LOOKING FOR EZRA

[JLG]

Ezra 1:1

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word
of the LORD (Yah·weh) spoken through Jeremiah,
the LORD (Yah·weh) stirred the spirit of Cyrus king
of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom
and to put it in writing as follows:

- We are told when!

- In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia!

- So right at the beginning of his reign!

- We are told why!

- To fulfill the word of Yah·weh!

- We are told about how Yah·weh did it!

- He stirred the spirit of Cyrus!

- We are told about what he did!

- He sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom!

- Thus everything is well established!

- Nothing can be discussed!

- Remember the word of Yah.weh!

- He told Daniel!

- Restoration followed by destruction!

- Yah.weh is patient but there are limits!

- It is only because of Abraham!

- Nothing else!

- It tells us a lot about how Yah.weh cared about Abraham!

- When I think about the mutual respect between Yah.weh and Abraham I wonder how it is possible for so many people to completely lack of respect to Yah.weh!

- How is it possible to imagine just establishing a relationship with Yah.weh!

- Unbelievable!

 

[JLG]

Ezra 1:2

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, (Yah·weh)
the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,
has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.

- It says that Yah·weh has appointed Cyrus to build a house for him at Jerusalem in Judah!

- The boss is Cyrus!

- And he is the one who has authorized the rebuilding of Jerusalem!

- In the first part of the Bible, we are told about superpowers which are controlling everything!

- But Yah.weh is above and he used them to help or punish the Hebrews!

- But it was before!

- it is not the case anymore!

- it interesting to think that the time is coming that Yah.weh won’t use any more human kings but his own son to act against mankind!

- This time Jesus will lead Yah.weh’s army of angels against mankind to reduce it to nothing!

- And he will establish his own kingdom and no one will be able to contest his authority!

- it is interesting to think that he has been waiting for so long!

- But it won’t be for nothing!

 

[JLG]

Ezra 1:3

Whoever belongs to His people, may his God be with him and may he go to Jerusalem

and build the house of the LORD (Yah.weh), the God of Israel; He [is] the God who

is in Jerusalem.

- The Jews are invited to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of Yah·weh!

- Apparently it is not an obligation!

- Only those who are willing may go back!

How many Jews returned to Jerusalem from Babylon?

Important dates in the chronology of Judah's return from Babylon to Jerusalem. 536 B.C. Cyrus the Great permitted the return. 49,897 Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. 536 B.C. Built an altar and offered sacrifice in the 7th month • 535 B.C. Work on the temple began but was soon stopped for some fifteen years.

How many Israelites stayed in Babylon?

According to the Book of Jeremiah (52:28-30), 3,023 Jews were deported in the first wave, 832 in the second, and 745 in the third, making 4,600 in all. However, it is likely that only the men were counted. Including women and children it is estimated that 14,000 to 18,000 people would be the full number.

How many people returned with Ezra?

The priest would use them to find out what the Lord wanted the people to do. 64The total number of the entire group that returned was 42,360. 65That didn't include their 7,337 male and female slaves. There were also 200 male and female singers.

 

[JLG]

Ezra 1:4

And let every survivor, wherever he lives be assisted by the men of that region

with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering

הַ֨נְּדָבָ֔ה (han·nə·ḏā·ḇāh)

Article | Noun - feminine singular

Strong's 5071: Spontaneity, spontaneous, a spontaneous, abundant gift for the house

of God in Jerusalem.’”

- So those who will go back to Jerusalem to rebuild it will get silver, gold, goods and livestock!

- It looks like when Israel left Egypt!

 

[JLG]

Return of the Jews to their Homeland

What Does the Bible Have to Say about the Return of the Jews to their Homeland?​

Published on: 9.4.2018

Aliyah: A Banner to the Nations
by Susan Michael

A special term from the Hebrew Bible is used to describe the process of returning to the Land—Aliyah, which means, to “ascend.” It was used in ancient times in reference to Jewish pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem for the three great biblical Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Thus, the process of making Aliyah today is seen as having spiritual meaning beyond the physical act of return.

