Month: January 2015

“Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.”
(Ezra 1:5)

OPEN UP:

In God’s Story, nothing is random. There are significant promises and traditions around each of the three tribes that God preserved to go back to Jerusalem.

People:

heads of the tribe of Judah
heads of the tribe of Benjamin

Levites — all descendants of the tribe of Levi, including priests
priests — descendants of Levi who had been specially commissioned to be priests

Places:
leaving Babylonian captivity to return to Jerusalem

– God “stirred the spirits” of some of the Jews in captivity.
– Those people arose to return.

“spirit” — ruwach — wind, breath, mind
“arose” — quwm — rise, arise, stand; often used for making preparations, especially for travel (see the post for Ezra 1:1c-2a)

Who were Judah, Benjamin, and Levi?

They were three of Israel’s twelve sons. The descendants of the other sons had been almost entirely lost, due to wars, captivity, and intermarriage.


Judah — the royal line

The descendants of Judah were preserved for a few reasons:

1. Practically speaking, they avoided capture the longest because they lived in the fortified capital city of Jerusalem.

2. They stayed faithful to God longer than the other tribes, so God delayed His punishment of them.

3. They carried the prophecy of an eternal king from their line. God protected them in order to fulfill this promise. (Jesus came from the royal line of Judah.)

“The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he to whom it belongs shall come
and the obedience of the nations shall be his.”
(Genesis 49:10 NIV)


Levi — priestly line

The descendants of Levi were priests. They had no land allotted to them. They were supposed to be scattered among the twelve tribes, to serve them. The temple was in Jerusalem, so a good portion of the priests (including the high priest) would have lived there.


Benjamin

It makes sense that God would preserve the kings and priests.
But why Benjamin?

Practically speaking again, the land allotted to Benjamin was next to Judah’s land, with Jerusalem on the border.

In later Jewish history Benjamin was closely associated with Judah.
(NICEZN)

The descendants of Benjamin could easily have been preserved within the fortifications of Jerusalem.

Circumstances are rarely random in God’s Story, though.

Many years before, Judah offered his life to redeem his brother Benjamin — foreshadowing Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice.

A quick review of the story in Genesis:

— The brothers sell Joseph into slavery (Ch. 37)
— Joseph rises to second in command of Egypt (Ch. 41)
— Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to ask for food but don’t recognize Joseph (Ch. 42)
— Joseph’s brothers come back for more food, this time bringing little Benjamin (Joseph’s only full brother) (Ch. 43)
— Joseph plants a “stolen” silver cup in Benjamin’s sack of grain, arrests him, and says he will keep him prisoner (Ch. 44)

This is where Judah rises to become a redeemer:

“…if my father… sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die …please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. … Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”
(Genesis 44:30-34 NIV)

— Joseph sobs, hugs his brothers, and has his dad brought to Egypt (Ch. 45)

The king of Judah has offered His life in my place, to save me from my own prisons.

Because He has redeemed me, I’m lumped together with Him, permanently. His inheritance is mine! God preserves Jesus’ life for the fulfillment of promises. My life is preserved, too (like Benjamin’s), because Jesus once offered His life to save mine.

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
(Hebrews 9:15 NIV)

“…we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
(Romans 8:17 NIV)

If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…look for ways to sacrifice for others.

God,
I want to be like Judah and Jesus, sharing in their suffering. I don’t do well with suffering, God. But Judah was motivated by his compassionate desire to relieve others’ suffering, just like Jesus was. Please open my eyes with compassion for the misery in the world, and show me what I can do to alleviate it.
For Jesus and His priceless inheritance, Amen.

References:
– Garland, David E. and Longman III, Tremper. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4. Zondervan, 2010.
– Fensham, F. Charles. New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Eerdmans, 1982.
– Bible Gateway: The Dispersion
– www.blueletterbible.org
All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.

“Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:4)

OPEN UP:

The gifts to the returning Jews probably came from the many Jews who chose to stay in Babylon. God had plans for both groups.

People:
The LORD
every survivor — former Jewish citizens of Jerusalem and Judah (and their children) who had been relocated into captivity 70 years prior

men of that place —

“…could mean non-Israelite neighbors… More probably it designates the many Jews, especially of the second and the third generation, who did not wish to leave the land of their birth.”
(EBC-Vol4)

Places:
whatever place he may live — Babylonian cities to which the Jewish captives had been deported 70 years prior

– King Cyrus asks men in each place where captive Jews had settled to give money, livestock, and gifts to the Jews who were preparing to return to Jerusalem.

