We shall begin the study of the book of Ezra of the Old
Testament this week.
Preface to the Book of Ezra
Ezra and Nehemiah originally existed as one book with Ezra considered as the author of both books plus 1 & 2 Chronicles. In fact, the last two verses of the last chapter of 2 Chronicles are identical to the opening verses of the book of Ezra. Origen (3rd century A.D.) was the first to divide Ezra-Nehemiah into two books. Like the book of Daniel, part of Ezra was written in Aramaic: 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26. It is worth noting that the (Hebrew) Masoretic notes of Ezra-Nehemiah were placed only at the end of the Nehemiah section, proving that the Masoretes regarded Ezra-Nehemiah as one book.
The
Scriptures record three groups of returnees from Babylon to Jerusalem. They came at various times:
(1) Around 538 B.C. under the leadership of Jeshua, the high priest and Zerubbabel, the governor over the region (the Babylonian empire fell into the hands of Cyrus, the Persian, in 539 B.C.);
(2) Around 458 B.C. with Ezra
a. Cyrus died in 529 B.C. and was succeeded by
b. Cambyses who died in 522 B.C. and was succeeded by
c. Darius in 519 B.C. during whose reign the edict of Cyrus for the rebuilding of Jerusalem temple was rediscovered and honored. He was succeeded by
d. Xerxes who reigned from 486-465 B.C.—the long reign and which served as the background to the story of Esther; and he was followed by
e. Artaxerxes who reigned from 465-424 B.C.
(3) Around 445 B.C. accompanying Nehemiah (still under the reign of Artaxerxes).
When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C., he carried many Jews into exile to Babylon, leaving behind only the poorest of the poor. Archeological findings have confirmed the utter destruction in the land of Judah. Many of the remaining Jews later fled to Egypt.
The book of Ezra begins with the miraculous call by Cyrus to the Jews in Babylon to return to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. A great number of Jews chose to remain in Babylon, presumably because they had become prosperous and were satisfied with their alien status as they enjoyed freedom and success in business. Archaeology tells us that more than a century later, the Murashu family among these exiles started the first banking-house in human history.
(1) As we read the miraculous order of a foreign king to accomplish the will of God for His people, let’s take a look at the precise prophecies of Isaiah who prophesied well before the fall of Jerusalem and the rise of Cyrus. See Isaiah 44:28–45:13.
(2) Suppose that you were Cyrus, upon your conquering of Babylon and coming into contact with the Jews in exile, especially with Daniel who would still be alive at Cyrus’ conquest (See Dan. 6:1).
a. What chance would there be that Daniel and others would read to you the prophetic words of Isaiah?
b. How would you have reacted to the reading of your name prophesied at least 150 years before your birth?
(3) Besides the prophecies of Isaiah, there is the prophecy of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 29:10:
a. How did Daniel take the prophecy of Jeremiah? (See Dan. 9:1-3)
b. What did he do about it?
c. According to Ezra 1:1, how did God cause His prophetic promise to come to pass?
(4) What is the most spectacular part of this event to you?
(5) How then should you look at the current history of the world? (Read Prov. 21:1 as well.)
(6) Read this royal decree in detail and consider the following:
a. What did Cyrus call the LORD (i.e. Yahweh), the God of Israel?
b. How did he see his role (and mission) as in the hand of the LORD ?
c. What would be the specific mission of these Jews who would return to Jerusalem?
d. How would this project be funded?
(7) The Persians, no doubt, had their own gods:
a. Why then would Cyrus give credit to the LORD (i.e. Yahweh) for his success?
b. What might be the political impact on his own people, especially the priests who served at the temples of their gods in Persia?
(8) Suppose that you were one of the Jews in exile in Babylon:
a. What would be your reaction to the hearing of this decree?
b. Would you, therefore, jump at the first opportunity to return to Jerusalem?
- What would be the reasons for you to return?
- What might be the reason that you would hesitate to return? (Remember that it has been 70 years since your exile and that you have listened to the exhortation of Jeremiah in Jer. 29:4-7.)
(9) Pause and reflect on the main message to you today. How may you apply it to your life?
本週我們開始研讀舊約以斯拉記。請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
引言：以斯拉記和尼希米記原是被列為同一卷書，猶太傳統是以以斯拉為作者，並認為他也是歷代志上、下的作者。(參代下36:22-23與拉1:1-3這兩處完全相同的記載) 。希伯來舊約聖經的以斯拉/尼希米記抄本的著釋也把備注放在兩書之後。主後第三世紀教父Origen把這兩本書分開。像但以理書一樣，以斯拉記部份是用亞蘭文寫的(4:8-6:18; 7:12-26) 。
聖經記載以色列人從被擄回歸分成三個階段：
(1) 主前538年：在大祭司耶書亞和省長所羅巴伯的領導下回歸(主前539年波斯古列王Cyrus推翻巴比倫。)
(2) 主前458年：以斯拉領導一批人回歸(見第七章) —
a. 主前529年古列終，由Cambyses接上；
b. 主前522年Cambyses終；
c. 主前519年大利烏正式作王—在這期間，因重尋到古列之聖旨而聖殿工程得繼續；
