Most of the Prophets of Israel or Judah exercised their ministries prior to the so-called Babylonian Captivity, before 586 BC. Then two of the Old Testament Prophets (Ezekiel and Daniel) wrote and preached during that sad 70 year span of time. But then again, a few men (Prophets indeed) led Judah after the (Babylonian but had eventually become Persian) Exile.

This last group would be known as “post-captivity” servants of God, Prophets.

Ezra 5:1 mentions two of these “heroes.” Notice with me … “Then the prophets, HAGGAI the prophet, and ZECHARIAH the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel (sort of like the governor) the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and WITH THEM WERE THE PROPHETS OF GOD HELPING THEM.” Well, I’ve included verse 2 also. Note the capitalized words. They need emphasis as you read.

There they are, two of them anyway, “post-captivity” men of God. (Actually there are three such Prophets, Malachi being considered in this category too.)

And then remember they (their sermons, their writings) are precisely placed at the end of the Old Testament … “Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi.” Exactly where they should be located, I might add. “Post exile” or sometimes called “post exilic” as they are.

Yes, Haggai is the same man as wrote the Book that bears his name. As a quick perusal of his little 2 chaptered (only 38 verses) Book shows. (The man was a virtual cheerleader for the building project at hand, the very Temple of Almighty God!)

And Zechariah? “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of IDDO the prophet, saying …” Zechariah 1:1, question asked … question answered! (Grown children and even much younger grandchildren too, all fell under the category of “sons” or “descendants” in those days. You could add great-grandchildren to that list as well.)

What’s the point in all this minutiae, you might be asking?

Simply this fact.

GOD ALWAYS HAS A PREACHER, A PROPHET, TO DELIVER HIS MESSAGE, TO DECLARE HIS WORD … AT ANY GIVEN TIME! PRE-CAPTIVITY … MID-CAPTIVITY … AND POST CAPTIVITY, THE PEOPLE OF GOD HAD A PROCLAIMER TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH!

Many believe (me included) that the 12 Old Testament “Minor Prophets” (Hosea through Malachi) are generally arranged in chronological order! With Hosea and Amos (the first two) being earlier and Zechariah and Malachi (the last two) being later.

See?

A Prophet for all times, for all occasions!

Hebrews 1:1-2 further illustrates. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” Wow!

Look at your Preacher carefully this coming Sunday! Shake his hand. Get his autograph! Make a quick photo. After all, if he’s a true God-called Man … he is in that long line of Servants of the Lord who were born … “for such a time as this!”

Preachers, my role models.

The ones who have stood true to God through the years.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Soon as you finish reading the Lesson today … pray for 3 dear Preachers you know and love. Who have been a help to you through the years.

Is the Bible a history textbook?

No, not per se, at least it was not designed specifically for that reason.

But when the Bible does address matters of history … it is accurate. I tend to say “infallible, inerrant!” Without mistake, in other words!

But still, one will not find a detailed summary of the lives of the Vikings in Scripture. Or the Mayflower voyage across the Atlantic!

But one does find history … as it involves God’s people, either Israel or the Church … as it involves God’s Will on the earth! (Maybe in the heavens, too!)

And that brings me to today’s Text, Bible Text … Ezra chapter 5.

It is nearly 100% history!

Babylonian, Medo-Persian history, Jewish history!

Wow!

In it’s relatively short 17 verse “path” (Ezra 5 being the subject now) one finds mentioned King after King … Darius and Nebuchadnezzar (posthumously) and Cyrus (with Ezra 4 having already mentioned Artaxerxes, 3 times in fact)! Plus the chapters refers to several Prophets of God, two to be specific, Haggai and Zechariah! Not counting the governor of the “across the river” territory, a man named Tatnai!

Yes, history!

But only as it played a role in the life of Judah, God’s “chosen people,” or as Deuteronomy 32:10 calls the Jews, “the apple of His Eye!”

More about chapter 5 tomorrow, the Lord willing.

Looks like, truth be told, several lessons from that part of Ezra are upcoming!

