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We live the narrative of the Jewish remnant returning to the Land of Canaan after their exile in Babylon. We explore their journey back, led initially by a prince and a priest, and the challenges they face in rebuilding the Temple. Despite opposition, they succeed, and the priest Zerubabbel plays a pivotal role. We also meet Ezra, who leads another wave of returners back and works to correct their violations of the law, and Nehemiah, who rebuilds the city walls despite fierce opposition.Bible ReadingsEzra 1:1-11Ezra 4:1-24Ezra 9:5-15Nehemiah 10:28-39Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgOur sessions use various translations including the ESV, BSB, CSB, NASB,...
Daily Dose of Hope February 17, 2025 Day 2 of Week 47 Scripture: Ezra 3-4; Psalm 92; I John 1 Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. Happy Monday! I do hope you are getting off to a great start this week. Our Old Testament Scripture reading for today is Ezra 3-4. In chapter 3, we see the new Jewish arrivals begin the process of rebuilding the Temple. It's going to be a major undertaking. They begin by rebuilding the altar and they sacrifice burnt offerings. They even celebrate the Festival and Tabernacles. The Scripture says that even though they are scared of the local residents, they do these things anyway. They feel that God has called them to rebuild and fear is not going to get in the way. How often does fear get in our way of doing what God has called us to do? The other interesting thing in this chapter is that the older priests and Levites cry when they see the Temple's foundations. They remember the grandeur of the earlier Temple and they are incredibly distressed. But the younger ones, those who don't remember, praised God and shouted for joy. The older Jews remembered the extravagance of the old Temple, but did they remember the idolatry and extreme disobedience of the people? There was a reason that the exile happened. There was a reason that God lifted his hand of protection. How often we idealize the past. “Those were the good ole days! When the pews were filled, when we only sang hymns, when all my neighbors attended church.” And yes, there were some wonderful things about those days. But there were also some aspects that weren't so wonderful – cultural Christianity and all that brought with it, segregated churches, among other things. Whether in Ezra's time or ours, God is always ready to do something new right now. We can remember certain aspects of the past with fondness but we can't get stuck there. We have to be ready for a new movement of the Holy Spirit. To me, it's exciting. What are your thoughts on how God is at work now? In Ezra 4, work on the temple has begun and there is much opposition. The chapter begins with the enemies of God's people saying they wanted to help with the building. But their motives were not genuine. They may have acknowledged the Lord God but they also worshiped many other gods. Zerubabbel, Joshua, and the heads of the other families declined their offer of “help.” Then, the enemies of God's people began to do all they could to discourage the building of the temple. The rest of the chapter lists the many ways, under several different kings, that the people tried to thwart the temple progress. Whenever spiritual work is being done, wherever God's Kingdom is being advanced, there will be opposition. That is guaranteed! The enemy likes nothing better than to try to stop the forward progress of God and his people. But God is faithful, powerful, and will always prevail! Maybe you are going through a spiritual battle right now; I think many of us are. Keep in mind that opposition is inevitable but discouragement is not. God is with us, friends. Today, we begin John's letters for our New Testament reading. These were written by the apostle John when he was much older, probably in Ephesus (some scholars think that John himself may not have written the letters but rather a community of believers who formed around his name and teachings; there is no real way to know). Regardless, the letters communicate important truths of the faith, especially to those with a non-Jewish background. Today's chapter starts off by stating that God is light and in God, there is no darkness. Another way we might think of this is that God is truth or that what is true can only be seen in light of Almighty God. Think about what light (or truth) does. It helps you avoid danger, it helps things become clearer, it helps you see, and it provides a path for your journey. In God, there is no darkness. Darkness is typically seen as being foreboding and scary. In God, there is no evil, no manipulation, no hidden agenda, nothing at all deceptive. When we walk closely with God, we walk in the light of his truth. If we are engaging in activities that fall short of that, then we are lying to ourselves. To elaborate, if we are gossiping, if we are lying, if we are manipulative, if we are hypercritical, if we are deceptive in any way, then we are not walking in God's light. That's all darkness, all sin. It