EZRA LESSON 5
We will begin this lesson in Ezra 5:1 "Then the prophets, Haggai
the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews
that [were] in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel,
[even] unto them."
There had been a time of absolute complacency, since the
foundation of the building of the temple until now. The people had
decided not to do anymore work on the temple, and to spend their time
building their own houses. Zechariah was actually the grand-son of
Iddo. These prophets were sent of God to shake the people of Judah
out of complacency. We might even say, they preached to the people.
Ezra 5:2 "Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and
Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which
[is] at Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God helping
them."
The messages, these two prophets of God brought to the people
from God, showed Zerubbabel and Jeshua the error of stopping the work
on the temple. Zerubbabel represented the civil law, and Jeshua was
over the spiritual. The people were commanded to go up the mountain
and bring wood for the building. There is a great deal more on this in
our lessons on the book of Haggai.
Ezra 5:3 "At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this
side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said
thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to
make up this wall?"
The minute the building started up again, so did the opposition.
Tatnai was governor on the other side of the river. Whether this is
the Euphrates or not, I cannot say. Shethar-boznai was a Persian
officer under Tatnai. Tatnai seemed to have the same rank as
Zerubbabel, so it was alright to ask, but not to command the stoppage
of the work.
Ezra 5:4 "Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the
names of the men that make this building?"
This had to be a statement made by Tatnai and the men with him.
His inquiry was to set blame on the one who started the work.
Ezra 5:5 "But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the
Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to
Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this
[matter]."
The workers continued the work on the temple, even after the
complaint by Tatnai. The LORD was watching over them, and they were
not about to stop the work, unless Darius commanded it.
Ezra 5:6 "The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this
side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the
Apharsachites, which [were] on this side the river, sent unto Darius
the king:"
The problem was the same as before. Those opposed to God did not
want the temple to be built. They wrote a letter of complaint to
Darius.
Ezra 5:7 "They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus;
Unto Darius the king, all peace." Ezra 5:8 "Be it known unto the
king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the
great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in
the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their
hands."
They first spoke peace to the king. They continued by saying that
they had gone to Judea and found a house being built to the great God.
He was explaining that the temple was being built solid with stones
and timber. He could easily see that for some reason, unknown to him,
the work was prospering.
Ezra 5:9 "Then asked we those elders, [and] said unto them thus,
Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?"
Ezra 5:10 "We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might
write the names of the men that [were] the chief of them."
This was a true statement, but actually this was out of his
jurisdiction. Cyrus had put Zerubbabel in charge of this area.
Ezra 5:11 "And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the
servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was
builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and
set up."
Of course, they were speaking of the temple that Solomon had
built so many years before. They did not answer as individuals, but
called themselves the servants of the most high God.
Ezra 5:12 "But after that our fathers had provoked the God of
heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried
the people away into Babylon."
Darius would have been very familiar with this. They had been
unfaithful to God by worshipping false gods, and God destroyed them by
the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
Ezra 5:13 "But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon
[the same] king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God."
Cyrus had preceded Darius by a few years. Cyrus had become the
king of Babylon at the defeat of Babylon. Actually Cyrus, was king of
Persia. He had commanded the building of the temple in Jerusalem, so
these servants of God were not breaking any Persian laws.
Ezra 5:14 "And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house
of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that [was] in
Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did
Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were
delivered unto [one], whose name [was] Sheshbazzar, whom he had made
governor;" Ezra 5:15 "And said unto him, Take these vessels, go,
carry them into the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and let the house
of God be builded in his place."
This would be something that would convince Darius that this was
true. He knew that no Persian king would allow the Jews to run off
with all of this gold and silver, unless he sent them with it.
Ezra 5:16 "Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the
foundation of the house of God which [is] in Jerusalem: and since that
time even until now hath it been in building, and [yet] it is not
finished."
This was an accurate statemnent of exactly what happened. If
Tatnai sent these words of the Hebrews to king Darius, he was trying
to get at the truth.
Ezra 5:17 "Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let
there be search made in the king's treasure house, which [is] there at
Babylon, whether it be [so], that a decree was made of Cyrus the king
to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his
pleasure to us concerning this matter."
The Persians kept accurate records of various decrees their kings
had made. If Cyrus had made this decree, they could not change it.
This captain of Persia wanted to know for sure what was to be done
about all of this. Darius would search out the truth, and get back to
him.
Ezra 5 Questions
1. Who were the two prophets who brought messages to the Jews from
God?
2. There had been a time of absolute _________ about the temple.
3. Zechariah was actually the ____________ of Iddo.
4. Who began to build the house of God, again, immediately?
5. Who represented the civil law?
6. Who represented the spiritual?
7. Where can we read more about this renewing of the building of the
temple?
8. Who was governor on this side of the river?
9. Who was the officer under him?
10. What question did he ask about the work?
11. Whose names did he try to get?
12. Why did the elders not cease work on the temple?
13. Who did Tatnai send a letter to about this situation?
14. What province was Jerusalem in?
15. How did he explain the building of the temple?
16. What did he call God?
17. Who had Cyrus put in charge of this?
18. What were they speaking of in verse 11?
19. Why did God destroy the temple before?
20. When did Cyrus decide to build the temple?
21. Why would a Persian king allow these Jews to carry off the vessels
of gold from Babylon?
22. Who had Cyrus sent of the Persians to oversee the building of the
temple?
23. What were they to search for?
24. If the decree was made by Cyrus, they could not _______ it.
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