d. 主前486-465亞哈隨魯王執政—即以斯帖時代；
e. 主前465-424年：亞達薛西執政時期。
(3) 主前445年：在亞達薛西的允許下，尼希米回歸耶路撒冷。
當尼布甲尼撒在主前586年摧毀耶路撒冷時，把大批猶太人擄到巴比倫去，只餘非常貧窮的人留在本地。考古學的發掘證明猶大地當時是全然被毀壞的。及後餘下的猶太人也多有逃往埃及。
以斯拉記就記述古列下旨容許猶太人回歸、重建聖殿。但大部份猶太人似乎因已落地生根，決定留在巴比倫。特別因為他們享有經濟的自由，故樂於寄居異地。考古學的發掘更證明了人類的第一間銀行是這批留在巴比倫的Murashu家族所創辦的。
(1) 古列這位外邦王竟下聖旨去完成神的心意，應驗祂給猶太人超過150年前藉先知以賽亞的應許，並早已預言古列的出現。在此請用一點時間細閱以賽亞書44:28–45:13這段超奇的預言。
(2) 古列，在征服了巴比倫後，有機會接觸到如但以理這些敬虔的猶太人(見但6:1):
a. 你以為但以理等會否把以賽亞的預言告知古列？
b. 如果你是古列，讀到自己的名字早在150多年前，自己尚未出生時，已在聖經中被提及，你會有什麼反應？
(3) 除以賽亞的預言外，尚有耶利米的預言(像耶29:10) ：
a. 但以理本身怎樣看耶利米的預言呢？(參但9:13)
b. 他讀到之後，採取了什麼行動？
c. 按以斯拉記1:1，神怎樣使祂的預言得實現？
(4) 這整件事情，你感到最超奇的地方是什麼？
(5) 既是這樣，你該怎樣看今日的世局？(可參箴21:1)
(6) 請細讀古列所下的聖旨的內容：
a. 古列怎樣稱呼耶和華這以色列人的神？
b. 他怎樣看自己在這神手中的位份呢？
c. 他呼籲猶太人回歸的主要任務是什麼？
d. 這工程的資源從那裡得來？
(7) 我們知道波斯人是有他們傳統一向敬拜的神的：
a. 為何古列竟把自己的成就歸功於耶和華神呢？
b. 這在政治上是否明智之舉？特別會對波斯的祭司們有什麼影響？
(8) 如果你是巴比倫被擄的猶太人之一：
a. 聽到這聖旨時會有什麼感受？
b. 你是否立刻作出熱烈的回應？
i. 你要回歸的原因會包括什麼？
ii. 如果你是猶疑不決的話，原因又會包括什麼？(你和家人可能已移居此地多年，亦讀到耶利米在29:4-7的來書！)
(9) 請停下來思想今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Prov. 21:1)
The Book of Ezra opens with one of the most amazing accounts in the Bible: “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:”
It is amazing because:
1. Cyrus, a gentile king, a Persian to be exact, had great ambitions and expanded his power bit by bit: First he gained control over the Indo-Arian Medes and this combination of the Persians and the Medes became a formidable force; then he invaded Asia Minor all the way to India; and finally he took over the powerful Babylonians. But God controls even the heart of such a powerful, gentile king and “turns it wherever He wishes” to accomplish His plan (Prov. 21:1);
2. But this gentile king not only complied with the will of God ungrudgingly, but he even acknowledged that it was this Yahweh, who is not just the God of Israel but also the God of heaven, who had given him his kingdom—what a humble admission; and
3. He also understood that the giving of the kingdom carried with it a purpose and that was to appoint him “to build a temple for Him in Jerusalem" (Ezr. 1:2).
It is perhaps not too far-fetched to assume that since Daniel was eventually elevated to a high position in this new Persian kingdom (Dan. 6), he or other Jewish leaders would have the opportunity to inform Cyrus that his name and his rise to power had already been prophesied at least 150 years or more before him by the prophet Isaiah (44:28-45:13). But one has to admire not only the humility of Cyrus, but his courage too, because such a declaration of his gratitude to Yahweh and the decree to re-build His temple would have cost him potentially dearly politically because it would definitely not have sat well with the Persian priests who were very powerful political figures in those days.
Many of the kings in Israel past paled in light of the obedience exemplified by Cyrus. But it also shows that, in spite of the failure of His people which had led to the destruction even of God’s temple, our God is still in absolute control—He is indeed not only the faithful God of Israel who honored the promised return of His people exactly seventy years after their exile (Jer. 29:10), but He is the God of human history too.
As He had steered the heart of Cyrus to accomplish His plan for the people of Israel, He will direct the hearts of kings and rulers to bring about the consummation of His plan of salvation for the entire human race and the defeat of Satan with the return of our Lord Jesus Christ one day.
Note:
“These seventy years commenced with the first taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, when Daniel and other youths of the seed-royal were carried to Babylon (Dan. 1:1, 2) in the fourth year of King Jehoaikim…This year was the year 606 B.C.; hence the seventy years terminate in 536 B.C., the year of the sole rule of Cyrus over the Babylonian empire.” (K&D, Ezra, 14)
「王的心在耶和華手中，好像隴溝的水隨意流轉。」 (箴21:1)
以斯拉記的開始，就道出聖經中最奇特的歷史片段之一：「波斯王古列元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米口所說的話，就激動波斯王古列的心，使他下詔通告全國說……」
這段記載奇特之處在乎：
1. 這古列並非猶太人的王，乃是外邦波斯人的王。他的野心使他一步一步的擴張勢力：先是控制了瑪代人，與波斯合併成為強大的勢力；繼而進侵小亞細亞，直到印度；最後成功的推翻了強大的巴比倫，成為當時世界的覇權。但這覇權君主的心竟然都是操在神的手中，隨祂的意思流轉(箴21:1)
2. 但這覇權的君主不是勉強的被神操縱，乃是謙卑的承認祂不單是以色列的神，乃是「天上的神」、是賜他權勢的神；
3. 他更明白被賜權柄是有使命的，這使命就是為神重建祂的殿(1:2) 。
他之這樣謙卑、公開的承認耶和華神的主權，相信是與讀到以賽亞，在至少150年前，指名道姓的預言到古列的興起有關的(賽44:28 – 45:13)。我們知道當古列攻勝巴比倫時，但以理尚在，甚至被波斯王重用(見但6章) 。故此，他和其他猶太裔的領袖必趁機告訴他，讓王讀到這些預言。但我們仍要欣賞的，不單是他的謙卑，更是他的勇氣，因為這樣公然的承認、感恩，更支持耶和華殿的重建，一定得罪那些甚有勢力的事奉波斯傳統偶像的祭司。在政治的角度上，這並非明智之舉。但古列全不理會。
這樣看來，絕大部份的以色列君王，根本不能與古列相比！同時，也讓我們看到，雖然以色列人因離棄神而遭受亡國、毁殿之災；但神仍然全然掌權—祂不但確是信實的神，守約施慈愛的，使經過整整七十年，引導被擄的百姓能回歸國土(耶29:10) ；更是全然掌管全人類歷史的神！
昔日，祂怎樣激動古列的心，去成就祂為百姓所定的計劃，今天，祂仍在掌管世上君王和政要的心，使祂救世的大工，和至終消滅撒但的計劃，在主耶穌再來的時候得以實現。
註：這七十年是由尼布甲尼撒攻取耶路撒冷，帶走但以理等一批人回巴比倫開始計算(但以理書1:1-2) ，即約雅敬王第四年……(即主前606年) 到主前536年，古列正式獨自取代巴比倫的覇權為止(K&D, Ezra, 14) 。
(1) Can you recap how incredible and significant was the moving of the heart of a foreign king to fulfill the promise of God to His people?