sounds almost impossible for us messy human beings, doesn't it? Well, it is only possible to walk in God's light because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Because of the blood of Jesus, God sees our sin no more and we can walk closely with him. Only because of Jesus. But claiming Jesus is no excuse for continuing to willfully and knowingly sin. We must partner with the Holy Spirit to allow God to transform us from the inside out. This is a daily, hourly, and sometimes minute by minute project, friends. Whenever I sense that sometime dark or deceptive is going on (in my family, at church, etc.), I lean on this verse in my prayer life. Since God is only light and truth, I ask God to bring to the surface anything that is dark, anything that is deceptive, anything that is sinful, so that it can be brought to the light. In the light, it can be dealt with. In the light, the truth can be exposed. In the light, we can figure out how God wants us to proceed. In the darkness, things simply fester. I've found it is a powerful prayer. God often answers it almost immediately and something comes up, usually when I least expect it. If we claim to have fellowship with God but walk in darkness, then we believe a lie. God wants the truth to win out. Blessings, Pastor Vicki
More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music
Send us a textFamily is beautiful, frustrating, glorious, embarrassing, and diverse—even Christ's family line includes some characters and heroes. Christy Nockels' song " Amaryllis" inspired me to explore a few of the people in Christ's lineage. It seemed appropriate at this time of year when many of us have just made another year of Christmas memories with family and friends.Whether your family is on the glorious side, the tragic, or somewhere in between, we see God weave all kinds of people into the lineage of the Savior of the world…so surely there's hope for us!In this episode, I discuss:Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are: Follow cross-referencesConsider the historical context - the article I found on the "silent period" between Micah and MatthewEpisode GuideConsidering the context of your birthHow the Old Testament ends on a note of expectation - Micah 4:4-6Exploring the lineage of Christ - Matthew 1:17Learning more about "Grandpa" Perez in Genesis 38King Hezekiah and his good start - 2 Chronicles 29:1-3The influence Hezekiah had on his nation - 2 Chronicles 30:6-10A portion of Hezekiah's legacy - 2 Chronicles 31:20-21The "rest of the story" of Hezekiah's life - Isaiah 36-39Zerubbabel and his role in the rebuilding of the altar and the temple - Ezra 3-6Additional ResourcesLyrics - New Release TodayBehind the song "Amaryllis" by Christy Nockels - New Release Today ArticleThe Song Story of "Amaryllis" - YouTube VideoLearn more about my favorite Bible Study Software with a 30-day free trial and links to my all-time favorite Bible resources - Logos Bible Software Affiliate LinkThis Week's ChallengeFollow my lead and learn about Judah, Tamar, and Perez in Genesis 38. 2 Chronicles 29-31 tells much of the life of Hezekiah, but Isaiah 36-39 tells the "rest of the story." Zerubabbel, son of Shealtiel, has a major role in the rebuilding of the altar and the temple after the Babylonian deportation, and you can read all about it in chapters 3-6 of Ezra. All of these are in the lineage of Christ. It's an interesting network of people, some with sordid pasts and questionable choices, but woven into the family of Christ nonetheless. Our song says, "Through a fragile people, the Light of Life will come." He continues to use fragile people in HIS story today.Purchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today! Change your music. Change your life. Join my free 30-Day Music Challenge. CLICK HERE.
We live the narrative of the Jewish remnant returning to the Land of Canaan after their exile in Babylon. We explore their journey back, led initially by a prince and a priest, and the challenges they face in rebuilding the Temple. Despite opposition, they succeed, and the priest Zerubabbel plays a pivotal role. We also meet Ezra, who leads another wave of returners back and works to correct their violations of the law, and Nehemiah, who rebuilds the city walls despite fierce opposition.Readings: Ezra 1:1-11, Ezra 4:1-24, Ezra 9:5-15, Nehemiah 10:28-39Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App!Support the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgThis episode primarily uses the ESV Bible translation, but may also use CSB, NASB, and NKJV.Search Tags: bible, beginner, bible verse, god, verse of the day, prayer, jesus, bible study, scripture, learn, bible introduction, introduction, intro to the bible, introduction to the bible, beginner bible, bible overview, how to read the bible, what is the bible about, bible story, bible stories, what is the bible, ...
One lampstand, two trees, two sons of oil–Zechariah's visions can be confusing. The presence of God should be the most treasured aspect of their lives. This vision shows how God's presence enables Zerubabbel to rebuild the temple.
