Sabbath School Lesson for September 28-October 4, 2019
Overview
A general overview of the time period for the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon gave us a glimpse into…
- the first return of about 50,000 to rebuild the temple, led by Zeraabbel their governor, following Cyrus’ decree in 538 B.C. (Sunday)
- who were the kings who made decrees that determined the fulfillment of God’s prophecy that His people would return from captivity after 70 years (Monday)
- the second return of about 5 -6,000 to rebuild Jerusalem, with Ezra, the priest, in charge of the spiritual restoration of His people (Tuesday)
- how God used Artaxerxes, a pagan king, to continue the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Wednesday)
- the importance of Ezra’s revival and reformation through encouraging a renewed study of God’s word and applying it to their lives (Thursday)
Introduction
Looking at the times of Ezra and Nehemiah this quarter provides a great continuation of our study into the need for God’s church to be everything He intends it to be. Besides being a community of servants, we are entrusted with the law of God and showing how it can transform us and those around us.
Seeing how two able, dedicated leaders (Ezra and Nehemiah) accomplished such a massive restoration of God’s nation after their Babylonian captivity will encourage us in striving to replicate their successes.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are historically connected, so studying them together will be helpful in seeing the full picture of events. However, we must realize that the story is not necessarily told in chronological order. So, studying it together will aid us in following the story line accurately.
Memory Text: ” ‘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’ “ Ezra 1:2 NKJV
God’s Spirit must have been working on Cyrus’ heart. We have no evidence, of course, that he ever became a follower of the true God, but God still used Him to fulfill His promise to the Jewish exiles.
If God can use pagan kings, He can certainly use us for accomplishing His will. We just need to listen for His voice.
Sunday: The First Return of the Exiles
Although many chose to remain in the foreign lands they occupied, about 50,000 exiles were in the first group who made the arduous return journey to the promised land of Judah. Cyrus’ first decree (538 B.C.) was for them to rebuild the temple, a noble enterprise. Zerubbabel, a dedicated leader, was appointed their governor, with Jeshua (Joshua), serving as high priest.
In addition, they were to return well-supplied with gifts and offerings from the king. Even the original temple vessels that were confiscated by King Nebuchadnezzar years before were returned to God’s people for use in the new temple services.
These gifts remind us of the Hebrew slaves fleeing Egypt, loaded with gifts from their Egyptian neighbors and former masters. This was a demonstration of how God rewards His people and supplies them in their time of need. His gifts often come from strange and unexpected places.
Unfortunately, there were many obstacles to the task of rebuilding the temple. It would be twenty years before it was complete and the temple dedicated in 515 B.C.
Discussion Questions:
Read Jeremiah 29:10 and Daniel 9:1, 2. Why is it important to study prophecy as Daniel had while in captivity? In what way are we held in captivity today?
Read Ezra 1:1, 5. Why does God “stir” the hearts of people, including pagan kings? Do they always accept the Spirit’s promptings? What may have been some of the reasons God’s people didn’t respond to the call to return to Jerusalem after their seventy years had passed?
Read Ezra 1:7-11, 2 Kings 24:13, and Daniel 5:1, 2. Why were these items from the temple so carefully accounted for and returned with the Jewish exiles, after all that time?
Monday: Overview of Kings and Events
Knowing a historical timeline of the kings gives us insight into the messages provided by these events. Therefore, here is an outline of what took place during the reigns of these Persian kings (from 537-444 B.C.)
- Cyrus “the Great” (who reigned from 559 to 530 B.C.)–537-536 B.C. was when the first group returns with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and the temple construction begins
- Cambyses II (530-522 B.C.)
- Darius I (reigning 522-486 B.C.–the king who threw Daniel into the lions’ den)–on March 515 B.C. the temple was dedicated
- Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) from 486-465 B.C.–Esther marries and becomes his queen–there is much resistance to the rebuilding of Jerusalem
- Artaxerxes I (reigned 465-425 B.C.)–in 457 B.C. Ezra returned with the second group (this also begins the longest prophetic period, described in Daniel 8:14, 9:24-27)–Nehemiah returns with a third group in 445/444 B.C. and there is continued opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem and its wall (Ezra 4:7-23)
Discussion Questions:
Read Ezra 4:4-7. Why did it take so much time and so many kings to clear the way for Jerusalem to be rebuilt? How does this show us God’s patience in dealing with His opponents, and how we should also deal with opposition?
Read Isaiah 55:8, 9. How does this verse help us deal with trials? How important is trust in being able to understand troubling events in our life?
Read Ezra 3:10-13. Why were there such mixed reactions when the temple foundation was laid?
Tuesday: The Second Return of the Exiles
In 457 B.C., fifty-eight years after the temple was dedicated, Ezra was sent by King Artaxerxes I with a smaller, second group of exiles to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Ezra, recognized by the king as a skilled scribe and devout priest (Ezra 7:6, 10), was to lead this group of about 1,500 men, with the goal of preparing the Jews spiritually for the difficult assignment of restoring Jerusalem.
Twelve families have their numbers of males listed in Ezra 8:2-14. A reminder of the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve tribes that left Egypt with Moses and settled in Canaan. Even the twelve disciples of Jesus. Symbolically, the number twelve appears to represent the church, God’s authority on earth.