(2) From the list of returnees in chapter two, we understand that not too many of the exiles had chosen to respond to the call of the king to return to Jerusalem. Accordingly to v. 5, who were the ones who were prepared to go up and build the temple of the Lord?
(3) What lesson can we learn in trying to have people participate in the work of the Lord?
(4) “All their neighbors” presumably refer to those Israelites who have decided not to return to Jerusalem:
a. What did they do in lieu of going back themselves?
b. Do you think they were doing the “next best” thing under the circumstances?
c. Did they get the “best” of blessings as a result? What would they have missed?
(5) What is the significance of having the articles of the temple returned to the house of God?
(6) The list of people who returned to Jerusalem might be a bit boring to read, but do try to read it slowly:
a. How many priests went back to Jerusalem?
b. How many Levites (i.e. assistants to the priests), including singers, gate keepers and temple servants went back to Jerusalem?
c. There were those who could not prove their Jewish genealogy (including some priests) in vv. 59-62. How would they feel and why would they return, given the possibility of not being allotted any land back in Jerusalem, and in the case of priests, not being allowed to share in the sacrifices (v. 63)?
d. What is the total number of the “whole company” who returned to Jerusalem?
(7) Although
v. 68 said they arrived at “the house of the Lord”, it really meant the ruin of
the original site of the temple. Try to imagine the feelings of the following people:
a. The returnees upon seeing the poverty and ruins of their former homeland. (What might have the freewill offerings of the family heads of about 1,100 lbs. of gold and literally tons of silver meant to the morale of the people?)
b. The poorest of the poor among the Jews who had stayed behind.
c. The neighboring Gentiles upon seeing the return of some 40,000 Jews.
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 請先寫下你昨天對古列所下聖旨的感受。
(2) 從第二章所列回歸的人數來看，一般解經家都認為只有小部份被擄的人選擇回歸：按1:5所言，是那些人才起來動身回到耶路撒冷？
(3) 從以上那句話，我們在召集人事奉時，該明白些什麼？
(4) 「他們四圍的人」應是指那些決定不回歸的猶太人：
a. 他們以什麼來代替自己親身的回歸？
b. 你認為這樣做，是否屬於「次好」？為什麼？
c. 他們因此錯過了什麼？
(5) 現在，神聖殿的器皿得以從巴比倫偶像的廟宇，重歸神的殿，其重要性何在？
(6) 第二章的名單是冗長的，但也值得慢慢細讀：
a. 一共有多少祭司動身回歸？
b. 利未人(即協助祭司的—包括歌唱的、殿役等) 又有多少？
c. 2:59-62記載一些不能證實的家譜：他們雖願意回歸，卻未能領地或事奉，會有什麼感受？
d. 回歸的總人數有多少？
(7) 2:68說他們回到「耶和華殿的地方」：這地方當時是怎樣的？(參代下36:19；王下25:13-17)
a. 回歸的人目睹這些會有什麼感受？
b. 族長此時的捐獻對百姓會起什麼作用？
c. 昔日被留下的人(王下25: 12) 又會有什麼感受？
d. 四周的外邦居民對這四萬多的回歸猶太人又會有什麼感受？
(8) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.” (Ezr. 1:5)
The next chapter of Ezra took a detailed inventory of the people who had responded to the call of the king and followed the movement of the hand of God by moving back to Jerusalem. One would assume that the majority of the Jews would be so overjoyed that they would not have had to think twice but would move back to Jerusalem immediately—after all they had been exiled for 70 years already; and they had been lamenting their plight with words like, “How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land. If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill” (Ps. 137:4-5). Now, miraculously, God has moved the heart of this foreign king who not only allowed them to return, but also provided assistance for them. And yet, only 30,000 to 40,000 Jews returned; it was definitely a very small portion of the exiles according to the opinion of virtually all commentators. One wonders why?
However, if you are like me, an immigrant, or like many others who are 3rd or even 4th generation immigrants, you might understand the dilemma faced by these exiles. After 70 years of exile, if you are in your 40’s or 50’s, you would be a BBJ (Babylonian born Jew) and your children would be 3rd generation BBJ. In other words, you and your family would have been quite Babylonianized; you would have established your career or business (in fact, within the next 100 years, one of the exile-families, the Murashu family started the first banking-house in human history); you have nothing left in your former homeland which had deteriorated into one of the poorest region in the world. In other words, Babylon was home to them. To return to Jerusalem would mean having to uproot the entire family; to lose virtually all you had fought and worked so hard for; to risk your life and that of your family’s to embark on a journey that could be more dangerous than that of the “boat people” of our time; to face fierce political and potentially violent opposition from those who had already occupied Jerusalem or its vicinity; and to start all over again in that poverty-stricken land.