Were the Jews required to return to Judah?

King Cyrus didn’t require it. He only allowed it:

“Any of his people among you may go…”
(Ezra 1:3 NIV)


The earlier prophets suggest that God wanted His people to return:

“Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it…”
(Isaiah 48:20 NIV)

“…now, get out of Babylon as fast as you can… Lead the way home!”
(Jeremiah 50:10, 8-9 MSG)


Were the Jews who stayed disobeying God?

Godly Jewish leaders stayed in Babylon — Esther, her uncle Mordecai, the prophet Daniel, etc. God used them in positions of leadership to influence foreign kings and protect their people.

“…who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
(Esther 4:14 NIV)


Why would anyone prefer to stay?

If they had followed what the prophet Jeremiah told them when they went into captivity, they were well established in Babylon:

“This is what the LORD… says… ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage… Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.’”
(Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)

“A significant group stayed behind, because they had become prosperous and were satisfied with conditions in that country. They enjoyed a great amount of freedom and some of them [were successful in] business.”
(NICEZN)

Did the Jews who stayed “miss the boat,” in terms of what God was doing?

The more I study the Old Testament, the more I am convinced of God’s ultimate control of history. This doesn’t excuse people from personal responsibility, but when they do return to the God who is not bound by time, He is fully capable of weaving mistakes into His Story, as if He always knew they would happen.

Many years before the Babylonian exile, when the northern and southern tribes of Israel split and civil war was imminent, God said:

“…You must not go up and fight against your relatives… for this thing has come from Me…”
(1 Kings 12:24 NASB)

(The Message version puts it: “I’m in charge here.”)

After that point, the Israelites — who had at least a dormant understanding of God — became increasingly scattered among the nations. Even during the time of the Babylonian exile, many of the Jews who had not been taken captive ended up settling in Egypt.

“THE DISPERSION was the general title applied to those Jews who remained settled in foreign countries after the return from the Babylonian exile… The influence of the Dispersion on the rapid [spread] of Christianity can scarcely be overrated. The course of the apostolic preaching followed in a regular progress the line of Jewish settlements.”
Source: Bible Gateway

In a more immediate sense, God used the Jews who stayed to financially support the Jews who returned.

“Although financially assisted by their rich Jewish compatriots, the Jewish returnees were poor and ill equipped to shoulder their responsibilities in Judah.” (NICEZN)

I’ve regretted the many years when I was busy with life and wasn’t paying attention to what God was doing.

God used those dark times, though. Especially when I saw how God brought me out of them, they made my faith far more valuable to me than it would have been otherwise.


In spite of wasted years, Jesus says it isn’t too late to do His work:

“‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered… ‘I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you… are you envious because I am generous?’”
(Matthew 20:12-16 NIV)


I’m commanded to “go,” just as the Jews of the exile were:

“Go into all the world…”
(Mark 16:15 NIV)

“…go and make disciples of all nations…”
(Matthew 28:19 NIV)

I used to imagine traveling to do humanitarian work. I’ve wondered if my mistakes prevented that. But now I am in a position where I can financially support others who go.

Also — like the Jews of the exile — I have no idea how my circumstances might fit into God’s Big Story.

“…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28 NIV)

“I’m in charge here.”
(1 Kings 12:24 MSG)


If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…trust that God knows exactly what He’s doing; if I’ve loved Him and have been called according to His purpose, my life has not been wasted.

God,
Just like everyone else who follows You, I want You to use my life in Your Story. You promised that Your Holy Spirit would enable us to serve You. Please let me walk by the Spirit today, and teach me to recognize Your voice.
For the sake of Jesus, whose work makes life well worth living, Amen.


References:
– Garland, David E. and Longman III, Tremper. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4. Zondervan, 2010.
– Fensham, F. Charles. New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Eerdmans, 1982.
– Bible Gateway: The Dispersion
– www.blueletterbible.org
All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.

“Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.“ (Ezra 1:2b-3)

OPEN UP:

There is only one God who needs to be appeased. Faith and belief are pleasing to Him.

People:
King Cyrus
the God who is in Jerusalem
His people

Places:
Jerusalem which is in Judah

– Cyrus decrees that all Jewish survivors of the Babylonian captivity can go back to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple.

