From Captivity to God’s Plan for Peace, a Future and a Eternal Hope
I. The God of Heaven and earth speaks by the Prophet:
A. Jeremiah 27:5-6 He declares His Creative Right to do His Will in the affairs His earth!
“I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground.”
1. Vs 6 He has raised up Nebuchadnezzar as His servant to discipline His people.
2. II Chronicles 36:15-21 And here’s why!!! His compassionate warnings (vs 15) were met with mocking and
scorn, “until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.”
B. Jeremiah 29:4-14 But God in His Great Mercy has not given up on His chosen people.
1. Vs 10 After God’s Sabbath, 70 years upon the promised land (II Chron. 36:21) “I will perform My Good Word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.”
Notice Vs 12-14a: The Lord of Hosts isn’t restoring them so that they can return to their “merry old ways”! It is that they might “call upon Me, pray to Me, seek Me, search for Me with all your heart.” And the real peace, future and hope He promises is that “I will listen to you, I will be found by you.” This is the restoration of relationship with the Most High God, the Lord of Heaven and earth, that is the real blessing of His people–and that of all ages!!!
II. II Chronicles 36:20-23 to Ezra 2:1 Enter Cyrus, King of Persia–God’s servant deliverer.
A. Remember Isaiah 44:28-45:13 Cyrus is the prophesied shepherd of the Lord, prophesied 150 years before he was born. Now we see the fulfilment of that prophecy–for the good of God’s chosen.
1. Ezra 1 At Cyrus’ command, in fulfilment of his Divinely appointed role in history, 42,360 captives are freed
to return to the Promised Land in 538 BC.
2. Ezra 1:2 Cyrus purpose was to fulfil the LORD’s command to build God’s house in Jerusalem. To that end, he returns all the worship utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken. (Vs 7-11–notice the detail!)
III. The construction of the House of God begins.
A. Ezra 3:10-13 The work begins with a glad heart and praise to the Good and Merciful God.
B. Ezra 4 But in this world you will have tribulation. Cyrus dies and Israel’s enemies seem to prevail to stop the construction.
1. Ezra 4:24 Until the second year of the reign of Darius–an 18 year interruption.
2. Ezra 5 The plan of Israel’s enemies leads to the restoration of the construction. That’s just like God!!!
C. Ezra 6 The Decree of Darius
1. Vs 8 King Darius’ own taxes are to pay for the work.
2. Vs 10 Darius has some understanding that his life and that of his sons depends upon the pleasure of the God of Israel. He has this “ulterior motive” in restoring the work.
3. Vs 13-15 The temple was finished in 515 BC. And Israel lived happily ever after, right? In 115 short years,
they will once again be under the chastening hand of God and there will be no Voice of the Lord to Israel–the 400
silent years.
IV. But notice Ezra 5:1 & 6:14 “And they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
A. The prosperous prophesies of Zechariah!!!
1. Zech. 1:1-6 God’s reminder why they were in the fix they were in, and His call unto them to repent and His
Promise of returning to them!
B. 1:7 Starting with Zechariah’s visions, God’s purposes take on a widely expanded meaning.
1. 1:14-2:4 The measurement, building, and illumination of Jerusalem sound suspiciously like Revelation 21 & 22.
2. 2:6-13 This has hints of Acts 2 and Ephesians 2.
3. 3:6-10 This is the introduction of The High Priest, the Branch.
4. 4:6-7 Note the emphasis on “My Spirit” and on Grace. Also in verse 10, the “eyes of the Lord scan to and
fro throughout the whole earth.”
5. 6:9-15 Added information about “the Man whose name is the BRANCH.” He is a King Priest. Hebrews 7
6. 8:20-23 God’s “international” purpose for His House in bold proclamation.
7. 9:9-10 And just in case we are slow to catch on, “behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having
salvation, riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” And notice again, the international scope of the Humble Kings Dominion!!!
8. Here’s a few more prophetical “tid-bits”. 12:10; 13:1; 7-9; 14:8-9
C. I Peter 1:6-12 The Sovereign God’s prophetic purpose–The natural revelation precedes and serves the spiritual. God’s House, His temple is always His Son’s House, the Chosen people of God. Hebrews 3:1-6; Ephesians 2:11-22
“God, Who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” Acts 17:24
I. The God of Heaven and earth speaks by the Prophet:
A. Jeremiah 27:5-6 He declares His Creative Right to do His Will in the affairs His earth!
“I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground.”