Who would in their right mind go? Indeed, only a small fraction did decide to go. But they were not out of their mind for they were people “whose heart God has moved” (Ezr. 1:5):
- Not that they had not talked among themselves, especially with their families;
- Not that they had not considered all the pros and cons;
- Not that they had not taken a hard look at reality—the sacrifices, the dangers and the impossibility of the task;
- But ultimately, it was their sense of calling—that burden that was laid in their heart by God that would not go away:
- That desire to serve God;
- That love for the temple of the Lord;
- That sense of brotherhood; and
- The pride of being God’s people!
All these combined together to move this small fraction of the people to step out of their comfort zone and make the most drastic change in life for God. Simply put, they now became men and women with a mission!
What about you? Are you a man or woman with a mission for God?
「於是，猶大和便雅憫的族長、祭司、利未人，就是一切被神激動他心的人，都起來要上耶路撒冷去建造耶和華的殿。」 (拉1:5)
以斯拉記第二章詳細列出回歸各類的人數。我們總以為在神如此奇妙和信實的安排下，所有被擄到巴比倫寄居的猶太人，一定歡欣、踴躍十分立刻作出回應。這七十年來，他們不是日夜盼望這日子的臨到嗎？他們不是甚掛念耶路撒冷嗎？就像這詩篇所透露的心境：「我們怎能在外邦唱耶和華的歌呢？耶路撒冷啊，我若忘記你，情願我的右手忘記技巧！」(4-5) 。現在，神奇妙的感動了這外邦君王的心，不但容許他們歸去，更願相助。但結果，只有三、四萬的猶太人作出回應，願意回到耶路撒冷。一般解經家都認為，這是被擄的猶太人中極小的一部份！
但是如果你是一位移民，或已是移居外地的第三、四代的話，你或許會明白這些被擄的人所面對的掙扎。經過被擄七十年，如果你是第一代的移民，你已經年紀老邁；如果你是生在巴比倫的，又是一家之主，大概你會是中年人。換句話說，你已落地生根，有自己的事業，甚至產業。正如我在引言中提到，考古學的發掘證明了人類的第一間銀行是這批留下在巴比倫的Murashu家族所創辦的。此時此際動身回到那極其貧瘠的耶路撒冷，談何容易。放棄一切，重新開始？巴比倫已是「家」了！何況，當日的路途是滿有危險的。回到耶路撒冷，更要面對鄰近外邦人的激烈反對。這樣回去的人一定是沒有想清想楚的。
對，結果回去的只有極少數人，但他們不是沒有想清楚，乃是他們屬於「一切被神激動他心的人」(1:5)
- 他們不是沒有與家人商量；
- 他們不是沒有想清楚利弊；
- 他們不是沒有看清楚現實—所要付出的代價、面對的危險和艱巨的挑戰。
但至終，是神的感動，神的呼召—神放在內心，那總不離開的重擔。加上：
- 那服侍神的火熱；
- 那愛慕神殿的心；
- 那愛弟兄姊妹的情；
- 和屬神子民的傲骨！
這些合起來，驅使這小群人踏出他們的安全地帶，作出改變生命的抉擇！換句話說，他們成為有使命感的一群！不知你又如何呢？
(1) The returnees spent the first six months of their return in settling in their towns. What might they be doing to “settle in”? Did you have a similar experience in your life?
(2) But once settled, what did they come together to do?
(3) How important was the building of an altar to God? What did this altar enable them to do according to vv. 2-6?
(4) As we understand from the rest of the book of Ezra, the fear of their neighbors was real. How did the offering of morning and evening sacrifices help them in the midst of their fear?
(5) What might be more important: The laying of the foundation of the temple or the building of an altar? Why?
(6) What can we learn from these returnees in this respect?
(7) Perhaps the first six months of settling in was also important for the re-establishment of a local (provincial) government and for its smooth operation too. Once that was achieved, the people now turned their full attention to the rebuilding of the temple—the original intent of the decree by king Cyrus: Do you think without the king’s decree, the people of Sidon and Tyre would send them cedar for the building of the temple? Why or why not?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 這些回歸的人，似乎是用了六個月的時間來安頓在自己的城鎮中：你可以想像到這安頓的過程可包括了什麼？你有同樣遷移、安頓的經歷嗎？
(2) 一經安頓後，他們齊集要作什麼？
(3) 現在來建造耶和華神的壇的重要性是什麼？按3:2-6，這壇的建造使他們能作什麼？
(4) 從這書以後的章節，我們知道他們對鄰居的懼怕是真實的：早晚的獻祭對他們的懼怕有什麼幫助？
(5) 你認為建壇，還是立殿的根基更重要？為什麼？
(6) 從建壇這事情上，他們給我們立下什麼榜樣？
(7) 首六個月的安頓，對重新建立當地的政府也是需要的。這一切的安頓做妥後，他們就全力的集中在重建聖殿的工作上—這正是古列下旨的主因：你認為沒有這聖旨，推羅人與西頓人會與他們交易、協助建殿嗎？
(8) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“The list of the men of the people of Israel: the descendants…” (Ezr. 2:2-3)
Chapter two of Ezra gives us a detailed list of the people by descent who had returned to Jerusalem. It is understandable that most of them were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin because those who were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar were of the two tribes, plus the Levites. The reason for the supply of such a detailed list has been a debate among scholars for a long, long time, and some of the arguments given include the giving of legitimacy to the new resident in contrast to the Samaritans; the restoration of land rights and the compilation for tax purposes.
I believe all these suggestions are valid, because an official list for all of the above reasons was needed for such practical purposes, but for Ezra to include it in his book carries its spiritual significance, as would all material in the books in the Canon do. Perhaps its spiritual significance lies not necessarily in its details but in the sum total of the list in that it reflects only a small minority of God’s people who had made themselves available to accomplish the extremely important but difficult task of the rebuilding of God’s temple and the city of Jerusalem. The recording of the Levites, the priests, the temple singers and the temple servants, though small in number, highlights what is the most important in the life of the nation—the worship of Yahweh without which they cease to be a people of God.
