Three movements:
Returning | Rebuilding | Renewal
Ezra 1-6 | Ezra 7-10
Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua. lead the return and rebuilding of the Temple. Ezra leads a return and restoration of Torah and temple.
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
538–530, reign of Cyrus
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
538–530, reign of Cyrus
522–486, reign of Darius
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
538–530, reign of Cyrus
522–486, reign of Darius
485–464, reign of Xerxes
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
538–530, reign of Cyrus
522–486, reign of Darius
485–464, reign of Xerxes
464–423, reign of Artaxerxes
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450
440
430
420
2nd return.
Ezra
458BC
3rd return.
Nehemiah
445BC
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
538–530, reign of Cyrus
522–486, reign of Darius
485–464, reign of Xerxes
464–423, reign of Artaxerxes
Big Idea: When fear and discouragement overwhelm us, authentic repentance is at the core of moving forward and navigating life.
What is repentance?
Luke 13:1-9
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:1-9
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:1-9
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
What is repentance?
The ancient man approached God (or even the gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man, the roles are quite reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock [defendant chair]. He is quite a kindly judge; if God should have a reasonable defense for being the god who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that man is on the bench and God is in the dock.”
- CS Lewis, God in the Dock; Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces, p. 36).
Ezra 4:23-24
23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
-> discouragement.
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
Temple
Foundation laid
536BC
16 years
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
1st return.�Zerrubabel�538BC
540
530
520
510
Temple
Foundation laid
536BC
16 years
Temple
Rebuilt
516BC
WORK CEASED
Ezra 5:1-6:12
51Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
51Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
51Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
2nd year, 6 month. �1st Day (Haggai 1)
Day 1
Day 10
Day 20
Day 30
24 days
2nd year, 6 month. �1st Day (Haggai 1)
Day 1
Day 10
Day 20
Day 30
24 days
The Word Came
2nd year, 6 month. �1st Day (Haggai 1)
Day 1
Day 10
Day 20
Day 30
2nd year, 6 month. �24th Day (Haggai 1)
24 days
The Word Came
2nd year, 6 month. �1st Day (Haggai 1)
Day 1
Day 10
Day 20
Day 30
2nd year, 6 month. �24th Day (Haggai 1)
24 days
The Word Came
The work resumed
Ezra 5:1-6:12
51Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Zechariah 1:2-3
2 The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
Haggai 1:4-5
4 Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”4 They also asked them this “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”4 They also asked them this “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”4 They also asked them this “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”4 They also asked them this “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
9 Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus: ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of their leaders. 11 And this was their reply to us…
Ezra 5:1-6:12
‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt.
Ezra 5:1-6:12
6 Then Darius the king made a decree…7 Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. 9 And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them…
Hebrew 11:32-38
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection….
Hebrew 11:32-38
…Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
MONDAY Matters:
What is the Gospel?
What is the Gospel?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
What is the Gospel?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
Fall | Damaged by evil. What’s wrong with the world.
What is the Gospel?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
Fall | Damaged by evil. What’s wrong with the world.
Cross | Restored for better. God’s remedy.
What is the Gospel?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
Fall | Damaged by evil. What’s wrong with the world.
Cross | Restored for better. God’s remedy.
Put your faith in Jesus. He must sit on the throne of your heart. Treasure Jesus above anything else.
MONDAY Matters:
How do we typically repent and fight discouragement?
MONDAY Matters:
How do we typically repent and fight discouragement?
MONDAY Matters:
How do we typically repent and fight discouragement?
MONDAY Matters:
We have misdiagnosed the problem and therefore the solution.
MONDAY Matters:
We have misdiagnosed the problem and therefore the solution.
MONDAY Matters:
We have misdiagnosed the problem and therefore the solution.
MONDAY Matters:
We have misdiagnosed the problem and therefore the solution.
"It is seldom that any of our bad habits or flaws disappear by a mere process of natural extinction at least it is very seldom that this is done by the instrumentality of reasoning, or by the force of mental determination, but what cannot be destroyed may be dispossessed, and one taste may be made to give way to another and to lose its power entirely as the reigning affection of the mind. The boy, who ceases at length to be a slave to his appetite does so because a more mature taste has brought it into subordination. The young man may cease to idolize sensual pleasure, but it is because the idol of wealth has gotten the ascendancy, so the love of money can cast out the love of sloth. However, even the love of money can cease to have mastery over the heart if it is drawn into the world of ideology and politics and he is now lorded over by a love of power and moral superiority. But there is not one of these transformations in which the heart is left without an object.
The heart's desire for an ultimate object may be conquered, but it's desire to have SOME object is unconquerable. The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is through the expulsive power of a new one. It is therefore only when admitted into the number of God's children through faith in Jesus Christ that the spirit of adoption is poured out on us -- it is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great, predominate, and supreme affection is delivered from the tyranny of all its former desires and the only way that deliverance is possible. Therefore, it is not enough to hold out to your people the mirror of their own imperfections. It is not enough to come forth with a demonstration of the effanecent character of their enjoyments, or to speak to their consciences of their follies. Rather, make every legitimate method of finding access to their hearts for the love of him who is greater than the world.”
“The Expulsive Power of a New Affection”
- Thomas Chalmers
MONDAY Matters:
How do we properly REPENT:
MONDAY Matters:
How do we properly REPENT:
MONDAY Matters:
How do we properly REPENT:
MONDAY Matters:
How do we properly REPENT:
MONDAY Matters:
How do we properly REPENT:
MONDAY Matters: AND this AFTERNOON!
How do we properly REPENT:
“GOD WHAT ARE YOU INVITING ME INTO TODAY?”