Israel Restored and the Response (November 25, 2018)

Review:  Last week we learned about the terrible divide that happened in Israel which split it into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. We also saw Israel and Judah’s repeated turning from God while under the rule of their kings. This led to Israel being exiled by the Assyrians and Judah being exiled in Babylon. At the end of 2 Chronicles, however, we are left with hope as we learn that Cyrus the king of Persia is allowing some Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the house of the Lord, after they had been in captivity for 70 years. This is where we pick back up at the beginning of Ezra. 
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Ezra
Read Ezra 1:1-4. 
Why did King Cyrus, a heathen king, allow the Israelites to go back to Jerusalem? Even though King Cyrus did not follow the God of Israel, God was still able to stir the king up to accomplish His plans for Israel. 

What does this show us about God? 
• God was in control of this whole situation and is in control of every situation in your life. 
• God works through us, but he can also work through unbelievers. 
• God’s plans are always accomplished.  

After this decree, “everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord” returned to Jerusalem. Chapter 2 gives a record of all those that returned. Read Ezra 2: 64-67 to find out how many people returned and what they took with them. 

Once the people were in Jerusalem, before beginning the rebuilding of the temple, the people build an altar. 

Read Ezra 3:1-3.
Why did the people build the altar? 
• It was written in the Law of Moses to offer the burnt offerings on the altar
• They were afraid of the non-Israelite people around them. They wanted to reestablish their relationship with God and receive God’s protection.  

In the second year after the captive Israelites returned to Jerusalem, they began to build the foundations of the temple. The people sang and gave praise and thanks to God. Some Israelites, however showed a different kind of emotion when they saw the foundations of the temple laid. 
Read Ezra 3:12-13. 
Why do you think these men were crying? Remember Israel was in captivity for 70 years before returning home. The old men who are crying would have seen King Solomon’s beautiful temple that was destroyed. Based on the size of the foundation being built, these men could tell that the new temple would not measure up to the original temple. 

Read Ezra 4: 1-3. 
Why do you think that the Israelites would not allow these men to help build the temple?
• God commanded the Israelites, and no one else, to rebuild the temple through King Cyrus’ proclamation 
• Even though these people said that they followed the God of Israel there are clues that they were not really worshiping the God Israel. First, they said they had been offering sacrifices to God, however, the only altar that God allowed sacrifices to be made on was in Jerusalem. This altar had been destroyed and only been rebuilt when the Israelites returned, so these people had been offering their sacrifices on other altars not approved of by God. Second, these people are called the adversaries of God’s people (Ezra 4:1). While they may have thought they were worshiping the God of Israel, they were also worshiping pagan Gods, which meant they were not offering true worship to God. 

Read Ezra 4: 4-6 to see yet another clue why these people were not true followers of the God of Israel.
So, after being told they could not help in the rebuilding, they try to stop the rebuilding of the temple. Does this sound like something a true follower of God would do? No. A true follower would want the temple to be rebuilt.
These adversaries end up delaying the rebuilding of the temple for a number of years but by order of the new king of Persia, King Darius, the temple rebuilding is completed, and the people begin to celebrate Passover again.

In Chapter 7 we are introduced to Ezra. Ezra finds favor with the king of Persia and is allowed to return to Jerusalem with another group of Israelites. The king gives him supplies so that Ezra can make offerings on the altar in Jerusalem. 
Why do you think this pagan king did this for Ezra? He wanted to find favor with the God of Israel, but he also wanted to have favor with the gods of other nations as well, so again he was not a true follower of the God of Israel (Exodus 20:3-5).

Read Ezra 7:27-28 to find out why Ezra believed the king let him return. Ezra knows that God was behind this miraculous event. He used even the misguided desires of a pagan king to accomplish his purpose for Israel. 

In chapter 9 we see the people of Israel have committed a sin by intermarrying with the pagan peoples around them. When learning of this Ezra prays to God in repentance for Israel’s sin. He then leads the people to confess their sin and to put away their foreign wives and children.  
Why do you think the Israelites needed to do this? God had commanded the Israelites not to marry foreigners because these people would cause Israel to follow their pagan gods. In seeking to follow the God of Israel alone, the Israelites had to remove this influence from their lives. 