I find this to be an important message for us today as well, as many of us focus on the various ministries and activities of the church and hold them to be of utmost importance. In fact, many church-hoppers shop around for the church that offers ministries and activities that most meet their needs and that of their families, forgetting that it is not the size of the church or the vibrancy of the activities and ministries that are the most important to the life of the church. It is its worship without which it ceases to be a church.
「以色列人民的數目記在下面…」 (拉2:3)
以斯拉記第二章詳細列出各回歸家族的人數，大部份是屬於猶大和便雅憫族，這是可以理解的。因為尼布甲尼撒所攻陷的是南國，所擄去的自然主要是猶大和便雅憫人，加上居在其中的利未人。至於為何要這樣詳列，則眾說紛紜。有說是要把他們清楚的與那些鄰近的撒瑪利亞人分別出來；有說是因地權的分配；也有說是為徵稅之故。
我相信這名單確有助於以上所提出的非常實際的功用。但我相信，以斯拉把這名單也列在書中，卻是有屬靈方面的意思。或許，這屬靈的意思不一定是在細節的當中，而是在整體方面：一方面，告訴我們只有少數的人願意動身回歸，卻仍能完成這艱巨的使命；另一方面，這名單詳列了不少祭司、利未人、歌唱的和殿役的人數；其總數雖少，卻佔一半以上的篇幅。這正顯示了屬神的群體的最重要的生命，是敬拜的生命—沒有敬拜的生命，他們就不是屬神的群體！
我覺得這是對我們今日信徒重要的提醒。我們常常把教會的生活聚焦在各種的事工和活動上。不少人到處尋找所謂合適的教會！他們都把重點放在教會的事工和活動上，看看能否迎合自己和家人的需要。往往忽略了，教會基本的生活，乃在乎敬拜神—沒有真正的敬拜，教會就不成教會了！
(1) Why did they only assign Levites to the supervision of the building of the temple while the masons and carpenters might not even be Israelites (See Ezr. 3:7 and 1 Chr. 22:2; 2 Chr. 2:7)? What might be the principle behind it?
(2) We all understand how important the laying of the foundation to a building is:
a. In this case, what do you think is the real foundation to the laying of this temple?
b. The temple of God in the New Testament is the body of Christ: What is its foundation according to Ephesians 2:20?
c. What insight does Ephesians 2:20 shed on your answer to a. above?
(3) Ezra spells out the exact words from the Psalms that they sang in this foundation-laying ceremony:
a. What are the words being sung?
b. How meaningful are they to this particular occasion?
(4) Why did some of the older priests and Levites weep? Would you do the same, under the circumstances?
(5) It must have been quite an emotional scene, with shouts of joy mixed with the sound of weeping:
a. Have you ever had a similar experience before?
b. Upon the return of the Lord, do you think that apart from shouts of praise and joy, there would be weeping as well? Why or why not?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 照估計，像先前建殿一樣，工匠可以不用以色列人(見代上22:2；代下2:7；拉3:7) 。為何監管一定是利未人？個中原則是什麼？
(2) 當然立殿的根基是非常重要的：
a. 你認為他們聖殿的真正根基是什麼？
b. 基督的身體是新約的聖殿：按以弗所書2:20，什麼是這殿的根基？
c. 以弗所書這句話可以怎樣應用在舊約的聖殿？
(3) 以斯拉把他們用詩篇來歌唱的字記下，與所羅門建殿時一樣：
a. 你可在那幾篇詩篇中找到這讚美詩？
b. 在這次立根基時唱出，有什麼特別之處？
(4) 為何有些人卻哭起來？
(5) 哭、笑聲交集起來，場面甚是感人：
a. 你有他們類似的感受/經驗嗎？
b. 你以為主再來時，會有類似的情景嗎？為什麼？
(6) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自 己的生命中？
“Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.” (Ezr. 3:3)
It is understandable that upon the return to Jerusalem, the people of God spent the first six months to settle down in their towns: The allotting of their land would have taken some time. The renovation of their dilapidated houses, the replanting of their vineyards, the digging of wells, etc. would have taken a least six months, not to mention the need to re-establish a functioning local government. It should be quite surprising that it only took them six months and they immediately turned their attention to the rebuilding of the temple.
To a certain extent, it affirms that they were really men and women with a mission—they had come back with a clear vision of rebuilding the house of the Lord as their hearts were moved by the Lord.
However, it is worth-noting that they did not begin the rebuilding work with the laying of the foundation of the temple, but with the erection of an altar. In other words:
- They understood that such a work of rebuilding could not be accomplished by themselves; they expressed their total dependency on the Lord by erecting the altar of sacrifices first.
- They also realized that they had sinned against the Lord, and as much as they might have confessed their sins (the ones which had led to the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple and the nation), it was the first time in the last 70+ years that they were able to offer any atoning sacrifices in Jerusalem—a sign of corporate and individual repentance and reconciliation to the Lord.
- They also knew that the rebuilding of the temple was a spiritual battle and out of fear of their neighbors, they needed to find strength in the Lord and to depend on Him.
I find that most Christians also understand these important principles when it comes to the rebuilding of the work of the Lord and especially of His church, but our prayer meetings are mostly very low in attendance. They are rarely marked by a sense of genuine and contrite repentance with fervent expressions of utter dependency on the Lord, which should be the mark of a spiritual battle.