But the “point” today, still talking about history …

I remember one day in class, history class, years ago now (high school really) that our teacher began the school year (the first class of the first week) by calling us to order … then walking to the chalkboard (that long ago) and writing there this word … “HISTORY.” The immediately he (I can still remember his name, Mr. Youstra) re-wrote the word as “HIS” then, with a space between the letters … “STORY!”

Then he turned to us and proclaimed that HISTORY is merely the revelation (the review) of HIS STORY, God’s Story in his dealing with mankind! Hence, from the Christian perspective, a working definition of history!

That’s the idea embedded in Ezra chapter 5, in all the Book of Ezra actually.

Ah, why not say it … in all the Bible!

“HIS STORY!”

And the Bible is “full” of his-story as well!

From Genesis to Revelation, lots of history. (Some divinely inspired Prophecy too, let there be no doubt!) But tons of history!

God involved in history?

Almost God controlling history, in a sense!

One more supporting verse today … “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Proverbs 21:1, God running His universe!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, through a wicked letter (filled with malice and half-truth) the enemy (mostly Samarians) was able to bring about a halt to the work of reconstructing the Jewish Temple, back in the days of Zerubbabel.

Here’s the Text: “Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in SAMARIA, and unto the rest beyond the river (the Euphrates), Peace, and at such a time.  The LETTER which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city (Jerusalem) of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. Give ye now commandment to CAUSE THESE MEN TO CEASE, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ LETTER was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, THEY WENT UP IN HASTE to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and MADE THEM CEASE BY FORCE AND POWER. Then CEASED THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF GOD which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” Ezra 4:17-24

I hope you’ve read this sad story, completely.

God’s work … stopped!

But the heart of the Lesson this Monday morning is that last verse … “So the work ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

It ceased, clearly … but only … “unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

Temporary cessation!

The Jews will be back, hammers in hand!

I’ve tried to do the math here. Darius began his reign in Persia in 522 BC. That means the work resumed in 520 BC, sixteen years after it was stopped! (It was forcefully suspended in 536 BC, best I can tell.)

Sixteen years of delay!

Looks like … wasted time!

BUT STILL … THE DEVIL HERE ONLY WON A TEMPORARY VICTORY!

The Temple was ultimately built!

The Jews, under the encouragement of some godly Prophets (Haggai, for example) returned to the task at hand! To building God’s House!

Oh, what solace we might find herein!

Defeats do NOT have to be permanent!

They (in Christ) can be reversed!

In fact, our great God can … “restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm.” Joel 2:25, restoring “lost” time! This must be the God of all the ages!

Wow!

Isaiah tell us also that God can … “give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:3

Take our “ashes” and give us beauty?

Take our “sadness” (mourning) and give us joy?

Take our “pressures” (heaviness) and give us praise?

YES!

YES!

YES!

And such is called … reversing former loses!

Making defeat into merely something temporary!

Folks, indeed there is victory in Jesus!

And what Jesus did for them … He can still do for you and me!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Listen to our Lord talk to His Disciples in John 16:33 … “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

The “defeated” become “conquerors” through Christ our Lord!

Actually Paul says God can make us “more than conquerors!” Romans 8:37

Hallelujah!

 

We’re only in the 4th chapter of Ezra (4 of 10 chapters) and an enemy has already appeared on the horizon. (I had no idea we would be studying the “tactics” of the evil one in this little Book of Scripture!)

In fact, this is the third day of studying these dangerous “ways of the devil.”

First the adversaries of Judah (actually people of the Tribes of both Judah and Benjamin) had tried “to join” them in their work of building the Temple, rebuilding it really. (“To join” them to do them harm, to sabotage the work, no doubt.) The Jewish leaders (Zerubbabel, for example) wisely rejected this dangerous offer!

Then the enemies tried “to weaken” the resolve of the workers (yesterday’s Lesson). The devil delights in robbing us of the strength we need to serve God.

Now today, these “devils” write a letter criticizing the Jews … a letter to the King of Persia, seeking to bring a legal “halt” to the work!

Here’s our Text: “This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king; that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed. We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.” Ezra 4:11-16

Lies!

Really, lie after lie!