Nehemiah 
After the temple was built it was left defenseless from its enemies because the wall around Jerusalem had also been destroyed. When Nehemiah, an Israelite and cup-bearer to the king of Persia, learns about the wall, he prays to God that he would be allowed to something about it. 
Read Nehemiah 2: 1-8. 
Again, we see God at work. He allowed the king to notice Nehemiah’s sadness and then He moved the king to grant Nehemiah’s request to rebuild the wall. 

Once, Nehemiah and the Israelites begin to rebuild the wall, they get the attention of their enemies who do not want Israel to succeed. Led by Tobiah and Sanballat, the enemies of Israel try to sneak up on the Israelites and kill them, but God stops them (Nehemiah 4:15). As the Israelites built the rest of the wall, they were armed with weapons to protect themselves from further attacks. Despite this the Israelites were able to build the wall in just 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15)! 

After the wall is finished, Ezra stands before the people and reads the Law of Moses to all the people and the people worshiped the Lord. In chapter 9 we see the people confess their sins and remember the blessings that God had given Israel. Then at the dedication of the wall the people of Israel give thanks to God with singing and instruments. 

Esther 
Esther tells the story of what happened to the Jews who did not return to Judah. If you read through Esther, you will not see the name of God mentioned anywhere but it is clear throughout the story that God is at work. He uses Esther, to save his people from destruction. At the end of the story we see the creation of the festival of Purim to celebrate Israel’s salvation. 
In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther we see how God physically restores the people of Israel by granting them success in rebuilding the wall and temple in Jerusalem. He also brings spiritual revival to the people as they confess their sins and commit to obeying God. In response the people give praise and thanksgiving to God. 

As Christians, we have also been revived spiritually. Colossians 2:13-14 says “When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!” 

The Israelites praised God for their restoration and salvation, as we should having received this gift from God. We just celebrated Thanksgiving which is time to give thanks to God, but our thanksgiving should never cease. Psalm 30: 11-12 Says “you have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” 

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Going Deeper:

Take some time to read through psalms of thanksgiving like these here:  https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/10-encouraging-psalms-for-thanksgiving.html. Then write your own psalm of thanksgiving.

Praise God in Song: 

 

The Kings of Israel and Judah (November 18, 2018)

Review:  Last week we spent time looking at the life of King David. King David was not a perfect king, but he loved God and God promised to make an everlasting kingdom for David through his offspring.

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We know that this promise of an everlasting kingdom is ultimately fulfilled through Christ but God’s covenant with David also includes promises about King David’s son Solomon.

Read 2 Samuel 7: 4-17

What promises did God make to David?

•        He would make a great name for David

•        He would give Israel rest from their enemies

•        He would make a house for David

•        He would establish the kingdom of David’s offspring after David’s death

•        David’s offspring would build a house for God

•        David’s offspring’s kingdom would last forever

•        When David’s offspring sins, God will discipline him as a father

•        God’s steadfast love would not be taken away from David’s offspring

We first see Solomon in the Bible when he is born. Read 2 Samuel 12:24-25.

So, Solomon has two names. The first is of course Solomon, which means peace. What promise given to David matches with this name? God would give Israel rest from their enemies.

Solomon was also given another name by God through the prophet Nathan which was Jedidiah. The name Jedidiah means “beloved of the LORD.” What promise does this name match to? God’s steadfast love would not be taken away from David’s offspring.

Once we reach 1 Kings, we find that David is old and close to death. One of his sons, Adonijah, tries to become king but this is not the son of David that God has chosen to be king.

Read 1 Chronicles 28:2-8.

God had chosen Solomon to be the King of Israel and to build his temple. David had gathered many supplies for the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 29:1-5) but he was not allowed to build it himself because he had shed too much blood.

Knowing this do you think Adonijah will be successful in becoming king?

Adonijah does not become king. Once Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and Nathan the prophet tell David what Adonijah is doing, King David gives instructions for Solomon to be anointed as king, which he is.

God had given instructions for what a king of Israel was supposed to be like back in Deuteronomy.

Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

A king of Israel was not supposed to:

•        be a foreigner

•        acquire many horses

•        send anyone to Egypt

•        acquire many wives

•        acquire excessive silver and gold

A king of Israel was supposed to:

•        make himself a copy of the book of the law

•        read the book of the law all the days of his life

•        keep the words of the law and the statutes

As we read about Solomon, lets see how if he was the type of king described in Deuteronomy.

Read 1 Kings 3:3-14.

What did we learn about Solomon?

•        he loved God (vs. 3)

•        he pleased God by asking for wisdom (vs. 9-10)

•        God gave him wisdom and riches (vs. 12-13)

So, far so good. 

Read 1 Kings 4:26-34.

We see that Solomon is very wise, but did you notice what he acquired in vs. 26? Many horses

As king of Israel, was he supposed to do this? No

Read 1 Kings 6:1 and 14.

What did Solomon do? He built God’s house like he was supposed to do.

This was a great triumph which pleased God. When the temple was finished “the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD” (1 Kings 8:11).

Read 1 Kings 10:14-29 and 11:1-6.

How is Solomon not following the qualifications for Israel’s kings found in Deuteronomy 17?

•        he acquired excessive amounts of silver and gold

•        he acquired many horses and those horses came from Egypt (he must have sent his people there to get them)

•        he acquired many foreign wives which turned his heart from God

•        he turned from God and followed foreign Gods

There are devastating consequences to Solomon’s actions.

Read 1 Kings 11:9-13.

What were the consequences of Solomon turning from God?

•        the kingdom would be taken, in part, from Solomon’s son

•        the kingdom would be divided

Despite Solomon’s failure/sin, God is still faithful to the promises he made to Abraham and David. Instead of completely taking the kingdom away from David’s family, he allows David’s family to continue their kingdom, with Solomon’s son Rehoboam becoming king after him. God, however, raises up another king, Jeroboam, to be king over the ten tribes of Israel, leaving only Judah for Rehoboam and his children (1 Kings 11:26-38). God tells this new king, just as he had told the kings in David’s line, that if the if he would listen to all the commands of the Lord and walk in his ways that he would be with that king and build his kingdom.

Unfortunately, if you read through the rest of 1 Kings and 2 Kings, you will see that none of the 19 kings of Israel were good kings and instead they “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

What do you think will happen to Israel?

Read 2 Kings 17:6-18.

Because of their turning from God, God let’s Israel be taken into captivity by Assyrians.

Judah also had 19 kings. Of these 19 kings only 8 “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” One of these good kings was King Josiah who became king when he was just eight years old. During Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, Josiah began to repair the temple. During the repairs, Hilkiah the high priest finds the book of the law which apparently had been lost/misplaced for a long time. When the law is read to Josiah, he realizes how much Judah had been sinning. Josiah is so grieved that he tears his clothes and asks Hilkiah to talk to God for the people of Judah.

Read 2 Kings 22:14-20.

Because Josiah repented, God did not bring disaster to Josiah but promises that the people will face the consequences of their disobedience after Josiah’s death. Josiah and all of Judah promise to keep God’s commandments (2 Kings 23:3), however, the three kings after Josiah all “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Judah then falls into Babylonian captivity and the temple is destroyed.

God being faithful, however, will not let Israel remain in this captive state forever. We will see this next week when we look at the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

As we wrap up, what lessons can we learn from these kings of Israel and Judah?

•        There are consequences for not obey God’s word

•        God blesses those that follow him and repent

•        You cannot obey God if you do not know what is in God’s word.

Remember in Deuteronomy, what God wanted the kings of Israel to do? Write down the law and read it every day.

When the kings and the people they were ruling did not do this they fell into disobedience.

John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

If we don’t know what God’s word says how can we keep his commandments and show that we love God?

Think about this verse.

"Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

Do you believe this? Are there any changes you think you need to make so you do not become like so many of the kings we just learned about?

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Going Deeper:

Take time to think about how much time you spend reading God’s word. How could you make more time to read the Bible? Is there something you could spend less time on, so you can spend more time studying the Bible? 

