This book continues the story. From his perspective, he was building his empire by employing wise policies that would insure his long reign. God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up their spirits to do it. i.e., sown in Babylon. It may be as simple as turning off the tube and picking up your Bible on a consistent basis to spend time with the Lord. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. There were piles of rubble and some hostile people who had moved into the empty land after the Babylonians had dragged off the surviving Jews 50 years earlier. Also, while there is debate as to the exact identity of Sheshbazzar (1:8, 10), probably it is the Babylonian name of Zerubbabel (cf. By the time the people returned and built the altar in 536, the 70 years were almost expired. 16:18; Rev. The great proportion, born in Babylon, preferred continuing in their comfortable homes to undertaking a distant, expensive, and hazardous journey to a desolate land. 11: ch. 137:6). two four hundred and ten, has been since changed into משׁנים mishnim; a word not very agreeable to the sense here, and a word which renders this account not only repugnant to the parallel chapter, but also inconsistent with itself, as leaving the sum total now specified in the Hebrew text very deficient, for want of the two thousand thus omitted. But 1000 golden σπονδεῖα bear no proportion to 1000 silver, still less do 30 golden φιάλαι to 2410 silver. The hearts of kings are in the hand of the Lord. Josephus ([Antiquities?] There are many hardships and obstacles along the way. When God wants to use you in some capacity, the first thing He does is to burden your heart with the situation. His glory was supremely revealed in the rebuilt Temple when Jesus the Messiah appeared there as “God’s salvation, which [He] prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). Did the Persian king cause it to be published that everyone with whom God was might go out free, and return to Jerusalem from their captivity? 5:16 with Zech. Lord incline the hearts of sinners, that they may see and know the year of jubilee is come. It may mean setting some spiritual goals and asking God for the grace and wisdom to achieve them. What does the Bible say to the church, and to the individual Christian, about the role of politics in the church? Colours burned in on china are permanent; and the furnace of bondage had, at least, effected this, that it fixed monotheism for ever in the inmost substance of the Jewish people. The difference between the two statements has certainly arisen from errors in the numbers, for the correction of which the means are indeed wanting. The seventy-year captivity began in 605 B.C. As Hudson Taylor used to say, “God’s work done in God’s way will not lack God’s means of support.”. Now it happened in the month … Ezra 1:9, Ezra 1:11; 1 Esdras 2:13, 14 Golden chargers 30 Golden cups 1000 Silver chargers 1000 Silver cups 1000 Knives 29 Silver censers 29 Golden basons 30 Golden vials 30 Silver basons, second sort 410 Silver vials 2410 Other vessels 1000 Other vessels 1000 Said to be 5400 - only 2499 Total 5469 Difference of the first account from itself: 2901 Difference of the second account from the first: 69. God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up their spirits to do it. It was during the captivity of the Jews, that God principally employed them as the means of calling the attention of the heathen to him. Ezra 7:6 tells us that Ezra was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses. The first band went with Zerubbabel, others afterward with Ezra, and a large number with Nehemish at a still later period. The name “Ezra” means help. 2 Chronicles 36 Ezra 2 Ezra 1:9-11 New International Version (NIV) 9 This was the inventory: gold dishes: 30: silver dishes: 1,000: silver pans : 29: 10 gold bowls: 30: matching silver bowls: 410: other articles: 1,000: 11 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. A learned anonymous writer, however, is of opinion that there is no need of any alteration. ), A. But the task seems humanly impossible! But if God is going to renew your life, you’ve got to get out of your rut and make some changes. God was the only reason for it. 5 the σπονδεια χρυσεα λ, (30) and the φιαλαι χρυσιναι λ, (30) correspond very well with the chargers of gold, and basons of gold, mentioned by Ezra. Finally, be willing to be inconvenienced to see spiritual renewal happen, both personally and corporately. This reconciliation of the discrepancy is, however, evidently arbitrary, and cannot be justified by a reference to 2 Chronicles 36:18, where the taking away of the greater and lesser vessels of the temple at the destruction of Jerusalem is spoken of. (3.) Sheshbazzar - i:e., Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel (cf. Jerusalem fell in 587 B.C. Nor did the returning exiles all go at once. Through the ministries of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (5:1 … 3 Esdras reads, 5469. KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) TRANSLATION, MEANING, CONTEXT. Should an Unbeliever Partake of Communion? I have been a committed Christian for about 36 years and a pastor for 25 years, and it’s easy for me to drift into a safe, comfortable routine, where my heart is not panting after God like the thirsty deer after the water brook (Ps. God won’t bring renewal while men are spiritually passive. 