Ezra 7-10

 

Ezra 7

Ezra 7:1-6 Background and context on Ezra. His lineage, career, and the ministry that God had called him to and anointed him for.

Ezra 7:7-10 A record of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. It took him four months to travel at least 1,450 km (900 miles)  due to roads and travel routes, even though the great circle distance is 871 km (540 miles). By comparison, travelers on the Oregon trail wagon train needed 4-6 months to travel approximately 2,000 miles. The biggest difference is traveling on foot contrasted with traveling on horses. This resulted in average travel distances of 7 1/2 miles per day walking vs. 17 miles per day on horseback. If you ask Google Maps, the modern travel time is about 14 1/2 hours by car (not counting time spent at border crossings). 

The important point recorded here is that Ezra devoted himself to study and teaching of God’s word. God honored his devotion by protecting this caravan. Does this make him legalistic and Pharisaical? The fact that he observed the law and didn’t just preach it, did not live hypocritically, suggests that is not the case. (Matthew 23:13-29) What the Babylonian exile taught the Jews (or at least, those who were teachable) is that God didn’t give the law to make people miserable, but to free us from the power and penalty of sin. The Law of Moses sets the bar in great detail for what this looks like. 

Ezra 7:11-26 The text of the orders that Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, which included instructions for others in his government to help him out of the royal treasury. Hence, Ezra traveled with considerable financial assets. (8:24-30) This would have made his traveling party a very tempting target for thieves and outlaws. What is striking is a comparison of this order from Artaxerxes to the stop work order recorded earlier. (4:17-22) Two possibles explanations come to mind. One is that Artaxerxes changed his mind between the first and seventh year of his reign. The other is that this was Artaxerxes II, the grandson of the first Artaxerxes, many decades later.

Near the end of his order, Artaxerxes includes the instruction that whatever the God of Heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of God in heaven. (7:23) Artaxerxes took a very legalistic view (being a secular ruler) and instructed that anyone who does not obey the law of God and the king must be severely punished. (7:26) Perhaps this is where the Pharisees of Jesus’ time got their legalism, although it does not suggest that hypocrisy about obedience would be tolerated.

Ezra 7:27-28 Ezra recognized that God controls the hearts of pagan rulers. (Exodus 9:12) He was thus able to recruit many to travel with him. 

Ezra 8

Ezra 8:1-14 A roll call of the family groups that traveled with Ezra. The headcount is much smaller than those who responded to Cyrus’ decree.  There were about 1,400 men in this traveling band, contrasted to the 42,000 identified in the earlier trip. (2:64) ancestry.com was as important to the ancient Jews as it is today, so everyone was identified with their forefathers.  

Ezra 8:15-20 They assembled for the trip at the Ahava canal. This canal is believed to have connected to the Euphrates River north of Babylon, exact location unknown. Ezra arranged for them to recruit a company of Levites to travel with them.  

Ezra 8:21-23 Ezra proclaimed a fast to pray for a safe journey. Given the resources inventoried next, they did need divine protection. Ezra believed this was safer than asking the king for protection. He transmitted his faith to his traveling companions.

Ezra 8:24-30 Ezra apparently weighed out the treasures to be taken to Jerusalem. A comparison of the valuables taken on the trip during Cyrus’ reign shows that the second expedition was far better financed. Ezra entrusted these earthly riches to the priests.

	First Trip	Second trip
Darics of gold	60,000  (500 kg)	1,000 (8.35 kg)
Mina’s of silver	5,000 (2,850 kg)
Talents of silver		750 (22,650 kg)
Talents of Gold		100  (3020 kg)

This is based on internet estimates that a Babylonian talent was 30.2 kg, a Daric was 8.35 g, and a Mina was 570 g.

Ezra 8:31-34 The actual trip is not described, just departure and arrival, and the thanks to God for protecting them along the way. The inventory of valuables was checked and nothing was missing.

Ezra 8:35-36 Upon arrival, their thanks to the Lord for the safety was burnt sacrifices. They also transmitted the king’s order to the local rulers. 

Ezra 9

Ezra 9:1-2 After the sacrifices of thanksgiving, the leaders of the people who were already in Jerusalem brought their tale of transgressions to Ezra. Was this gossip? Apparently not. They were seeking some kind of approach to dealing with cultural assimilation. The Jews who had been there for decades had intermarried with the pagans, and then begun to practice the pagan religious practices, not unlike what had happened before the Babylonian exile. Intermarriage was not the only dimension of cultural assimilation, but the most prevalent. There is no mention of the cultural assimilation or distinctiveness of the Jews who remained in Babylon.

Ezra 9:3-4 Ezra’s reaction: he and his fellow travelers were appalled. 

 

Ezra 9:5-15 Ezra’s prayer is rather detailed and also diagnostic. He shows spiritual leadership in owning the failures of the people. “We” and not “they”.

• Ezra 9:6-7 Ezra recalls the history of the pre-captivity sin that led to it, and God’s justifiable  punishment and discipline of Israel.
• Ezra 9:8-9 He brings to mind God’s mercy in turning the king’s heart to allow them to return to Jerusalem. There is a remnant of believers. But each generation needs a fresh revival of holy fire.
• Ezra 9:10-12 He recalls the specific instructions that God had given to His people who returned. Don’t be polluted by corrupt people. And specifically, don’t intermarry with them. 
• Ezra 9:13-15 The bottom line is that Ezra cries out for mercy before God. They have sinned again and are guilty before a righteous and holy God. What can they do?

Ezra 10

Ezra 10:1-4 The people gathered in response to Ezra’s public prayer meeting. There is both justice and hope in God’s holiness. Their spokesman proposed a covenant with God to send away the pagan family members. 

Ezra 10:5-8 Ezra’s initial reaction was to have the priests and Levites make an oath to do what had been proposed. Ezra went on a personal fast. The official proclamation went beyond the priests and Levites, to include all the exiles living in and near Jerusalem to assemble. 

Ezra 10:9-15 At the assembly, Ezra simply told the people to honor God by sending away foreign wives. The people were apparently distressed because of the rain, but also correctly recognized that time and due process would be needed to correctly judge each individual’s actions. Although this was not unanimous (dissenters are noted), a commission was set up. The elders and judges were to act, to carry out the edict to send away foreign wives.

Ezra 10:16-17 Ezra appointed the family heads to this commission. It took two months to investigate and deal with all of the cases of men who had foreign wives. 

Ezra 10:18-44 The names of those who had married foreign women are listed, both of the priestly line, and the others. While listed as having been determined to have married foreign wives, there is no statement of which ones actually divorced and sent them away. But this is where the book of Ezra ends. 

The whole process of divorcing pagan wives and sending them and their children away poses a difficult dilemma. Clearly the Jews had to deal with the pagan influences that could once again turn their hearts away from God. On the other hand, God hates divorce. (Malachi 2:16) In Paul’s letters we find two New Testament pieces of direction. Paul first told the Corinthian believers that if they were already married to an unbeliever and that person chose to stay, they should not leave. (1 Corinthians 7:13-16) He later told the Corinthians not to be yoked with unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). This is completely consistent with Ezra’s model. There is no universal simple rule. An unbeliever is a mission field, but we are also advised to avoid corrupting relationships and to flee temptation. 

Ezra 3-6

 

Ezra 3

Ezra 3:1-3 The Jews assembled in Jerusalem, not living there. Building an altar on its foundations before the foundation of the Temple was laid goes back to the tabernacle in the wilderness. Initially, there was no Holy of Holies, but there was also no ark of the covenant. They simply built an altar for burnt offerings to the Lord. What separates this from pagan worship is that they wanted to do things according to the law of Moses. And they knew that God had designated Jerusalem as the point of His presence. 

Ezra 3:4-6 They celebrated the feast of booths, and the regular daily sacrifices were offered. It is not clear if they had any harvest to celebrate so this was an act of faith. But doubtless they were reminded of the Exodus and the tent living and provision in the wilderness that got their ancestors to the promised land in the first place. 

