Hello, and welcome
to His Words are Life
00:00:16.08\00:00:18.27
I'm Kelly Mowrer, and thank
you for joining with me today
00:00:18.30\00:00:21.33
to read the word of God. Let's
pray together before we start.
00:00:21.36\00:00:25.92
Dear Lord, thank you for this
moment in time when we can come
00:00:25.96\00:00:30.51
apart and listen to your
voice on these pages that has
00:00:30.54\00:00:35.88
preserved your truth down
through the centuries for us
00:00:35.91\00:00:38.14
right now. Please send the Holy
Spirit to give us understanding
00:00:38.17\00:00:42.35
of what we hear. We love
you and thank you for loving us.
00:00:42.38\00:00:45.79
Amen. When we were last together
00:00:45.82\00:00:49.11
we were reading in the book
of Ezra about the rebuilding of
00:00:49.14\00:00:53.04
Jerusalem; and the people
round about, in particular
00:00:53.07\00:00:57.79
the governor of Tatnai,
has written a letter to Darius
00:00:57.82\00:01:01.75
to potentially cause trouble,
and he's giving an account
00:01:01.78\00:01:06.24
of how he went to Israel
to challenge them in their
00:01:06.27\00:01:09.64
rebuilding and Israel's
response to that challenge.
00:01:09.67\00:01:13.37
We're going to pick up in
verse 17 of Ezra, chapter 5
00:01:13.40\00:01:18.06
and this is the
King James Version.
00:01:18.09\00:01:20.74
Now therefore, if it seem good
to the king, let there be search
00:01:20.77\00:01:27.09
made in the king's treasure
house which is there at Babylon.
00:01:27.12\00:01:30.66
whether it be so that a decree
was made of Cyrus the king
00:01:30.69\00:01:34.86
to build this house of God
at Jerusalem. And let the king
00:01:34.89\00:01:39.06
send his pleasure to
us concerning this matter.
00:01:39.09\00:01:42.20
Continuing in Ezra, chapter
6, the King James Version.
00:01:42.23\00:01:46.70
Then Darius the king made
a decree, and search was made
00:01:46.73\00:01:52.02
in the house of the rolls, where
the treasures were laid up in
00:01:52.05\00:01:54.81
Babylon. And there was found at
Achmetha, in the palace that is
00:01:54.84\00:02:00.55
in the province of the Medes,
a roll, and therein was a record
00:02:00.58\00:02:05.20
thus written: In the first year
of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus
00:02:05.23\00:02:10.80
the king made a decree
concerning the house of God
00:02:10.83\00:02:13.99
at Jerusalem, Let the house
be builded, the place where they
00:02:14.02\00:02:18.36
offered sacrifices, and let the
foundations thereof be strongly
00:02:18.39\00:02:22.52
laid; the height
thereof threescore cubits;
00:02:22.55\00:02:25.94
and the breadth
thereof threescore cubits;
00:02:25.97\00:02:28.42
with three rows of great
stones and a row of new timber:
00:02:28.45\00:02:32.83
and let the expenses be
given out of the king's house.
00:02:32.86\00:02:36.84
And also let the golden
and silver vessels of the house
00:02:36.87\00:02:41.37
of God, which Nebuchadnezzar
took forth out of the temple
00:02:41.40\00:02:44.94
which is at Jerusalem,
and brought unto Babylon,
00:02:44.97\00:02:47.53
be restored, and brought again
unto the temple which is at
00:02:47.56\00:02:51.99
Jerusalem, every one to
his place, and place them
00:02:52.02\00:02:56.40
in the house of God. Now
therefore Tatnai, governor
00:02:56.43\00:03:01.09
beyond the river, Shetharboznai,
and your companions
00:03:01.12\00:03:04.52
the Apharsachites,
which are beyond the river,
00:03:04.55\00:03:07.11
be ye far from thence: Let the
work of this house of God alone;
00:03:07.14\00:03:12.62
let the governor of the Jews
and the elders of the Jews build
00:03:12.65\00:03:16.48
this house of God in his
place. Moreover I make a decree
00:03:16.51\00:03:21.40
what ye shall do to the elders
of these Jews for the building
00:03:21.43\00:03:24.11
of this house of God:
that of the king's goods,
00:03:24.14\00:03:27.25
even of the tribute beyond
the river, forthwith expenses
00:03:27.28\00:03:31.45
be given unto these men,
that they be not hindered.