2. Reformation of the People (7-10); return under Ezra (457 B.C. Ezra 3 – A Foundation for the New Temple A. Them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. Oh! All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. This must be distinctly borne in mind when, in order to understand the spirit in which the decree was received, we transfer ourselves to the provinces around Babylon, and picture, in comparison with their circumstances there, the position which the Hebrews were invited to occupy' (Drew's 'Scripture Lands,' pp. Afterwards, when, in consequence of the corruptions which had been found to arise from numeral letters, numbers were expressed, as they now are in the Hebrew copies, by words at length, the ב being thus reduced to signify two, was of course written שׁנים shenaiim; but this word making nonsense with the following, i.e. How can this happen? 24:22)” (Ezra & Nehemiah, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries [IVP], p. 32). Most likely, the point of Ezra 1:1 wasn’t to link Cyrus to a specific text, but to the Jeremiah tradition in general, especially its promises of hope, return, and rebuilding. But it also may hint at the fact that His glory was not now being revealed on earth, since the Temple had been destroyed. Ezra 1:9, Ezra 1:11; 1 Esdras 2:13, 14 Golden chargers 30 Golden cups 1000 Silver chargers 1000 Silver cups 1000 Knives 29 Silver censers 29 Golden basons 30 Golden vials 30 Silver basons, second sort 410 Silver vials 2410 Other vessels 1000 Other vessels 1000 Said to be 5400 - only 2499 Total 5469 Difference of the first account from itself: 2901 Difference of the second … All the vessels - were five thousand and four hundred - This place is without doubt corrupted; here it is said the sum of all the vessels, of every quality and kind, was five thousand four hundred; but the enumeration of the articles, as given in Ezra 1:9, Ezra 1:10, gives the sum of two thousand four hundred and ninety-nine only. Do you sense the need personally for spiritual renewal? # 1:1b See Jer 25:11-12; 29:10. Ezra 1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand and four hundred. A fellow Christian tells you that for him the Bible is dry and boring. He was recognized among the exiles as hereditary prince of Judah. Verses 1-4 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. But that explanation is arbitrary and conjectural. And Lord in mercy grant, that none of thine may remain in the Babylon of this world, nor be fond of the chains which sin and Satan hath cast around them. The name "Ezra" means help. The pre-Exilic history of 1 and 2 Chronicles gave the post-Exilic returnees direction regarding the Davidic kingship, the Aaronic priesthood, and temple worship. Dissert. 7:29); Hebrew Kiriath Arim. The predicted seventy years’ captivity had nearly run out, having in part done their work on the exiles. And shall Jesus, whom the Father hath anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, and to give liberty to the captives, issue forth his proclamation and none regard it? Between chapters 6 and 7, there is a 58-year gap during which the events of the Book of Esther took place. But as our text shows, behind it all was the sovereign God turning this king’s heart as channels of water to fulfill His purpose (Prov. (Haydock) (Capel. And further, if the number in each article in Ezra had been exactly the same with those in Esdras, the sum total, five thousand four hundred, would have appeared more like a mistake; but as they amount to no more than two thousand four hundred and ninety-nine, it is plain that the writer did not mean to enumerate every single vessel, because he afterwards gives a round sum total of even hundreds, viz. Ezra 1:1-11 Konteks. Whose great purse is the earth, with all that is either on it or in it, Psalms 24:1; whose great storehouse are the stars and planets, the sun especially making these metals, and causing plenty, Deuteronomy 28:12. With that as a brief introduction, I want to focus the rest of our time on chapter 1. Everything in the spiritual realm depends on God’s grace as promised in His Word. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: Luther, Calvin, and the other Reformers began systematically teaching and applying God’s Word in ways that had been grossly neglected by the Roman Catholic Church. ), E. The construction renewed amid opposition (5:1-6:12), 2. To return to Jerusalem was a major hassle and inconvenience for everyone who responded to the call. Favoriting is a great way to keep a list of sermons, programs, and ministry resources in your account. Should we just accept spiritual “dry times” or should we fight to get out of them? Ezra 1:9-11. There is simply no human explanation for this. All the vessels of gold and of silver] Those best of metals, and therefore fittest for his use and service who is good, Psalms 106:1, better, Psalms 108:9, best, Philippians 