Ezra 3:7-9 To begin the process of rebuilding the temple as Cyrus had commanded, they contracted with Tyre and Sidon, as Solomon had, centuries earlier. (2 Chronicles 2:3-10) That they built it at the command of a pagan ruler (1:3), they nonetheless were in deep commitment to God’s ways and His plan. They appointed Levites to supervise the construction. 

Ezra 3:10-13 As construction moved forward, after the temple foundation was laid they reinstituted worship. Rebuilding the temple was not going to be just about offering sacrifices, but to include praise. They appointed worship leaders, just as Solomon and David had (2 Chronicles 8:14). They sang at least one of the Psalms (Psalm 107:1). This psalm deals explicitly with punishment, suffering, and redemption. Considering that they had just endured decades of exile and slavery, how much was this an act of faith, recognizing God’s love in the chastening. (Hebrews 12:4-11) They were emotionally expressive, something that modern fundamentalist revivals didn’t invent. The word got around.

Ezra 4

To keep events on a timeline, the dates of each ruler are helpful, along with the associated passages. Unfortunately  there is confusion and scholars have identified at least two possible chronologies. And the timing of the events recorded in Nehemiah are also subject to confusion.

• Cyrus ruled Babylon 539-530 BC (Ezra 1:1-4:5)
• Cambyses II, not mentioned by name in Ezra, 530-522 BC (Ezra 4:24)
• Darius 522-486 BC (Ezra 5:2-6:22)
• Xerxes 486-465 BC (Ezra 4:6)
• Artaxerxes 465-424 BC (Ezra 4:7-24, 7:6-10:17)

Alternative chronology

• Cyrus 539-530 BC (Ezra 1:1-4:5)
• Cambyses II, not mentioned by name in Ezra, 530-522 BC
• Darius 522-486 BC 
• Xerxes 486-465 BC (Ezra 4:6)
• Artaxerxes 465-424 BC (Ezra 4:7-24)
• Darius II 424-403 BC (Ezra 5:2-6:22)
• Artaxerxes II 404-359 BC (Ezra ch 7-10)

The clear observation from this is that the story may or may not be in chronological order. The role of Darius in the rebuilding is told after the story of the opposition and cessation of construction under Xerxes and Artaxerxes.

The order between Ezra and Nehemiah is equally confusing. Scholars have debated who came first. 

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-reverse-order-of-ezra-nehemiah-reconsidered/

So it is important to focus on the main points of what God is doing and saying through these stories, about His interaction with and care for His people. 

Ezra 4:1-3 There are (at least) two possible interpretations of the request of the pagans to help build the temple. One is that they were hoping to get inside access so as to sabotage the effort. Another is that they practiced syncretism and wanted to merge worship of YHWH with their pagan religion. In either case, the Jewish leaders refused. Their interpretation of all that had happened before and during the Babylonian captivity was that they must worship God alone and avoid contamination with the pagan peoples around them. That was what had led them to be punished in the Babylonian exile in the first place.

Ezra 4:4-6 The local residents opposed the building of the temple through political means from this time until the end of the period Ezra recorded. Ezra is recorded as coming during the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, roughly 458 BC. (7:7) Cyrus issued his decree around 539 BC, so this spans a period of about eighty years. Politics hasn’t changed much in 2,500 years. They made accusations and bribed officials. The following letter was apparently written during the reign of Artaxerxes before Ezra went to Jerusalem.

Ezra 4:7-10 The writers of the letter are identified, and some are named in the header of the letter to Artaxerxes. These are the people officially appointed by Artaxerxes administration to govern this area. It isn’t entirely clear if these political maneuvers were motivated by long-standing racial hatred, religious considerations, or political ambition.  The goal is clear - to stop the construction with the power of the Persian empire.

Ezra 4:11-16 The letter itself informs the king about the construction, and then brings up the history that led to the city’s destruction. In very accusatory terms (and pretending to look out for the king’s interests), it says the Jews are rebellious and troublesome. The argument is that if the walls are restored, the king will lose control of that area of his empire.

Ezra 4:17-22 King Artaxerxes response was to issue a stop work order. He gave Rehum, the commanding officer of his forces in that region, orders to stop them. 

Ezra 4:23-24 The locals must have been very happy to get what they wanted. Not only were the walls not built, but temple construction was halted. 