「他們在原有的根基上築壇，因懼怕鄰國的民，又在其上向耶和華早晚獻燔祭。」 (拉3:3)
這些被擄歸回的百姓，先用頭六個月來安頓下來是可以理解：先要查明族譜來公允的分配土地；也要用不少時間重建或修葺家園，重建葡萄園等。還要掘井、重組當地的政府等等。其實六個月是很短的時間。在他們似乎稍為安頓後，就立刻開始重建聖殿的工程。這是難得的，也可以看到他們真是有使命感的一群；真是心被神的靈所激動的一群！
在建殿，甚至立根基之先，他們先建祭壇，這就更難能可貴了：
- 這表明他們知道這艱巨的事工是他們自己所承擔不來的，要完全仰賴神；
- 這也表明他們知道自己是得罪了神。雖然他們已從心裡承認他們的叛逆帶來亡國的審判，但作為一個整體，這是他們七十年來首次能向神獻上贖罪祭—為全體贖罪，與神和好；
- 他們也曉得重建聖殿是一場屬靈的爭戰。出於對鄰居的懼怕，他們需要倚靠神，從神那裡支取力量。
這正是我們要學習的。雖然我們知道禱告的重要，但一般教會的祈禱會是少人參加的。就是有多人出席，卻看不到真切的痛悔，或感受不到屬靈爭戰的熱切。
(1) Do you think the enemies of Judah and Benjamin were sincere in their offer to help rebuild the temple of the Lord? Why or why not?
(2) What was the basis of their offer? (see 2 Ki. 17:24-29)
(3) What was the reply of the leaders of the Jews and what reason did they give? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?
(4) These enemies set out to discourage the Jews:
a. What tactic did they use?
b. What might they have done to the point that the people were “afraid to go on building” the temple?
(5) The words “to discourage” literally mean “weakening the hands” of the people of Judah (Fensham):
a. In your experience in serving or following the Lord, what might be the reasons that could weaken your hands or discourage your heart?
b. What might be the most destructive?
c. How can we best counteract such a weakening of hands or discouragement of hearts?
(6) The opposition began presumably from shortly after the laying of the foundation all the way to the reign of Darius. Look up the years mentioned in the “preface” of this week’s devotional guide, and see how long a period it was.
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 你認為猶大和便雅憫的鄰居想協助他們建殿是善意的嗎？為什麼？
(2) 他們的出發點或原委是什麼？(參王下17:24-29)
(3) 眾領袖的回答是什麼？他們舉出的原因又是什麼？
(4) 這些敵人可能用什麼方法來叫猶太人的「手發輭」？
(5) 「手發輭」是什麼意思？
a. 你可曾在事奉上「手發輭」？是什麼原因引至的呢？
b. 使我們在事奉上「手發輭」的多個可能原因中，那一樣是最致命的？
c. 在這樣情況下，什麼能使我們的手剛強過來？
(6) 反對的勢力，似乎是自立根基不久，延續到大利烏王登基時。請翻到這星期指引的「引言」，看看這段時間有多久？
(7) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“You have no part with us in building a temple to our God.” (Ezr. 4:3)
As the people of God began the rebuilding of the temple, they had received what appeared to be a friendly offer by their neighbors to help build the temple. This was what they said to the Israelites:
“Let us help you build because like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” (Ezr. 4:2)
Now, if they were sincere and they were really worshippers of Yahweh, I would find it hard to sympathize with the Israelites, and would even consider their rejection of the help of their neighbors arrogant and discriminatory. However the Bible calls these neighbors, “the enemies of Judah”, not without reasons.
It is what 2 Kings 17:24-29 tells about their so-called seeking the God of Israel:
“The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon…and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so He sent lions among them and they killed some of the people…Then the king of Assyria…(sent) one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord. Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places.”
In other words, they were not true worshippers of the Lord. The acceptance of their help would only make the house of God unclean, and worse, would eventually seduce the Israelites to follow their gods—a sin that these post-exilic Jews appeared to have utterly repented from.
The Apostle Paul is indeed right when he warns us, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Co. 6:14). It is particularly true when it comes to serving in the house of the Lord.
「我們建造神的殿與你們無干，我們自己為耶和華─以色列的神協力建造，是照波斯王古列所吩咐的。」 (拉4:3)
以色列人在重建聖殿時，很意外地竟有鄰近的外邦人似乎很有心的對他們說：「請容我們與你們一同建造；因為我們尋求你們的神，與你們一樣。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們上這地以來，我們常祭祀神。」(4:2)
如果他們真的是敬拜耶和華的話，我就很難接受以色列人對他們的拒絕，甚至會覺得他們狂傲、無理、無情。但聖經明顯的告訴我們，他們是猶大和便雅憫的「敵人」(4:1) 。而且，聖經早已告訴我們，他們所謂的敬拜耶和華是什麼的一回事：
「亞述王從巴比倫、古他、亞瓦、哈馬，和西法瓦音遷移人來，安置在撒瑪利亞的城邑，代替以色列人；他們就得了撒瑪利亞，住在其中。他們才住那裡的時候，不敬畏耶和華，所以耶和華叫獅子進入他們中間，咬死了些人……亞述王就吩咐說：叫所擄來的祭司回去，住在那地，將那地之神的規矩指教那些民。於是有一個從撒瑪利亞擄去的祭司回來，住在伯特利，指教他們怎樣敬畏耶和華。然而，各族之人在所住的城裡各為自己製造神像，安置在撒瑪利亞人所造有邱壇的殿中。」(王下17:24-29)
換句話說，他們豈是真正的敬拜耶和華呢！容許他們協助建聖殿，不但會使聖殿成為不潔，更會引至以色列人跟隨他們敬拜偶像—這是以色列人聖殿被毀之後學到了不能再犯的罪！
使徒保羅說得對：「你們和不信原不相配，不能同負一軛」(林後6:14) 。特別在事奉神的事上，這原則更是重要的。
It is important to distinguish the two events—the building of the temple of Jerusalem and the building of the city of Jerusalem. Ezra somehow inserted the event of 4:6-23 parenthetically regarding the stalling of the building of the city in the beginning of the reign of Xerxes (486 B.C.) perhaps to give just an example of the kind of political maneuver used by the enemies of God’s people, and in this case, the beginning of their maneuver in 486 B.C. which eventually consummated into a formal complaint after 465 B.C. That’s how persistent the opposition was. (Note also that 4:8–6:18 is all written in Aramaic, not Hebrew):
(1) The chief writer of the complaint was Rehum, the commanding officer of the Trans-Euphrates which means the region west of the Euphrates including Palestine:
a. Who were the people he included as co-writers of the letter?
b. What do you think happened that the enemies of the Jews could, after some 15 years, come up with such powerful allies to go against the people of God?
c. Can you think of some parallels today of political maneuvers that target the church of the Lord?
