THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 -Ezra 3:1-4:24 biblegateway/passage/?search=Ezr+3:1-4:24&version=ESV Ezra 3 How appropriate is it that the first festival celebrated by the “Israelites” is The Feast of Tabernacles? While many of the returning settlers are living in nothing better than tents, they recall not only the 70 years of exile before returning to Jerusalem but the 40 years of wandering before God finally gave them passage through the Jordan into their promised inheritance. As the foundation was laid there was a mixture of singing and weeping. Those who remembered the Temple’s former glory couldn’t help feeling grief over the realization of what had been lost through the nation’s sinful behavior. Ezra 4 The term “Jew” was first used in the last chapter of 2 Kings. The next reference comes in this chapter of Ezra. From here on, the expression is used increasingly. It was at the time of exile that the reference was made and may at first have been a sort of derogatory expression from Babylonians regarding their captives from Judah. Such was the case in Esther as evil Haman sought their extermination. Still, the people accepted the reference and it has stuck. In this chapter, the “Jews” were compelled to stop their construction because their history proved them to be a rebellious people. Perhaps the description is still apt in that same way today as the “Jews” are still rebelling against the Messiah, they claim to be waiting for. The “Jews” that believed have now embraced the name of Christ as Christians while at times retaining their national identity with the tribe of Judah.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000
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