Praise God in Song: 

A Picture of the King (November 11, 2018)

Review: Last week learned about Saul, the first king of Israel. We saw how Saul was disobedient to God during his reign and that as a result God choose to take the kingdom away from Saul. The prophet Samuel gave this news to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:25 when he said, “the Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” Today we learn about this better king that Samuel was talking about and how this king is like our true king, Jesus.
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Read 1 Samuel 16: 1-13.

So immediately we can see some similarities between Jesus and David. Notice, where was David born? In Bethlehem (vs. 4).

Where was Jesus born? In Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1).  

What was David’s job? He was a shepherd (vs.11)

Jesus is also described as our shepherd. In John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Did anyone immediately think of David as someone who would be chosen as the king? No. Jesse presented all of David’s brothers to Samuel before calling David in.

Did people immediately think of Jesus as a king? No. The Jews rejected Jesus as king. They could not understand how a carpenter’s son was meant to be king (Mark 6:3).

Despite David being an unlikely choice to be king, God choose David because God looks at the heart (vs. 7). When God looked at David’s heart he saw that David was a man after God’s heart who would do God’s will (Acts 13:22).  

David was concerned with pleasing God and doing what God said just like Jesus. In John 6:38, Jesus says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

We also see that David is like Jesus when David is anointed king. While Jesus was never anointed as king on earth Jesus declares himself as a king in John 18:36 when he says, “my kingdom is not of this world.” There will come a time, however, when the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).

Read 1 Samuel 17

In this chapter we see that David goes up against a mighty enemy of God’s people, a Philistine named Goliath. Jesus also has fought a mighty enemy of God’s people. Who do you think this enemy is? Satan (1 Peter 5:8)

Take a look at 1 Samuel 17:8-9 again. What did Israel have to do to defeat the Philistines? They only needed to send one representative to defeat Goliath and if Goliath was killed all the Philistines would become Israel’s servants.

In this same way, Christians have victory over our enemy Satan. In Romans 5:18-19 we read “as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”

What trespass do you think this verse is talking about? Adam’s disobedience in the garden (Genesis 3:6)

What act of righteousness is the verse talking about?

Jesus’ death on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).

Read 1 Samuel 6-9.

Saul becomes jealous of David and this sets the stage for Saul wanting to kill David. When David is warned by his friend Johnathan that Saul wants to kill him (1 Samuel 20), David flees from Saul and ends up hiding out in a cave. Then in 1 Samuel 22:2 we read that “everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them.”

David was in exile, yet people still wanted him to be their king. These people knew that the king they had been serving, Saul, was not who they needed. While serving Saul they were distressed, in debt, and bitter in soul. So, they went to find the better king to follow.

This is a great picture of Christ and his kingdom. Christ is not physically on earth to reign just like David had to leave his kingdom. While David was away another king, Saul, reigned over the people. While Jesus is away, another power rules on this earth, who is called the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), who is Satan. Yet, there are those who recognize that Satan is not their true king and that they have a debt they cannot pay. These people reject the false king and seek to follow the true king, Jesus.

  

Eventually, however, David was able to take his kingdom back from Saul. Saul dies, and David is given many victories over Israel’s enemies.

In this same way, Jesus will not let Satan rule this world forever. Christ has already taken away Satan’s power over Christians (Colossians 2:15) but as you may remember, there will come a time when Jesus will return and take Satan’s earthly kingdom away from him. Rev 11:15 says “and the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

We have seen how David is a type of Jesus, but he is not exactly like Jesus. Despite being the man after God’s own heart, David was not perfect, and he still sinned. He stole someone else’s wife, he lied, and he murdered. Compare this to Jesus who never sinned (1 Peter 2:22). As a consequence of his sin, David experienced all kinds of problems including the death of his son (2 Samuel 12) and the betrayal of another son (2 Samuel 13), etc.

Yet, God had chosen David to be king and made a covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7 in which He promised to establish a kingdom for David through his offspring. Because God is faithful he did not break this covenant even when David sinned.

Read Acts 13:22-23: And when he had removed him [Saul], he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.”

David was the better king, but there is a king that is even better than him, Jesus. Jesus is the perfect king and because he is perfect He is able to be the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:9). Praise God!

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Going Deeper

David is described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart. This should be said of all Christians. We should want to please God and spend time with Him. Take time now to reflect on how you can make God a bigger priority in your life (ex. maybe you will want to spend more time praying or reading your Bible, etc.) and ask God to help you to do this.  

