8th week

The book of Ezra

1. After 70 years of exile, God fulfilled this promise to return his people to the Promised Land. The return was made in three stages. The first took place, led by Zerubbabel (c.538 BC) which resulted in the rebuilding of the temple (c. 520-516 BC), encouraged by Haggai and Zechariah. Ezra led the second return in the seventh year of 1 Artaxerxes (c. 458 BC), and Nehemiah led the final return in the twentieth year of 1 Artaxerxes (c. 444 BC). Ezra probably wrote this book between 457 and 444 BC (Nelson’s pg. 151-152). The main theme of this book is restoration-rebuilding of the temple and reformation of the people, which required a reassurance of faith in God and their identity as a chosen people.              

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 How does sovereign God work to make his will be done through humans? Obviously, one of the ways according to the book is that “he stirred the heart of” people (1:1; 1:5). He moved the heart of King Cyrus and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to rebuild the temple of the LORD. It reminds me of the verse in the NT, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Phl. 2:13).” I appreciate the fact that sovereign God works in such a gentle and non-imposing way.

2.2 God redemptive plan seems to be always carried out through a remnant. “But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the LORD our God has allowed a few of us to survive a remnant (9:8).” And the same word “remnant” is repeated in verse 13. Throughout the Scripture, it seems like it always takes only a few, a remnant for God to save his people.

The book of Nehemiah

1. Because Ezra and Nehemiah were treated as one book in the Hebrew text, and because the two books show certain similarities in style and outlook, many scholars have believed that Ezra and Nehemiah were originally compiled by the same person, probably Ezra. It is important that 1:1 describes the contents as “the words of Nehemiah.” This assertion is supported by the narrative about Nehemiah being in the first person. Thus, if Ezra was compiler, he was apparently quoting directly from the writing of Nehemiah. (Nelson’s pg. 155) This book was written to remind God’s people of their spiritual heritage and to keep them from becoming careless toward the Lord (Sourceview pg. 613).

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 God’s character is well presented in Nehemiah’s prayer, “the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands (1:5).” God is a covenant-keeping God and he made a covenant with people out of his abundant love. This very character of him is also found in 9:8, “and you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.”

2.2 Nehemiah recounted how God had led the people of Israel from the time of Abraham in chapter 9. And in verses from 19 through 21, he related how God protected, provided, and guided the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire showed them the way day and night. God sent the Holy Spirit to instruct them, and kept providing them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. Likewise, God protects, provides, and guides the church who lives the life of the wilderness in this world through the presence of the spirit of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. He never leaves us alone. He keeps providing us with manna or water which is God’s word. He who led the Israelites thousands years ago still guides us now.    

The book of Haggai

1. This book was written by prophet Haggai who directed his message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and Jeshua, the high priest (1:1). In addressing them, Haggai was also speaking to the people of Judah who had returned from the exile. The message was to awaken them to see the reality that they had been deprived of the blessings from God because of their neglecting the temple rebuilding project. The people of Judah at the time were not interested in rebuilding the temple rather they were more interested in looking after their own needs, building their own houses and working on their own fields. However, God had his own priority and promised the people of Judah blessings if they follow through his priority.

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 I found in this book God’s single-mindedness in pursuing his ultimate purpose of building the LORD’s temple. The temple does not just refer to a physical structure which was built in Jerusalem. The temple that God ultimately pursues to restore is the church in which his Spirit dwells forever.

2.2 God hinted the coming of Messiah in 2:9, “The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of the Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace.” This could refer to Jesus, the incarnated God who would come into this temple but it can also point to us, the church who has become the temple of God with the presence of Immanuel God within us. Also Zerubbabel son of Sheltiel serves as a type for Jesus, and through his lineage, Jesus came to the world. God says in 2:23, “I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the LORD, for I have chosen you.” And we know that God who is true to his word fulfilled his word.  

The book of Esther

1. The author of this book is not known. However based on the details of Jewish tradition (9:24-32) and the structure of the palace at the time of king Xerxes described in the book (1:5-6), it is assumed that the book was written by a devout Jew sometime between 460 and 350 BC. Esther became queen in 479 BC (Sourceview pg 634). The purpose of this book being written is to remind the people of Judah of how God miraculously rescued his people from the evil attempt to annihilate them all, which also foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ, the true savior of us all.

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 In the story of Esther, we can find so many works of God working behind the scene, which seem to non-believers a series of coincidence. Esther happened to have a favor from the eunuch and also the king. Mordecai happened to overhear the plot to assassinate the king. The king happened to have insomnia that led him to find out about Mordecai. Haman prepared a pole intended to kill Mordecai on it but it was him to be impaled. The list goes on and on. That just reminds me of this verse in Romans, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God is all willing and all able to do that.

