Was Ezra Sent To Rebuild The Temple?
Was Ezra The One Who Was Sent To Rebuild The Temple?
An Appendix To The Article 'Does Daniel Nine Prove Jesus Is The Christ?'.
Let us look at the 70 Weeks Prophecy and determine: [Does Daniel Nine Prove 'Jesus' Is the 'Christ'?]. This short list of Scriptures is an appendix to that article.
(Daniel 9:24)[1] "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.
(Daniel 9:25) "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until messiah (#H4899) the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times."
(Daniel 9:26) "And after the sixty-two weeks messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince (#H5057) who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined."
(Daniel 9:27) "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."
The English word "messiah" comes from the Hebrew word "mashiyach" and following is the excerp from Strong's Exaustive Concordance.
(#H4899) mashiyach, maw-shee'-akh; from (#H4886) anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); spec. the Messiah.
The Hebrew does not say "THE Messiah" as Dr. Strong indicates. The Hebrew for "the messiah" would be "ha mashiyach." Therefore, this verse is not speaking a specific anointed one as all kings, prophets, and High Priests were annointed.
The English word "prince" comes from the Hebrew word "nagiyd" and following is the excerp from Strong's Exaustive Concordance.
(#H5057) nagiyd, naw-gheed'; or nagid, naw-gheed'; from (#H5046) a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; gen. (abstr. plur.); honorable themes.
Thus, the specific anointed one in (Daniel 9:26) is an annonted captain, cheif, governer, or leader and could be a prince.
Destruction Of Jerusalem Then Rebuilt After 70 Years.
(2 Chronicles 36:19) "Then they burned the house of Mighty One, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.
(2 Chronicles 36:20) And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia,
(2 Chronicles 36:21) to fulfill the word of the ETERNAL by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
(2 Chronicles 36:22) Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the ETERNAL by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the ETERNAL stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
(2 Chronicles 36:23) Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the ETERNAL CREATOR of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the ETERNAL his Mighty One be with him, and let him go up!
First Decree To Rebuild The Temple.
(Ezra 1:1) "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the ETERNAL by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the ETERNAL stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
(Ezra 1:2) "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the ETERNAL CREATOR of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.
(Ezra 1:3) Who is among you of all His people? May his SOVEREIGN be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the ETERNAL Mighty One of Israel (He is CREATOR), which is in Jerusalem.
(Ezra 1:4) And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of Mighty One which is in Jerusalem.
(Ezra 1:5) "Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits CREATOR had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the ETERNAL which is in Jerusalem.
(Ezra 1:6) And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
(Ezra 1:7) "King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the ETERNAL, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his Mighty One;
(Ezra 1:8) and Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
(Ezra 1:9) This is the number of them: thirty gold platters, one thousand silver platters, twenty-nine knives,
(Ezra 1:10) thirty gold basins, four hundred and ten silver basins of a similar kind, and one thousand other articles.
(Ezra 1:11) All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with the captives who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.
(Ezra 2:1) "Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city.
(Ezra 2:2) Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
Darius Enlarged The Temple Rebuilding Edict.
(Ezra 5:7) "They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus; To Darius the king: All peace.
(Ezra 5:8) Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the Temple of the great CREATOR, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
(Ezra 5:9) Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: "Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?"
(Ezra 5:10) We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.
(Ezra 5:11) And thus they returned us an answer, saying: "We are the servants of the CREATOR of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the Temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
(Ezra 5:12) But because our fathers provoked the CREATOR of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this Temple and carried the people away to Babylon.
(Ezra 5:13) "However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of Mighty One.
(Ezra 5:14) Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of Mighty One, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon; those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.
(Ezra 5:15) And he said to him, 'Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of Mighty One be rebuilt on its former site.
(Ezra 5:16) "Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of Mighty One which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.
(Ezra 5:17) Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king's treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of CREATOR at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.
(Ezra 6:1) "Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.
(Ezra 6:2) And at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus:
(Ezra 6:3) In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of Mighty One at Jerusalem: 'Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
(Ezra 6:4) with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king's treasury.
(Ezra 6:5) Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of Mighty One, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the Temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of Mighty One";
(Ezra 6:6) "Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there.
