Exiled Jews Return to Their Homeland
April 6, 2022
Commentary
Recognize God’s Providence – (v. 1) – This involved three deportations and three returns.Relate to God’s Precepts (vv. 2-4) His purpose (v. 2)His people (v. 3)His provision (v. 4)Respond to God’s Plan (vv. 5-11) Those who Go (v. 5)Those who Give (v. 6)Those who Guide (vv. 7-11)Cyrus, king of Persia, not only granted permission to the Jew to return to their homeland but he makes a decree giving them the right to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (v. 2). The basic reason for him issuing this decree was because God stirred up his spirit (v. 1). This proclamation permitted the Jews to work together to accomplish the huge task of rebuilding the temple. Some did the actual building while others operated the supply lines.
God moved on the hearts of many leaders, family heads, priests and Levites and gave them a great desire to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. However many Jews choose to remain in Babylon rather than return to their homeland. This may have been because the journey back to Jerusalem was difficult, dangerous and expensive, lasting over four months. Travel conditions were poor, Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside were in ruins and the people living in the area were hostile.
Application
I must never let my comfort, security, or material possessions prevent me from doing what God wants. Regardless of what I may do in life He wants me to be a witness for him.
Ezra 1:1– 11 (NET)
1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord motivated King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read:
2 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
3 Anyone of his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
5 Then the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites—all those whose mind God had stirred—got ready to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with silver utensils, gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention all the voluntary offerings.
7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed in the temple of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted them to Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the leader of the Judahite exiles.
9 The inventory of these items was as follows: 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 silver utensils,
10 30 gold bowls, 410 other silver bowls, and 1,000 other vessels.
11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Illustration: Couple Summarize 50 Years of Marriage
On their 50th wedding anniversary, a couple summed up the reason for their long and happy marriage. The husband said, “I have tried never to be selfish. After all, there is no ’I’ in the word ‘marriage.’” The wife said, “For my part, I have never corrected my husband’s spelling.” (Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).