If you're like me, then, we don't want to do what only we can do in our lives. We certainly want to give our very best – but frankly – if this is just a human effort producing human results… then, what's the point? But the hunger and the ache and the yearning of our souls is, “Oh God!, please come – please come – and do what only You can do among us!”
Send us a Text Message.God raises up a descendent of King David to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Zerubabbel faces liars, violence, and disunity, but through the power of God, he rebuilds the temple. Listeners note: Zerubabbel was not the one using violence and deceit. It became a bit confusing at one point in our discussion
In this episode of "Unveiling Creativity," we delve into the captivating journey of Zerubabbel Molla, a rising star in the Ethiopian art scene. Hailing from the vibrant city of Addis Ababa, Molla's artistry transcends boundaries, blending traditional Ethiopian motifs with contemporary flair. Born into a family of artists, Molla's passion for creativity was ignited at a young age. Inspired by the rich cultural tapestry of Ethiopia, he embarked on a quest to carve his own artistic identity, fusing elements of heritage and innovation in his work. Through his vibrant paintings and sculptures, Zeru explores themes of identity, belonging, and social consciousness, inviting viewers to ponder the complexities of the human experience. From bustling cityscapes to intimate portrayals of everyday life, his art serves as a powerful medium for storytelling and self-expression. Join us as we unravel the artistic odyssey of Zerubabbel Molla, celebrating his bold vision and enduring commitment to pushing the boundaries of Ethiopian artistry. Through his journey, we gain insight into the transformative power of creativity and the universal language it speaks.
ዘሩባቤል ሞላ Discover the extraordinary musical journey of Zerubabbel Molla, an artist whose talent knows no bounds. From his breakthrough album 'Enfalot' to his captivating track 'Giltsun Simign,' penned by the ingenious Elias Melka, Zerubabbel's melodious prowess leaves audiences spellbound. Explore his versatile skills as a singer, songwriter, and skilled guitarist, as we delve into the creative depths of his artistry. Join us as we unravel the captivating story of Zerubabbel Molla, a true maestro of music.
Have you ever encountered something...in Bible study or any area of life...and within a day or two, bam! You run into it again! Often it is noticeable because it is now in our conscious thought where it wasn't before. In that sense, it's not really a coincidence. Sometimes, though, you know the odds are pretty remote that you'd encounter the same thing twice in such a short period of time. That happened today, so I think this would be a good prophecy insight to share. The prophecy is Zechariah's vision of the High Priest Yehoshua and the governor Zerubabbel after the return from exile in Babylon: “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep. He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” (Zech 4:1-3) This particular prophecy is the subject of many interpretations, each offering a different possible fulfillment of the prophecy. In this case, we're looking at its significance through ancient eyes. It is important to have the historical timeline in mind when reading the Prophets. Aside from the proto-prophecy of the Torah which guides all prophecy, the prophets either prophesied before the destruction of the first Temple and the Babylonian exile or afterward. For instance, Ezekiel prophesied before Judah was conquered by Babylon. His vision extends even until the Messianic era, but regardless, the actual lifetime of the prophet is important. Typically, the prophecies will address both: the prophet's immediate lifetime or very near, and then a future time, often as far as the Messianic kingdom. In Ezekiel's lifetime, Judah had fallen into severe apostasy like the Northern Kingdom. The Temple services were conducted by a corrupt priesthood failing in its appointed service. That generation is referred to as “copper, tin, and dross.” Zechariah's prophecy after the exile in Babylon, however, describes Israel (the lampstand) as pure gold. The Midrash Rabbah (Shir HaShirim to Chapter 4) explains the prophecy of the menorah and two olive trees: “The verse's plain meaning refers to the Second Temple; however, the Midrash take it to be metaphorically describing Israel in the Messianic era...Ezekiel 22:18 refers to Israel as ‘copper, tin, and dross', yet Zechariah describes them as pure gold in the Messianic era.” Zechariah sees a troubled community as pure gold after its return from Babylon. In spite of the filthy garments worn by the high priest, symbolizing the uncleanness of exile in Babylon, he is re-clothed in clean linen garments, symbolizing the purification of Israel and its priesthood. Like Balaam saw Israel without blemish even though clearly Israel had some sin blemishes in the wilderness, so Judah's return is seen as a step toward its ultimate purification in the Messianic kingdom. They were seen not as they were, but as they would be, like Father Abraham, justified by faith as they returned until the ultimate circumcision of the heart. In their present return from the exile (Zechariah's time), Judah was messy and even God-forbid...political? Look at the pattern. Ezra and Nehemiah were up to their eyeballs in messy when the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile. This should sound familiar: Marriage to idolatrous spouses and painful divorces Political intrigue and accusations instigated and stirred by Arabs Terror attacks by Arabs while Jews restored Jerusalem's walls Selfish individualism instead of a willingness to work together to rebuild the Temple for gathering Blatant Shabbat and feast-breaking “Zechariah the prophet said, ‘I saw all of the house of Israel as pure gold.