(2) The letter described the people of God as rebellious and wicked:
a. Was there any truth to this accusation?
b. What do the opponents of Christians accuse us of these days?
(3) What kinds of potential threat or harm would the restoration of the walls of the city pose to the Persian Empire?
(4) What kinds of threat or harm against the society do the opponents of Christian allege against us today?
(5) In the king’s reply, what did the historical record prove? In what aspects was it correct? In what aspects was it incorrect?
(6) Ultimately, what might be the real reason of the king’s edict?
(7) In the attacks against Christians these days, we are often painted as bigots and are accused of being intolerant, taking away people’s right to choose, and imposing our moral values on the society. How should we answer to these accusations?
(8) What did the enemies do immediately based on the king’s edict?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
在研讀以斯拉記和尼希米記時，最好把重建聖殿，和重建耶路撒冷分別清楚。以斯拉在4:6-23記述在亞達薛西王執政開始時(即主前486年) 建城工作停頓的事件，用來作例，告訴我們他們當時在敵人手中所經歷的政治壓力和攔阻。以此事為例，由主前486年延續至465年，有差不多20年之久。(註：由4:8 – 6:18是以亞蘭文記述的) ：
(1) 本段的記載相信是大河(即幼發拉底河) 西的省長利宏和書記寫的：
a. 他的同黨包括了什麼人？
b. 經過這十多二十年的擾亂，你認為猶太人的仇敵為何能成功的使這些有勢力的人公然支持他們呢？
c. 你可以想到今天類似敵擋神教會的勢力和他們的手段嗎？
(2) 信上控訴耶路撒冷是「反叛惡劣」的城：
a. 這指控是否屬實？
b. 今天反對基督徒的人怎樣指控我們呢？
(3) 照他們所言，這城的重建會為波斯帶來什麼危害？
(4) 反對基督徒的人認為我們對社會可能做成什麼危害？
(5) 王的查考的結果是什麼？這結果是真確的嗎？為什麼？
(6) 其實，王的命令真正的原委可能包括什麼？
(7) 今日基督徒常被看為固執、不容納異己、剝奪人權和強加己見於社會：我們可以怎樣回應這些指控？
(8) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.” (Ezr. 4:5)
The story of the opposition to the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra 4 by the gentile neighbors has such a contemporary ring to it that I cannot help but relate it to what is happening to Christians in North America.
These Gentile neighbors were so afraid of the Jews who returned from exile that they “set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building [the temple]” (Ezr. 4:4). While Ezra did not explain what they did to make the people of Judah afraid, it was obvious that the least they had done was to use some kind of harassment tactic to intimidate them. And when it did not work, they took legal actions against them. But their legal allegations were very distorted.
- First they blurred the actual issue: They understood very well that the main goal of the people of Israel was to rebuild the temple for God—a purely religious goal, not harmful or relevant to anyone outside of the Jewish community. However, they turned it into a political and economic issue, meaning they resorted to playing politics.
- In playing politics they used lobbying: the counselors they hired were government officials and as Ezra said, they used bribes to have them get behind them.
- They also used the potential loss of revenue as their trump card.
- They made the accusation that Israel would be strong enough to rebel and take over the entire Trans-Euphrates, something that not even David and Solomon could do in their prime.
- Finally, backed by the royal decree, they immediately used force and violence to achieve their end (4:23).
Whether it is the issue of abortion or gay marriage, we have seen similar tactics being used against Christians who openly disagree with the pro-choice and pro-gay movements. Harassments and legal actions have already been taken seeking to silence of the voice of Christians. The branding of Christians who oppose same-sex marriage as bigots is not news any more.
The continued tactic to discourage the granting of new licenses to churches in many North American cities has much to do with the potential loss of tax revenue by the cities.
The tragedy is that all the opposition is taken against us who genuinely love them and desire nothing but the well-being of their body, soul and spirit; and ultimately, they are not persecuting us, but as the Lord reminds Saul on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4).
「波斯王古列年間，直到波斯王大利烏登基的時候，賄買謀士，要敗壞他們的謀算。」(拉4:5)
以色列人重建聖殿遭到鄰近的外邦人反對的過程，叫人很自然的聯想到今日在北美的基督徒所遭到的處境。
以色列人的鄰居因不喜歡他們被擄歸回，甚至重建聖殿和城市，故此擾亂他們，「使他們手發輭」(4:4) 。「手發輭」，像NIV所譯，是氣餒、懼怕的意思。以斯拉沒有告訴我，敵人用的是什麼手段，相信一定有暴力的恐嚇，不然，以色列人不會懼怕。但似乎連這些手段也不能叫他們停工，於是敵人就採取最後一著—以法律途徑來解決。但是他們上奏朝廷的指控是不盡不實的：
- 首先他們把真相混淆：他們知道以色列人回歸主要是要重建聖殿—純粹是宗教的舉動，只與以色列人有關。他們卻把事情說成治安的威脅；
- 接著他們用行賄來收買謀士和政要的支持；
- 他們誇大對國家經濟可能帶來的損失；
- 他們同時誇大以色列人政治的影響力，說「河西之地王就無分了」；這其實連大衛和所羅門最興盛時也達不到的境界；
- 最後在王命一下之後，他們就急忙用武力強迫以色列人停工。(4:23)
今天，不論在墮胎或同性婚姻的事上，反對聖經立場的世人，也多用相似的手法：為要叫基督徒反對的聲音止息，法律和非法律的途徑都有採用。基督徒常被他們稱為固執、不容忍別人的仇恨者。
至於一些市政府不願批准教會置地的原因，往往是與稅收的損失有關。
可悲的是，他們反對和針對我們這些真正關心他們的人，是對社會有真正貢獻的人，是全為他們靈、魂、體的好處著想的人。不過，他們至終不是反對我們，乃是反對那位對掃羅說：「掃羅、掃羅、你為甚麼逼迫我」的主耶穌！(徒9:4)
(1) Take a look at Haggai 1:1-6.
a. What kind of a spiritual condition was being painted by Haggai?
b. Can you blame the Israelites? Why or why not?
c. Is there a parallel to Christians, including yourself, today?