Did King Cyrus believe in God?

Only God knows, but Cyrus may have been pantheistic.

At that time, when a new king took power, it was common for him (or his advisors) to write a decree announcing that the gods had appointed him as king.

Cyrus’s decree is inscribed in a clay cylinder using ancient cuneiform writing.

Photo source


Excerpt from the Cyrus Cylinder:

“[The god Marduk]… checked all the countries, seeking for the upright king of his choice. He took under his hand Cyrus… and called him by his name…

I am Cyrus, king of the universe…

I sent back to their places… the gods… and made permanent sanctuaries for them. I collected together all of their people and returned them to their settlements, and the gods … I returned them unharmed to… the sanctuaries that make them happy. May all the gods that I returned to their sanctuaries… ask for a long life for me…”

Translation source: the British Museum


The following verse has some parallels with the Cyrus Cylinder. (The prophet Isaiah lived before Cyrus — remember that Cyrus means “sun.”)

“Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed,
Whom I have taken by the right hand,
To subdue nations before him…
‘I will give you… treasures… And hidden wealth…
So that you may know that it is I…
who calls you by your name…
though you have not known Me;
That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
That there is no one besides Me.” (Isaiah 45:1-6)

Is God ok with acknowledging several gods?

Cyrus’ respect for other nations’ gods seems enlightened, tolerant, and loving.


The Bible says:

– there is only one God.

“…the LORD is God; besides him there is no other.”
(Deuteronomy 4:35 NIV)


– worshipping nonexistent gods is a destructive, unhealthy waste of resources.

“Those who worship hollow gods… walk away from their only true love.”
(Jonah 2:8 MSG)

“[they will] cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes.”
(Jeremiah 11:12 NIV)

“All who make idols… which can profit nothing… are only human beings. … The blacksmith… gets hungry and loses his strength… The carpenter… shapes it… that it may dwell in a shrine. … He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!” … No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, ‘Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals. … Shall I bow down to a block of wood?’ …a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself…”
(Isaiah 44:9-20 NIV)

– fulfilled prophecy is a way God helps people gain confidence that He is real.

“I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come… Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock…”
(Isaiah 44:6-8 NIV)

Why did Cyrus think the god Marduk was leading him to be compassionate? Why do other religions have good in them?

“He has… set eternity in the human heart…”
(Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

A book titled “Eternity In Their Hearts” suggests that every culture contains fragments of the knowledge of God.

Maybe this is because all people descended from Adam or Noah (who both knew God)…
Maybe it’s because all people were created in the image of God and are designed to know God…

“…people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough… By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives…”
( Romans 1:18-23 MSG)

The author of “Eternity…” also wrote “The Peace Child,” a story about warring cannibalistic tribes who came to understand what Jesus did — by enacting their cultural practice of giving one of their infants to the enemy to secure peace. (This beautiful video briefly tells the story.)

Cyrus was trying to make all the gods happy. But if there is only one God, what makes that God happy?

To believe He exists and believe in the one He has sent:

“…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

“Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’”
(John 6:28-29 NIV)

I can learn about God through studying the Bible, and the fulfilled historical prophecies give me confidence about its truth.

There is still so much I don’t know…

What does God do about people who have grown up believing in other gods? What if they are busy serving their families — or they don’t read well — and they aren’t able to study other religions in-depth to find the religion that offers the most solid reason to believe?

At the root is a different question:
Can I trust God’s character, that He is compassionate and fair?

I can see through history that when there is a true understanding of what Jesus did, people are set free from injustice, violence, and despair. When God acts — even to mete out justice — compassion is at the core of His motives.

I need to have faith in His plan to bring compassionate justice to every nation.


If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…look for specific ways to be a reflection of God’s compassion.

God,
Please have mercy on the people in the world who are oppressed by violent religions. You have created them in Your image, and Your compassion is hidden in them, piercing their consciences. Bring them to a place where they can think clearly. Provide clues to help them understand what You have done for them. God, have mercy on me for the ways that I don’t understand You, and for the ways I’ve shut myself off to common sense and to belief.
For the sake of Jesus and His incomprehensible love, Amen.