The story of Zerubabbel, the man who led the first team to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity provides lessons for us today, as believers who are the temple of God. The enemy attacks and destroys the temple today just as the enemies of Israel did in times past. This calls for believers to rise and rebuild, be empowered by the Spirt of God and guided, to continue rebuilding despite the negativity. Be encouraged.Download and share this episode.
After the completion of the wall, they prepare a census and read the genealogy register from Zerubabbel's return to Jerusalem. In that day, only 42,360 Jews returned from Babylon, a microscopic remnant from the heyday of Judah, and many Jews chose to not return and just remain in Babylon. The older men wept when they […]
Impossible By Pastor Zerubabbel Mengistu January 1 2023 by Beza International Ministries
The second sermon in our series on Ezra & Nehemiah. Steve Rossi is the Executive Pastor at The Gospel Tabernacle. October 9, 2022.
The second sermon in our series on Ezra & Nehemiah. Kiarra Thorne is on the Pastoral Staff at The Gospel Tabernacle. October 9, 2022.
Haggai prophesies to Zerubabbel that he is God's chosen servant to lead the building of the city and the signet ring of the line of David through whom the true King would eventually come.
Ezra and Nehemiah present the readers with an interesting situation: what happened when God sticks to the promise He made to His people, but it doesn't turn out like the people thought it would? God faithfully restores the remnant of his covenant people after the Exile, yet these two parts of the same story suggest that not everything ended up restored as they imagined. Join Jo, Alex and new host Chris as they discuss the challenge of reading this text in its context, yet mining it for meaning for us within the Church context of the 21st Century.This episode, we take a look at the first leader we see in Ezra-Nehemiah: Zerubabbel.Resources/Links mentioned in this episode, or as references or helpful for Bible Streams:Link: Diagram Outline of Ezra-Nehemiah (Dropbox link)Book: Walton & Hill - A Survey of the Old TestamentBook: Shepherd & Wright - Ezra and Nehemiah (Two Horizons Commentary Series)Book: Kidner - Ezra and Nehemiah (Tyndale Commentary Series)Book: Laird - Negotiating Power in Ezra-NehemiahBook: The ESV Study BibleWeb: The Bible Project - Ezra-NehemiahBig thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram. Music credit: Scott & Annie McKinnon, 'Revive'.Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Android and Spotify
The “Return” from Babylon is actually not one return. It is three returns. And that is what we are going to look at in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah tonight. They describe the three separate returns of the exiles to Jerusalem under the leaders Zerubabbel, Ezra, and finally Nehemiah. They needed to rebuild the temple, be be immersed in God's Word, and rebuild the walls. And throughout the entire process the needed much encouragement! Because the enemy sought to not see their lives rebuilt. Join us!