Praise God in Song:

The One True King (November 4, 2018)

Review: At the end of Judges we are left with this final word: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). In the book of 1 Samuel we will see how Israel sought to solve this problem.  

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At the beginning of 1 Samuel chapters 1-3 we see the birth of Samuel, who was called by God to be a judge and prophet in Israel.

Then in chapter 4 we learn of a terrible event that occurs in Israel. Read 1 Samuel 4:1-11.

What terrible event happened? The ark of God was captured.

Notice, did God tell the Israelites to take the ark into battle? No. They simply did what they thought was right in their eyes and did not ask God what they should do.

Despite Israel’s failure, in chapter 5 and 6 we see how God, by His own power (He afflicts the Philistines with tumors), causes the ark to be returned to Israel. 20 years later, the Israelites want to return to God. In chapter 7, Samuel tells them that they must put away all their foreign Gods and serve God only. They do this, and the Lord gives them victory over their enemies, the Philistines, all the days of Samuel.

When Samuel gets old, however, the people come to Samuel with a demand. Read 1 Samuel 8: 4-6.

What do the people want? A king.

Why do you think Samuel is upset by this?

Read 1 Samuel 8: 7-8. Samuel already knows that Israel has a king, God. Unfortunately, Israel is quick to forget who God is and what He has done for them, so instead of wanting God as their king they want a human king just like the other nations around them.

They want to be like the other nations so much that they completely ignore God’s warning about the king they are asking for.

Read 1 Samuel 8: 10-22.

Samuel warns the people that the king they are asking for will not be good for them and that they will cry out to God because of the king. But the people refuse to listen to God and God lets them have their king.

In chapters 9-10 we learn about, Saul, the man God has chosen to be Israel’s king. He was a handsome and tall man (1 Samuel 9:2) that came from the humblest tribe Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:21). In 1 Samuel 10:17-19 we see Saul proclaimed as king even though God sees this as Israel rejecting Him.  

Read 1 Samuel 12.

Samuel reminds Israel of their past sins of rejecting God.  Then he shows them how they have done this once again by asking for a king.

Samuel warns the people, that if they do not follow God what will happen? vs. 15 “if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, the hand of the LORD will be against you.”

Samuel also offers a promise to the Israelites if they will obey God. What is this promise? vs. 14 “If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.”

Based on Israel’s history, do you think that they will remain obedient to God?

In the next few chapters we see that God gives Israel victory over their enemies while Saul is their king, but Saul is by no means a perfect king. Saul is impatient, makes rash decisions, and does not obey God.  

Read 1 Samuel 15: 1-9.

God gives Saul very specific instructions. Does Saul obey them? No.

In response God rejects Saul as king saying in 1 Samuel 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and had not performed my commandments.”

Later in chapter 15 when Samuel confronts Saul about his sin, Saul makes excuses. He says that he had obeyed the Lord and that it was the people who did not want to destroy everything, so they could bring a sacrifice to the Lord. Did God ask for this sacrifice? No.

Read 1 Samuel 15:22-23.

What does God want more than sacrifices? Obedience.

Read 1 Samuel 15: 24-31.  Saul asks for pardon/forgiveness for his sin. Do you think that he is genuinely sorry for what he has done?

Read 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If Saul had truly repented, God would have forgiven him.

In vs. 30 we may see Saul’s true motive in asking for pardon. He asks Samuel to honor him before the elders. Saul was likely more concerned about what the people thought of him than what God thought of him.

Saul won many victories in battle for Israel, but Saul was not the king that the people needed. Though Saul was able to physically deliver his people from their enemies (through God’s power), he was not able to save them or himself from their sinful natures.

Read Romans 8: 1-2. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

There is only one king that can deliver us from sin, King Jesus. He is the king we need.

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Going Deeper

The Israelites wanted to be just like everyone else who had a king and so they rejected God as their king. Saul wanted the people to love him, so he did what they wanted instead of what God wanted. Take time to think about if there are times that you don’t listen to God because you want to impress or please others? Ask God to help you to stop working to please man but to please God who tests your hearts (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Praise God in Song: