WBS.239
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY – 19
THE RETURN FROM BABYLON
Ezra 1:3 Whosoever
there is among you of all his people, his Elohim be with him, and let him go up
to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of IAUE, the Elohim of
Israel (he is Elohim), which is in Jerusalem.
Around the time of the Babylonian Captivity, the following was taking place
around the world.
621 BC - Dracon introduces Athens'
first written laws, noted for their severity, as nearly every offense was
punishable by death (hence the term "Draconian.")
606 BC
- Babylon initiates the captivity of Judah, taking the royal family and
the wise young men to Babylon.
597 BC - Babylon takes another 10,000 captives of the Hebrews, including the skilled craftsmen.
586 BC - Babylon destroys Jerusalem and razes the temple to the ground. The Southern Kingdom of Judah is no more.
597 BC - Babylon takes another 10,000 captives of the Hebrews, including the skilled craftsmen.
586 BC - Babylon destroys Jerusalem and razes the temple to the ground. The Southern Kingdom of Judah is no more.
580 BC
- Nebuchadrezzar II begins building the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Seven Wonders of the World.)
565 BC - Daoism (Taoism) is created by Chinese philosopher Lao-tse in the Honan province.
539 BC - The Greeks defeat the Carthaginians.
536 BC - Babylon is defeated by Cyrus, first king of the Medo-Persian Empire. The Jews are freed to return to Jerusalem.
516 BC - The temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem.
509 BC - Traditional date of the founding of the Roman Republic.
500 BC - Work begins on the Grand Canal in China to link major river systems. The Chinese invent the crossbow.
500 BC - First cataract operations performed in India.
565 BC - Daoism (Taoism) is created by Chinese philosopher Lao-tse in the Honan province.
539 BC - The Greeks defeat the Carthaginians.
536 BC - Babylon is defeated by Cyrus, first king of the Medo-Persian Empire. The Jews are freed to return to Jerusalem.
516 BC - The temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem.
509 BC - Traditional date of the founding of the Roman Republic.
500 BC - Work begins on the Grand Canal in China to link major river systems. The Chinese invent the crossbow.
500 BC - First cataract operations performed in India.
In our last post we observed how IAUE knew Cyrus by
name more than 200 years before his name was revealed to others. IAUE
gave strength to Cyrus' hand to conquer nations and to rule. In this, IAUE,
demonstrated that He alone was sovereign over the sovereigns of the world.
Cyrus was made to
realize that his successes were due to the favor of Elohim; and in the first
year of his reign after conquering Babylon, he declared it to his kingdom.
Ezra 1:2 Thus
saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath IAUE, the Elohim
of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
It is possible that
it was Daniel who made Cyrus aware of the hand of Elohim upon his life.
Knowing well the prophecies of Isaiah, it is likely that shortly after that
night in which Babylon was overthrown and Belshazzar was killed, Daniel
obtained an audience with the new king to inform him of the prophecies.
This would account for the unusual favor that Cyrus immediately rendered to the
Hebrews.
Ezra 1:3 Whosoever there is among you of all his people, his Elohim be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of IAUE, the Elohim of Israel (he is Elohim), which is in Jerusalem.
In 536 BC, the
first number of Hebrews were freed to leave Babylon and return to
Jerusalem. This was 70 years after the
first number of Hebrews were taken captive to Babylon, in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s
prophecy.
After little more
than two years in Jerusalem, the Hebrews laid the foundation of the house of
Elohim. This greatly distressed the peoples who were residents of the
land and who were adversaries of the Hebrews. Throughout the reign of
Cyrus, they troubled the Hebrews intending to deter their rebuilding progress,
engaging counsellors to entangle their work in legal disputes. They wrote
a letter of accusation to the king against the Hebrews. Finally, a letter
was written to the king, warning him that if he permitted the Hebrews to
complete the building of the temple and restore the walls of the city of Jerusalem,
the Hebrews would refuse to pay tribute to the king. The letter urged the
king to research the records of his father to confirm the legitimacy of this
warning. King Artaxerxes (also known as
Cambyses and Ahasuerus) did indeed confirm the unruly history of the
city of Jerusalem; and he issued a decree that the building of the city cease
and not be built unless commanded by him (Ezra 4).
In the second year
of Darius the Great, successor to Artaxerxes (circa
520 BC), the prophets Haggai and Zekaryah (Zechariah) prophesied to the Hebrews to
encourage them in Elohim. Zerubbabel and Yeshua rose up, then, and began
to continue the rebuilding of the temple. Tattenai, the governor of the
region, inquired who commanded them to resume building the temple. The
matter was taken before the king; and the Hebrews encouraged the king to check
and see if King Cyrus had not issued the decree (which
decree would have superceded the command of Artaxerxes to cease the building of
the temple). Darius confirmed Cyrus' original edict, and ordered
the building of the temple to resume. Not only did he command the temple
to be completed, he issued decrees to the Hebrews' adversaries to stop
interfering with them at risk of death (Ezra 5).
In 516 BC, the
temple was rebuilt. This was 70 years after the temple had been destroyed
(in 586 BC).
Haggai prophesied a rebuke to the Hebrews who had returned to Jerusalem; but who had ceased building the temple. How could they expect IAUE to live among them if they would not finish His house? The rebuke provoked a positive response.
Haggai 1:12 Then Zerubbabel
the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all
the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of IAUE their Elohim, and the words
of Haggai the prophet, as IAUE their Elohim had sent him, and the people did
fear before IAUE.
13 Then spake Haggai IAUE’s messenger in IAUE’s
message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith IAUE.
14 And IAUE stirred up the spirit of
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the
spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the
spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the
house of IAUE of hosts, their Elohim,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the
sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
He further prophesied that the temple would be
completed but it would not be as glorious as Solomon’s temple that had been
destroyed by the Babylonians; however, it would have a glorious future.
Haggai 2:9 The
glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith IAUE of
hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith IAUE of hosts.
Zechariah prophesied just two months
after this prophecy of Haggai. He opens
with a call to repent.
Zechariah 1:2 IAUE hath
been sore displeased with your fathers.
3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus
saith IAUE of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith IAUE of hosts, and I will
turn unto you, saith IAUE of hosts.
4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom
the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith IAUE of hosts; Turn ye
now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor
hearken unto me, saith IAUE.
Four times in these two opening verses of Zechariah’s
prophecy IAUE identifies Himself as “IAUE of hosts.” His call to repent and to turn back to Him
was associated with the imagery of Him being the Master of Armies…something to
be considered when contemplating not returning to Him. How did Israel respond to Zechariah? They murdered him in the Temple. Messiah refers to it in Matthew 23:35.
The book of Zechariah is strongly apocalyptic in the
nature of the prophecies of Daniel and of John the Revelator; and it contains
more “messianic” prophecies than any of the writings of the minor prophets.
Note: It was at this time, the return of the
Hebrews to Jerusalem, that they first were called "Yehudim"
(Jews). Ten of the twelve tribes of Israel were dispersed among the
gentiles after their country was destroyed by Assyria. The nation of
Judah was comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The tribe of Judah was
disproportionately larger than the tribe of Benjamin, such that the Benjamites
were insignificant in number by comparison. After the Babylonian
captivity, the Hebrews were collectively referred to as "the Yehudim"
…the Jews.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers
no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.
No comments:
Post a Comment