Ezra 5-6

Ezra 5:1-4 The Jews resumed work on rebuilding the temple. Since they had previously received an official stop work order (4:18-22), it is unclear if they had any pretext for doing this. Tattenai was different than Rehum, perhaps more diplomatic, so instead of forcibly stopping the work, he asked the Jews for their authorization paperwork.

Ezra 5:5-10 Perhaps to appear diplomatic in Darius’ eyes, Tattenai sent an official letter to Darius. He actually included what must have been a fairly truthful report of the Jews’ response and rationale for resuming work. 

Ezra 5:11-16 In a display of amazing honesty and humility, the Jews acknowledged their faults before God, and the judgment and punishment that He inflicted on them. They had justly been punished, but God is good and Cyrus issued a decree for the rebuilding of the temple, and also contributed all of the temple furnishings that Nebuchadnezzar had taken away, to be returned to the Jews. They did not explicitly say that God caused Cyrus to do this, but I think it is implied.

Ezra 5:17 Tattenai requests that Darius have the  archives searched and make a decision accordingly. A respectful request that honors both king and the rule of law.

Ezra 6:1-2 Darius responded affirmatively to this request. Upon searching archives, a scroll dating back to Cyrus. It was over a hundred years old. 

Ezra 6:3-5 The substance of the decree (1:2-4), which predated Artaxerxes stop work order is transcribed. Apparently the weight of history honored earlier rulers over later rulers. Even though the rulers were generationally descended, Cyrus’ earlier decree took precedence.

Ezra 6:6-12 Darius then gives instructions that line up with this decree. The province officials are not to interfere with temple construction. Moreover, the royal treasury is to fund both the construction and provide the daily offerings that please the God of heaven, and prayers are to be made for the well-being of the royal family. Finally, dire punishment will be inflicted on anyone who defies the decree. The extent to which Darius was a polytheist, or a believer in the true God (as Nebuchadnezzar was at the end of his life - Daniel 4:34-37), or simply risk averse as regards that possibility, this passage doesn’t explicitly say. Secular history records that he practiced Zoroastrianism. 

Ezra 6:13-15 Construction then continued, and was completed in approximately the sixth year of the reign of Darius. The Jews did the work, as co-laborers with God. The text says it was in accordance with both the command of God and the royal decrees. They were expecting God’s holy presence to inhabit this building, so they were diligent and meticulous. Would that we would be meticulous in building our lives daily with the expectation of God’s holy Presence in us.

Ezra 6:16-18 The Israelites dedicated the temple on its completion. When Solomon offered sacrifices to dedicate the first temple, he had enormously more resources, 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats (1 Kings 8:62-63), compared to 100 bulls and 612 sheep and goats at this time. A more significant difference is that the Ark of the covenant was taken into the temple Solomon built, but was absent now. But the Israelites followed the instructions recorded by Moses. (Numbers 3:6-9, 8:5-11, 18:1-32) This included having the Levites perform the duties of the work of the tabernacle, bringing them before the Lord to consecrate them, and making appropriate offerings.

Ezra 6:19-22  The Temple had been completed on the third day of Adar, the twelfth month of the Jewish religious calendar. It is unclear if that was the day of its dedication, or sometime later, but it appears to have been before the 14th day of the first month, Nisan, when Passover was observed. They celebrated both according to Mosaic law, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt when God caused the death angel to pass over them while killing the Egyptian first-born, and also that the attitude of Darius had been changed by God to not only allow, but assist in the building of the temple as a house for the God of Israel. They separated themselves from the unclean practices of the surrounding gentiles. No doubt this was in recognition of God’s judgment on Israel in the Babylonian captivity for having corrupted His ways by contaminating themselves with pagan practices and doing evil in the sight of the Lord. (2 Kings 24:20; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16) 

Ezra 1-2

 

Ezra 1

Ezra 1:1 The decree of Cyrus is repeated from Chronicles. (2 Chronicles 36:22-23) This demonstrates that God determines the course of human history, not Tyrants controlled by Satan. This is believed to have happened in 538 BC. We should not be confused that this decree occurred in Ezra’s time, he was a scribe recording history. In context, there are a few key dates.

