Good morning. So good to be with
you this morning. We're going to begin a study
of the Book of Ezra in our Sunday morning services. And before
we turn to that book, I just want to make a few comments. It has been a great comfort to
the Church throughout all centuries to know that the Holy Spirit
has never in any period of the Church left Himself without witness. In all the records he has graciously
given the church, by whatsoever servant he has thought proper
to send, they all, like so many streams directing their course
towards the sea, point to Jesus Christ. It reminds me of a passage
of scripture found in the book of John. Book of John chapter 1 and verse
14. You'll turn there with me. John
chapter 1 verse 14 excuse me verse 45 Philip findeth Nathanael and
saith unto him we have found him of whom Moses in the law
and the prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph
As Philip brought this news to his brother, Philip was caused
to understand that the Old Testament was written about this one person,
the Lord Jesus Christ. That it is in types and shadows
and pictures, but as a great river like the Columbia River,
which drains 258,000 square miles, drains parts of seven states,
one Canadian province, all that water, we could say, drains out
at Asturia into the great Pacific Ocean. So all the passages of
Scripture in the Old Testament, including this book of Ezra that
we're going to study, has the message of Christ, ends with
Christ. The saints of old Patriarchs say saw far off and
rejoiced and were glad in this one the Lord Jesus in the book
of Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 13 We read
these all died in faith not having received the promises of Having
seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth all
these patriarchs That knew about the Lord Jesus They saw in all
things they saw in the spiritual pictures that were given to them
this one person Now as we Get closer to the book of Ezra, we
find that Judah had spent 70 years in captivity as God had
promised. And yet, no doubt, on the very
day after those 70 years were finished, this proclamation that
we're going to read to fulfill God's word was declared. We have
a similar passage of scripture, and we're going to read it over
in the book of Exodus, chapter 12 and verse 41, when the children
of Israel had spent the appropriate amount of time down there in
Egypt as promised to Abraham. The book of Exodus chapter 12
and there in verse 41 we have this record given to us about
the time that they left. And it came to pass at the end
of the 430 years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all
the hosts of the Lord went forth out of the land of Egypt. God
is a God that makes promises and is a God that fulfills his
promises. He has the power to make promises
and he has the power to fulfill those promises. Now if you'll
turn with me over to the book of Ezra. Ezra chapter one, verse one. As we look at this passage of
scripture that God left the church through the prophet Ezra great
spiritual blessing is in store for us as we travel through these
verses these chapters of the book of Ezra we find at the very
beginning now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia the word
of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled the Lord stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying,
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given
me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build
him a house at Jerusalem, which is at Judah. Two hundred years
before Cyrus was born, Isaiah wrote this about this one man.
In the book of Isaiah chapter 48, Isaiah chapter 48, we read
these words that were written at least 200 years before the
birth of Cyrus, before he was named, and we might say that
his parents may have looked through baby books the names of babies
in baby books, but the name had already been decreed by the Lord. Isaiah 44 and verse 28, Thus
saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,
even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and to the temple
thy foundation shall be laid. Isaiah chapter 44 and verse 28
The Lord had given to the prophet Isaiah the very name of this
king He had given him the title as my shepherd He has declared
what he will do. He shall perform all my pleasure
He shall say to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the temple
thy foundation shall be laid Cyrus had been given a name and
direction and the purpose of building Jerusalem, the temple
and the walls. In this first verse of the book
of Ezra we see that the God of the Bible is magnified by his
own doings. It tells us there in the book
of Ezra chapter 1 verse 1, if you'll turn back there with me,
Ezra chapter 1 and verse 1 The scriptures share with us these
words. The first year of King Cyrus, king of Persia, the word
of the Lord by the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah. The word of
the Lord. Sometimes I just have to stop
and think how precious to hear the word of the Lord. God gave
his word to his prophets and his word was centered around
his son and the purpose of redemption of his people. He promised it,
