生命之道

Category: 以斯拉记

  • Ezra Chapter 2 Notes

    Ezra Chapter 2 Notes

    Ezra 2 Notes

    By Ken Yeo

    2021-6-3

     

    1.      Chapter 2 Division

    a)      Intro (2:1)

    b)      Names of those who returned (2:2-63)

                      i.           2:2 leaders

                     ii.           2:3-35 Men of Israel

    1.      2:3-20 based on family

    2.      2:21-35 based on hometown

                    iii.           2:36-42 Priests and Levites

    1.      2:36-39 Priests

    2.      2:40-42 Levites

                    iv.           2:43-58 Servants

    1.      2:43-54 Temple servants

    2.      2:55-58 Sons of Solomon’s servants

                     v.           2:59-63 people without proper genealogies

    c)      Conclusion(2:64-70)

                      i.           2:64-67 total

                     ii.           2:68-69 offerings of the people

                    iii.           2:70 people live in their towns

    2.      2:1 Intro

    a)      Own towns

                      i.           See 2:70; it is an inclusio. The Israelites remembered the land given by God as part of the Abraham and Sanai covenant.

                     ii.           Chapter 2 tells us who lives in the towns to prepare for chapter 3(3:1).

    b)      They are called captives (2:1) but later called Israelites (2:70).

    3.      2:2 leaders

    a)      11 civil and religious leaders, Also found in Neh 7:7, 12 names there.

    b)      Zerubbabel and Joshua are the first two names: the most important leaders

                      i.           Zerubbabel: grandson of King Jehoiachin (Matt 1). Maybe another name for Sheshbazzar (1:11), or maybe not.

                     ii.           Joshua: High priest (Zec 3:1)

    4.      2:3-35 Men of Israel

    a)      Total 24144, 33 families

    b)      Some are names of the head of the family(3-20), some are names of places (21-35)

    5.      2:36-39 Priests

    a)      4289 priests (approx.. 10% of the return)

    6.      2:40-42 Levites

    a)      341 Levites (small compares to Priests, Ezra would have a similar experience (8:15). Initially, there was no Levi, and later he found 38 Levi.

    7.      2:43-54 Temple servants (Nethinim)

    a)      35 people/families

    b)      Hebrew’s meaning: “the giving ones” or “the dedicated ones.”

    c)      Nethinim only shows up in 1 Chr 9:2 and in Ezra and Neh.

    d)      David set apart to attend the Levites (8:20).

    e)      220 of them will return with Ezra (8:20).

    f)       68% are foreign names

    g)      Jewish tradition: these are decedents of Gibeonites based on Josh 9:23 “you shall never be anything but servants.” But the connection is not convincingly clear.

    h)      They are portrayed positively

                      i.           Along with Priests and Levites, and other temple servants, they were exampled from tax (Ezra 7:24).

                     ii.           Participated in rebuilding the wall (Neh 3:26)

                    iii.           Signed Nehemiah’s covenant to walk in God’s Law (Ne 10:29)

    i)        They were the lowest class in the temple service but a group of dedicated circumcised foreigners (Ex 12:48; Numb 15:14-16) who joined the Israelites to worship Yahweh.

    8.      2:55-58 Sons of Solomons’ servants

    a)      These are descendants of Canaanites who became servants of Solomons – 1 Kings 9:20-21

    b)      40% are foreign names, compare to 10% of the rest of the exiles.

    c)      10 people/families

    d)      They have converted to worship Yahweh (6:21).

    e)      Also mentioned in Neh 7:60; 11:3

    f)       Temple servants + sons of Solomon’s slaves = 392, more than Levites (341).

    9.      2:59-63 people without proper genealogies

    a)      Three people/families were named (2:60), a total of 652 people

    b)      Three priestly people/families were named (2:61)

    c)      God has a higher standard for priests. While foreigners could join Israelites to worship Yahweh, only the decedents of Aaron could be priests (Lev 6:8; Ex 12:48; Numb 15:14-16).

    d)      The sons of Hakkoz’s claim was upheld in the end (8:33; Neh 3:21; 21).

    e)      The sons of Barzillai

                      i.           Especially mentioned, the head of the Barzillai family married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and took on Barzillai’s name.

                     ii.           Barzillai was a wealthy Gileadite who provided supplies to David when he was running away from Absalom (2 Sam 17:27-20) and provided escort service for David back to Jordan (2 Sam 19:31-339).

                    iii.           In return, David charged Solomon to show kindness to his sons (1 Kings 2:7).

                    iv.           This family did not have the genealogy, plus they took the name of a foreigner. It is a double negative. Did that disqualify them as priests is the question.

    f)       Priests were forbidden to eat most holy food

                      i.           However, that is not final. They were to seek God’s will through Urim and Thummim.

                     ii.           The point is, it is not clear whether they came from a legitimate priestly family line; therefore, they are to seek God’s will.

    g)      The issue of bloodline will come up again in chapters 9 and 10 and Neh 13.

    h)      They were still allowed to return with the rest and stayed.