Let’s see what the Bible has to say about the modern-day return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland—the Land of Israel.

There Are Two Returns​

Isaiah 11:11 indicates there would be a day when God would raise his hand “a second time” to gather the children of Israel to their homeland. The first return was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah to take place after Israel had been in captivity for 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10), and according to Ezra 1:1 happened precisely as foretold. After 500 years of intermittent and partial sovereignty in the Land, the Jewish people were once again dispersed under the Roman Empire in AD 70. After 2,000 years, they have now returned and reestablished sovereignty. No other people group has managed to survive two exiles—much less one that was 2,000 years long—and then return to reestablish national sovereignty.

The Second Return is from All Nations​

This second return was to be from every nation where they had been dispersed (Jeremiah 16:14–15; 23:3, 7–8; 29:14; 31:7–8), not just Babylon. Over the past 120 years or so, more than 3.5 million Jews have immigrated to the Land of Israel from all over the world—from the north, south, east, and west—in literal fulfillment of God’s promises (Isaiah 43:5–6).

A Banner to the Nations​

The regathering of the Jewish people to their land is depicted as God’s banner to the nations (Isaiah 11:12). A banner was often a rallying point in military operations, and was carried to lead a formation, but often bore the name or image of that army’s God. Using this symbolism, the Hebrew prophet Isaiah considered the ingathering as a proclamation of God’s name and His character to the nations (Ezekiel 28:25).

The Return is not Based on Merit​

The Mosaic Covenant was clear that living in the Land of Israel was a benefit of walking in obedience with God, and that even after exile, repentance would lead to Israel’s return. However, the Hebrew prophets spoke of a day when God would sovereignly gather His children back to the Land, not because of anything they had done, but to be a witness to the gentiles and to vindicate His name. The timing was up to Him (Psalm 102:13); He would do it (Jeremiah 23:3), and He would even use the gentiles to make it happen (Isaiah 49:22–26; 60:8–12).

God vindicates His name because it has been profaned before the nations through the disobedience and exile of His people (Ezekiel 36:22). He will demonstrate His holiness (Ezekiel 36:22–23) and His faithfulness, whether His children are deserving or not. It reflects His love and mercy toward them (Isaiah 60:8–10), as well as toward the world He plans to redeem and fill with His truth and glory for eternity (Psalm 102:16–22).

This Great Act of God Leads to Revival​

The ingathering of the Jewish people in modern times holds great promise for Israel and for the world, as it heralds the soon coming of the Messianic kingdom. While it is a physical return with many logistical and practical aspects, it is a sacred thing because it is building a platform for the coming of the kingdom of God, when the glory of the Lord appears (Psalm 102:15–16) and He tabernacles with man (Ezekiel 37:26–27: Revelation 21:3).

That the gentiles are called to assist in this process is an amazing and holy thing. Isaiah 66:20 describes the act of gentiles bringing His people home—the people He loves and will use to bless the whole earth—as so sacred it is likened to “bringing an offering to the Lord.” What a wonderful image depicting the biblical significance of the return of the Jews to their homeland.

– by Susan Michael, US Director, creator of IsraelAnswers.com and the American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) network.

 

[JLG]

- Now let’s have a look at what the Bible really says:

Daniel 9:4

And I prayed to the LORD (Yah·weh) my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great
and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him
and keep His commandments,

- Do you see the difference?

- Well, in fact, it is completely different!

- Or better said, opposed!

- As usual human tradition vs Yah.weh’s word!

- We have all we need to understand, just in one verse, and many refuse to understand!

- Of course, it is their choice!

- Men have been warned throughout human history by Yah.weh!

- He has been repeating them the same all the time!

- But they never listened!

- To those who love Him and keep His commandments!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:5

We have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away
from Your commandments and ordinances.