References:
Wikipedia: Cyrus Cylinder
British Museum: Cyrus Cylinder
Don Richardson, “Eternity in Their Hearts.” Bethany House, 2006.
Don Richardson, “Peace Child.” Bethany House, 2005.
Statement by Don Richardson about Islam

Passage: Ezra 1:2b

“…in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” (Ezra 1:2b-3)

OPEN UP:

God wanted His Name to dwell in a specific location. Ultimately, this location was and will be Mount Zion, or Jerusalem.

Cyrus — king of Persia, conquered Babylon, declared that the captive Jews could return to their homeland

Jerusalem — city conquered and established by King David in 1000 BC, then conquered by the Babylonians in 597 BC

Judah — the parcel of the Promised Land that was allotted to the descendants of Judah (one of the twelve sons/tribes of Israel)

– Cyrus designates the location of the rebuilt temple: Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

How did the Israelites begin to live in Judah/Jerusalem?

Israel had three founding fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. God promised that He would give their descendants the large piece of land that was then occupied by Canaanites.

Jacob/Israel had twelve sons. Hundreds of years later, when the descendants (tribes) of those sons finally entered the Promised Land, they divided the land into twelve pieces. The next step was to actually conquer it.

Jerusalem was on the border of the land allotted to the descendants of Judah and Benjamin. It was called Jebus (also Zion), inhabited by the Jebusites. The Israelites conquered and burned Jebus, but they did not succeed in driving out the Jebusites.

Later, King David (descendant of Judah) defeated the Jebusites. He made Jerusalem the capital of Israel.


Why was it important to have a capital city for the Israelites?

Years earlier, when Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, before they entered the Promised Land, God told them:

“…seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go…

Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes…”
(Deuteronomy 12:5, 13-14 NIV)

This is repeated multiple times — God will choose a place, and sacrifices can only be made there. Generally this was the place where the Ark of the Covenant was located.


Where did God choose for the Ark of the Covenant to be located?

It isn’t entirely clear to me how God specifically chose a location…

A few Scriptures say that Shiloh was God’s first choice for His dwelling:

“Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name…”
(Jeremiah 7:12 NIV)

“He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans.”
(Psalm 78:60 NIV)


Shiloh — the name of a city. Closely related words are “tranquility” and “rest.” With a slightly different rendering, it means “to whom it belongs.”


Right before Jacob/Israel died, he used the word “Shiloh” when he blessed his son Judah:

“Judah…your father’s sons will bow down to you…
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come [“to whom it belongs” is actually “Shiloh” in the Hebrew text] and the obedience of the nations shall be his.”
(Genesis 49:8-10 NIV)


If God first chose Shiloh, why isn’t Shiloh the capital of Israel?

God abandoned Shiloh due to the disobedience of the Israelites, and the Ark moved somewhere else.

Following is a list of major locations of the Ark (not a complete list):

– When the Israelites wandered in the desert, sacrifices were made at the tent (tabernacle) where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.

– After the Israelites had settled some of the Promised Land, the tent with the Ark was set up at Shiloh.

– Shiloh was destroyed when the Israelites disobeyed God. (They had been worshipping other gods, and the priests had been sleeping with temple workers, etc.) They decided to take the Ark into battle as if it were a magic talisman. The Ark was captured by their enemies and later returned.

– The Ark moved from place to place for several years.

– King David conquered Jerusalem and secured peace for the Israelites. After he had built himself a nice palace…

“[David] said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.’”
(2 Samuel 7:2 NIV)

God responded:

“…Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? … I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling… did I ever say…’Why have you not built me a house…?’

…I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
(2 Samuel 7:5-7, 12-13)

– God allowed David’s son, King Solomon, to build a temple in Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant was moved to the temple. God showed His recognition of the new location by filling it with a visible sign of His glory.

– The Ark disappeared at some unknown point afterward.

What was the status of Jerusalem in the time of Ezra?

By the time of Ezra, most of the Promised Land had been lost to wars. The descendants had been scattered into captivity, and their culture and lineage were lost to intermarriage. Although Jerusalem had stood firm longer than the rest of the Promised Land, it had also been taken and burned by the Babylonians, along with the temple.

When King Cyrus of Persia defeated the Babylonians, he let the descendants of Judah and Benjamin return to the province of Judah and rebuild the temple (although Judah and Jerusalem remained under Persian rule).

By the time Jesus came, Jerusalem was under Roman rule.
Still, God had preserved the city, the temple, the rituals, and the lineage of Judah, ready for the fulfillment of ancient prophecies.


What is the future of Jerusalem?