    10.   2:64-67 total       

    a)      29829 is the total of v2-60. But 49897 is the total of v64-67, which could be due to 1) women and children, 2) uncertainty of those without genealogy in v49-63, 3) possibly some other tribes like Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Chr 9:3).

    b)      It is different from Neh 7:66-67 (49942), possibly due to scribal error.

    c)      It is not a high number compared to the number of exiles. It means not all people wanted to return. Regardless, God stirred the spirit of some, and they, no doubt, set out in faith, hoping in the promises of God.

    d)      7337 were servants, 1 for every 6 freemen, a high number in ancient times. They were probably foreigners

    e)      A lot of gold and silvers: 565-pound gold, 3-ton silver.

    f)       Even animals are counted, mostly donkeys (6720/8136). It possibly includes sheep and cattle for sacrifices though not mentioned.

    11.   2:68-69 offerings of the people

    a)      Different from Neh 7:70-72, possibly due to scribal error.

    b)      They are not forced. Instead, they give freely and according to their ability.

    c)      Reminiscent of the giving of the leaders of Israel in building the original temple (1 Chr 29:1-9).

    d)      This shows their dedication to Yahweh since they have incurred many expenses from the travel from Babylon to Israel.

    12.   2:70 people live in their towns

    a)      They are heirs of the land, promised by God to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3;15:18;17:8).

    b)      There are called Israel instead of Judah, representing the unified country of God (1 Kings 12).

    13.   Conclusion

    a)      The point of this chapter is those who returned are descendants of Jacob, heirs of the land promised by God. Years of exile did not nullify God’s promised to Abraham.

    b)      God has stirred the people’s hearts, and they responded in faith to return to the promised land to rebuild the temple, the country and restore their worship to Yahweh.

    c)      Yahweh has chosen Israel as His people to receive the covenant, the prophecies, and the lineage of the Messiah. But foreigners could join them by dedicating their life to Yahweh.

    14.   Applications

    a)      Imagine you were a descendant of one of the Israelites named in Ezra 2. How will that encourage you?

    b)      In the case of the sons of priests without genealogy, they are told to consult Urim and Thummim. Sometimes we cannot find explicit instruction in the bible when we face certain situations. We are to seek the Lord in our prayers for His will.

    c)      The Israelites give freely and according to their ability. NT teaches the same principles for Christians (2 Cor 9:5-15). Examine your giving to God’s works and pray to improve in this area in your life.

    d)      Gentiles who were once foreigners of God’s covenants could believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to become members of the family of God. We as gentiles could believe in Jesus and become fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (Eph 2:11-22; Rom 4:13). Therefore, we ought to worship our God with a thankful heart.

    e)      Only those who are descendants of Israel can inherit the land. Coming to church meetings, have a Christian spouse, hanging out with Christians does not make you a child of God. You need to believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord to become the child of God, thus heirs of His inheritance. Paul called those who have faith like Abraham are the sons of Abraham (Gal 3:7), heirs according to the promised (Gal 3:29; Gal 4:7; Rom 8:17). What God has given to those who are in Christ is far more valuable than the promised land, for all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places have been given to those in Christ (Eph 1:3).

  • Ezra Chapter 3 Notes

    Ezra Chapter 3 Notes

    Ezra Chapter 3

    By Ken Yeo

    Last Updated: 2021-6-8

    Explanations

    1.       Big picture of rebuilding the temple (Ch. 1-6)

    a)      Return (chapter 1-2)

    b)      Building the temple (Ch. 3-6)

    2.       Chapter 3 outline

    a)      rebuilding the altar (3:1-6)

                       i.           building the altar (3:1-2)

                     ii.           responses at the alter completion (3:3-6)

    b)      rebuilding the temple foundation (3:7-13)

                       i.           building the temple’s foundation (3:7-9)

                     ii.           responses at the temple’s foundation completion (3:10-13)

    3.       Building the altar (3:1-2)

    a)      Feasts

                       i.           The seventh month is a literary inclusio for v1 to v6.

                     ii.           The seventh month is the Jewish second set of feasts: Trumpet, Atonement, Tabernacle (Lev 23). It is known as Tishri, in September-October in our calendar.

    b)      Leaders

                       i.           The two leaders of the return are introduced: Jeshua, the high priest (Zech 3:1), and Zerubbabel, the descendent of David. Zerubbabel is the grandson of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24)

                     ii.           Jeshua is the high priest. His grandfather, Seraiah, was killed by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:18-21). Ezra is also from the line of Seraiah (7:1). Normally Zerubbabel’s name is mentioned first (Ezra 3:8; Hag 1:1, 12, 14); this time, Jeshua’s name is first, probably because he, as the high priest, was the leader in building the altar.

    c)       Unity

                       i.           Israel is used instead of Judah. Although most people were from the southern kingdom, namely the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, they represent the entire kingdom of Israel.

                     ii.           The people are children of Israel (v1), the altar is the altar of the God of Israel (v2). Many returned, but all gathered as one man before God(v1). This is corporate worship in unity.

    d)      Altar

                       i.           They build the altar of the God of Israel first. There is no worship without an altar.

                     ii.           They offered burnt offerings by following the Law of Moses, the man of God. Worship must follow God’s way. We will see the importance of Laws again when Ezra returned later in Ezra 7:2, almost 80 years later.

                   iii.           Moses is called the man of God (also in Deut 33:1; Josh 14:6), just like Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha (1 Sam 9:9; 1 Kings 17:18; 2 Kings 4:7). It is another name for prophets.