00:03:31.48\00:03:35.89
And that which they have need of
both young bullocks, and rams,
00:03:35.92\00:03:40.95
and lambs, for the burnt
offering of the God of heaven,
00:03:40.98\00:03:43.45
wheat, salt, wine, and oil,
according to the appointment of
00:03:43.48\00:03:47.95
the priests which are at
Jerusalem, let it be given them
00:03:47.98\00:03:52.06
day by day without fail:
That they may offer sacrifices
00:03:52.09\00:03:58.11
of sweet savors unto the God
of heaven, and pray for the life
00:03:58.14\00:04:01.42
of the king, and of his
sons. Also I have made a decree,
00:04:01.45\00:04:06.64
that whosoever shall alter this
word, let timber be pulled down
00:04:06.67\00:04:11.38
from his house, and being set
up, let him be hanged thereon;
00:04:11.41\00:04:15.39
and let his house be
made a dunghill for this.
00:04:15.42\00:04:18.55
And the God that hath caused
his name to dwell there destroy
00:04:18.58\00:04:24.03
all kings and people, that
shall put to their hand to alter
00:04:24.06\00:04:27.23
and to destroy this house
of God which is at Jerusalem.
00:04:27.26\00:04:30.50
I Darius have made a decree;
let it be done with speed.
00:04:30.53\00:04:36.15
Then Tatnai, governor on this
side the river and Shethatboznai
00:04:36.18\00:04:41.63
and their companions, according
to that which Darius the king
00:04:41.66\00:04:45.17
had send, so they did speedily.
And the elders of the Jews
00:04:45.20\00:04:50.89
builded, and they prospered
through the prophesying of
00:04:50.92\00:04:53.98
Haggai the prophet and
Zechariah the son of Iddo.
00:04:54.01\00:04:56.81
And they builded and finished
it according to the commandment
00:04:56.84\00:05:00.40
of the God of Israel and
according to the commandment of
00:05:00.43\00:05:02.95
Cyrus, and Darius, and
Artaxerxes king of Persia.
00:05:02.98\00:05:06.50
And this house was finished on
the third day of the month Adar,
00:05:06.53\00:05:10.53
which was in the sixth year
of the reign of Darius the king.
00:05:10.56\00:05:14.23
And the children of Israel,
the priests and the Levites,
00:05:14.26\00:05:17.87
and the rest of the
children of the captivity,
00:05:17.90\00:05:20.30
kept the dedication of
this house of God with joy,
00:05:20.33\00:05:24.30
and offered at the dedication of
this house of God 100 bullocks,
00:05:24.33\00:05:28.42
200 rams, 400 lambs; and for
a sin offering for all Israel,
00:05:28.45\00:05:33.61
12 he goats, according to the
number of the tribes of Israel.
00:05:33.64\00:05:37.41
And they set the priests in
their divisions, and the Levites
00:05:37.44\00:05:42.02
in their courses,
for the service of God,
00:05:42.05\00:05:44.56
which is at Jerusalem; as it
is written in the book of Moses.
00:05:44.59\00:05:47.82
And the children of the
captivity kept the passover
00:05:47.85\00:05:51.51
upon the 14th day of the 1st
month. For the priests and the
00:05:51.54\00:05:56.13
Levites were purified
together, all of them were pure,
00:05:56.16\00:05:59.98
and killed the passover for all
the children of the captivity,
00:06:00.01\00:06:03.34
and for their brethren the
priests and for themselves.
00:06:03.37\00:06:06.84
And the children of Israel,
which were come again out of
00:06:06.87\00:06:10.39
the captivity, and all
such as had separated themselves
00:06:10.42\00:06:14.79
unto them from the filthiness
of the heathen of the land,
00:06:14.82\00:06:17.85
to seek the Lord God of Israel,
did eat, and kept the feast of
00:06:17.88\00:06:22.30
unleavened bread 7 days with
joy: for the Lord had made them
00:06:22.33\00:06:27.16
joyful, and turned the heart of
the king of Assyria unto them,
00:06:27.19\00:06:31.16
to strengthen their hands in
the work of the house of God,
00:06:31.19\00:06:35.35
the God of Israel.
We're continuing now
00:06:35.38\00:06:40.10
in Ezra, chapter 7, and
this is the King James Version.
00:06:40.13\00:06:43.77
Now after these things, in
the reign of Artaxerxes king of
00:06:43.80\00:06:49.69
Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah,
the son of Azariah, the son of
00:06:49.72\00:06:55.58
Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the
son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
00:06:55.61\00:07:00.08
the son of Amariah, the son
of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,
00:07:00.11\00:07:04.13
the son of Zerahiah, the
son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,
00:07:04.16\00:07:08.56
the son of Abishua, the son
of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar,
00:07:08.59\00:07:13.62
the son of Aaron
the chief priest:
00:07:13.65\00:07:16.31
This Ezra went up from Babylon;
and he was a ready scribe
00:07:16.34\00:07:21.79
in the law of Moses, which the
Lord God of Israel had given:
00:07:21.82\00:07:25.05
and the king granted him all his
request, according to the hand
00:07:25.08\00:07:29.93
of the Lord his God upon him.
