Rebuilding the temple

Cyrus allows exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple

1:1-4 Letter #1

• King Cyrus writes, ‘God has ordered me to rebuild His temple [fulfilling prophecies in Isa 44:28 & Jer 29:10-14]; God’s people can either go to Jerusalem & build, or give gifts’

1:5-11

• People volunteer to build; people give gifts; Cyrus restores the temple’s gold plates & bowls

2:1-35

• List... of people who returned to Jerusalem & Judah (including Zerubbabel & Jeshua [a.k.a. Joshua])

2:36-58

• List... of priests, temple workers & descendants of the servants of Solomon who returned

2:59-63

• List... of returnees who cannot prove their ancestry (meaning they cannot serve as priests)

2:64-70

• There are 42,360 returnees, plus servants; upon arrival, more gifts are given for the temple

Work begins then stops due to opposition

3:1-6

• The altar is rebuilt, regular sacrifices begin & the Feast-of-Tabernacles is celebrated

3:7-13

• Work on the temple begins & there is great joy, but many weep for the old [destroyed] temple

4:1-5

• Enemies offer to help with the work; when their offers are rejected, they oppose the work

4:6 Letter #2

• Also, in Xerxes’ reign, enemies wrote accusations against people in Jerusalem

4:7-23 Letters #3 & #4

• Also, in Artaxerxes’ [early] reign, enemies wrote to oppose rebuilding the city of Jerusalem & its walls
• Artaxerxes wrote, ‘Work must stop until I allow it’ [in Neh 2:1-8]

4:24

• [But during reign of Cyrus,] work on rebuilding the temple ceased until the time of King Darius

Work begins again & Darius allows the temple to be completed

5:1-2

• Haggai & Zechariah prophesy & the work restarts [cf. Hag 1:7-8, v12-15 & Zech 1:16, 4:9, 6:11-13]

5:3 – 6:12 Letters #5 & #6

• The governor of Trans-Euphrates writes, ‘Did King Cyrus order this temple to be rebuilt?’
• King Darius writes, ‘Yes; pay all expenses, & punish all who oppose it’

6:13-22

• Work on the temple is completed, it is dedicated to God & Passover is celebrated

Ezra the priest

Artaxerxes tells Ezra to go to Jerusalem

7:1-10

• Ezra’s genealogy
• Ezra, teacher of the Mosaic Law, travels from Babylon to Jerusalem

7:11-26 Letter #7

• King Artaxerxes wrote to Ezra, ‘Any Israelites who chooses may go to Jerusalem; I provide finances to support the temple worship; Ezra, you must teach the [Mosaic] Law’

7:27-28

• [Ezra says,] ‘I blessed God for the king’s decision, & I gathered leaders to travel with me’

8:1-20

• [Ezra says,] ‘These are the people & Levites [listed] whom I gathered together to travel with me’

8:21-23

• [Ezra says,] ‘I proclaimed a time of fasting to pray to God for a safe journey to Jerusalem’

8:24-30

• [Ezra says,] ‘I entrusted the silver & gold (for the temple) to the priests & Levites to guard’

8:31-34

• [Ezra says,] ‘We travelled to Jerusalem & God kept us safe; we took the treasure to the temple’

8:35-36

• [Ezra says,] ‘The returnees made sacrifices & passed on Artaxerxes’ orders to the authorities’

The problem of ungodly marriages

9:1-2

• [Ezra says,] ‘I heard that holy [Israel] had been mingled with [idolatrous] nations by marriage’

9:3-15

• [Ezra says,] ‘I was distressed, & I prayed confessing the wickedness’ [see Dt 7:1-4, 2 Cor 6:14-18]

10:1-5

• A crowd gathers to Ezra
• Shecaniah suggests, ‘[Idolatrous] wives & children can be sent away’

10:6-11

• Ezra is fasting & orders an assembly
• Ezra says, ‘Separate yourselves [from the idolatrous ones]’

10:12-44

• The men obey Ezra
• A list is made of men who married [idolatrous] women [then repented of it]

1-Chr / 2-Chr / EZRA / Neh / Est