Revelation 21 in the New Testament describes the New Jerusalem, but there are also prophecies in the Old Testament:

“Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her… Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations.”
(Joel 3:17, 20 NIV)

“In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established… and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple… He will teach us his ways…’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes… Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore… The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.”
(Micah 4:1-3, 7 NIV)


Jerusalem — means “founded by [the God of] peace”

God wanted to give His people a home where they could rest peacefully, enjoying healthy relationships with Him and with each other.

The first plan, Shiloh, had to be abandoned because of the people’s disobedience.

The first covenant (contained in the Ark) also had to be abandoned because of the people’s disobedience.

But God keeps His promises even when people fail. Jesus became the sacrifice that was offered in the place God chose — Jerusalem. Jesus’ blood marked the establishment of a New Covenant, which will be completely fulfilled in the New Jerusalem.

My part of the New Covenant is easy: Let my life be purchased by God through Jesus’ blood, and look for my salvation only in Him.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins… If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.”
(1 John 4:10, 15 NIV)

If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…rest and be founded in peace, knowing that I am completely forgiven.

God,
You showed in so many ways that You were going to send Jesus — and that His rule would establish peace. I have a taste of that peace now, but I look forward to seeing peace come to all the nations. Please rule over my life now, today, and teach me Your ways. Bring health to my life, and let me know the presence of God living in me.
For the sake of Jesus, who bears Your Name and lives in me, Amen.

References:
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody, 1980
www.blueletterbible.org
article on The Journeying of the Tabernacle

For an explanation of the strange event that nearly made me abandon this site, read here. The following post was mostly written at that point, and I will wrap up the “temple” set today, so I can move on to the next passage in Ezra.

“…to build Him a house…”(Ezra 1:2b)

OPEN UP:

Jesus is the builder and cornerstone of a new, living temple. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is part of that temple, and God has filled us with His Spirit.

various prophets before, during, and after the exile

Places:
God’s house

– Cyrus decrees that the God of heaven has appointed him to build Him a house.

Reviewing the Ark of the Covenant:
– it was a small box, and the tablets of the Law were inside it
– God’s glory was over it, like a cloud or a fire
– the terms of the Covenant were basically:
1) the people would obey the Law, and
2) God’s glorious presence would stay with them, without destroying them
– The Ark of the Covenant had to be covered with blood, because the people had not obeyed the Law


After the Ark disappeared, did God abandon the Covenant with His people, since there was no way to cover the broken Law with blood anymore?

Jesus is the messenger of a new covenant. The blood that covers the broken Law — once for all time — is His own blood.

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the LORD you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.”
(Malachi 3:1 NIV)

“And when [Jesus] had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.'”
(Matthew 26:27-28 NIV)


Since there is a new covenant, will God still live in a temple?

Zechariah, a prophet during the rebuilding of the second temple, said a coming king would build a temple:

“…a man whose name is Branch [a recognized term for the promised ruler] …will build the temple of the LORD… and sit and rule on His throne… He will be a priest on His throne… Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD…” (Zechariah 6:12-13, 15 NASB)


There would be a new cornerstone:

“…I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,
A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.
He who believes in it will not be disturbed.”
(Isaiah 28:16 NASB)

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone…”
(Psalm 118:22 NIV)

The New Testament says that anyone who rests on Jesus, the cornerstone, is part of a new living temple:

“As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

“…you are… members of his household… with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
(Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV)


Would God fill the living temple with visible glory, like He filled the tabernacle and the first temple?

After Jesus went back to heaven, God’s glory filled the new, living temple with a visible sign of His glory.

“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other [languages] as the Spirit enabled them.”
(Acts 2:2-4)


This is a fulfillment of prophecy:

“…I will pour out my Spirit on all people…
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
…And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved…”
(Joel 2:28-29, 32 NIV)

“…I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you… I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws… I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant… My dwelling place will be with them…”
(Ezekiel 36:26-27, 37:26-27 NIV)

“…I will make a new covenant… not like the covenant which I made with their fathers… which they broke… But this is the covenant which I will make… I will put My law within them… they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them…” (Jeremiah 31:31-34 NASB)

Since these prophecies have been fulfilled, is this the way things will always be — the way they are now?

Prophecies about the future are difficult to understand.

The prophecies had said people from many nations would be included in the new temple. This has happened — anyone from any nation can rest on Jesus the cornerstone and become part of the living temple.

