WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.480 practical ways. 4 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:18.320 Well, good morning, good morning. We talked all night through 5 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.399 good morning, good morning to you and you and you. 6 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:26.039 So today we're kicking off a Brandon Thank you Chris 7 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:28.679 by the way, I forgot this. This makes my day. 8 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:30.519 You almost didn't acknowledge them. 9 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:33.200 Oh well I was. I was, thank you. I was 10 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:36.159 so excited, right, so excited. Our people are so excited. 11 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.640 But today we're kicking off a brand new book, the 12 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.320 Book of Ezra. Yes, and there's a little twist to 13 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:43.560 the Book of Ezra, and that is that a pagan 14 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:46.240 king does exactly what God says he's gonna do. 15 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.200 Yes, which means God's gonna use people regardless. 16 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:50.759 Yeah, so it's gonna be cool. We're gonna have fun 17 00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:53.359 with this one. And uh there's we're gonna kind of 18 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.320 twist and turn through several different books during this next yeah, 19 00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.439 couple days. Yeah, it's gonna be fun. 20 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:00.719 Wait to get it started. 21 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:04.959 Just for fun, Desiree has put together a segment that 22 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.799 I always feel pressure on. Uh, it's a movie buff quiz. 23 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:10.840 Let's see if Chris can guess the movie based on 24 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:11.840 three word clues. 25 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:14.680 Oh yeah, so this is a good one right here. 26 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.079 Yeah, And I always get nervous, not that I care 27 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:18.120 about movies. 28 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:19.519 I think you're going to get these. 29 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.319 Yeah, you're gonna be like Bible trivia. 30 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.959 I'd beat more nervous. It's it's it's the thing you 31 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:25.840 spend the most time on, and so you don't want 32 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:26.319 to sail it. 33 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:32.000 Stuff. Hey, by the way, I do the same thing. 34 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.359 Did I ever tell you the story of I get 35 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:36.879 a good friend named Mike, and he knows every stat 36 00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:40.680 of every football card, every rookie football card, and he's like, 37 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:42.599 he's like, nim player, name a player, and I name 38 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:44.040 it and he tells me all the stats on the 39 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:45.400 rookie card and I go, dude, I go. 40 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:48.519 Study a Bible verse. What's wrong with you? 41 00:01:48.599 --> 00:01:48.799 Right? 42 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:50.680 It's what you're saying now. 43 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:54.079 It's funny how how different things stick in your head. 44 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:55.159 Yes, it is right. 45 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:58.280 You can put in way more hour. You spend way 46 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:02.599 more hours per week engaging in ministry and serving people writing. 47 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:06.879 But something everything stick in your head, especially hobby kind 48 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:09.240 of things, for whatever reason. You just have a knack 49 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.120 for the reason why they become your hobbies. Is because 50 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.039 you discover you have a knack for things. Yes, right, 51 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:17.919 and that's what happens. So anyways, no judgment. It just tickles. 52 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.039 It just tickles me. That's okay. Here we go three 53 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:25.199 words and you have to choose. The pressure's on, and 54 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:28.159 I don't see any commonality between these five. 55 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:29.479 Okay, so just random movies. 56 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:32.560 Ready, here we go, women, women. 57 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.080 Car, women in car. Holy could be anything. 58 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:41.680 Cliff Louis. There you go. So it took all three 59 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:42.280 to get you there? 60 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:49.280 Okay, Time time okay, loop time, loop looper? 61 00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:52.719 Uh, back to the future. 62 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:57.439 Day day, oh, ground on day, yes, Monday, over and over. 63 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:02.400 It can also be that modern take on it with 64 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:08.719 a what's his name? Oh, come on, what's his name? 65 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:12.120 He played in Wedding Crushers. I don't know, Vince Vaughan 66 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:14.520 he was. He was in like a serial killer. It 67 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:16.879 was the same Groundhog Day kind of thing. I forget 68 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:18.879 the name of it, but that was it was a 69 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:19.599 crazy movie. 70 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:24.560 Here we go, ready, yep, physician, physician, animals. 71 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:29.439 Animals talk? Oh uh, Dady Murphy. 72 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:33.879 Doctor do that? Yes, our fans were screaming that when 73 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:34.560 you know that? Right? 74 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:36.520 I took on Chris, I took too long. 75 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:37.039 Here we go. 76 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:39.599 But you know what, I didn't love that movie, but 77 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:42.240 it was cute, you know. So it's hard to remember 78 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:43.479 the names if you. 79 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:44.000 Don't love him. 80 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:48.319 Okay, ready, Austria, Austria. 81 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:54.039 That's that's arm Swortslinger Nunnery. Oh come on, sound of music. 