(2) What impact did the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah have on the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem according to Ezra 5:2?
(3) What kind of risk were they taking in obeying the words of the Lord?
(4) Was the opposition by the governor and the rulers of their region unexpected? How did they deal with it?
(5) Read the contents of the letter sent by the governor and his associates to Darius:
a. Was the letter about the rebuilding of the city or the temple?
b. What did the reply of the Jews, given in vv. 11-12, show?
c. How different was this letter from the one we read in chapter 4?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 請翻閱哈該書1:1-6
a. 哈該為這時期的猶太人的屬靈境況下了什麼判語？
b. 你能否同樣的怪責他們呢？為什麼？
c. 今天信徒的光景有類似之處嗎？
(2) 按以斯拉記5:2，哈該與撒迦利亞的勸勉有否發生果效？
(3) 他們這樣聽從，是冒上什麼危險、付上什麼代價？
(4) 他們現在再次遭到反對，是否早已料到的？他們怎樣處理這反對？
(5) 請細閱總督等所呈遞的信的內容：
a. 這信是與建城，還是與建殿有關？
b. 他們覆述猶太人的回答是什麼？(5:11-12)
c. 這信與第四章的信有什麼主要分別？
(6) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.” (Ezr. 5:1)
In our reading of the books of the Prophets or even in studying the Old Testament history, we tend to focus on certain individuals who were most instrumental in the accomplishing of the plan of God for their respective eras. In the time of Exodus, we tend to focus on Moses; in the time of the occupation of the Promised Land, we zero in on Joshua; in the glorious days of the United Kingdom, we would study with delight the life of David; and during the Divided Kingdom eras, we focus on individual great prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. We seldom relate the influence of one ministry on another. Not so with the time of the rebuilding of the temple of God in the post-exilic era. The names of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah, were mentioned as serving at the same period of time, painting a wonderful picture of joint ministry that God uses to minister to His people. What a beautiful picture.
We understand that the traditional view is that Ezra returned from Babylon in 458 B.C. during the time of king Artaxerxes as a well-versed teacher of the Law of Moses; Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in 445 B.C. with royal support to rebuild the wall of the city and to restore the cultic activities which had fallen into disuse, presumably after the departure of Ezra; but before the arrival of Ezra and Nehemiah, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were there to teach and warn the people to finish the work of rebuilding the temple.
So, God used successive prophets and teachers to ensure that the entire work of the rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem would be finished. It was not the lonely voice of any one prophet or servant of the Lord that contributed to the success of this important ministry.
However we
should not overlook the intercessory ministry of Daniel in this respect. Towards the end of his ministry, in the first
year of Darius (about 520/519 B.C.) when the work of rebuilding the temple was
still being stalled because of opposition, Daniel was reading the Book of
Jeremiah and saw the unfulfilled prophecy and interceded on behalf of God’s
people (Dan. 9). As we know, the work of
the rebuilding would resume in the 2nd year of Darius and was
completed in 516 B.C.
As God reminded Elijah that He had “reserved 7,000 in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal” (1 Ki. 19:18), we who might feel lonely and alone at times in the service of the Lord should always remember that God is not just using us alone to accomplish His work. There are those who are more visible, and there are those who are behind the scene on their knees, and together, they will bring about the completion of the plan of God.
「那時，先知哈該和易多的孫子撒迦利亞奉以色列神的名向猶大和耶路撒冷的猶大人說勸勉的話。」(拉5:1)
讀到舊約的人物，不論是先知或君王，我們很自然地把注意力集中在一個被神使用的主要人物身上。讀到出埃及的時期，摩西自然是主角；入迦南時，約書亞自然是那重心人物；君王時代最重要的自然是大衛；分國的時代，我們就逐個遇到各位大先知—如以賽亞、耶利米等。我們很少把他們數位連起來看。到了被擄歸回的年日，特別在聖殿和聖城重建的事上，以斯拉、尼希米、哈該和撒迦利亞，在聖經中是被相提並論的；他們在同一個時代，在不同的崗位上事奉神，至終完成神的計劃。確是一幅很美麗的圖片。
按猶太傳統的解釋，以斯拉是亞達薛西王時，即主前458年由巴比倫回耶路撒冷的；他是敏捷、通達的文士。尼希米則在主前445年得王的允許回耶城，重修城牆、重建敬拜的禮儀的。但在二人尚未出現耶路撒冷之前，早有哈該和撒迦利亞勸勉以色列人完成重建的工作。
神就是這樣，安排一個接一個的僕人，有先知，有文士，有政客，一同來把祂的工作達到完成的階段。
但是我們不要忽略了代禱的事奉。在這時代中，但以理由幕前退到幕後作極其重要代禱的工作。就在大利烏王第一年(即大概主前520/519年左右) ，當聖殿重建的工作停頓時，但以理因讀到耶利米預言，就為以色列人認罪代求(但9章)。照我們知道，聖殿的工程在大利烏王二年重新開始，到主前516年完成。
是的，正如神提醒以利亞，祂已為自己留下七千人是未曾向巴力屈膝的(王上19:18) 。所以每當我們事奉到灰心失望的地步，以為自己是在孤軍作戰時，不要忘記，神不是只有我們單獨的為祂作戰，祂尚有其他的戰士與我們同工的—有些是明顯的、有些是暗地裡的—但是一起會完成神所交托我們的使命。