But these prophecies are mixed up with prophecies about how the temple will look when Jesus returns again and establishes His kingdom on earth.

“‘…Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst… Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst…'”
(Zechariah 2:4-5, 11 NASB)

“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD… every one who… holds fast My covenant… My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
(Isaiah 56:6-7 NASB)

“…my Spirit remains among you… what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory… The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house… And in this place I will grant peace…”
(Haggai 2:3-9 NIV)

“Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.”
(Isaiah 4:5-6 NIV)


And just to mix things up, the New Testament says Jesus Himself is the temple:

“’Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.’

…I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb [Jesus] are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”
(Revelation 21:3, 22-23 NIV)

“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’

They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple [described in Ezra], and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said…”
(John 2:19-22 NIV)

When I see the way the prophecies have been fulfilled in the past, I know I can trust that every detail is important. Even if I don’t understand exactly how everything will happen, I know all of it will be fulfilled. It might just happen on a much different timeline than it seems…

The most important thing is that Jesus fills everything in every way.

I need to keep seeking Him with my whole heart, reading the Bible, and trusting the Holy Spirit to help me understand what I need to know — and to let my life be changed by it.

“…Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…
you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God…”
(1 Corinthians 1:26-30 NIV)

If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…keep seeking Jesus with my whole heart.

God,
Everything in Your Word is summed up in one Word: Jesus. He is all I need — my temple, my covenant, my blood covering, my priest, my king, and my wisdom from God.
For Jesus, who fills everything in every way, Amen.

“…to build Him a house…”(Ezra 1:2b)

OPEN UP:

God’s glory leaves the temple. It is seen in the form of a man coming in a cloud.

People:
various prophets before, during, and after the exile

Places:
God’s house

(We are still on the verse where Cyrus says God appointed him to rebuild the temple — just exploring the great significance of this.)

Where did God plan for His glory to dwell after Ark of the Covenant went missing?

In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw God’s glory in a huge cloud. A man was in the cloud:

“As I looked… a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing…

…there was something resembling a throne…

…high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man… I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD…”
(Ezekiel 1:4, 26-28 NASB)


Ezekiel saw this glory leave the temple and go to a mountain to the east.

“Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple… stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’s house… went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.”
(Ezekiel 10:18-19, 11:23)


What is this “east mountain”?

The Mount of Olives is a ridge of mountains to the east of Jerusalem.

Zechariah, a prophet who encouraged the workers during the rebuilding of the temple, described the return of the LORD on the Mount of Olives.

“In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east… the LORD, my God, will come…!”
(Zechariah 14:4-5 NASB)

Zechariah also said:

“…your king is coming to you… with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey…”
(Zechariah 9:9-14)


Did God’s glory come to the Mount of Olives?

A few days before His death, Jesus rode on the foal of a donkey down the Mount of Olives, with crowds shouting that He was the King they had been expecting.
(Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19).

(The significance of this will be explored more in Ezra 3, when the temple foundation is placed and the people are shouting.)


After His death and resurrection, Jesus was carried in a cloud, up from the Mount of Olives.

“…a cloud received Him out of their sight…

…two men in white clothing… said,

‘…Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’

Then they [the disciples] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet…”
(Acts 1:9-12 NASB)


Was God’s glory in the temple a thing of the past? Why build it?

God’s presence did come to the second temple, in the form of Jesus.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…”
(Hebrews 1:2 NIV)

Jesus was recognized by a couple people who had dedicated their lives to seeking Him with their whole hearts.

“When the parents brought in the child Jesus [into the temple]… Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’”
(Luke 2:26-32 NIV)


Will God’s glory always be so hidden that only true seekers find it?

The Old Testament prophecies tell about God coming with a glory that all people will see at once — with terrain-altering earthquakes and other signs.

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the LORD you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.”
(Malachi 3:1-2 NIV)

“…In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together…”
(Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV)


Jesus gave a long teaching on the Mount of Olives called the Olivet discourse. It was there that He described to His disciples the destruction of the second temple (which happened in 70 AD). He also described His second coming:

“…as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man… all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
(Matthew 24:27, 30)

Years after Jesus left, one of his disciples saw this vision:

“’The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.’

…Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.”
(Revelation 11:15, 19 NIV)

These prophecies are scary and strange. They sound like a conspiracy theory, or like something out of a sci-fi movie.

