This Ezra (and the House of God)

Good morning, let's open our Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 36, please 2nd Chronicles 36 2nd Chronicles 36 and we're going to read at verse 19 and They the Babylonians burnt the house of God that's the temple that was built by Solomon and And break down the wall of Jerusalem and burnt the all the palaces thereof with fire and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof now the last two Verses of this chapter are Repeated almost verbatim with Ezra chapter 1 now and And the first couple of verses in this chapter Ezra 1 verse 1 now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia that 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 has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him and Let him go up to Jerusalem 2nd Chronicles finishes with the word let him go up now Ezra continues To Jerusalem which is in Judah and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is the God Which is in Jerusalem Now let's come over to chapter 7 now after these things that would include after the book of Esther and We're coming about 80 years after The return from Babylon in the year in the reign of at exercise King of Persia Ezra the son of Sarah. Ah, yeah, the son of Azariah the son of Hilkiah and So on his genealogy continues down to verse 5 notice the end of verse 5 the son of Aaron the chief priest This Ezra Went up from Babylon and He was a ready scribe in the law of Moses Which the Lord God of Israel had given and the king granted him all his requests According to the good hand of the Lord his God upon him Verse 8 and he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month Which was in the seventh year of the king and upon the first day of the first month began he to go up to Babylon and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem According to the good hand of his God upon him For Ezra had prepared his heart To seek the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments Come down to the end of the chapter verse 27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers Which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart To beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem so notice Not only in chapter 1 to build a house but now to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem and Hath extended mercy unto me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes and I was strengthened as The hand of the Lord my God was upon me and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me That's our reading with the Lord's blessing upon it.

If you're looking for a title for my little message this morning It's two words that are found in chapter 7 and verse 6 this Ezra this Ezra now We're going to look at that in two ways. First of all this Ezra the book will take a brief overview of the book and Then this Ezra and the man and his exercise before God now we read at the end of 2nd Chronicles how that the Babylonians had done two things They burnt the house of God the temple that was in Jerusalem and then secondly, they broke down the walls of Jerusalem now all of that was accomplished in in the year 586 BC plus or minus Now when we come to the book of Ezra We find that the book of Ezra rebuilds the house of God in Jerusalem and If we were to go on into the book of Nehemiah, we would find that in Nehemiah They're the the walls of Jerusalem that the Babylonians had broken down. They are rebuilt in the book of Nehemiah Now these are historic books and there are lessons both positive and negative That you and I can glean from them because the things that were written aforetime Were written indeed for our learning here this morning in water in Cedar Falls the city and Waterloo Assembly as well Now so far as the book of Ezra is concerned a little overview the first six chapters of the book are Dealing with building the house after 70 years of destruction The house of God is rebuilt in Jerusalem and completed in the year 516 BC You'll notice exactly 70 years After the house was demolished by the Babylonians in accordance with the prophecy of Jeremiah chapter 25 that there would be 70 years of desolations now that has been fulfilled It's remarkable how scripture is Fulfilled isn't it? And not only not only the rebuilding of the house and the timing of the building of the house, but God Specified the individual that would do it and Approximately 175 years beforehand God through through Isaiah God specified that it would be a man called Saris that would do it And 175 year years later, it's fulfilled Saris issues the decree a heathen king under the hand of God Isn't that remarkable? Brother and sisters we should have confidence in our Bible It is absolutely accurate in every detail and we can come to it with a confidence that what God says is absolutely true now another section in the book of Ezra would take us to chapter 7 and chapter 8 where we have read part of it and There the subject is not only building the house, but beautifying the house Beautifying that house that has already been built now in Jerusalem and then sadly when you come to the last two chapters 9 and 10 there is a breakdown of Separation of the people of God It is said there in chapter 9 the people of Israel and the priests and the Levites Have not separated themselves from the people of the lands And that had to be remedied and It is always the case where there is a breakdown and separation between the people of God and the world around There that needs to be remedied if testimony is to be preserved for God that needs to be remedied Now, let's apply that for a moment the house of God today While it was a temple in Jerusalem back then now, we know from first Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 It is the assembly of God that is called house of God God has called out from the from the world a people that own allegiance now to the Lord Jesus Christ and he gathers us together and It is called house of God it has that character of being house of God a place where God dwells a place where his authority pertains and A place where his presence is known amongst his people now just like house of God back then in Ezra So when we come to the assembly today the assembly needs to be built up, doesn't it? The assembly needs building up And the assembly needs to be beautified as well And so when you think of building the assembly I come to 1st Corinthians chapter 14 Where we read let all things be done onto edifying That word edifying just means built up building up one another and God for that purpose has given certain gifts in the assembly.