    4.       Responses at the alter completion (3:3-6)

    a)      They worshipped God despite fearing the peoples of the lands.

    b)      They offered burned offerings to the LORD in the morning and evening according to the law (Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:1-8): first offering since exile, the last offering was 50 years ago. These are daily offering.

    c)       They kept the Feast of Tabernacle according to the law. They lived in tents to remind them how God had provided them during the 40 years of wilderness. The feast was celebrated in the original temple dedication (2 hr 5:30). On Ezra’s return, they would also celebrate the Feast of Tabernacle (Ezra 8:17).

    d)      Other offerings were made, including the new moon and freewill offerings. The new moon offering is offered monthly, and the freewill offerings can be offered any time. The point is, Israel has reestablished the sacrifices commanded by Yahweh.

    e)       They offered burnt offerings on the 1st day of the seventh month, at the feast of Trumpet.

    f)       All these offerings are done before the temple foundation has laid, similar to what David did, he built an altar and offered sacrifices before the Solomonic temple was built (1 Ch 21:28-22:1)

    5.       Building the temple’s foundation (3:7-9)

    a)      The foundation of the temple was not yet laid.

    b)      They hired masons and carpenters to build the temple foundation

    c)       It was God’s provision that the Israelites could use the grand from Cyrus to build the temple’s foundation

    d)      They give food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians (non-Jews) to bring cedar trees from Lebanon via Joppa, just as the 1st templet (1 Kings 5:1-10; 2 Chro 2:1-16). These activities passed through two provinces of Cyrus. It would be tough to accomplish without Cyrus’s decree, another sign of God’s provision.

    e)       Zerubbabel and Joshua are mentioned again. They are the leaders

    f)       They became the work on the second month of the second year (May 536BC), 70 years after the first exile in 605BC. The work of the original temple was also started in the second month (1 Kings 6:1).

    g)      They appointed the Levites, who are 20-year-old and up, to supervise the work

    h)      Jeshua and family, and the sons of Henadad and the Levites supervised the workmen

    i)       The Levites Jeshua and Kadmiel were mentioned in 2:40.

    6.       Responses at the temple’s foundation completion (3:10-13)

    a)      When the builders laid the foundation, the priests and Levites, including the sons of Asaph, praised the Lord according to the arrangements set up by King David of Israel (1 Chr. 16:5-6).

    b)      The laying of the temple’s foundation is a fulfillment of God’s prophecy (Is 44:26).

    c)       They sang: "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel." The Israelites sang the same song when the first temple was built (2 Chr 5:13). They praise God’s goodness and steadfast love to them as the people of Israel because it was God who brought them back to the land. Jeremiah has prophesied that Yahweh would bring his people back to the land, and the land would once again filled with a voice of gladness and would sing the song again (Jer 33:10-11). God is indeed faithful, good and His steadfast love endures forever. This song is also the basis of many of David’s songs for David understood God’s character. Many Psalms (Ps 106,107,118) have the same theme. The name of Yahweh reveals His characters as He revealed to the Israelites through Moses in Ex 34:5-7.

    d)      All people shouted with a great shout to praise the Lord because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid

    e)       Those who have seen the first temple wept with a loud voice that can be heard far away. They might be comparing the size of the foundation. Haggai (Hag 2:3, 9) and Zachariah (Zec 4:10) preached against it. God said He would fill this house with glory; the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former (Hag 2:7-9). They could also weep because they remembered it was the nation’s sin and idolatry and disobedience to God’s law that had brought divine judgment upon them. If that is the case, these were the tears of repentance.

    f)       They could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the weeping.

    g)      The emphasis of this section is the celebration, not the actual building.

    Applications

    1.       God raised Jeshua and Zerubbabel as leaders to the Israelites to rebuild the altar and temple. God always raises up leaders to lead His people to worship Him. We are all leaders in different capacities, and maybe God is raising you as a leader for a small group or a leader in your community. Are you willing to respond to God’s leading?

    2.       The Israelites built the altar first because it is the most important thing. Christians ought to make our worship to the Lord our number one priority in life. Do you have a "family altar" in your home? How important is worship to your family?

    3.       Just as the Israelites worshiped God despite fear for the surrounding peoples, Christians ought to worship God despite fear of persecution from the world.

    4.       Just as the Israelites worship God as one, we as Christians are members of the body of Christ. When we interact with Christians from different backgrounds, we should always keep the unity of Christ’s body in mind by concentrating on our similarities, not our differences (John 17; Eph 4).

    5.       The Israelites who returned rebuilt the temple’s foundation knew it was Yahweh’s goodness and steadfast love that allows them to return to reestablish their worship to Yahweh. God is good. His steadfast love endures forever. We as Christians ought to worship God and praise Him for His goodness and steadfast love, for He would never forsake us; when we drift away, He always works to bring us back to Him (John 10:29).