THE BOOK OF

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THE BOOK OF EZRA!
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BACKGROUND MATERIAL! WRITER Tradition
EZRA. a) Ezra was a Priest SCRIBE71-6,21. b)
Very Godly710 TIME 536456 B.C. (80
Yrs). a) From The Decree of Cyrus11. b) To
After Ezra's Arrival in Jeru.831f. TO Not
StatedObviously Jews/Us! SUBJ Return of the
Jews to Judea12-4. PURPOSE 1. Give a record of
the Jew's return to Judea. 2. Show fulfillment
God's promiseJer.2910
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REVIEW 1. WE HAVE SEEN NATION OF ISRAEL a)
Born/Settled in Canaan/Divide, Be Conquered and
Taken into Exile! 2. NOWWE'LL SEE THEM
RESTORED! a) Ezra1st Post-Exilic Book. b)
ALSOBooks of Nehemiah, Haggai Zechariah,
Malachi, 12 Chronicles. 3. EZRA DEALS WITH
ISRAEL'S "RETURN"! a) The Beginning of a "NEW
ERA"! b) Now set for the Coming of MESSIAH!
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THE BOOK OF EZRA BEGINS WITH CYRUS, KING OF
PERSIA, ISSUING A DECREE THAT THE JEWS
COULD RETURN TO THE LAND OF JUDEA!
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THE ROYAL DECREE OF KING CYRUS WAS BASED ON A 150
YEAR OLD "PROPHESY" Isa 4428 "...who says of
Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all
that I please he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it
be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its
foundations be laid." Jer 2910 the LORD
says "When seventy years are completed for
Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my
gracious promise to bring you back to this place.
"
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NOTEKING CYRUS ACTED FROM FAITH IN GOD'S
PROPHESY! Ezra 12 Thus says Cyrus king of
Persia All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD
God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded
me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in
Judah.
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WE, CHRISTIANS, SHOULD BELIEVE IN GOD'S
"PROPHESIES"! 1. THERE WILL BE FALSE
TEACHERS a) 1Jno.41 "Beloved, believe not
every..." 2. JESUS IS COMING AGAIN! a)
Jno.141-3 "Let not your heart be..." 3. THIS
EARTH TO BE DESTROYED a) 2Pet.310 "..earth be
burned up..." 4. HEAVEN-THE DESTINY OF
FAITHFUL! a) Rev.211ff "..no
death..sorrow..pain.."
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EZRA TELLS US ISRAEL'S FIRST "RETURN" WAS LED BY
ZERUBBABEL Ezra 21ff. THIS "RETURN" TOOK PLACE
IN 536 B.C. (606-536 70 Years) ONLY 49,897 OF
THE CAPTIVES RETURNED TO JUDEA264ff.
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ARRIVING IN JUDEA THEY REMEMBERED THEIR
GOD!!! 1. THEY IMMEDIATELY MADE ARRANGEMENTS
FOR WORHIP a) 32 "..they arose and built the
altar of God...to offer burnt offerings...as
written in the Law of Moses..." 2. THEN--THE
REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE WAS BEGUN! a) 310
"..when the builders had laid the foundation of
the temple...the priests stoodto praise the
Lord..."
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• GOD EXPECTS WORSHIP TO HAVE "FIRST PLACE" IN OUR
  LIVES ALSO!
• HEAR THE LORD'S WORD
• a) Mat.633 ..seek FIRST kingdom
• b) Jno.423f "God...Spirit...seeks such to
  worship Him."
• c) Heb.1025 "Not forsaking..assembling"
• 2. CONSIDER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASSEMBLY OF
  THE SAINTS!
• a) Mat.1820 "Where 2..3 are gathered.."

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OPPOSITION TO THE BUILDING PROGRAM AROSE! 1.
HELP OFFERED BY "OUTSIDERS" WHEN REFUSED THEY
"HINDERED"! a) 41-7 "Let us build with
you...the people frightened them from
building..." 2. WORK STOPPED BY ARTAXERES a)
421 "..issue a decree to stop...work..." 3.
BEGAN AGAINHELPED BY THE THE LORD'S
PROPHETS! a) 51ff "..Haggai..Zechariah
prophesied.."
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• SATAN HAS HINDERED OBEDIENCE
• TO GOD IN MANY WAYS!
• JOB
• a. Job 1 2.
• 2. JESUS
• a. Matt.314 ..John would have hindered
  Him, saying
• 3. PETER
• a. Mat.1622 Peter began to rebuke
  Himthis shall not be unto you...
• 4. YOU???1Pet.58f ..your adversary..

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THE TEMPLE FOUNDATION WAS LAID WITH MIXED
RESPONSE! 1. SOME (THE OLDER) WEPT! SOME
SHOUTED WITH JOY312! 2. THIS TEMPLE WOULD NOT
BE AS GLORIOUS AS FIRST ONE!
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THE TEMPLE WAS COMPLETED THE FIRST WORSHIP
RECORDED! Ezra 614-15 They finished their
building by command of the God of Israel and by
decree of Cyrus and Darius and Ar-ta-xerx'es king
of Persia 15. And the people of Israel, the
priests and the Levites, and the rest of the
returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of
this house of God with joy.
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THE SECOND "RETURN" OF THE JEWS TO JUDEA WAS
LED BY EZRA, THE "SCRIBE"! 1. TIME 457
B.C.! 2. 1,750 MALES MADE UP THIS 2nd
RETURN! 3. THIS RETURN WAS ALSO APPROVED BY
"ROYAL DECREE" 711ff.
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EZRA S JOB IN JUDEA WAS TO REBUILD THE
PEOPLE!!! Ezra 710 10 For Ezra had set his
heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it,
and to teach his (Gods) statutes and ordinances
in Israel.
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A "THIRD RETURN" WAS LED BY A MAN NAMED
NEHEMIAH! WE WILL CONSIDER THIS "RETURN" WHEN WE
CONSIDER HIS BOOK!
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PERSPECTIVE! THIS IS HOW GOD RESTORED ISRAEL TO
THE LAND OF JUDEA! ZERUBABBEL REBUILT THE
TEMPLE! EZRA REBUILT THE PEOPLE! NEHEMIAH
REBUILT JERUSALEM! THE STAGE IS NOW SET FOR THE
COMING OF "MESSIAH"!
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ONE GREAT LESSON FROM EZRA GOD KEEPS HIS
WORD/COVENANTS! 1. HE PLACES BEFORE YOUETERNAL
LIFE AND ETERNAL DAMNATION! 2. WHICH DO YOU
CHOOSE? a) If Never Obeyed The Gospel 1)
Mk.1615f Acts 238 b) If Not Living
Faithfully 1) Acts 822 1 Jno. 19
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THE "CAPTIVES" HAD TO "CHOOSE" WHETHER OR NOT TO
RETURN TO THE "PROMISED LAND" AND SO DO
YOU ONLY YOUR PROMISED LAND IS "HEAVEN" OR
"HELL" (Jno.141-3 Mk.1615f)! WHAT IS YOUR
CHOICE?