it will be fulfilled. Jeremiah is drawn from as he
was again a prophet of God. He was given the message to pass
on to the hearers that Judah shall return. Long before it
took place, long before they were put into exile, before they
were put into Babylonian captivity, we read these words by the prophet
Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 25 Jeremiah
chapter 25 and there in verse 11 Jeremiah chapter 25 and verse
11 and This whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment
and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years
And it shall come to pass when 70 years are accomplished that
I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation saith the Lord
for their iniquity and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make
it a perpetual desolation. And I'll bring upon that land
all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is
written in this book, which Jeremiah had prophesied against all the
nations. For many nations and great kings
shall serve themselves and them also, and I will recompense them
according to their deeds and according to the works of their
own hands. Even as God promised through the prophet Jeremiah
that Judah would return after 70 years, those folks that had
put them into captivity were going to come under judgment
by Almighty God. It is a delight for the Church
to know, as we find written in the book of Ephesians, that our
God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
Another time in the book of Jeremiah, We read in Jeremiah chapter 29,
Jeremiah 29 and there in verse 10, Jeremiah chapter 29 and verse
10, for thus saith the Lord, that after 70 years be accomplished
at Babylon, I'll visit you and perform my good word towards
you in causing you to return to this place. For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts
of peace, not of evil, to give you an expected end. God had
promised here again to the prophet Jeremiah, as he was writing concerning
Judah and concerning Benjamin, you will return after 70 years. I'll put you in to Babylonian
captivity for your corruption and for your sin, but I'll bring
you out after 70 years. It is so interesting as we go
through the scriptures to find out that not one word of God
is filler or put there for to be a waste. In fact, we find,
as you remember, no doubt, back in the book of Isaiah chapter
55, that the prophet Isaiah was used to write these very comforting
words to the church that God's Word, His precious Word, the
Word of the Lord, So shall my word be that goeth forth out
of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereinto I sin it. Whatever God purposed
to do, he will accomplish it. His word, as it goes forth from
gospel preachers across the land and around the world, As God
uses them, as it's preached and declared, the great truths about
the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is a Savior that actually saves
and a Redeemer that actually redeems, His word will not return
void. It looks like it to us sometimes,
but God is working all things after the counsel of His own
will, and not one thing shall fail that God has spoken. We
see very little of the words that God has preached and taught
through his ministers. Not very much of it can we see
the effect of. We don't see it every Sunday. In others, we pray that it takes
place in our own heart, that we would be blessed by the word
of God, but we find that in the book of Romans chapter 11 if
you'll turn there with me Romans chapter 11 as we think about
the wonderful word of God and what it does and we'll never
we'll never find that anything but the word of truth will accomplish
anything a lie will not accomplish anything it will make people
more religious but it will not do any good for their spiritual
well-being Here in the book of Romans chapter 11, beginning
with verse 1, I say then, hath God cast away
his people? God forbid, for I also am an
Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. God
hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wilt ye not
that the scripture saith to Elias, How he maketh intercession to
God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets,
and digged down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they
seek my life? This prophet saw very little
effect of the word of God on anybody, and in fact he is pouring
out his heart to God, that I'm the only one left, I'm left alone
and they seek my life. Well, from God's standpoint,
that's not the truth. From a human standpoint, sometimes
we see very little accomplished. But, in verse 4 of this Romans
chapter 11, But what saith the answer of God unto them? I have
reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee
to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present
time also there's a remnant according to the election of grace. So
as this old prophet got very discouraged with the way things
were, and even brought it in prayer to God and declared that
he looks like he's the very last one, he's the last one to hold
out for God's grace and God's mercy, the preaching of the truth,
and even those in authority are looking for him to kill him.
