Ezra
5-6
As you
read today, look at the charts at the end of this document. Ezra doesn't enter
the story "real-time" until chapter 7, almost 60 years after the
temple was completed. Pretty interesting, huh? Ezra appears to be showing the
Jews that in spite of the opposition, God has remained true to His promise
through Abraham to preserve them.
Ezra 5
Vs. 1-2
According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT (BKC-OT), p. 662, both
Haggai and Zechariah began speaking to the leaders in 520 B.C. Although Ezra
says that the reason the people stopped building the temple was the influence
of the hostile neighbors, the prophets point to the people settling into
comfort. The droughts they were experiencing were because they were taking care
of themselves and not completing the temple. One very interesting note is that
the message of the prophet Zechariah was almost entirely prophetic, pointing to
the end of the age. The book of Zechariah reads like the Revelation of the OT.
Part of the Lord's motivation to these people was to lift their eyes to the
close of the age and Israel fulfilling its redemptive mission for mankind. God
used both of these prophets to give people the courage and vision they needed.
Besides
the general resistance of sin to obeying God, remember that these people who
returned had worshipped God in Babylon without a temple. The synagogue system
came out of Babylon. A school of scribes and copies of the Bible came out of
Babylon. God blessed them in Babylon. So, why did they need a temple,
especially when the Persians didn't think it was a good idea?
When you
think of this, remember how much emphasis Ezra put on David planning for the
temple in 1 Chronicles. There was a method to Ezra's madness. He wanted the
leaders and people to model David, the king of God's blessing, through whom
would come the Messiah.
Vs. 3-17
This is the opposition to Zerubbabel and Joshua building the temple. Tattenai
wrote this letter, and I wonder how they got the copy of it. Tattenai seems
like a very conscientious administrator. Notice that he didn't make them stop,
while he was waiting for an answer. The Lord was in this.
Vs. 11-12
In the Jews' self confession, they saw themselves as servants of God; and they
understood that God had deported them because of their disobedience.
V. 14 That
these vessels were there with them would have been a reason for Tattenai to go
slowly and check out this claim. Also, since Tattenai didn't mention
Zerubbabel, it appears that Sheshbazzar might be Zerubbabel's Babylonian name.
V. 17 It
is interesting to me that Tattenai had a suggestion for a fair process in this
dispute. The records from Cyrus would, and did, settle the matter.
Ezra 6
Vs. 1-5 Cyrus was in his summer palace when
he wrote the decree and it is amazing that they found it. They didn’t even have
Google. Ecbatana in northwestern Iran was the capital of the Assyrian, Persian,
Median nation after the destruction of Nineveh. Ecbatana was the summer palace,
and Susa, near Babylon, was the winter palace.
V. 3 This
is interesting. Cyrus also gave plans or instructions for rebuilding the
temple. This is new information, and we also have to account for the reaction
of Darius I when he received these records. I'm willing to bet it goes back to
Daniel. The history of what God had done to Nebuchadnezzar would have been well
known to both Darius the Mede and to Cyrus. Darius the Mede and Prince Cyrus
would have been regular guests in Babylon. The history of what had taken place
in Babylon the night that Darius took the city would have been known. The event
with the lions led to an empire-wide law and command. There was a fear of
Yahweh. I think Daniel was asked regarding the size and needs of a rebuilt
temple. I think that Darius I probably knew of the reverence of his namesake,
Darius the Mede, for Daniel and his God, Yahweh, and responded with that same
sense of awe and fear.
Vs. 6-12
There is warning and threat in this command. If you want to see the warning of
v. 11 spoken by another Darius, read Daniel 6.
Vs. 13-15
This again is a summary statement, not only to the completion of the temple,
but also the completion of the city. Verse 14 mentions Artaxerxes who would
become king twenty years after the death of Darius I. God was still in the
business of causing Gentile kings to bless Israel. The Jews needed to see they
could follow the Lord by faith.
V. 15 This
is when the temple was finished.
Vs. 16-18
We have seen this before. Before they could dedicate the temple and hold the
Passover, the priests and the Levites had to be organized and consecrated.
Vs. 19-22
They had been back in Jerusalem for 23 years when they dedicated the finished
temple. According to the BKC-OT, p. 665, this Passover was 900 years after the
first Passover in Egypt.
V. 22
shows that the people understood that God was working among them. Darius I was
referred to as the King of Assyria since the Persian Empire was actually a
result of a civil war gone wild. The Persians, Medes and Assyrians were all
related; and when Cyrus and Darius the Mede revolted against Cyrus's
grandfather, who reigned over the Medes and Persians from Assyria, they not
only won the revolt, but decided to carry it further against the decaying
Babylonian Empire.
The points
that seem to be important for Ezra have to do with the faith and obedience of
the people hearing and responding to the Word of God. God had shown that He
would favor them before the Persians and that it would lead to the
reestablishment of the temple worship of Israel. They only needed to obey.