The year of Artaxerxes’ decree (457 B.C.) is the recognized starting point of the seventy-week prophecy found in Daniel 9:24-27. The seventy-weeks (or 240 days/prophetic years) would thus end in A.D. 34, when Stephen was stoned and the gospel went to the Gentiles. The prophecy also mentioned the middle of the last week, which would be three-and-a-half years, before A.D. 34–the exact time Jesus was crucified in A.D. 31 (when He brought “an end to sacrifice” Daniel 9:27).
Ezra’s work was to prepare God’s people by teaching them the laws of God that had been so neglected during their captivity. This same task falls to God’s church in the last days. The law of God must again be uplifted and obeyed with the help of the Holy Spirit, if we are to reach see the full restoration of our planet.
Discussion Questions:
Read Ezra 7:6, 10. Why did the Law of God seem important to the restoration of Israel, even to the Persian king who made the decree to send Ezra?
Read Revelation 14:12. Why is the Law of God important in the final days of earth’s history, just as it was in Ezra’s time? How had the Jews neglected their faith in the Messiah, however? Why are both keeping the law and having faith needed for our salvation?
Read Ezra 8:21. Why was a fast needed before they started their journey back to Israel? How did this set the tone for Ezra’s leadership style?
Wednesday: Artaxerxes’s Decree
Artaxerxes’ decree to further set up Israel as a thriving province may have been partly motivated by self-preservation. 457 B.C. was a year that Egypt set up a revolt against the Persian government. The king seemed intent on securing loyalty from Judah.
The decree of this fifth Persian king was similar to the first decree of Cyrus. Both…
- specified that only those willing were to make the return to Jerusalem
- instructed his treasurers to provide the travelers with needed supplies, both for the journey and for the building once they got there
Artaxerxes’ order encouraged Ezra to promote the Law of God as the law of the land. Previously, it seems that only God’s worship services, instituted by the law of Moses, were restored. This king noticed that a fuller, spiritual dimension was needed to ensure peace and prosperity in Judah.
Although moved by God’s spirit to help prophecy be fulfilled, none of these Persian despots gave any indication that they personally accepted Israel’s God as their own. This is further evidence that God has, at times, used unconverted individuals in history to carry out His purposes and benefit His people. His promises of our ultimate salvation are guaranteed.
Discussion Questions:
Read Ezra 7:13 and 1:5. Why was it important for those who chose to go back to Jerusalem be moved by God’s spirit?
Read Ezra 7:16, 20 and 1:4. How did these gifts help restore Jerusalem to its former glory? Were they also a result of God’s spirit moving upon their captors? Why didn’t God just provide the needed supplies some other way?
Read Ezra 7:25. Why was it important for the judges to know the law of God? Why would Ezra’s teaching expertise be needed in Judah?
Thursday: Importance of Education
Ezra was obviously a devout student before he was a teacher. Much of what he’d been taught by the wise men, astrologers, and magicians, however, needed to be unlearned. The more he studied God’s laws, the more he saw the inaccuracies of the pagans’ teachings.
His devotion to God and his wise, patient methods of educating others was noticed by King Artaxerxes. Ezra’s training to be a diligent scribe and devout Jewish priest gave him the qualifications to make a difference in Jerusalem’s spiritual growth.
We, too, see the need for spiritual growth in God’s people that can only be effective through proper religious education. We must go further than the teachings offered our youth by the world. God has bigger and better things for them to learn. Their education in God’s ways must be given through whatever means are available to us.
Many times it will require them to unlearn some of what the world has taught them, but God is capable of filling them with truth when we are devoted to providing it.
But our religious education doesn’t stop once we are adults. That is why Sabbath schools exist. They ensure lifelong learning in the truths found in God’s word, no matter what age the student. Everything must be done to make corporate Bible study an effective learning tool for all those in our congregation.
Discussion Questions:
Read Proverbs 4:11-13 and 2 Timothy 3:16. What should be the main purpose of our instruction/education and what part do the Scriptures play in our getting it?
Read Psalm 119:97-105. What’s the difference in knowing the law and loving it? What are some reasons to love the law?
Read Psalm 119:45, 46 and Matthew 10:18, 19. Why should we not be ashamed to give our testimony? How are we given the courage to do it?
Final Thoughts
Would you have been one of those who chose to return to Jerusalem, after seventy years in exile? What qualified those who made the decision to return? How did age, position in society, and desire to follow God’s will all play a part in whether to uproot family and begin such a risky venture?
What motivates you to continue your spiritual service and witness today? These are questions for every individual to answer. They certainly affect how we interact as a community of God. Our unity and daily choices to follow God’s commandments are essential to the survival of God’s remnant. We must be alike in our desire to trust and obey God, as He gives us strength to do our important evangelistic work today.
“In the work of reform to be carried forward today, there is need of men who, like Ezra and Nehemiah, will not palliate or excuse sin, nor shrink from vindicating the honor of God. Those upon whom rests the burden of this work will not hold their peace when wrong is done, neither will they cover evil with a cloak of false charity.” ~Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 675
Next Week’s Lesson: Nehemiah
To read the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly or see more resources for its study, go to https://www.absg.adventist.org/
Other Outlook blogposts by Teresa Thompson, are at http://outlookmag.org/author/teresathompson/
