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Monday, May 12, 2014

Day 69 - 90 Day Bible Reading Challenge - Ezra 1 - 5 Great Adventure A Journey Through the Bible



Day 69 

Ezra 1 - 5


Bible Time Period: Return
You brought the exiles back to Canaan; they rebuilt the Temple and Jerusalem and were taught once more from your Law:  Rebuild my broken heart and life as I return to you.

Prayer
“In your great mercy You did not completely destroy them and You did not forsake them, for You are a king and merciful God..O our God, great, mighty, and awesome God, You Who in Your mercy preserve the covenant...In all that has come upon us, You have been just, for You kept faith while we have done evil.”  (Nehemiah 9:31- 33)




Summary 
The people return in three waves over about a hundred years.  The story is told in the books of Ezra (who describes the first two waves of return) and Nehemiah.  During these three waves, Zerubbabel will lead Judah in rebuilding the Temple; Ezra will rebuild spiritual lives by teaching the Law; and Nehemiah will head an effort to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.  Two new world powers come into play during this time and greatly influence the course of events:  Persia, with gains ascendancy at the start of the period, and Greece, which follows about 200 years later.  In secular history, this is the time of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. 

Reflection
Jeremiah prophesied that the exile in Babylon would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:12).  It actually lasted a little more than half that long.  In 538 BC. Babylon was defeated by the Persians, led by King Cyrus.  Cyrus issued an edict to let God’s people return to Jerusalem and even helped fund the rebuilding of the Temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzer  (Ezra 1:2-4; 6:3-5).

The remnant that returned to Jerusalem was not necessarily the most pious and God-fearing people.  The prophet Malachi gives a unique window on the spiritual state of the returning exiles – decrying the corruption of the priesthood and the moral laxity of the ordinary people.

The full story of the return of Judah and the restoration of Jerusalem is told in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  To reconstruct the history of this period, read the books in this order.  Ezra 1 – 6; Nehemiah 1 – 7; 11 – 13; Ezra 7 – 10; Nehemiah 8 – 10. 

The first order of business was rebuilding the Temple, which you will sometimes see referred to as the Second Temple, the first being the one Solomon built.  Work on the new Temple was urged on by two prophets of the restoration era – Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1 – 2; Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 1:16)

When it was complete, Ezra led the people in a solemn renewal of their covenant with God (Nehemiah 8 -10)
The ceremony includes a long prayer by Ezra that recounts the history of God’s covenant love and His saving plan, beginning with the creation of the world (Ezra 9:6 – 10:1).


Ezra’s prayer gives us a summary of the message of the biblical history – “In Your great mercy You did not completely destroy them  and You did not forsake them, for You are a king and merciful God..O our God, great, mighty, and awesome God, You Who in Your mercy preserve the covenant...In all that has come upon us, You have been just, for You kept faith while we have done evil.”  (Nehemiah 9:31- 33) (Saint Paul Center For Biblical Theology Lesson 5 Part VII After the Exile)

Today's Reading
Ezra 1 - 5 


Commentary 
Discussion Boards Day 69
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For items devotional items related to the Catholic Church 

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Art
Zerubbabel Displays a Plan of Jerusalem to Cyrus the Great - Jacob van Loo

Zerubbabel displays a plan of Jerusalem to Cyrus the Great

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