2.2 This whole story of Esther through whom the Jewish people were saved reminds me of the story of God’s redemption through his son. Haman did not aim to kill just a few Jews whom he hated but to wipe out the entire Jewish people. Likewise Stan has tried to devour God’s chosen people ever since the human history began. Esther came to recue of her own Jewish people and Jesus, God’s chose people, church. Yet another main clue is the fact that Esther was an adopted daughter of Mordecai. The book specified the fact twice (2:7 and 2:15), which runs in parallel with the fact that Jesus was adopted to the lineage of King David. And (it could be a little stretch) but I notice Esther approached the king’s presence on the third day of the fast, which runs in parallel with the fact Jesus was resurrected on the third day after death. Therefore, this story of Esther which seemingly is a dramatic story of God’s protection in the history of the Jewish people shows a type for the messiah for the church, us.    

3. Application

Out of all fairy-tale like story of Esther, for all those divine appointments and turns of events, it was a bit hard to draw something applicable to me of today. However, I was reminded of what Jesus said upon the question of a disciple asking what they should do for God. He answered them that all you have to do is to believe in God. I think that is exactly what I need to do. Believe in God.

   

The book of Zechariah

1. This book was written by a prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah who was a contemporary of Haggai the prophet, Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua the high priest. The Israelites who returned to Jerusalem launched the project to rebuild the temple but soon hit upon obstacles and became discouraged. Zechariah gave this message to motivate the people to finish the good work they started and also to give them a vision of God’s plan beyond the restored temple. The historical setting for chapters 1-8 is 520-518 BC. The temple rebuilding project resumed in 520 BC and was completed in 516 BC. Chapters 9-14 specified no dates but stylistic differences and references to Greece (9:13) indicate a date of between 480 and 470 BC (Nelson’s pg. 271).

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession (2:8)” In this verse, it sounds like God identifies himself with us. In Hebrew, it is translated “Anyone who touches the pupil of his eye.” I feel so safe and so relieved.

2.2 This book is full of symbols and imageries foreshadowing Jesus, the messiah and the church. For example, in the fourth vision, Jeshua with filthy clothing on symbolizes the church. And Satan rightly accused him of the filthy clothing. However, God rejected his accusation and put on him fine new clothes. Likewise, we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and God put on us the new garment of righteousness. There are a couple of messianic prophecies in the book. In 3:8-9 “Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.” And in 6:12-13, the prophet gives us more information about this Branch, “Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. Yes, he will build the Temple of the LORD. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king form this throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne.”
In this we see that the old covenant is replaced by the new covenant which is through the Branch, Jesus.

3. Application

3.1 Chapters from 12 through 14 are full of references for the church era. For example, “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem (12:10). And “On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity (13:1).” “On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem..flowing continuously in both summer and winter (14:8).” Often times I feel frustrated, sad and bitter at things of the earth. Then I encounter this kind of verses which speak about my true identity (the church) in heaven and I realize how far I have fallen off from the perspective of the eternity. That is why it is so important to meditate the Word day and night otherwise I am so easily losing the perspective.

 3.2 Along the way I remind myself of my own identity in eternity, I can remind other people around me of the same thing so that they would not lose perspective.

The book of Malachi

1. It is not clear whether Malachi (“my messenger”) refers to the name of the prophet who wrote this book or just the title of this book. This is the last book written before the New Testament era, and was composed sometime after 460 BC after Israel returned from captivity in Babylon (538 BC), after the temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt (516 BC), and after worship there had lapsed into mere routine (Sourceview pg.1226). To confront that complacency and indifference the people at the time had toward God, this book was written.

2. Theme Tracing

2.1 “I have always loved you (1:2),” this statement of God to the people of Israel struck me hard when I read it. It sounded so bitter and heartbroken as if it came from a husband betrayed by his unfaithful wife. And he answered as for how he loved his people upon the retorted response from them. “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country.” He basically said that “I chose you, Jacob over Esau for my people. And the decision had been made before the creation of the world therefore nothing from you or of you could have been credited for the decision.” This is how I got save as well. This is how I am loved by God. He just chose to do so. Wow!

2.2 God promised to send his messenger who would prepare the way before him (3:1a). Then, as we all know, the messenger of the covenant (3:1b), Jesus Christ, indeed came to the world and reconciled us with God through his sacrificial blood, once for all, on the cross.

3. Application

“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin (2:7-8).” This accusation God had against the priests who were entrusted with God’s Word awakens me to the gravity of responsibility of those who deliver the word of the Lord. The more I study his word, the heavier I feel the burden of knowing the word or not knowing the word correctly. Without God’s mercy and grace, it is so easy to go astray, which should make me humble.