1:23, goodness itself, Matthew 19:17. The Chaldeans liberally assisted the returning Israelites; and they who stayed at Babylon willingly offered of their substance for the furtherance of the temple of God; while Cyrus, their great benefactor, nobly restores to them all the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had carried to Babylon, and placed in the temple of his idol gods. The 2,499 in 1:9-10 probably refers to the bigger and more valuable items, whereas the 5,400 in 1:11 is the total of all the items (John A. Martin, The Bible Knowledge Commentary [Victor Books], 1:655). As you know from the history of Israel, for four centuries the Lord warned His disobedient people, calling them back to Himself through His prophets. Besides, it was both inconvenient and risky to go back to Jerusalem. Men, especially, need to take the leadership in this process. Cyrus was foretold two hundred years before he came, that he should deliver the Lord's people froth Babylon, But Jesus was held forth as a deliverer of the Lord's people from sin and death, from everlasting. He had Cyrus put it into the royal edict that the people should contribute to those returning. This preliminary work being completed, they addressed themselves to … So why go back? All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. Cold water tastes so good when you are dry to the bone. Hundred. Ezra 1:1 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth … When God's service requires to be set forward, his ministers should be the first to promote it. Their mouths were filled with laughter and their tongues with joyful shouting. Ezra. The Lord had wounded; now He would heal. The project began in 536 B.C., but opposition quickly arose, leading to the abandonment of the project for 16 years. The fulfillment of Jeremiah’s and Isaiah’s prophecies showed God’s people that His Word is true and can be trusted, no matter how impossible the situation. The Book of ʽEzra. The same numbers are found in the lxx. You’ve got to be willing to give up the comfortable life in Babylon and embrace the hardships of seeing His Temple rebuilt in Jerusalem. It was “the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin” that arose to the challenge to return to Jerusalem (1:5). 2 “Cyrus king of Persia says: Jehovah, God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the … They heard stories from the old-timers about the glories of Zion and the beauty of the Temple. Sign In. We have to recognize that all that this world offers will leave us with a trembling heart, failing eyes, and despair of soul. 2: p. 213. But the first is most likely to be the meaning, for thus we find Judea styled, Ezra 5:8. 'It was only the bare, ungenial territory that lay between this and the fertile vales around Hebron, also occupied upon the south, that was contemplated in the proclamation. About 150 years before, Isaiah had predicted this event (Isa. All the articles of gold and silver numbered 5,400. As to the other numbers, they all differ from the account in Ezra, as from that in Esdras, except the one thousand other vessels; and the addition of the whole amounts to no more than five thousand two hundred and ten; yet, as he has not himself given a total number, he cannot be said to contradict either of the others. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. So the theme of the book is God’s restoring His people to the land according to His gracious promise and restoring His people spiritually to proper worship and godly living. 1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. The one saved from this world's sorrow; the other from all the evils of this life and that which is to come. When you compare the date of 1:1 with the date of 2:1, you discover that Nehemiah did not hear about this need and immediately rush in before the king with his request to go back to J… 564. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 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, All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred, them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem, τα σα εκ των σων σοι προσφερομεν οι δαυλοι σου, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged. 4:9), who was the godly grandson of the godless Jewish King Jeconiah (1 Chron. He says, “What wonder that a Church which picks and chooses what it wants out of the Bible should become confused in its theology, flabby in its morals, and with little to state but the worldly obvious—the day after worldly liberals have stated it more convincingly?” If we want renewal, we must put a renewed emphasis on God’s Word of truth. Report from Jerusalem. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,” declares the LORD, “and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.”. , coming to completion in 515 B.C dull and my vision for ’! Glories of Zion and said, “ why go back there when we have good. Through Jeremiah already colonized ; and there was no intention to dispossess the colonists,..., I want to focus the rest of our time on chapter.. Every believer working according to the bone … verses 1-4 the Lord up. 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