- Is that correct?

- How do you want Yah.weh to respect his covenant when the other part never did it?

- It is a pure joke!

- They started doing what was wrong from the beginning!

- In fact, only Abraham really respected his part of the covenant!

- But his descendants? Never!

- Of course, it is exactly the same with mankind!

- In fact, there is no big difference!

- Except when you say that you are special but you show the contrary!

- You were given an opportunity but you always rejected it!

- Just blame yourself!

- It is completely ridiculous!

- You can only deserve according to your deeds!

- Fair enough!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:6

We have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land.

- We have not listened!

- They have never listened!

- And they started having such an attitude from the beginning!

- And Yah.weh kept sending his prophets but they never listened!

- Thus there is no better evidence of their deeds!

- And Yah.weh abandoned them right at the beginning!

- Because right at the beginning he hit them!

- And he kept hitting them again and again!

- But they never changed and Jerusalem was destroyed twice!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:7

O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame - the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You.

- Shame!

- Unfaithfulness!

- In some parts of the world, it is still possible to find people whose job is to carry heavy merchandise on their back through the mountains!

- It is so heavy that when they stop for a while they can’t take it away because otherwise they won’t be able to keep on carrying it again!

- Now think about doing that all your life!

- Well, it was the conditions of the Hebrews!

- And mankind is not far away!

- And the majority is not ashamed!

- What a shame!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:8

O LORD, we are covered with shame - our kings, our leaders, and our fathers - because we have sinned against You.

- Daniel is one thing because he has constantly shown his humility to Yah.weh!

- But it is not the case with the kings, the leaders and the fathers!

- They have kept showing disrespect to Yah.weh!

- Yah.weh has enough with them!

-Thus his answer: restoration followed by destruction!-

- And each time it was a heavy destruction, not a slight one!

- In both cases, there was no game!

- With mankind there is no difference!

- Mankind had one destruction!

- Another one is coming!

- And there will be a third one!

- Thus it is not better!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:9

To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him

- Compassion and forgiveness on the one hand!

- Rebellion on the other hand!

- Rebellion as a state of mind!

- Perpetual rebellion!

- Rebellion from the beginning to the end!

- Apparently, it is the same fight with the Hebrews and mankind!

- They look like brothers and sisters!

- They have nothing to do with Yah.weh!

- Only a minority!

- It has always been so and it will always be so!

- Till Yah.weh puts a final end to rebellion!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:10

And have not obeyed the voice of the LORD (Yah.weh) our God to walk in His laws, which he set before us through His servants the prophets.

Among those who accept a tradition (Jeremiah 29:10) that the exile lasted 70 years, some choose the dates 608 to 538, others 586 to about 516 (the year when the rebuilt Temple was dedicated in Jerusalem).

When did Jerusalem fall the second time?
70 CE
In 70 CE the Romans reclaimed Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple with only a portion of the western wall remaining (though recent archeological discoveries date portions of the wall to later periods).

- Think about the time the exile to Babylon lasted!

- Now think about the time the Hebrews received before the second destruction of Jerusalem!

- Yah.weh left them a lot more time!

- As a consequence, the price to pay was a lot heavier!

- We must always have in mind the prayer of Daniel chapter 9: Restoration followed by Destruction!

- End of the story!

- Start of a new one!

- Or should I say a repetition with mankind because the majority never listen!

- And like in the case of Jerusalem Jesus will come back to destroy mankind to establish Yah.weh’s kingdom!

- The first exile lasted tens of years!

- The period between the restoration and the second destruction lasted hundreds of years!

- The third period before the coming of Yah.weh’s kingdom has lasted thousands of years!

- The fourth period will last 1,000 years!