1. Vs 6 He has raised up Nebuchadnezzar as His servant to discipline His people.
2. II Chronicles 36:15-21 And here’s why!!! His compassionate warnings (vs 15) were met with mocking and
scorn, “until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.”
B. Jeremiah 29:4-14 But God in His Great Mercy has not given up on His chosen people.
1. Vs 10 After God’s Sabbath, 70 years upon the promised land (II Chron. 36:21) “I will perform My Good Word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.”
Notice Vs 12-14a: The Lord of Hosts isn’t restoring them so that they can return to their “merry old ways”! It is that they might “call upon Me, pray to Me, seek Me, search for Me with all your heart.” And the real peace, future and hope He promises is that “I will listen to you, I will be found by you.” This is the restoration of relationship with the Most High God, the Lord of Heaven and earth, that is the real blessing of His people–and that of all ages!!!
II. II Chronicles 36:20-23 to Ezra 2:1 Enter Cyrus, King of Persia–God’s servant deliverer.
A. Remember Isaiah 44:28-45:13 Cyrus is the prophesied shepherd of the Lord, prophesied 150 years before he was born. Now we see the fulfilment of that prophecy–for the good of God’s chosen.
1. Ezra 1 At Cyrus’ command, in fulfilment of his Divinely appointed role in history, 42,360 captives are freed
to return to the Promised Land in 538 BC.
2. Ezra 1:2 Cyrus purpose was to fulfil the LORD’s command to build God’s house in Jerusalem. To that end, he returns all the worship utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken. (Vs 7-11–notice the detail!)
III. The construction of the House of God begins.
A. Ezra 3:10-13 The work begins with a glad heart and praise to the Good and Merciful God.
B. Ezra 4 But in this world you will have tribulation. Cyrus dies and Israel’s enemies seem to prevail to stop the construction.
1. Ezra 4:24 Until the second year of the reign of Darius–an 18 year interruption.
2. Ezra 5 The plan of Israel’s enemies leads to the restoration of the construction. That’s just like God!!!
C. Ezra 6 The Decree of Darius
1. Vs 8 King Darius’ own taxes are to pay for the work.
2. Vs 10 Darius has some understanding that his life and that of his sons depends upon the pleasure of the God of Israel. He has this “ulterior motive” in restoring the work.
3. Vs 13-15 The temple was finished in 515 BC. And Israel lived happily ever after, right? In 115 short years,
they will once again be under the chastening hand of God and there will be no Voice of the Lord to Israel–the 400
silent years.
IV. But notice Ezra 5:1 & 6:14 “And they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
A. The prosperous prophesies of Zechariah!!!
1. Zech. 1:1-6 God’s reminder why they were in the fix they were in, and His call unto them to repent and His
Promise of returning to them!
B. 1:7 Starting with Zechariah’s visions, God’s purposes take on a widely expanded meaning.
1. 1:14-2:4 The measurement, building, and illumination of Jerusalem sound suspiciously like Revelation 21 & 22.
2. 2:6-13 This has hints of Acts 2 and Ephesians 2.
3. 3:6-10 This is the introduction of The High Priest, the Branch.
4. 4:6-7 Note the emphasis on “My Spirit” and on Grace. Also in verse 10, the “eyes of the Lord scan to and
fro throughout the whole earth.”
5. 6:9-15 Added information about “the Man whose name is the BRANCH.” He is a King Priest. Hebrews 7
6. 8:20-23 God’s “international” purpose for His House in bold proclamation.
7. 9:9-10 And just in case we are slow to catch on, “behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having
salvation, riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” And notice again, the international scope of the Humble Kings Dominion!!!
8. Here’s a few more prophetical “tid-bits”. 12:10; 13:1; 7-9; 14:8-9
C. I Peter 1:6-12 The Sovereign God’s prophetic purpose–The natural revelation precedes and serves the spiritual. God’s House, His temple is always His Son’s House, the Chosen people of God. Hebrews 3:1-6; Ephesians 2:11-22
“God, Who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” Acts 17:24