▪️Zechariah 4:6. Acts 1:4-5. Since 2018, the COP has operated in the task of possessing the nations. However, this has been preceded by Christ's instruction in the Bible.▪️It's not easy to do so, however each of us are tasked with that responsibility of positively influencing and possessing the nations.▪️How can that be achieved? We need to enable the Holy Spirit in our lives to empower us.▪️The Women's Movement has to prepare its membership to live holy and exemplary lives. We need to bring the Kingdom's principles and values to people.▪️Just as was said through Zerubabbel by the Lord, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us.▪️Zerubabbel was a civilian leader, who was worried and passionate about the fate of the people of Jerusalem with its broken down walls. He had an intercessory spirit.▪️We need the Holy Spirit to empower us to intercede. In our days, we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit to fill and strengthen us, to enable us depopulate Hell.▪️Without holiness, we cannot be filled by the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit comes with exciting loads of gifts to operate in.▪️Water baptism alone is not enough to enable us go out there to possess the nations.▪️The Holy Spirit steps in to alley all our fears and rather emboldens us to spread the Word to people.▪️We must have a strong yearning for the Spirit, just as the early Apostles did when they met in a room and prayed for the Holy Spirit.▪️We must not be limited by geographical or physical location in praying or yearning for the Spirit's baptism.▪️Miracles and wonders follow when we are filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.▪️Let's always tell ourselves that we need the Holy Spirit and the Lord is always faithful to meet that desperate need.▪️The Spirit will always tell us what to do, when we go out there to possess nations and bring glory to God. Amen.
In considering the 9th “my servant” found in the scripture, Brother Tim looks at the days of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem by Zerubabbel. My Servant the Builder
Listen to this exaltation from God's word to Zerubabbel as written in the scriptures in Zechariah chapter 4, an account of a vision of a Golden lamp stand. There are times we need explanations to things happening in our lives however, getting an explanation is not as important as what God wants to do and most times we get weary about the way God leads us because we want to rationalize and understand His ways. All that is important to the Sheep is food (green pastures) not the route taken to graze. Even as believers, Like the sheep we must learn to trust the leading of the good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Whatsoever You are going through now because of where you are going to ...Stop focusing on what you don't understand or you may lose the true meaning of life... Listen to teaching... Jesus is Lord. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chimdi-ohahuna/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chimdi-ohahuna/support
Fran Humphry unpacks the shape of the short, simple prophecies of Haggai and glimpses a 'good king' in Zerubabbel.
Haggai 1:12-15 || The Key to RestorationHaggai 1:12 - Repentance requires respectHaggai 13-15 - Repentance results in restoration
This month's series is called "RISE UP and BUILD" and we are exploring the post-exilic era of the Jews and their return to Jerusalem. We will rediscover the stories of Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubabbel and rebuilding of the walls and the key theological idea of THE TEMPLE. Just like these men of God, God is looking for His people to respond to the call to rise up and build. Because if we look around us walls of protection are shattered and proper worship needs to be restored.
Man-child, King, and Son of Perdition David Eells - 10-18-20 (Audio) The stories in Ezra reveal the end time rebuilding of the Temple in Zion. Zion represents the Bride as was told to John. All of this speaks of the falling away of the Church into bondage of Babylonish Christianity. The rebuilding of the true temple of God is beginning. It will restore what was lost in the dark ages of Christianity. It is confusing because we are told in the texts of Ezra that three kings decreed the building of the temple and each had his man-child leader. Ezr 6:14-15 And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus (Zerubbabel), and Darius (Daniel), and Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Also known as Ahasuerus when the bride was chosen with Mordecai the Man-child.) 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. Notice the house was finished under three kings and three Man-child types and different leadership and prophets. But the Word in Zechariah also says there was only one Man-child who started and finished the Temple. Zec 4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you. So we know that all three Man-childs together are a revelation of the one end time corporate Man-child who will lead the Church into a manifestation of the Temple of God whom we are by faith. In other words each Man-child type adds a little bit of information that makes up the story of the Last Man-child body. This is a common method in scripture to reveal the whole story of the end time. For instance: in Revelation we see a seven headed, ten horned Dragon who is shown in Rev 12 to be Satin in his earthly body. The seven heads are revealed by Daniel to be the seven world ruling empires that controlled and chastened the people of God. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece and Rome which continued through History to our day according to Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars vision of the image of the beast. Daniel was also told their dominion would be taken away but their lives would be prolonged. This prolonging represent the seed of all these kingdoms which are with us today in the U.N. body. Each one of these beasts, as Daniel called them, add a little bit to the revelation of the end time beast kingdom and you can see they are all in One Beast now. And the ten horns are the ten continental divisions of the whole earth, which is revealed in the ten toes of the image of the beast, which the ten kings will rule over in the second half of the tribulation. So you see this is a method of God to put pieces of the puzzle of the end time together and it hides these things from the wise and prudent as Jesus said. Now we can see that if the Man-child types are all types of one body now, the kings over them are also one body in these end times. Lets examine who these kings represent today in type. Lets go back to the first type of the Man-child under the first King, Cyrus, in Ezra. Ezr 1:1-3 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whosoever there is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. Lets depart from this text for a moment to discuss who Cyrus and the other two kings represent today. Cyrus here, who is the first of the three kings, represents President Trump as seen here: Isa 45:1-4 Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him (He has definately subdued Kings in order that they may be part of the new social and economic order), and I will loose the loins of kings; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut (He has opened every door that was shut): 2 I will go before thee, and make the rough places smooth (And made everything possible); I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron (The gates and bars into the City of Babylons Deep State fell before him); 3 and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places (No one in History but P. Trump has ever been given a hidden treasure of tons and tons of Gold and Silver, hidden in the Deep State underground cities and under the hand of the Queen of England and under the Pope and in various other places. This loot is for the new economy and building of God’s Kingdom.), that thou mayest know that it is I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. Back to Ezra 1: 5-11 Then rose up the heads of fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. 7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of Jehovah (The gold and silver vessels of the House of God are his matured people who are also His temple), which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods; 8 even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. (Sheshbazzar was the court name given to the Man-child Zerubbabel who in Haggai was a signet ring of the kings authority which was also given by the last King to Mordecai, another of the Man-childs in our parable) 9 And this is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, a thousand platters of silver, nine and twenty knives, 10 thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. 11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. The interesting thing is Cyrus/Trump started this thing by freeing the people of God who were captive under Obama and Hillary and their Babylon Deep State to go back and rebuild the Kingdom of God in true Christianity. Cyrus Trump is the first King but he is also the last king who supplied all the “hidden treasures” for the service of the House of God. Ezr 7:11-23 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus in Esther) gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of Jehovah, and of his statutes to Israel: 12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee. 14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand, (Ezra was a teaching priest to set everyone in order of their service to the House of God. The end time Man-child is the priest after the order of Melchizedek, who will lay the foundations of truth from the word to rebuild the Kingdom of God. The Man-child Jesus did this same thing.) Now we see that the last king was the one who opened the “hidden treasures” in order to supply every need of the Kingdom as Cyrus Trump is doing. 15 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and gold that thou shalt find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill-offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17 therefore thou shalt with all diligence buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink-offerings, and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after the will of your God. 19 And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house. (In this treasure house was the "hidden treasure” taken from Babylon’s Deep State.) 21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence, 22 unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Cyrus and Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus in Esther) represent the same King now, P. Trump who has started redistributing the wealth and the main beneficiary will be the People of God to rebuild the Kingdom of God. The middle King, Darius, in the time of Daniel the Man-child, finished the building of the Temple building itself. But our first text shows that the Temple wasn’t considered as finished until the last King supplied the funds for the people to do their part in the building. As we now know God doesnt dwell in buildings made with mens hands. He dwells in His people who are His New Testament Temple as Paul said in various ways. So in Ezra 6:15 And this house was finished was stated after the third King supplied the “hidden treasures”. So when we overlap the history of all three kings we see the ministry of the end time king, P. Trump. Just as we can overlap the history of those 3 Man-child types we can see the ministry of the end time Man-child Body in Whom Jesus lives by His Word and Spirit. During these three parables we see another thing happening which is going on now. An antichrist faction trying their best to stop the building of the Temple who is the people coming into Christs Image through knowledge of the Word being prepared for them. These people tried to claim they sought the God of Israel but they lied to destroy them from within just as the faction in our day has. Ezr 4:1-6 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel; 2 then they drew near to Zerubabbel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither. 3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. 4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5 and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. (They slandered the workmen building the Temple, which is the people who mature in the Word, which they have tried so hard to destroy. They brought a temporary halt to the building and this has been exactly what the faction has done for they hate the Word and prophetic dreams and visions and prophecies which correct their evil works.) Here are words received this morning by faith at random and most of the words were about God’s judgment on the faction. Ezr 4:23-24 Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. (They are their own God and want to be our God just like the Communists, anarchists, radical Islamists in the political faction). 