (Hosea 6:3, 2 Timothy 2:15) to follow in true worship based on what He tells us?