Lesson 6 - ISREL AFTER EXILE

 Lesson 6

ISRAEL AFTER EXILE 

The portion to read: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Memory-Verse: Nehemiah 2:20

Objective:      God forgives the sins of His people and redeems them by respecting them and fulfilling His promises.

PROPHESIES 

World events are not accidental. We can see God's hand behind everything. God had prophesied through Jeremiah that Israel would go to exile in Babylon and return after 70 years (Jere 25: 1 - 12, 29: 10 -12).  Daniel understood this promise and prayed based on this promise; Isiah also had prophesied many years earlier that the freedom of Israel would come through a man by the name, Cyrus ( Isiah 44: 28, 45: 1,2)

FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY 

In B.C. 537, Belshazzar was killed, and the Babylon empire declined. Median and Persians gained power in the middle east. As King Cyrus was engaged in other wars, he engaged his commander in chief Dairies as the ruler of Babylon. But later, Cyrus himself took over the rule of Babylon. The first thing he did was declare freedom to Israel. He also said that a temple was built in Jerusalem for God. This happened in BC 536, exactly 70 years after the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem, in BC 606. The prophecies of Jeremiah and Isiah are fulfilled precisely. God is faithful regarding His promises. 

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of Judah from Babylon to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of this temple. The last Old Testament prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, lived during these days. 

Persian empire: It is beneficial to know the 200 years long history of the Median-Persian empire. The capital was Shushan, a city on the north of River Tigris (Hidekkel), But most kings lived in Babylon and ruled from there. 

Kings                                                         Period of reign (BC)

Cyrus                                                         538 - 529

Artaxerxes (Cambisus)                              529 - 522

Gaumata                                                    522 - 520

Darius - I                                                   521 - 485

Cyrus - I (Ahasuerus)                                486 - 465

Artaxerxes - I                                             464 - 424

Cyrus II                                                      424 - 423

Darius II                                                     423 - 404

Artaxerxes II                                              404 - 359

Artaxerxes III                                             359 - 338

Darius III   (Codomanex)                            338 - 331

In BC 331, emperor Alexander the Greeks attacked Persia and the empire shattered.

Jerusalem's rebuilding:  Jerusalem city and the temple were rebuilt in 2 phases 

1. BC 536 to 516 (20 years)

2. BC 457 to 432 (25 years)

1. FIRST PHASES 

1.  In BC 536, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, 42360 Jews returned to Jerusalem with 7337 servants, 200 singers, 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, 6720 donkeys, and 5400 gold and silver vessels. (Ezra. 2: 64-69).
2. In BC 536 itself, an altar was built in Jerusalem in the 7th month (Ezra altar3:1-3)
3. In BC 535, the temple's rebuilding started (Ezra 3:10,11). But the work was interrupted in the time of Artaxerxes, the descendent of Cyrus, due to some of Israel's enemies (Ezra. 4:21-23)
4. In BC 520, during the reign of Darius I, Haggai and Zechariah encouraged people, and the work of building the temple was started again. (Ezra. 5: 1-5). Later positive order was also received from the king (Ezra 6: 7 -12). In BC 516, the temple was completed and consecrated to God. In BC 478, Esther became the Queen of King Ahasuerus (Cyrus - 1). After this, the Jews got more freedom and rights ( Esther 2:17, 8:16, 9:2)

2. SECOND PHASE 

1. In BC 457, Ezra returned to Jerusalem with the order from Artaxerxes I. He was accompanied by 1754 Levites and priests, 100 gold and 750 shekels of silver. Ezra decorated the temple and announced fasting with great repentance and prayer. This led to a great revival and sanctification among the people (Ezra 10: 1 -3).
2. In BC 444, Nehemiah, who was the cupbearer of Artaxerxes - I, returned to Jerusalem with King's order. He was accompanied by the army for helping in the work of building the wall of Jerusalem. He was a man of prayer, and he exhorted people to remove the shame of Israel by making the wall of Jerusalem. He was a man of prayer, and he exhorted people to remove the shame of Israel by building the wall. They worked hard for 52 days by, night and day, and all the gates were erected on the wall. Thus the city became safe. After this, Ezra and Nehemiah called together all the Israel, praising and worshipping God. Ezra, the scribe, also read the laws. All enjoyed it before the assembly and explained it (Neh: 8). Th was continued for 7 days from morning to noon. This led church to great revival and sanctification among people.

Later Nehemiah went back to Shushan. But he returned and ruled Jerusalem for about 12 years. These men who prayed for Jerusalem's revival are an example for us; resurrection must also pray for the revival of the church and its sanctification from all that is not according to God's word.