• 586 BC - The Babylonian captivity begins with the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar, the temple is destroyed. (2 Kings 25:8-21; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21)
• 538 BC - The decree of Cyrus. The first return to Jerusalem begins with Zerubbabel leading them. (Ezra 2:2) 
• 458 BC - Ezra goes to Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:1-9)
• 445 BC - Nehemiah leads a group back. (Nehemiah 2:1-9)

Ezra 1:2-4 In reading the specifics of Cyrus’ decree, one has to wonder if the Jews had gotten comfortable in Babylon, despite the fact that their being there was the result of a justly due punishment. (2 Chronicles 36:15-20) Would they even have cared about returning to Jerusalem if Cyrus hadn’t issued the decree? Is the modern church so comfortable in the world that it would take a presidential decree to get us to do something significant?

Ezra 1:5-6 Then those whose hearts were open to the moving of the Holy Spirit within them, of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the Levites made preparations. This would be a long and arduous journey, not just logistically, but also dangerous relative to warring tribes and criminal gangs along the way. They really had to have deep trust that God would be with them.

Ezra 1:7-11 This inventory of temple furnishings suggests a question. If we were going to the heavenly Jerusalem, what would be the inventory of things that we would want to go with us? (Revelation 14:13) The true Jerusalem is always up from where we are, at least until the new Heaven and new earth when it descends. (Revelation 21:10) 

Ezra 2

Ezra 2:1 The return to Israel from Babylon after the declaration by Cyrus rings a bell relative to the return of the Jews to Palestine after the Balfour declaration, with George V in the role of Cyrus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration

In both cases, the returning Jews faced great opposition from the natives of the land. The numbers were significantly different. About 40,000-50,000 Babylonian refugees returned, compared to approximately 600,000 who moved to Palestine and then Israel in the 20th century.   The exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt was even bigger, numbering about 600,000 men (Numbers 1:46, 26:51), not counting the priests and Levites, nor women or children.

We can look at this return as God bringing something good out of something bad. The Jews had been exiled because of their sin, but their return ultimately paved the way for the incarnation, so that Jesus could be born and God’s plan of salvation could be completed. The restoration of the state of Israel in modern times is believed by many to set the stage for the fulfillment of the end times prophecies. 

Ezra 2:2-67 The census of those who returned to Jerusalem in the first wave may have omissions, since the sum of the individual groups is smaller than the total given. (2:64) Or perhaps there were casualties along the way, so it would have differed depending on when the headcount or census was taken.  Death rates of up to 10% were not uncommon in wagon trains of the American west. 

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/death-on-trails.htm

Ezra 2:68-69 When we read of the treasure they brought with them, we can conclude that the Jews were well-off in Babylon. 61,000 darics of gold and 5,000 Mina’s of silver were donated by people to the journey. Apparently the word daric is of uncertain meaning, but the NIV says with respect to its use in respect to building the first temple when David charged Solomon with, that 10,000 darics were donated, about 84 kg. (1 Chronicles 29:7) The first return to Jerusalem was blessed with over six times as much gold, slightly over 500 kg, worth over $70,000,000 in today’s market at a spot price of $149,000/kg. The 5,000 Minas of silver was approximately 2,800 kg, worth about $6,000,000 at today’s spot price of $2,200/kg. The inventory of vessels of precious metal is different from that counted out by Cyrus’ treasurer (compare 1:11 to 2:69), but this is explained by free will offerings of the people.

Ezra 2:70 Everyone settled in their own towns. As is discussed later, Jerusalem was not safe.

Book Review: Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi

 

Book Review: Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi

It is not surprising that Hollywood wants to make this novel into a movie. The first 90% is a calm but insightful journey into the lives of ordinary people who live in Golden. Everyone has a history and everyone has pain and challenges in their lives. Theo’s interaction with those he gifts help them deal with their pain and challenges in his gentle and wise probing to get them to open up. He is mum about himself. The values and behaviors he espouses are very traditional. 