24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. 2Th 2:1-10 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; 2 to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; 3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, (The coming of the Lord in His body cannot come until the body is purified by the falling away of the anarchist sons of perdition) and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, 4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God (They are Anti-Christ) or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple (The Greek word used for the temple of His people) of God, setting himself forth as God. (They are their own God and they want to rule over you) 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way (Numeric Pattern: "come out of the midst”, When the faction comes out of the midst they are revealed as the lawless one and the body is purified). 8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. - Faction destroyed Pro 6:16-19 There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; 18 A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren. — the evil of the faction Psa 7:10-17 My shield is with God, Who saveth the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, Yea, a God that hath indignation every day. 12 If a man turn not, he will whet his sword; He hath bent his bow, and made it ready; 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; He maketh his arrows fiery shafts. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity; Yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He hath made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violence shall come down upon his own pate. 17 I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High. — Faction destroyed Psa 101:5-8 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy: Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer. 6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall minister unto me. 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes. 8 Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land; To cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of Jehovah. Psa 73:12-20 Behold, these are the wicked; And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches. 13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency; 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning. 15 If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God (Where the Antichrists that “went out from among us” did their dirty deed), And considered their latter end. 18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction. 19 How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image. — Destruction of the faction Isa 37:33-38 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the king of Assyria (The beast kingdom, who today is the DS, will conquer the northern 1o tribes who factioned against the house of David), He shall not come unto this city (he cannot conquer the Bride and Temple of God), nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. 34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come unto this city (The Bride), saith Jehovah. 35 For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 36 And the angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. David Blows Away the Faction Vanessa Weeks - 10/17/20 (David’s notes in red) I dreamed we of UBM were standing in a house and visiting. There was a long white table against a wall. It is like the tables we use for pot-blessings. On the table were papers and small nick nacks. (Evidently the papers are factious materials and the junk food is what they eat and serve to others). David was standing at the head of this table when he said to us, "stand back" as he motioned with his hands. We stepped back and he leaned towards the table and blew everything off the table. As he did this I thought, David is blowing away the factious. (David did destroy the Edomite factions against the people of God) And in the dream I remembered the time the Lord told David to blow the clouds away when he was with his family at the beach. (These were very black clouds that blocked the light of the Sun/Son as the faction’s darkness destroys the light of those who listen to them. While thinking about this dream I remembered 2 Th. 2:8. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming. Sue G. received vs. 1-10 this morning. (And since this dream came at the last minutes before this broadcast Vanessa didn’t know I used that text here above.) This is encouraging in light of what the lawless one has done with the audios and videos. The Lord Jesus slays him with the breath of His mouth! Thank you Father that no weapon formed against us or this ministry will prosper. Thank you for living in us to slay the lawless one in us also. In Jesus name amen. Printer-friendly version
This month's series is called "RISE UP and BUILD" and we are exploring the post-exilic era of the Jews and their return to Jerusalem. We will rediscover the stories of Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubabbel and rebuilding of the walls and the key theological idea of THE TEMPLE.
When we have a big project to complete, we usually don't mind a little help. But, when a group of people offer help to the returning exiles, Zerubabbel refuses their offer. What happens after that creates all sorts of problems for the team rebuilding the Temple.
God: God longs to dwell with his people. Through Haggai, God calls the people to build his house and not just focus on their own houses. Why does God care so much? Because he longs to dwell with his people (1:1-11). The rebuilt temple is disappointing, but God promises a great future temple (2:1-9). The Gospel: God makes promises to Zerubabbel, part of the royal line of David. This reaffirms the promises made to David (2 Sam. 7:4-17). Is Zerubabbel the promised king and temple builder? No. The true king and greater temple builder doesn’t arrive for another 500 years – Jesus.
Zechariah sees two more visions in which a the High Priest Joshua and the Zerubabbel, the governor, are prepared for the temple of the Lord. All of this will be accomplished not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the LORD. In Jesus our priest and king is here and he gives us access into the very presence of God.
