Ezra and the new temple

        

Ezra and the new temple

Greetings, friend!

During the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, a righteous king, things change for the better for the Israelites.

Of the many heathen kings Cyrus, the king of Persia, realized that his vast kingdom is a gift of the Creator. He proclaimed that he the Creator ordained him to rebuild the temple and to resettle the people of Judah and Benjamin. The current resettled inhabitants must respect them and help them with material for the temple. He himself contributed all the temple equipment taken by his predecessor who raided Jerusalem.

So the exiles returned home and started by rebuilding the altar so the priestly duties can resume. They did this boldly despite the aggression of the resettled inhabitants. They started building the temple with one hand and a sword in the other.

The resettled inhabitants sent a letter to Cyrus' ambassador, Artaxerxes, to stop the work as they didn't want the temple to be rebuild. Artaxerxes told them initially to tell the people of Judah and Benjamin to stop the work. Despite this, the people of Judah and Benjamin continue to build the temple.

The resettled inhabitants then wrote a letter to king Darius the successor of Cyrus and told him that the people don't want to adhere to orders and to search for the decree.

King Darius found the decree and wrote back to them and told them that the decree of Cyrus is binding on all of them. They have to support the work done on the temple AND provide the builders with food and anything they may need, even animals for the daily offerings. Also that anyone opposes the work must be hanged as he is opposing both the king and the Creator.

So the temple was completed as instructed and a dedication feast was celebrated followed by the first Passover festival in the new temple.

Ezra was a teacher of the laws of the Creator in Babylon and a descendant of Aaron, a prophet and the first high priest. He traveled to Jerusalem with a letter of Artaxerxes that appoints him as high priest in Jerusalem and leader of the people of Judah and Benjamin. More people came with him back home from exile.

The first thing, due to idolatry after intermarriage with the resettled inhabitants, Ezra offered a sin offering and a prayer at the time of the evening sacrifice. Elam, one of the leaders, stood up and suggest that the foreign spouses be send away back to their families.

A solemn meeting for all the returned exiles was called in Jerusalem three days later and anyone who don't attend would be exiled and his property confiscated. Ezra said to the returned exiles that they have sinned by going against the law of the Creator that forbid them to marry idolaters. They have to send their spouses that are from the idolaters home. Just a handful of people opposed him. It took the leaders three months to settle all the divorce cases.

The next person to come to the exiles are Nehemiah. More about that tomorrow.

TODAY'S QUESTIONS:
Are you doing what the Creator wants you to do? Or are you deviating from His orders, even if it just slightly? Are you serving other gods? (There is a message about idolatry among my messages...) Are you rebellious and opposing the work of the Creator?

Forgiveness and a new life is waiting for you!

You would know what to do... GO AND DO IT NOW!









Metusalah and Elias
Messengers of the Creator



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