And God comes through and shares with him, you're just one out
of thousands. So we thank God for these encouraging
words that he brings before our path from time to time. Though
we may not see much happening, everything is happening according
to the good purpose and plan of God. Now, whether Cyrus, going
back to the book of Ezra, would you join me there again? We've
just been looking at some of these wonderful verses that God
has given to us, but here in the book of Ezra, one more time,
In the book of Ezra chapter 1 and verse 1 we notice these words,
and whether Cyrus understood all of his declaration or was
he like Pilate when questioned about the words above the cross
that our Savior died on. He had put on that placard, Jesus
of Nazareth, King of the Jews. And there were a lot of religious
folks that had a big problem with that, and came to him and
said, Pilate, say that he said that, but don't put it like that. And Pilate said, what I have
written, I have written. John 19 and verse 22. So whether
Cyrus understood, or whether he was just putty in the hands
of God, we don't completely understand. But it does say This pagan king
was holding many of the tribe of Jude and Benjamin in captivity
and he's instructed by the Lord And he's moved upon by Almighty
God to let them go to send them back The writer of the book of
Proverbs had this to say in Proverbs 21 and verse 1 The king's heart
is in the hand of the Lord What a comfort that is to know that
rulers, their heart is in the hand of God. And yet, we find
that it just doesn't apply to that. It applies to the king
of households. It applies to the king of our
life, even in our natural life. We think we're pretty important,
that we're ruling ourself pretty well. Well, the king's heart
is in the hand of the Lord. Rivers of water he turneth it
whither so ever he will he is the one that moves the irrigation
ditches He's the one that moves the king's heart and so the Lord
stirred up This the spirit of Cyrus it says that in Ezra chapter
1 verse 1 now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia the word
of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be full filled the Lord
stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia and The Lord stirred
him up. This word is an interesting word.
To be stirred up means to stir, to arouse, or to waken. It is
used of raising something or someone to action. It's used
again in this book, in fact in this very chapter. Ezra chapter
1 and verse 5, Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah,
and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all whom
all of them whose spirit God had raised to go up and build
the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. So this is talking
about the group that's going to go back to Jerusalem, back
to Judah. These are the ones who are going
to recognize the blessing of being free and they would not
have recognized it if they'd not been raised up, if God had
not worked on them. Joel chapter 3 and verse 7 it
says behold I will raise them out of the place whether ye have
sold them so God is is the one that and he alone that can raise
a king or stir a king or move upon a king or Move upon anybody
to do anything for the glory of the Lord Cyrus was dealt with much like
all of God's lost sheep are dealt with and The word is declared
by the prophet, but the stirring and quickening is of God. The prophet Jeremiah, his word
must be fulfilled, but it was God that stirred up Cyrus. Cyrus
was stirred up by Almighty God, and we find as we read through
the scriptures that we're in a situation by nature that we're
dead in trespasses and sin and left alone, left to ourself,
left in religion, we'll just continue to be there and we'll
never do anything towards Almighty God. We're enmity against Him,
so we're not going to move in His direction. Now, in the book
of Ephesians, this thought is brought up as we find that the
Apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to write a letter to these
wonderful saints at Ephesus And he had this to say in chapter
2 and verse 1. He says, And you hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sin, you hath he made alive,
you hath he stirred, Now, those words there, you hath he quickened,
are in italics, and those were added by the translators, but
if you'll drop down to verse 5, we have this, Even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
ye are saved. So the very blessing of being
raised from the spiritual dead is dependent upon whether we're
stirred or quickened by the Holy Spirit, whether we're made alive
by Almighty God. We do not have the power to do
this on our own. Cyrus didn't have the power to
do that on his own. I can almost hear all of his
counselors saying to him when he made that proclamation, what
in the world are you doing, King? we bow before you and your command
is law but my goodness you're going to let all these folks
go back that want to go back but as Pilate said Cyrus could
just as easily have said what I've said I've said and as we
read there in that passage of scripture in Ezra chapter 1 verse
1 a proclamation went out and word went out to the different
parts of the kingdom to let all those folks that were from Benjamin
and Judah go back to their homeland, those that desire to go. Looking
at this thought though of being quickened or being stirred, turn
with me if you would to the book of John chapter 5. John chapter
5, what a wonderful book and what a wonderful passage this
is as we think about what God does for us. John chapter 5 and
verse 21 for as the father raises up the dead now that is just hard to comprehend
but it's the absolute truth and it's the absolute necessity if
we're ever going to see God we must be raised up and we must
be raised up from the dead and it's an act that only God can
perform there's nobody on this earth that has the ability and
never has been had that ability unless it was given of God by
some of the prophets and old and Paul that the father raise
up the dead and quickeneth them even so the son quickeneth whom
he will so when the Lord Jesus Christ came down to this earth
he is entering into a graveyard all people by nature are dead
in trespasses and sin But he has the power of knowing each
one that belonged to him, those that the Father chose before
the foundation of the world, and those that he was soon going
to die for. He knew exactly who he must go
and quicken, and he does that through his spirit. In John chapter
6 and verse 63, just the next chapter over here, John chapter
6 and verse 63, we have these wonderful words recorded for
us that give us great comfort John chapter 6, verse 63, and
there it says, it is the spirit that quickeneth. And here's how
important the flesh is. The flesh profiteth nothing. It is the spirit that quickeneth.
The flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit and they are life. So it is the works of the
flesh. They are absolutely unprofitable.
They profit nothing. It is the Spirit of God, as we
read here, it's the Spirit that quickeneth, it's the Spirit that
giveth life. So in some way, God came upon
Cyrus, a pagan king who worshipped pagan idols, and came upon him
at the appointed time, written by one of his prophets, as he
had purposed all things after the counsel of his own will,
written by one of his prophets, the prophet Jeremiah, written
by one of his prophets, the prophet Isaiah, Cyrus, named 200 years
before he was born, and Jeremiah writing that 70 years would be
fulfilled and then they would be let go. This pagan king sitting
on a high throne, king of the Chaldeans, he just defeated the
Babylonians, and he comes up and says, God has said, the God
of Israel. Let's go back there to the book
of Ezra one more time. Ezra chapter 1 and verse 1. Ezra 1-1, the scriptures say
this. It's the first year of the reign
of Cyrus king of Persia. The word of the Lord by the mouth
of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. The Lord stirred up the spirit
of Cyrus king of Persia that he made a proclamation. What is this proclamation? The
fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy. Who gave those words to Jeremiah?
Almighty God gave those words to Jeremiah. When did God conceive
of doing this? In the council halls of eternity.
Everything that happens in time was determined before the foundation
of the world. So he stirred up Cyrus king of
Persia. We don't know how foreign that
is Cyrus king of Persia, but God and that word Lord there
if you'll notice they're all capital letters and that is a
sign from the translators that this is Jehovah Jehovah stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia And now what is he going
to do when he stirred up that he made a proclamation? throughout
all his kingdom not just to a section not just to the capital not to
a few towns but to throughout all his kingdom and he also put
it in writing and sent out posts as we find the scripture calls
him heralds go out and tell everybody about this I have a proclamation
Thus, here's the proclamation, or part of it, Thus saith Cyrus,
king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the
kingdoms of the earth, and hath charged me to build him a house
in Jerusalem. So he has been stirred up on
purpose to give a decree on purpose that God had given to Jeremiah
that must be fulfilled. Isaiah's choosing of a name must
be fulfilled. And here in this one person,
as he So in some ways declares exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ
does for us One other verse I want to go to over here with about
quickeneth Or quickening or being stirred that's found in the book
of Colossians Way over there in the New Testament the book
of Colossians chapter 2 Colossians chapter 2 and verse 13 the book
of Colossians chapter 2 and 13 and you being dead in trespasses and
sins, and you being dead. I've said this a number of times,
I've said it in meetings, I've said it here at our church, but
there's only one place in all the world that anybody will ever
discuss what dead means, and that's in religion. Most people
that are in religion do not believe that natural man is as dead as
God declares him. Here in the book of Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 13, and you being dead. Scott Richardson
used to say graveyard dead. Being dead in your sins in the
uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with
him What a blessing when Christ was quickened in the tomb and
brought out of the tomb. Every one of his elect children
were also quickened. And then in time, whether it
was before then or after then, somewhere in time, he's going
to come after the preaching of the gospel, and he's going to
quicken his people. He's going to give them the new
birth. And it says there, this is having forgiven you all trespasses
all trespasses. Now once Cyrus was stirred, he
couldn't help but do anything but make a proclamation. He was
stirred to declare something, make a proclamation, and then
have this proclamation written down and sent out to the various
parts of the kingdom. He would have never said this
without God stirring. Essentially, he is telling the
folks of Benjamin and Judah, you are free. You are free. You can leave this
kingdom. You can leave the 70 years of
captivity. You're free to go back. You're free to go back to Judah.
