Est, Ezr, Neh, Hag, Zech, & Mal

It was so cool that this week we got to have Jo van Bakel, the founder of DBS, as our speaker on the postexilic and intertestamental. We also have now finished the whole Old Testament! Sometimes I look at the Bible as if it’s just a bunch of answers on how to live life, but it’s cool to remember that it is also like a whole bedtime story and even a history book. The book of Ester consists of many plots, royal decrees & laws. It also consists of feasts, banquets & festivities. This book's main message is about God's providence (God’s intervention for His people, His divine care). This is a little like the story of Joseph. So many unbelievers would believe in coincidence and would explain it away but we can believe in God’s providence.

The Chronicles were written post-exilic for the post-exilic people. What should we look for in a book… author, original readers, historical background, reason written, when written, main idea, other features, type of literature, and structure. Ezra wrote the Chronicles and his book which shows interest in restoring the people, temple ministry, and the covenant (Nehemiah 9). When we look at audiences we can tell that Kings was for the people in captivity in Babylon. Chronicles was for the people who have returned and are rebuilding Jerusalem. There are quite a few differences between Kings and Chronicles when they seem very similar at first glance. Kings records Israel and Judah, written by Jeremiah, prophetic perspective, dominant political history, law broken, written before and during exile to the people in exile, stresses man’s failure, disobedience (curses & exile), explains why exile, negative (failures), Jehoiachin released. Chronicles only records Judah, written by Ezra, priestly perspective, dominant religious history, more about temple & worship, written after exile to the people back in their homeland, stresses God’s faithfulness, obedience (blessings & revival), explains how not to end up in exile again, positive (hope), nation released.

Why genealogies (1chr 1-9)? To remember, give them back their identity, point out that they are God’s special people, reconnect with family heritage, reassign peoples’ roles, and demonstrate that God keeps His covenant promise. The readers of Ezra are the descendants of people who have already returned from exile. The books, Haggai and Zechariah, are about rebuilding the temple after construction had been halted for 60 years. Haggai addresses lack of obedience and Zechariah addresses lack of faith. At one point in our history worship started to change and we were no longer singing old hymns but moved into contemporary worship. The next wave was in prayer when prayer started to get highlighted and prayer rooms were opened. Jo believes the part to bringing revival next will be the Bible bringing people back to the Word. The reason for studying the Word of the Lord is to teach others after.

(Hag 6:16-22) Compared with Solomon’s temple, Haggai’s temple is much smaller, made with cheaper materials, fewer people at the dedication, fewer animals sacrificed at the dedication, God’s Spirit didn’t come down, and no Ark of the Covenant was built. The Assyrians deported the Israelites and dispersed them (10 lost tribes). Babylonians deported the Jews but allowed them to live in communities maintaining culture and religion (diaspora). The deportations included the elites (Daniel) in 605 BC, the 100,000 (Ezekiel) in 597 BC, and most other survivors in 586 BC. The Persians allowed the Jews to return but only a remanent did. If what you live for is not worth dying for it is also not worth living for (Matthew 6:31-34). Revelation tells us that anything unshakable will stay but anything shakable will be removed. (Matthew 23:37-38) The application of these books is to have faith in God, guard your expectations, change your paradigm (pattern), and not go back to the old ways.

Symbolism stands for another meaning in addition to its ordinary meaning. Visions in apocalyptic literature are… representational. The key to understanding the symbolism is to seek what it represents and ponder what is read rather than visualizing it. Beginning with Zechariah, Babylon is meant to be taken symbolically through the rest of the Bible. Shinar refers to ancient Babylon and Neo-Babylon refers to new Babylon. The day of atonement is the day that Jesus died on the cross. (Nehemiah 1) Intercession is praying on behalf of, coming in between, proceeding from a broken heart, based on an appreciation of God’s character, without a self-righteous attitude, on behalf of God and man (never oneself, supplication is prayer for yourself but this is intercession), persistent prayer and fasting, based on God’s promises, and offers oneself as part of the solution.

Nehemiah’s 16 habits of effective leadership are purpose-driven (living for a mission), understanding people (white-collar, blue-collar all the same), adaptable to change, walking with integrity, serving, having confidence (people will try to attack this), celebrate, do their homework, wait for the right opportunity (don’t do things on your timing but God’s timing), recognize God’s providence, give up rights, know 'how' as well as 'when' to communicate (think before speaking), handle opposition well, say little but do a lot (don’t talk the talk but walk the walk), begin everything with prayer, and want to be remembered by God (not man). Persians (who tried to conquer the world through power) allowed the exiles to return and Zerebbubel to build the temple. The Greeks wanted Hellenization (wished to conquer the world intellectually).