And there went up some of the
00:07:29.96\00:07:34.79
children of Israel, and of
the priests, and the Levites,
00:07:34.82\00:07:37.22
and the singers, and the porters
and the Nethinims unto Jerusalem
00:07:37.25\00:07:41.57
in the 7the year of Artaxerxes
the king. And he came to
00:07:41.60\00:07:45.47
Jerusalem, in the 5th
month, which was in the 7th year
00:07:45.50\00:07:48.88
of the king. For upon the
first day of the first month
00:07:48.91\00:07:51.67
began he to go up from Babylon,
and on the first day of the
00:07:51.70\00:07:56.65
fifth month came he to Jerusalem
according to the good hand of
00:07:56.68\00:08:00.56
his God upon him. For Ezra
had prepared his heart to seek
00:08:00.59\00:08:05.37
the law of the Lord, and to
do it, and to teach in Israel
00:08:05.40\00:08:10.54
statutes and judgments. Now
this is the copy of the letter
00:08:10.57\00:08:15.41
that the king Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest, the scribe
00:08:15.44\00:08:19.43
even a scribe of the words
of the commandments of the Lord,
00:08:19.46\00:08:22.89
and of his statutes to Israel.
Artaxerxes, king of kings
00:08:22.92\00:08:27.50
unto Ezra the priest, a scribe
of the law of the God of heaven,
00:08:27.53\00:08:31.30
perfect peace and at
such a time. I make a decree,
00:08:31.33\00:08:36.77
that all they of the people
of Israel, and of his priests
00:08:36.80\00:08:40.94
and Levites in my realm, which
are minded of their own freewill
00:08:40.97\00:08:46.45
to go up to Jerusalem, go
with thee. Forasmuch as thou art
00:08:46.48\00:08:51.88
sent of the king, and of
his seven counselors, to inquire
00:08:51.91\00:08:56.51
concerning Judah and Jerusalem,
according to the law of thy God
00:08:56.54\00:08:59.77
which is in thine hand; and
to carry the silver and gold,
00:08:59.80\00:09:04.01
which the king and his
counselors have freely offered
00:09:04.04\00:09:06.74
unto the God of Israel, whose
habitation is in Jerusalem.
00:09:06.77\00:09:10.38
and all the silver and gold
that thou canst find in all the
00:09:10.41\00:09:14.50
province of Babylon, with the
freewill offering of the people,
00:09:14.53\00:09:17.76
and of the priests, offering
willingly for the house of their
00:09:17.79\00:09:20.90
God which is in Jerusalem: that
thou mayest buy speedily with
00:09:20.93\00:09:26.66
this money bullocks, rams,
lambs with their meat offerings,
00:09:26.69\00:09:31.78
and their drink offerings,
and offer them upon the altar of
00:09:31.81\00:09:35.33
the house of your God
which is in Jerusalem.
00:09:35.36\00:09:38.20
And whatsoever shall seem good
to thee, and to thy brethren,
00:09:38.23\00:09:42.53
to do with the rest of
the silver and the gold,
00:09:42.56\00:09:44.70
that do after the will of your
God. The vessels also that are
00:09:44.73\00:09:49.91
given thee for the
service of the house of thy God,
00:09:49.94\00:09:52.48
those deliver thou
before the the God of Jerusalem.
00:09:52.51\00:09:55.89
And whatsoever more shall be
needful for the house of thy God
00:09:55.92\00:10:01.10
which thou shalt have occasion
to bestow, bestow it out of the
00:10:01.13\00:10:04.77
king's treasure house. And
I even I Artaxerxes the king,
00:10:04.80\00:10:10.13
do make a decree to all
the treasurers which are beyond
00:10:10.16\00:10:14.58
the river, that whatsoever Ezra
the priest the scribe of the law
00:10:14.61\00:10:18.82
of the God of heaven,
shall require of you, it be done
00:10:18.85\00:10:22.77
speedily unto an hundred talents
of silver, and to an hundred
00:10:22.80\00:10:27.36
measures of wheat, and
to an hundred baths of wine,
00:10:27.39\00:10:29.56
and to an hundred baths of oil,
and salt without prescribing
00:10:29.59\00:10:33.21
how much. Whatsoever is
commanded by the God of heaven,
00:10:33.24\00:10:37.65
let it be diligently done for
the house of the God of heaven.
00:10:37.68\00:10:41.13
For why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king
00:10:41.16\00:10:44.85
and his sons? Also we certify
you, that touching any of the
00:10:44.88\00:10:49.87
priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers
00:10:49.90\00:10:54.31
of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful to impose toll,
00:10:54.34\00:10:58.75
tribute or custom, upon them.