You're free to go back to Jerusalem. You're free to go back where
your parents or grandparents lived. You're free to go back
there where the property is. You're free. You're no longer
going to be confined to this place. I can't help but think
that up to this very day anybody that wanted to go back was restricted
from going back. They could not go back on their
own. They had a boundary and they
could not leave it. But on this day it was decreed
that they could go back. In the book of Galatians chapter
5, what a wonderful book of Galatians here, Galatians chapter 5, Galatians 5.1 Stand fast therefore
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Well, to these members of the
tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah that had been taken
into Babylonian captivity 70 years prior to this, this verse
of scripture could really mean something if they were stirred
to go back and be not entangled again with this country of bondage,
with this reign of bondage, with this king of bondage that they
have been under for these 70 years. So the restrictions have
been lifted. They are permitted by grace to
go back. Now, I find no place in the scriptures
where these people, by doing some great deeds, prompted God
to let them go back. These people that came into Babylonian
captivity were sinners just like those that were in Judah and
in Benjamin before they came into captivity. The only reason
that they're going home is because of grace. The only reason that
they're leaving is God's grace. He had made a promise. Seventy
years later, that promise would be fulfilled and they would go
back into Judah and Benjamin there at Jerusalem. Now, even
with this wonderful word of liberty, the book of Ezra chapter 2, would
you turn there with me? Ezra chapter 2. Ezra chapter 2, there's lots
of lots of numbers, people's names
and so forth in this list. In Ezra chapter 2 and verse 64,
it's a rather long chapter but turn there Ezra chapter 2 and
verse 64 and it says here, even with this wonderful word of liberty
Cyrus said you can go back The scriptures tell us in Ezra chapter
2 and verse 64 the whole congregation together was 42,303 score. What does that mean? 42,360 left Babylonian captivity
to go back to Jerusalem. No doubt this was just a very
small part of the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah that was
in captivity and under Cyrus at this time when he gave his
proclamation to go home. You're free to go home. I'm not
going to restrict you. I'm not going to let you go out
halfway and then bring you back here. You're free to go. And
in fact, he's going to provide a lot of wealth for them as they
leave and all of the Vessels that were in the temple
are going to be returned at this time. So great blessings are
going back but a comparatively small number Go But did you know
they all go because of grace? Think about that That's the way
it is today the only ones that ever come to Christ are those
who come by grace and It's not of works, lest any man should
boast. And we praise God for every one that God stirs, quickens,
brings out of the depths of despair, out of a great pit, and causes
them to be settled upon Christ. We rejoice in that number. Now, I think it's kind of interesting,
and we'll talk about this later as we go through the book of
Ezra, but what a number, 42,360. That's an exact number. And when we get to studying about
the wonderful family of God, the people that God chose before
the foundation of the world, there is a number that no man
can number, but God knows that exact number. Well, as we close
for the day, we're thankful for God moving upon Cyrus. We're
thankful that Jeremiah's word was fulfilled. We're thankful
for Isaiah's word being fulfilled. We're thankful for the word that
God gave the writer of the Proverbs, and the king's heart is in the
hand of the Lord. As rivers of water, he turneth
it withersoever he will. And we're going to watch as we
read through and study this book of Ezra that God is going to
do that time and time again as he blesses his people with grace
and as he shows those others that don't go back. They stay
because of blindness. God bless you. May you have a
good week.