More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music
Family...it's beautiful, and frustrating, and glorious, and embarrassing, and diverse -- even Christ's family line carries some characters and heroes. Christy Nockels' song, "Amaryllis," inspired me to explore a few of the people in the lineage of Christ. How appropriate during this time of year when many of us have just made another year of memories with family and friends at Christmas. Whether your family is on the glorious side, or the tragic, or somewhere in between, we see God weave all kinds of people into the lineage of the Savior of the world...so surely there's hope for us! On this episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are: Follow cross references Consider the historical context - the article I found on the "silent period" between Micah and Matthew Considering the context of your birth The Old Testament ending on a note of expectation - Micah 4:4-6 Exploring the lineage of Christ - Matthew 1:17 Learning more about "Grandpa" Perez in Genesis 38 King Hezekiah and his good start - 2 Chronicles 29:1-3 The influence Hezekiah had on his nation - 2 Chronicles 30:6-10 A portion of Hezekiah's legacy - 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 The "rest of the story" of Hezekiah's life - Isaiah 36-39 Zerubbabel and his role in the rebuilding of the altar and the temple - Ezra 3-6 Additional Resources Behind the song "Amaryllis" by Christy Nockels - New Release Today Article The Song Story of "Amaryllis" - YouTube Video This Week's Challenge Follow my lead and learn about Judah, Tamar, and Perez in Genesis 38. 2 Chronicles 29-31 tells much of the life of Hezekiah, but Isaiah 36-39 tells the "rest of the story." Zerubabbel, son of Shealtiel, has a major role in the rebuilding of the altar and the temple after the Babylonian deportation, and you can read all about it in chapters 3-6 of Ezra. All of these are in the lineage of Christ. It's an interesting network of people, some with sordid pasts and questionable choices, but woven into the family of Christ nonetheless. Our song says, "Through a fragile people the Light of Life will come." He continues to use fragile people in HIS story today.
December 27, 2015: Pastor Beck Easton's "I AM is Zerubabbel and So Am I" sermon
When the foundations of the new temple were laid, the young men celebrated but the old men wept. In the church today, there are still times when young and old collide.
Some Mormons seem to think Genesis 10:25 refers to a divide/split in the "covenant" line, linking Joktan to both the Jaredites and the Yucatan Peninsula. What are your thoughts on this interpretation? Do you think that the Apostle Thomas going to preach in India is a garbled historical memory that the "celibacy gospel" was imported into Christianity from Buddhism? Is there any reason to believe, as some do, that Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting of Adam, Eve and the Serpent at the Tree of Knowledge secretly suggests it was actually oral sex performed on Adam by Eve which was what the "knowledge of good and evil." Google claims there is no implied Biblical condemnation of suicide prior to the Pauline writings, and that it was several centuries before suicide emerged as sinful and abhorrent in Christian doctrine. Is there any particular reason for this? Burton Mack says we can infer the existence of a particular "Jesus movement" from miracle collections in Mark and John. How? Does Job 26:7 contain modern cosmology? Do you think mainline Christian denominations would benefit by presenting from the pulpit the type of information you present in your podcast? In John 2:20 is Jesus/John referring to the Zerubabbel temple of Herod's? Is it true a growing number of scholars are leaving the Q hypothesis behind, and do you see any particular weaknesses in the Q-hypothesis? Did early Christians have a more humane and slightly less nonsensical view of post-mortem judgement than we do today? Which, if any, particular doctrine concerning hell does a fair reading of the relevant texts vindicate?
The Old Testament comes to an end with three building projects: (1) The rebuilding of the temple under the leadership of Zerubabbel; (2) the rebuilding of the city walls of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah; and (3) the rebuilding of the lives of God’s people. In our story today, near the end of the Old Testament scriptures, the people gather together and Ezra reads to them the Law of Moses as a spiritual exercise to refocus and remind Israel of what is truly important. That is we prayerfully hope has happened to each one of us as we have followed along in The Story; to help us refocus, remind and rebuild our lives what is most foundational: God’s Upper Story.
The Old Testament comes to an end with three building projects: (1) The rebuilding of the temple under the leadership of Zerubabbel; (2) the rebuilding of the city walls of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah; and (3) the rebuilding of the lives of God’s people. In our story today, near the end of the Old Testament scriptures, the people gather together and Ezra reads to them the Law of Moses as a spiritual exercise to refocus and remind Israel of what is truly important. That is we prayerfully hope has happened to each one of us as we have followed along in The Story; to help us refocus, remind and rebuild our lives what is most foundational: God’s Upper Story.