In many respects, Theo’s conversations reflect a wisdom and insight that might make the reader believe that Theo is somehow a divinely inspired messenger. It is only at the very end, when we learn Theo’s backstory, that we understand that his wisdom, generosity, and care for others comes from the pain of his own life, many decades of experience. Not that he is an unbeliever, not that he isn’t guided by divine inspiration, but that the reason he is there is not because God told him to go to Golden and minister. He is simply an example of how one ought to treat one’s fellow man. Ordinary people should treat others in this way. 

The key question is what is the core of Theo’s approach to ministering to people. There is no simple checklist, but his approach exhibited several common characteristics. He was generous and complimentary, buying portraits and then giving them to the subjects, identifying positive character traits that seemed evident in the portrait. He met with them in a public place so that they would not fear some secret assignation. He gently asked them about their lives, probing only as information was volunteered. He encouraged people in their struggles. He followed up appropriately, including generous financial support for things like medical bills. He was not a respecter of wealth, but cared more about the poor and working class, although he was able to also deal with the well-to-do. He was not put off by any types of people or personalities except those so full of themselves that they mistreated others. He also liked the peace and quiet that he was able to get.

This is not a book to be rushed through, but to be savored. The ending is unexpected but satisfying.  

On the Unexpected Interconnectedness of the Body to the Cancer of Sin

The analogy of cancer to sin is readily obvious. Cancer is at first unnoticed until it grows to a size where it is apparent something isn’t quite right. Or maybe until it is large enough that it can’t be ignored. Cancer cells reproduce without ant natural mechanism to stop them. Left untreated, cancel will claim the life of its victim.

Once one has to deal with cancer, the metaphor becomes more detailed. The treatments for cancer are draconian - surgery, chemotherapy, radiation. Generally they are effective, if started early enough, at getting rid of the cancer cells. Unfortunately, the side effects are also draconian. Nearby cells, body parts, are also impacted. Surgery can remove identifiable masses, but because individual cells can travel as the  cancer attempts to completely devour the body, chemo and radiation are used to kill these rogue travelers. Although they target the cancer cells, these treatments also kill innocent bystanders, cells that might have been infested surreptitiously. So after these treatments are complete, the body then has to recover from their effects, which involve months or years of physical therapy of various types. 

One thing one discovers is the interconnectedness of the body. Even if the cancer is localized and the treatment is confined to that area, other parts of the body are also impacted. The human body is fearfully and wonderfully made; the circulatory system,  immune system, nervous system, etc., share the impact of the treatment with parts of the body far removed from the treatment site. Doctors use the TNM system to determine treatment and prognosis. This system is based on how far the cancer has spread, both in distance and functionality.   

The treatment for sin is discipline. The Lord chastens in order to correct, and to remove sin from our lives, if we cooperate. (Hebrews 12:4-11) What we learn, as this process works, is that areas of our life that we did not think would be affected by our sin, were. Because our life is also interconnected. Our secret sins impact the rest of our behaviors, choices, and actions, and infect our daily activities, thoughts, emotions, and decisions. And there is also a spiritual dimension in the unseen realm (as Michael Heiser called it) in which somehow our sins open the door to spiritual evil intrusion into our lives, blocking our prayers and encouraging the work of evil spirits in the lives of those around us. 

As an example, lymphoma  impacts the functioning of our immune system, but it and its treatment affect our tongue, throat, larynx, etc., reducing our ability to eat normal foods, resulting in weight loss, perhaps even requiring intubation. We can’t directly see the spiritual reality this pictures for us, but we can infer it from the way in which things go wrong that couldn’t possibly be connected.

Consider the consequences of lying. We may start with occasional, little white lies, but soon they become more frequent and more substantive. Eventually they infect our relationships with others. We get caught and people distrust us. Or we commit perjury and are formally charged. The Lord’s discipline is usually to let us reap what we sow. He may even create situations to try us, where we are more likely to be revealed. He may send fiery preachers to warn us, or expensive bills to pay. We may have trouble knowing what to say, or remembering what we told others. Lies are weak foundations, that will eventually be demolished. And similar outcomes await pride, avarice, wrath, lust, envy, gluttony and sloth, about which similar consequences could be described.

Nobody wants this. Don’t do anything that fertilizes sin in your life.