He has gifted Individuals with the ability to bring out his word for example or to go and visit the Saints in order that there might be strengthened and comforted and encouraged in the things of God and built up in their most holy faith Let all things in the assembly brethren and sisters be done unto edifying building up of one another Then as well we have the need for beautifying the house of God and when I come to that thought Our minds would go again to 1st Corinthians chapter 14 and verse number 40 where he says this let all things be done decently and in order Now there's the thought of that which is decent that which is orderly In the things of God and that beautifies the house of God that will address as well brethren sisters this morning That will address our attitude to the three teachings of Scripture Have we come to the conference at this time with a willing heart to hear To assimilate and take in and then follow The Word of God as it applies to our lives and to the assembly and to implement what God the Lord has Spoken to us from his word. I hope we've come with that that desire in our souls this morning now Paul in that chapter was also anticipating an event We mentioned this last week at Stout Where there would come into the gathered company of the Saints one who was on the one hand an unbeliever and then he brings in another class of Those who are unlearned Who were expected to say amen by giving of thanks right mentioned that last week But that person is unlearned now not just in the tongue Because in that chapter Everybody was unlearned in the tongue That's not the point They are unlearned in assembly principles when it comes to gather the gathering of the assembly But as they witness what the assembly is practicing and they are there present they are edified in their souls as they witness the godly order that has been carried out and With the giving of thanks then there's that response of of saying amen and of Acknowledging God is in you of a truth and that's a lovely thing to see When there are believers Who are not part of the fellowship, but come in and they make observations as to the order of the assembly and They're impressed. This is the truth of God that's been carried out Now it'll be a wonderful thing to see more of that amongst us So let's come to Ezra chapter 1 and the Lord has stirred up the spirit of Sarah Cyrus the king of Persia And so he makes this plot proclamation The Lord God of heaven hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah And he put it in writing He put it in writing I'll come to that in a moment.

But just to give the overview of these chapters in chapter 1 you have the return of the remnant in Chapter 2 the company is categorized the various groups that came back In chapter 3 they're forming the for the foundation and In chapter 4 the adversaries will attack as a result of that in chapter 4 About 15 years will pass where there is nothing done in The building of the house and that's sad until Hezekiah Zechariah and Haggai the prophets we have their writings later in the in the in the Bible They stand up in the year 520 BC and they give their ministry Haggai very directly calls upon the people to consider their ways Then Zechariah will give the overview of even prophetic events and show that the purpose of God is on Schedule and it will take place and he sets it out even until the Lord Lords feet will touch the Mount of Olives in that coming day in chapter 14 And all of that is designed to motivate the people of God in his day to get up and at it because God is doing his work and he certainly will And we need to do our part and to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem Now I haven't forgotten chapter 1 when you come to chapter 5 Not only is there the problem not only is there the ministry of encouragement but there's also the fact that these adversaries have attacked the work and In chapter 5 again, the governor and others are objecting and they're saying by whose authority Are you building this temple here in Jerusalem? No, here's the point The people of God at that point were able to respond and point out that back in chapter 1 Cyrus the king in his first year had ordered the rebuilding of the house and he put it in writing and So this word gets back to Darius the Persian king now 520 BC And a search is made a search is made of the records there in Persia and sure enough They turn up a record of The edict that was made by Cyrus the king of Persia Because it had been made in writing and as a result Darius again orders that the work can continue So that my point is this it is important brethren and sisters to be careful in How things are handled that could potentially affect the testimony? Now we're to older Saints Just at the moment Not only is it important to have things in order in the house of God and in the assembly in that collective way But even in our own private lives, it's important as well Now with that in mind what about them the matter of final arrangements have you given some thought to it and Have you got those things in writing particularly Saints who have families That might be ending up handling arrangements and there might be unbelievers You know, it's it's wise just a word to the wise and it's wise in these things to to to get it down in writing Because it can carry weight after We are gone It is possible even in the matter of material things to pass away and leave a mess for others to try and sort out Good to have it sorted out and to keep our lives orderly in that regard. That's just a word in passing So Cyrus was moved now by God to set the wheels in motion It was the work of God in his soul even a heathen King To set the wheels in motion, but now I notice this that there were others that were moved voluntarily There was that spontaneous Involvement of the people of God to get involved in this work That's apply that You know when it comes to building up the testimony of God in the assembly Isn't it good to have that willing spirit to be a help? As God enables us and as God equips us in the assembly not forging ahead with with carnal Enthusiasm and maybe even going beyond our years of experience in certain things Right needs to be wisdom But at the same time that willingness of heart we read verse 5 of chapter 1 then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites With all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem and so they went up and they got to work and Eventually that second temple was completed in the year 516 BC Now I want to come to chapter 7 most of my remarks will be here in chapter 7 We noted that Ezra the son of Sarah Ayah was the son of Azariah and all the way down to being the son of Aaron so we make note that Ezra Was a genuine priest he was genuinely a priest of God and It is this priestly man now that will be an instrument under God to beautify the house of God which is in Jerusalem. It is now the year 558 BC a long time has passed since the first return under Zerubbabel in the year of 536 BC or thereabouts It's another generation now on the scene But this Ezra was a priestly man and could trace his genealogy his pedigree if you will all the way back to Aaron unlike those in chapter 2 who aspire to be in the priesthood, but they could not prove their genealogy and So we read they were as polluted put out of the priesthood, right that's chapter 2 And it wouldn't be until a priest would arise with the Urim and Thummim that the thing would be sorted out And so it is when we apply that maybe it'll not be until the Lord returns in a second Advent that All the confusion that has arisen in this dispensation With regarding true possessors and Mere professors that that will be sorted out.