Or at best, the truth s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d beyond one’s wildest imagination! A perversion of history! (It is called “revisionism” and is being practiced in modern America every day! For example our “heroes” of the past being recast into “villains!”)

But so fights the enemy!

They (in the letter) called Jerusalem a “bad city!”

Further calling them “tax evaders!”

Insinuating they are “enemies” of the government, of Persian rule!

Lies, again I affirm!

But they were HEARD by the ears of those in authority!

What a practical point today … BE CAREFUL LITTLE TONGUE WHAT YOU SAY! Or better yet in this case: BE CAREFUL LITTLE FINGERS WHAT YOU WRITE!

Proverbs 18:21 still says (truthfully) … “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Satan and his crowd have always been pretty good with their tongues!

Jesus labeled them and their ilk correctly: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is NO TRUTH in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for HE IS A LIAR, and the father of it.” John 8:44

I close (with a bit of self-reflection and trepidation) with these words from Paul: “Speak the truth in love.” Ephesians 4:15

Someone once even defined slander (for the Christian anyway) as … “Sometimes even telling the truth WITH THE DESIGN OF HURTING ANOTHER PERSON!”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The wicked, Psalm 64:3 says … “Whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.”

I want to live a godly life, giving my whole body to God … including my tongue!

 

A handful of Jews (relatively speaking) were trying to rebuild the Jewish Temple, after seventy years of grueling captivity. Living in a “strange land” (Babylon), certainly not the Holy Land!

But opposition had risen!

From the mixed-up (ethnically and religiously and morally) people who lived in and around Jerusalem. Non-worshippers of Almighty God!

Ezra calls them “the people of the land,” as opposed to “the people of God.”

“Then the people of the land WEAKENED THE HANDS of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.” Ezra 4:4-5

And this “weakening” business is still a tactic of Satan, folks!

Now, let’s look at our Verses a little more closely …

Our Text’s parallel verb (to “weakened”) is “troubled,” in Hebrew simply spelled “bahal,” meaning “to affright,” to make afraid. Literally here then are some “terrorists” at work! (I guess the Jews have faced them far longer than I ever knew!)

Then the verb “frustrate” is “parar,” meaning “to defeat,” or “to dissolve” the work teams who were building so fervently! “To break” their will to work!

In today’s language they hired (wicked) lawyers (advisers, consultants) to “sue” the builders, trying to get a “stay of construction!”

They did this for years, “all the days of Cyrus.”

Now … back to the verb “weakened.” It is “raphah” and means “to make idle.” Also “to make feeble.” Twice in the King James Version, “to faint!”

In a word, “to discourage” the working Jews … to the point of stopping the project!

The Devil hates God’s House!

Period.

Wow, what a thought this morning!

Every Christian you know is either a strengthener or a weakener of his or her brethren.

And we all know God’s Will in this area.

“Wherefore LIFT UP the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13

Wow!

Jesus to Peter. “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, STRENGTHEN thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

In fact, Jesus’ favorite Name for the Holy Spirit is “COMFORTER!” In English (from the Latin) it means “one who imparts strength, fortitude, bravery!”

Dear readers,  in your Church or family or job environments … do not be a hinderer, rather, be a helper!

Do not pull down … lift up!

Back when Jesus was on earth, His Father woke Him and taught Him “every morning” … to encourage the “weary.” Here’s Isaiah 50: 4 telling us, via Bible prophecy … “The Lord GOD hath given me (Jesus) the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a WORD IN SEASON to him that is WEARY: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned.”

Wow!

Jesus, not a “troubler” of His own followers!

But a Helper!

Go to Church Sunday and try to uplift, encourage, strengthen 2 or 3 of fellow Believers!

I close with Hebrews 3:13. Paul there succinctly says (commands really) … “But exhort one another daily.” And here “exhort” (in Greek “parakaleo”) means “to comfort, to strengthen,” definitions clearly opposite to “weakening!”

May the good Holy Spirit remind us all today (several times optimally) about these truths from Ezra 4 … about being a “helper” in the work of God.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, Daniel 7:25 gives us (in slightly different words) this tactic of the Devil, of the anti-Christ. “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and SHALL WEAR OUT the saints of the most High.”

That about says it all!