 

[JLG]

After the 586 BCE destruction of Jerusalem, the city lay mostly in waste for some 70 years until the return of Jews to the city, as described in the Bible. After that, Jerusalem reaches its peak in the late Second Temple period, roughly 2,000 years ago, beginning in the time of King Herod and continuing into the period of the rule of the Roman procurators. In 66 CE, the Jews rebelled against the Romans in the First Revolt, and Jerusalem is eventually destroyed four years later after a long siege.

Uziel said that the physical archaeological remains of the 586 BCE destruction characterize a different conquest than what occurred some 500 years later. “It’s not that everywhere that we excavate we find these huge destruction levels, these huge burnings, these huge stone collapses with vessels, and so on and so forth — what we typically find at archaeological sites where we’re excavating destruction,” said Uziel.

But at several spots in the City of David, archaeologists have found very clear evidence of the 586 BCE destruction.

“Now, people may be wondering, ‘How can you date it so perfectly well?'” he joked. In this case he looks to the historical record, as well as securely dated artifacts to use in comparison to what is being uncovered. For example, the administrative stamps and types of storage jars and other pottery.

“We are more and more moving towards using ‘hi-tech finds’ I’ll call them, or what I’ll call archaeological sciences,” said Uziel, including evidence for carbon dating that is taken in the field.

“When we take a look across a broad level of Jerusalem, we have these nodes of destruction, but then we have the next room over, which doesn’t show signs of destruction,” said Uziel. He said the IAA and Tel Aviv University are working on a joint project to understand better what exactly happened during the destruction using advanced sciences.

“Could this be something that micro-archaeology solves for us? For example, is it destruction that we just don’t see? Or is it really destroying specific spots? Or is it an issue of what was in the room that caused the destruction?

“In other words, you have the Babylonian army running through the city and if there are jars of olive oil, for example, and one of them threw his torch into that room, then it would go up in flames. But, if there was nothing in the room, then the torch would burn out and that would be the end of it,” he said.

In the lengthy discussion, Uziel also examines Second Temple-period evidence of bustling Jewish life and the monumental mega-building that occurred before the eventual Roman conquest, such as the breath-taking stepped street that was likely built by Pontius Pilate. He also speaks about the new archaeological techniques used in a recent study of Wilson’s Arch and the challenges involved.

In addition to a large new section of the Western Wall, the Wilson’s Arch excavations also offered up a Roman public theater-like building that is much smaller than those theaters found in Caesarea and elsewhere. It was built in the confines of Wilson’s Arch, holding a crowd of circa 200 people.

“The Jews were no longer living in Jerusalem, but still hoping to return, as they did after the destruction of the First Temple and some 70 years later returned. Here, we’re 60 years following the destruction of the Second Temple and Jews are living in the area of Jerusalem, and I believe — and of course I can’t interview them — but I believe they still had hopes in their hearts that they would be allowed and able to come back to Jerusalem and rebuild it. And all of a sudden it’s becoming this Roman colony,” he said. The Roman rebuilding of Jerusalem may have been a factor that led to the eventual Bar Kochba Revolt, he said.

 

[JLG]

The Romans ultimately captured the entire city, quelling the remaining resistance and inflicting a heavy toll on the population, with tens of thousands killed, enslaved, or executed. The city was systematically destroyed, leaving only the three towers of the Herodian citadel standing as a symbol of its former grandeur.

 

[JLG]

The two decisive events in the Jewish-Roman War, which put an end to the first Jewish uprising against the Empire, were the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Titus’ legions in 70 CE.

This episode was described in great detail by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who was present during these events.

To avoid the natural obstacles formed by the deep valleys to the west, south and east, the Roman army launched their attack against the northern wall of the city.

On 24 July 70 CE, the fortress of Antonia fell.

On 10 August, the Romans destroyed the north-west porticos linking the fortress to the Temple.

On 30 August, the sanctuary was burned down and the whole city was razed to the ground; the walls were also destroyed, with the exception of the three towers constructed by Herod.

For the following half-century, Jerusalem was not repopulated. The city was placed under surveillance by the Roman Army’s Legio X Fretensis, which set up camp on Mount Zion and perhaps also south of Temple Mount. Built out of wood, this camp left no archaeological traces; however, numerous tiles and bricks stamped with the legion’s emblems attest to its long-time presence at this site.

In 129 CE, Emperor Hadrian decided to rebuild Jerusalem and therein establish a Roman colony named Aelia Capitolina. This decision led to the last major revolt by the Jews against Rome, also known as the Bar Kohba Revolt which took place between 132 and 135. Following this revolt, the Emperor definitively banished the Jewish population from the city.

Aelia Capitolina was built using the classic octagonal plan for Roman cities. It is still possible to see traces of the two north-south cardos in the Old City: the Cardo maximus ran from the North Gate, known as the Gate of the Column, and the second cardo corresponds to the current Al-Wad Street.

The decamanus maximus ran from east to west, along what is now King David Street, and established the boundary between the military and civil sections of the city.

Roman roads criss-crossed a much-reduced urban area, compared with the city’s layout under Herod, and the city walls were not rebuilt surely due to the presence of the Xth Legion.

During the period of the Roman colony, Judaism was replaced by pagan beliefs. A temple dedicated to Jupiter Capitolium was built either on the North side of the Forum, possibly on the site of today’s Muristan, or on Temple Mount, according to testimony indicating that two giant imperial statues were once erected there.

Another hypothesis suggests that the acropolis of Temple Mount was abandoned. In any event, we know that the ruins of Herod’s temple were used as a quarry for the construction of other buildings and that at least part of the former esplanade was ploughed and used as farmland.

According to the only known reference to monuments in the Roman Aelia, found in a Byzantine chronicle, the city contained all the classical elements of Roman cities: baths, a circus, markets, commercial arcades, and even a theatre, though their exact position remains unknown. In 2017, a small semi-circular odeon was found during subterranean excavations west of the Wailing Wall, and appears to date from this period.

The Arch known as Ecce Homo, located north of the esplanade, is one of the rare monuments from this period still standing today. However, we do not know whether it was truly an entrance gate on the edge of the city, or rather a symbolic gate in a city without walls.

In any event, Aelia Capitolina was indeed a Roman city which would not be called Jerusalem again until the 4th century when the city was Christianised for the first time, following the conversion of Emperor Constantine.

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:11

All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against You.

- Transgression!

- Turning away!

- Refusing to obey!

- As a consequence, the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses has been poured out on them!

- Everything was written!

- Nobody can say: I didn’t know!

- But not only that!

- It has happened continuously!

- It is a full-time corruption!

- It is a full-time spiritual corruption!

- Let’s think about creation and destruction repeating again and again!

- Or Yah.weh could have separated the good ones and the bad ones regularly!

- Meaning if you are bad, you are destroyed all at once, if you turn bad, you are destroyed all at once!

- A kind of constant cleaning!

- But no, he decided to take time to separate the good and the bad ones!

- Then he will bring his kingdom!

- And again another final separation!

- Then no one without exception will be able to rebel against his authority!

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:12

You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.

- Against us!

- Against our rulers!

- A great disaster!

- Thus both the people and the rulers are responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem!

- Nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem!

- And imagine it was only the first destruction of Jerusalem!

- Now think about what happened for the second destruction!

- And at the same time think about what is going to happen to mankind when Jesus comes back to establish Yah.weh’s kingdom!

- Do you hear Daniel’s warning?

 

[JLG]

Daniel 9:13

Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD (Yah.weh) our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to Your truth.

- As Daniel clearly says, the Hebrews never did anything to follow Yah.weh!

- Only iniquities!

- And they never paid attention to His truth!

- They were responsible for the disaster that came on them!

- Same for mankind!

- They always fought Yah.weh’s truth!

- The message can’t be clearer for those who want to listen!

- Those who don’t want to listen will never understand!

- Always free will but no excuse!