Let both grow together until the time of harvest until then The practical lesson for us is this when it comes to assembly testimony there needs to be care in reception and that determination made that there is evidence of divine life and A desire to please the Lord and to be obedient to his word in all things Now Ezra he will live up to his priestly responsibility and he's going to seek to beautify the house And you say well that was a way back then would that apply to us now? I think it would Let's let's recall what Peter says there in first Peter chapter 2 you remember in verse number 5 he talks about believers as being a holy priesthood a holy priesthood and He's he's talking about all the people of God not just some kind of special class of clergy or whatever in Chapter 1 verse 2. They are believers who have obeyed the gospel in Verse 10 of that chapter they are saved Verse 15 they are saints Verse 18 they are redeemed and when you come down to verse 22, they're cleansed purified and They have been born again verse 23 not of corruptible seed But of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever So what we learn is this when we come to chapter 2 and he's talking about ye are a holy priesthood He's talking about all believers all believers and all are responsible in this regard of beautifying the house of God Right, that's that's our function. And how is that going to be done? Well says Peter You are built up a spiritual house a holy priesthood That ye might offer up spiritual sacrifices Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Offering up spiritual sacrifices, that's what we do on Lord's Day morning at least When we rise to give thanks to God for his son brethren, isn't it? We're offering up spiritual sacrifices and he has made as a holy priesthood that we can do that We have access into his presence and we can do that. Can't we? Don't we come on? Don't we know? Well, you say I'm not just I you know, I'm not very not long-saved and I Don't I couldn't take part the way some of those brethren go on for 10 or 15 minutes.

No, I couldn't do I would encourage you to read Leviticus chapter 1 And you'll find that there were those there who were able to bring a bullock onto the Lord be able to handle that and Flay that animal and so on and Handle it that bullock would be sprayed out there upon the altar But you know, there were others they couldn't afford a bullock or or an animal from the flocks But they couldn't they could bring a turtle dove or a pigeon You see and The most of the only did was to bring it and then the priest he did all the rest But you see the point is this that it didn't matter. What kind of animal was brought it Was acceptable as an ascending offering to God as a sweet saver So brother, it doesn't matter the volume of your knowledge of Scripture. All it needs is a heart That's touched in the presence of God It is not a gift to give.

Thanks to God for his son It's his gift to you His gift to you and I notice that those sacrifices spiritual sacrifices that are offered up are acceptable to God Not according to your ability They are accepted to God by Jesus Christ And it is true what we sing sometimes to all our prayers and praises though They might be so weak and feeble. He adds his sweet perfume and It arises to God as a sweet saver And even the Saints can discern that too you take a young brother Just starting out and he gets up and he stumbles through a few words, you know and he just thanks the Lord Jesus for dying for his sins on the cross and he can hardly get through it because the Emotion is blinding him and he sits down and the Saints are refreshed And that's a sweet aroma Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. So that beautifies the house That would beautify the house.

I have to touch on this It is too it is too bad when brethren have been an assembly fellowship for years and you never hear their voice Never hear the voice and yet they're part of a priesthood. Why don't they take why don't they? Participate why don't they bring to God? Something of gratitude for his son in a public way. Is it unbelief? That what they would do, you know their contribution It's hardly going to be acceptable and that unbelief prevents them I'm saying unbelief because it is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

I have that on the authority of the Word of God If you don't believe that Then I can see why you might be quiet and To quote Luke chapter 1 dumb You with me now Zechariah unbelief And he couldn't speak a dumb priest Zechariah the father of John the Baptist that doesn't beautify the house doesn't beautify the house and I'm sure every brother here this morning Having read 1st Corinthians chapter 14 and 1st Timothy chapter 2 Would believe that the audible contribution of a sister In a public gathering of the Saints would be out of order and you believe that likewise a Constant silence dear brother is out of order and does not contribute to Beautifying the house. Let me come at it another way now These things are practical aren't they What about long silences at the breaking of bread? I take it that would be out of order, too Here's another practical issue. The bread has passed right given.