The prophet Isaiah said, “Who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) That’s how it feels to read about these things and describe them. They seem fantastical, even fanatical.

Many of the Old Testament prophecies have already been fulfilled — especially the prophecies in Daniel 9, which predicted:
1) the timing of Jesus’ first coming
2) the timing of His death, and
3) the timing of the destruction of the second temple.
It all happened right on schedule.

If those things happened, I need to pay attention to the prophecies that haven’t been fulfilled yet — because they will happen, too.

Even though I can’t fully understand these things — and they tend to scare me — I still need to be familiar with what is written, so I can recognize what’s taking place when it happens.

It sounds like it will be hard to miss anyway!

If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…rest on God’s mercy, because I don’t know everything that will happen.

God,
You know I have skeptical tendencies. Especially when I hadn’t been seeking You in the Bible, it was easy to wonder whether You even existed. Reading the prophecies and then recognizing their fulfillment in history gave me a reason to trust the truth of the Bible. I have no idea how much time is left before Jesus comes again, and it still feels a little crazy to think about it actually happening — earthquakes and apocalypse and all. I need Your mercy and compassion for my inability to wrap my mind around it. I want to be one who is gathered up as a friend, follower, and seeker of Jesus.
For the sake of the Son You love so much, Amen.

References:
What is the Olivet Discourse?

“…to build Him a house…”(Ezra 1:2b)

OPEN UP:

God’s glory was revealed very visibly with 1) a cloud and 2) fire. That was how He signaled that He had moved into His Earthly dwellings.

When the Ark of the Covenant went missing, God’s glory went into hiding.

Places:
God’s house

– Cyrus decrees that the God of heaven has appointed him to build Him a house.

How could the Israelites know God was “dwelling” with them in His house?

1. When Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God’s presence led them through the desert.

The presence was seen by the people — in a cloud by day and fire by night.

“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud… and by night in a pillar of fire… Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
(Exodus 13:21-22)


2. When Moses built the tabernacle (tent to hold the Ark of the Covenant), no one had to do much seeking to find God’s presence.

“He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark [of the Covenant]…

Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle…

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle… So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.” (Exodus 40:20-21, 34-38)


3. And when the first temple was complete, no one had to do much seeking to find God’s presence.

“The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple… Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God…

Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud…’

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven… and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt… and they worshiped…”
(2 Chronicles 5:7, 13-14; 6:1; 7:1-3)


4. Before construction even began on the second temple, Jeremiah warned the people they would have to look for God this time.

“I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place… You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…”
(Jeremiah 29:10, 13-14)


Other prophets talked about the mysterious absence of God’s glorious presence.

“‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong… all you people of the land… I am with you… This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my
Spirit remains among you… I will fill this house with glory…'”
(Haggai 2:3-8)

Another prophet during the exile saw (in a vision) God’s glory leaving the temple and going somewhere else!

“…a cloud filled the inner court [of the temple in the vision]…

Then the glory of the Lord rose… and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord…

Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple…

The glory of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.”
(Ezekiel 10:3-4, 18; 11:23)

More about that mountain next time…

I live in a time where I don’t physically see God’s glory. I experience His Spirit, undoubtedly. But I can’t point to any visible cloud or fire and say, “See, God is real!”

In the Bible, there are so many stories of miracles that it seems like they happened all the time. But the Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,500 years. It tells about a dark times, too, like during Ezra’s life. God should have shown up miraculously in the second temple. But He didn’t. The Law was broken, the Covenant was broken, the Ark was missing, and God’s presence was hidden.

There is still the promise that His Spirit is there.

I just have to seek with all my heart. He promises He is still there, I will find Him, and His plan will be glorious.

If today were my last day on earth, I would:

…desperately wish I had more time to figure out how to communicate — clearly, simply — the incredible wealth of meaning hidden in God’s Word.

God,
I am utterly overwhelmed by the treasures You have hidden in Your Word. I spend hours and hours searching, and with every layer I pull back, I’m blown away by the message You disguised in the simplest of stories — even in the bent “bow” that You set in the clouds after Noah’s flood, as a signal of a new covenant. How in the world can I condense this? How will people really see it? Already I’m failing, and I can only depend on You to glorify Yourself.
For the sake of Jesus, who leaves me speechless.
Amen.

References:
www.blueletterbible.org
All verses are NIV unless otherwise noted.