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom
00:10:58.78\00:11:05.68
of thy God, that is in thine
hand, set magistrates and judges
00:11:05.71\00:11:09.94
which may judge all the people
that are beyond the river,
00:11:09.97\00:11:12.61
all such as know the laws
of thy God; and teach ye them
00:11:12.64\00:11:17.62
that know them not. And
whosoever will not do the laws
00:11:17.65\00:11:21.90
of thy God, and the law of the
king, let judgment be executed
00:11:21.93\00:11:26.18
speedily upon him, whether it
be unto death, or to banishment,
00:11:26.21\00:11:29.98
or to confiscation of
goods, or to imprisonment.
00:11:30.01\00:11:34.57
Blessed be the Lord God of our
fathers, which hath put such a
00:11:34.60\00:11:39.33
thing as this in the king's
heart, to beautify the house
00:11:39.36\00:11:43.53
of the Lord which is in
Jerusalem: and hath extended
00:11:43.56\00:11:47.36
mercy unto me before the king,
and his counselors, and before
00:11:47.39\00:11:50.39
all the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the
00:11:50.42\00:11:55.47
hand of the Lord my God was
upon me, and I gathered together
00:11:55.50\00:12:00.62
out of Israel chief
men to go up with me.
00:12:00.65\00:12:04.40
I'm reading from Ezra, chapter 8
This is the King James Version.
00:12:04.43\00:12:10.06
These are now the chief of
their fathers, and this is the
00:12:10.09\00:12:14.96
genealogy of them that
went up with me from Babylon,
00:12:14.99\00:12:18.57
in the reign of
Artaxerxes the king.
00:12:18.60\00:12:21.43
The next few verses is
the listing of the genealogy
00:12:21.46\00:12:25.74
of those who went with Ezra.
we'll skip the reading of those
00:12:25.77\00:12:28.86
names and pick up Ezra's account
beginning in chapter 8, verse 21
00:12:28.89\00:12:34.13
Then I proclaimed a fast
there, at the river of Ahava,
00:12:34.16\00:12:40.04
that we might afflict ourselves
before our God, to seek of him
00:12:40.07\00:12:44.90
a right way for us, and for
our little ones, and for all our
00:12:44.93\00:12:48.82
substance. For I was ashamed
to require of the king a band of
00:12:48.85\00:12:53.31
soldiers and horsemen to help
us against the enemy in the way:
00:12:53.34\00:12:56.40
because we had spoken unto the
king saying, The hand of our God
00:12:56.43\00:13:00.83
is upon all them for good that
seek him; but his power and his
00:13:00.86\00:13:05.23
wrath is against all them that
forsake him. So we fasted and
00:13:05.26\00:13:10.89
besought our God for this:
and he was entreated of us.
00:13:10.92\00:13:15.15
Then I separated 12 of the
chief of the priests, Sherebiah,
00:13:15.18\00:13:20.79
Hashabiah, and ten of
their brethren with them,
00:13:20.82\00:13:23.55
and weighed
unto them the silver,
00:13:23.58\00:13:26.24
and the gold, and the
vessels, even the offering
00:13:26.27\00:13:28.65
of the house of our God, which
the king, and his counselors,
00:13:28.68\00:13:31.49
and his lords, and all Israel
there present, had offered:
00:13:31.52\00:13:34.56
I even weighed unto their
hand 650 talents of silver,
00:13:34.59\00:13:39.42
and silver vessels an hundred
talents, and of gold an hundred
00:13:39.45\00:13:43.45
talents; also 20 basins
of gold, of a thousand drams;
00:13:43.48\00:13:48.04
and 2 vessels of fine
copper, precious as gold.
00:13:48.07\00:13:50.90
And I said unto them,
Ye are holy unto the Lord;
00:13:50.93\00:13:54.90
the vessels are holy also;
and the silver and the gold
00:13:54.93\00:13:59.05
are a freewill offering unto
the Lord God of your fathers.
00:13:59.08\00:14:02.42
Watch ye, and keep them, until
ye weigh them before the chief
00:14:02.45\00:14:07.12
of the priests and the Levites,
and chief of the fathers of
00:14:07.15\00:14:09.82
Israel, at Jerusalem, in
the chambers of the house of
00:14:09.85\00:14:13.41
the Lord. So took the priests
and the Levites the weight
00:14:13.44\00:14:16.99
of the silver, and the gold, and
the vessels, to bring them to
00:14:17.02\00:14:20.25
Jerusalem unto the house
of our God. Then we departed
00:14:20.28\00:14:24.57
from the river of Ahava on
the 12th day of the first month,
00:14:24.60\00:14:27.54
to go unto Jerusalem: and
the hand of our God was upon us,
00:14:27.57\00:14:31.66
and he delivered us
from the hand of the enemy,
00:14:31.69\00:14:33.76
and of such as lay
in wait by the way.
00:14:33.79\00:14:36.77
Thank you for
joining me. Goodbye.
00:14:36.81\00:14:39.78