(Ezra 6:7) Let the work of this house of Mighty One alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of Mighty One on its site.
(Ezra 6:8) Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of Mighty One: Let the cost be paid at the king's expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered.
(Ezra 6:9) And whatever they need; young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the CREATOR of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem; let it be given them day by day without fail,
(Ezra 6:10) that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the CREATOR of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
(Ezra 6:11) Also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this.
(Ezra 6:12) And may the Mighty One who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of Mighty One which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.
(Ezra 6:13) "Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent.
(Ezra 6:14) So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the Commandment of the Mighty One of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
(Ezra 6:15) "Now the Temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
(Ezra 6:16) Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of Mighty One with joy.
Ezra Beautifies Temple But Not Jerusalem.
(Ezra 7:11) "This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the Commandments of the ETERNAL, and of His statutes to Israel:
(Ezra 7:12) Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the CREATOR of heaven: Perfect peace...
(Ezra 7:13) I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.
(Ezra 7:14) And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your Mighty One which is in your hand;
(Ezra 7:15) and whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the Mighty One of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem;
(Ezra 7:16) and whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are to be freely offered for the house of their Mighty One in Jerusalem;
(Ezra 7:17) "now therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your Mighty One in Jerusalem.
(Ezra 7:18) And whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the will of your Mighty One.
(Ezra 7:19) Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your Mighty One, deliver in full before the CREATOR of Jerusalem.
(Ezra 7:20) "And whatever more may be needed for the house of your Mighty One, which you may have occasion to provide, pay for it from the king's treasury.
(Ezra 7:21) And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the CREATOR of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently,
(Ezra 7:22) up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit.
(Ezra 7:23) Whatever is commanded by the CREATOR of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the CREATOR of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
(Ezra 7:24) Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of the Mighty One.
(Ezra 7:25) And you, Ezra, according to your CREATOR-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your Mighty One; and teach those who do not know them.
(Ezra 7:26) Whoever will not observe the law of your Mighty One and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.
(Ezra 7:27) "Blessed be the ETERNAL CREATOR of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the ETERNAL which is in Jerusalem,
(Ezra 7:28) "and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. So, I was encouraged, as the hand of the ETERNAL my CREATOR was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.
Nehmiah To Rebuild Jerusalem.
(Nehemiah 2:1) "And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before.
(Nehemiah 2:2) Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid,
(Nehemiah 2:3) and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?"
(Nehemiah 2:4) Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the CREATOR of heaven.
(Nehemiah 2:5) And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."
(Nehemiah 2:6) Then the king said to me (the queen [Ester] also sitting beside him), "How long will your journey be? And when will you return?" So, it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
(Nehemiah 2:7) Furthermore I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah,
(Nehemiah 2:8) and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy." And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my CREATOR upon me.
(Nehemiah 2:9) "Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
(Nehemiah 2:10) When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.
(Nehemiah 2:11) "So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days.
(Nehemiah 2:12) Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my CREATOR had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.
(Nehemiah 2:13) And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire.
(Nehemiah 2:14) Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to pass.
(Nehemiah 2:15) So I went up in the night by the valley, and viewed the wall; then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.
(Nehemiah 2:16) "And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work.
(Nehemiah 2:17) Then I said to them, 'You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.'
(Nehemiah 2:18) And I told them of the hand of my CREATOR which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' Then they set their hands to this good work.
(Nehemiah 2:19) "But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, 'What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?'
(Nehemiah 2:20) So I answered them, and said to them, 'The CREATOR of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.'"
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Footnotes:
[1] [a]All scriptural links point to the Bible Gateway, A Searchable Online Bible In Over 100 Versions And 50 Languages, located at "BibleGateway.Com", a vast biblical resource containing all the major texts and reference materials useful for in-depth bible studies. Most scriptual quotations are from the (KJV) of the Bible, however versions noted in (parentheses) should also be consulted. [b]All Strong's scriptural references point to the Blue Letter Bible Lexicon, located at "BlueLetterBible.Org", another vast biblical resource which has over 4,000,000 links available, pointing to more than 165,000 pages of concordances, lexicons, dictionaries, commentaries, images, and several Bible versions.