Thanks for in the bread has passed And now you sit and you sit and you sit and you sit and like it's a no-brainer What needs to be done and if you were asked at the table to give thanks for the food Well, just like that at the drop of a hat you could give thanks for the food Because you want to get at it, right? That food that has been supplied by God. We gladly give thanks for it But when it comes to the salvation supplied through his son Let's ask ourselves the question. Is it of less importance to give? Thanks to God for that when we know we should That's all part of beautifying the house you see Let all things be done decently and in order There's no need for long pauses in The breaking of bread or long pauses at the giving of thanks for the cup Now, let me move on this Ezra the man he went up from Babylon verse 6 and chapter 7 verse 6 and I can't help but saying what a sight it was for Ezra when he Crested the hill for the first time and he he looked up and he saw Jerusalem the fact is that he had authority and abundant supplies given to him by Artaxerxes the king And it must have made his heart glad whenever he saw that for the first time and so in verse 27 He says blessed be the Lord God of our fathers With which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart to beautify the house of the Lord, which is at Jerusalem Ezra had never been there before It was born in Babylon But the Lord had brought him up out of it and so he goes on to higher ground literally going up going up to Jerusalem you know the Lord has called us out of Babylon out of the world's religious systems that are all around us and He would have us to go on to higher ground wouldn't he onto that upper room of his choosing to the assembly of God With an exercise in our hearts Like Ezra to beautify the house and how can we do that? Well, we've been thinking of that already but simply to summarize it would be by functioning in that house according to the divine pattern that's found in his word and in that regard the assembly is not a Spectator sport it is a gathering of the saints of God that is designed for active participation by every single Member of that body they have something to do and God has equipped equipped them for it in their sphere First Corinthians chapter 12 the truth of the human body as a picture of the local assembly So that means that I'm responsible to be exercised To function in it As God enables Now one more thing and then I'll sit down this man Ezra.

He was not only a priest but Did you notice he was also a scribe a scribe? Chapter 7 verse 6 He was already scribe in the law of Moses which the Lord Lord Lord God of Israel had given and the King granted him all His requests according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him So he was a scribe and he was a ready scribe that word ready if you look it up It indicates he was skillful he was diligent he was very careful he was knowledgeable and capable in the law of Moses and Tradition says he could actually had it memorized he could actually Write it from memory How do we do with the Word of God? our study of the word Wouldn't this instruct us and encourage us to be diligent as well and careful in the handling Of the word particularly younger believers. Let me talk to you Maybe you're not writing out your will but here's something for you to write And that is write some notes when it comes to the Word of God in the ministry in your own study in preparing for the Bible reading in Your own reading from day to have a little notebook handy or if you prefer a tablet get it down get it down I Still take notes Practice that from from I was a younger believer. I have to say younger because I don't consider myself old yet, but I Guess I am I'm older than Frank, but it's good to get it down because even the process that you go through in your head of listening and Getting it down onto paper or onto a tablet or whatever That process helps to get it into your head Helps to get it into your memory And if it doesn't get in your head, it'll never get into your heart If it doesn't get into your memory, it won't affect you in your life So it's good to take notes.

I want to encourage younger believers if you haven't if you haven't done it yet remember the three ends take a note and And then it'll get into your your head say where's the three ends well note and Noggin note and noggin if you get it down a note gets it gets it into Your noggin so Ezra was a scribe You notice even verse 11 Ezra was even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord The words Ezra wasn't impressed by the words the verbal inspiration of scripture First Corinthians chapter 2 we read about the words which the Holy Ghost Teaches and you know even the letters of our Bible in the original now even the letters are inspired Galatians chapter 3 verse 16 will pick up on that because he makes the point that God had said Not he had said seed not seeds plural as of many and The Apostle makes the point on the basis of letters You see they're inspired in the original document And then the Lord Jesus even in Matthew chapter 5 He said verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle Shall a new eyes pass from the law till it be fulfilled Now a jot is literally the word iota not one iota the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet And not one tittle That was that was a point or a dot a small part of a letter small part of a letter like the dot on an eye or the cross on the T and Says the Lord Jesus that will not pass from the law So not only not only words but letters and not only letters but parts of letters That's all inspired of God in the original not marvelous. I tell you this book warrants our examination and our diligent study and our inquiring into and so Ezra was Skillful in the word There was a reason why he wasn't and with this I will sit down First hand tells us why he was diligent why he was skillful in the word For Ezra had prepared his heart To seek the law of the Lord and to do it That's important and To teach in Israel statutes and judgments He had prepared his heart. That's the that's the secret of it.

All isn't that to have a heart? That's that's willing to be involved in building the house Beautifying the house and learning more of him How careful and diligent then we need to be in the Word of God So that you and I might in our day and generation contribute to the upbuilding of the Saints in whatever little way God would allow us to do that and also in beautifying the testimony his house and So with that in mind may the Lord then give us a heart like Ezra To be involved in his things for his glory. Thank you you