Returning
to the Word and following the Lord seems like a good idea for us too. As we
work in the harvest, doing what the Lord has commanded and fitted us for, we
find opportunities and conflicts too. And there will be occasions when the Lord
opens doors of favor to give us unexpected fruit. But first, we have to follow
Him and His Word. Then, as the prophet Zechariah reminded the returnees, we
need to remember His coming and the plan being worked at now so that we will
follow our Lord into the harvest, reaching out to the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples.
1
Corinthians 3:5-23
Vs. 5-9
So, here is a "spiritual" understanding of the workers in the
harvest. Notice that God's goal is not the glorification of the servants, it is
the building of the church. Notice too that there are two images here: a field
and a building. One refers to the harvest and bearing fruit, and the other to
God dwelling within us. And even in the building of the church there is the
purpose of the harvest; that is, to reach the lost and bring them into the
church as disciples, who make disciples. Paul's point here is that the exalting
of God's servants shows that the Corinthians have missed the point of what is
happening now on this planet.
Vs. 10-15 Here is a spiritual perspective on
our work on this earth, on the foundation of Christ. This ministry of building
upon the foundation applies to "anyone;" that is, everyone who knows
Christ. It not only means how we personally build on what the Spirit has done
in our lives, but it also applies to building into the lives of others. In this
letter we will see that all things are to be done for the building up of one
another. We saw this ministry to one another in Romans 12-15, and we'll see it
again in Ephesians 4.
The word that is translated suffer loss is also familiar to Jesus'
teaching on discipleship. Of the times this word is used besides here, it is
found twice in Acts 27 for throwing the ship's cargo overboard and losing it.
Once Paul uses it in 2 Corinthians saying that he had to grieve the church
through his rebuke so they wouldn't suffer loss, but instead be fruitful. And
then it is used in Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36 and Luke 9:25 as Jesus taught His
disciples saying, For what does it profit
a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? Jesus
directed this warning to His disciples. It clearly doesn't mean they would lose
their salvation, but that they would suffer loss. Putting everything together,
if we live for ourselves in Christ, we damage our souls/lives now; and we “suffer
loss” when we enter His presence, seeing that our life’s activity and what we
built on Christ was worthless to Him.
Whatever that "burning up" looks
like, it will not be trite. We think that this judgment won't matter or be
important, because we will be saved eternally and be somewhat invulnerable
spiritually. How bad could it be? Besides, we'll be in heaven. Jesus used very
severe images when referring to followers who slept or supposed their master
was delayed. Some of those images have made Bible teachers squirm and perform
interpretive acrobatics, because the punishment sounds similar to what happens
to those who reject Christ. We can't lose our salvation, but we can experience
punishment. Even here in these verses, what does it mean to be saved, but only as through fire? I don't
think that will be a "fire" experience we will "yawn" our
way through.
Positively spoken, we need to remember who
our master is. We are here to follow Him into the harvest, reaching out to the
lost and making disciples.
Vs. 16-17 Here is a spiritual perspective on
who and what we really are, temples of the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind that the
temple was a place for people to find forgiveness and fellowship with God. The
temple was only valuable because of who lived in it. It wasn't a shrine. God
lives in us, but He keeps us on this planet to work in the harvest so that
others can find Him. In the next letter to these same people, Paul will say in
2 Corinthians 4:7 (RSV), "But we
have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the
transcendent power belongs to God and not to us."
Vs. 18-23 Here is a spiritual perspective on
where our focus in life should be, on Christ and the redemptive plan of God.
Notice how v. 18 sounds a little like Jesus saying in Mark 8:35-36, For whoever would save his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save
it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his
soul? Again, this was said to the disciples.
Vs. 21-23 This is a tremendous statement, but
only if we value these things. If our treasure is in heaven and we are here to
serve Christ in the harvest, this is an amazing reality that opens doors of
blessing and fulfillment. If our treasure is here and we are reserving heaven
for when we can't enjoy this stuff anymore, what Paul has just said seems like
being promised oatmeal, with nothing on it, three times a day.
Psalm 29
It is
suggested that the occasion for this psalm was David sitting on a mountain,
watching a thunderstorm sweep over the land. The view of God's power and
majesty might have inspired these words.
Vs. 1-2 In
the greatness of this storm, it seems like David caught a glimpse of God's
spiritual command and holy power over all creation. Notice how vocal these
verses are and that they end in worship.
Vs. 3-9
This section is easy to follow because of The
voice of the Lord. You can sense the power of the storm in these images.
Notice again how vocal this is. God still speaks to those who can hear Him.
Vs. 10-11
All of this gave David a sense of God's power and majesty. Even today, for all
of the glory and splendor of humanity, it only takes one good tornado,
hurricane, flood or earthquake to show us how puny we are and how needy we are
of God's help and power.
Notice
that verse 10 is a declaration of reality, spiritual and physical. Verse 11 is
the prayer or petition of the psalm. Amen.
Proverbs
20:26-27
The common
element in both verses is the searching and winnowing. I'm challenged by Paul
and the Spirit's emphasis on being more tuned to the Spirit, winnowing through
the events of life and the words and actions of others, searching to see what
the Lord is doing around us in the harvest.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some
explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My
comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on
Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups
will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with
and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is
still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's
keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you
what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in
fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the
comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding,
that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but
only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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