82 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:57.879 There you go, thank governess. Yep. When Bonnie and I 83 00:03:57.919 --> 00:03:59.719 were in Austria last year, we went to several of 84 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:01.439 the the places where they shot. 85 00:04:02.199 --> 00:04:05.000 Oh really, yeah, I get I said. 86 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:08.240 I can't believe, I said, Arnold Schwartzsaker because in all 87 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:11.080 his movies he's not from Ostria. 88 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:13.800 Right right, right right, he is from Austria. Yep. Yeah, 89 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:14.560 here we go. Ready. 90 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:23.639 Sharks, Oh, sharks, shark shark tail, jets, jets, dancing, dancing. 91 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.319 Oh yeah, people screaming this it's in dancing. 92 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.519 Dude, This is in your wheelhouse on so many levels, 93 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:36.680 so many levels. I have no. I don't want to 94 00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:39.360 waste all the kinds of theaters you go to. 95 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:41.959 So it's a it's a musical. 96 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:45.959 Uh, sharks and jets and dancing. 97 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.680 I don't know, I don't I don't know this story. 98 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:52.000 I've never seen it. What I've never seen it. 99 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:55.319 What I know you've seen, Harris Brain. You've never seen 100 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:59.040 West Side Story. No, oh my goodness, I've never seen it. 101 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:01.000 I think I think we take I think we should 102 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:02.439 take a theater card away from you. Now. 103 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.079 I do know that it was made in the sixties 104 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.199 and then Steven Spielberg just remade it, like with the 105 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.439 with the snow white chick. What's your name? I don't know, 106 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:15.240 Rachel Rachel. I can't believe I said chick. Sorry, you're 107 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.040 gonna get I know, I know. 108 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:20.079 But you know what I mean. I know, I know, 109 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:20.720 I know. 110 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:24.399 But the snow white girl, Rachel whatever her name is, 111 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.360 she just did the remake Steven Spielberg in like four 112 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:29.000 or five years. 113 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.720 So the Sharks and the Jets are the two different 114 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:34.600 gangs that are facing against each other in West Side Story, 115 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:36.600 and they have you. They have a dance off. 116 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:39.920 If you had said the Greasers and the Soshas got outsiders. 117 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:41.120 So I knew this one. 118 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:43.240 Yeah, I've never seen what said. 119 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:48.720 Story sophisticated to be honest with yousication, So I know, Bernstein, 120 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:50.399 I don't know. You know the reason why I never 121 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:54.600 saw it, because because you're uncultured, people have told. 122 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:55.079 Me it's terrible. 123 00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:58.560 Oh okay, is it bad? Well it's only one of 124 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.839 the most famous Broadway shows ever, but yeah, but did 125 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:05.720 you like it? It's interesting. I'm not into big dance offs, 126 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.519 but it's huh, it's good musically, okay, all right? Yeah, 127 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:12.839 so all right, Well there you go, Chris. You were 128 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.560 four for five yes, and you lingered on three. So 129 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:20.519 number three, yeah, and number three one of them on 130 00:06:20.519 --> 00:06:24.199 one of them number three? Yes, yes, people, I people were. 131 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:27.839 Screaming apologize for not knowing West Side Story. 132 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:29.800 I feel guilty. I'm gonna go home and watch it. 133 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.600 There's no doubt. Okay, and sorry I said the word check. 134 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:34.720 Yeah. I don't know that you're gonna love it, but. 135 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:37.720 Well yeah I was. That's why I avoided it, because 136 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.399 I was told it wasn't you might like it. 137 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:43.240 I think probably live would be better than the movie. 138 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:45.519 Yeah, it's gonna feel like a burden. I'm gonna I'm 139 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:46.560 gonna I'm gonna burden myself. 140 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:47.879 I don't want to spend two hundred bucks to go 141 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:48.439 watch it live. 142 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:51.560 Oh, I could probably get on a streaming service. 143 00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:53.160 Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It's going to be better 144 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:54.720 live than on a screen. 145 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:55.920 Is it still in Broadway? 146 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:57.839 It's all time, it's being done? 147 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.600 No way, Sure, No, it's not sure. 148 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:03.120 I'm sure it is somewhere. I bet there's a touring 149 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:05.319 version of West Side Story somewhere. 150 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:06.600 That is hard to believe. 151 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:07.759 I'll bet you. 152 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:08.360 Yeah. 153 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:11.120 Okay, So here's what we have. We have. Do you 154 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:12.399 remember the King Cyrus? 155 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:14.959 I do. He's the one that came after Darius. 156 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:19.839 And Daniel served him. Yes, right, so this is amazing. 157 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:25.439 This is maybe one of the most amazing things. Uh. 158 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:27.079 Well, we didn't do a transition. 159 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:29.199 We don't want to talk about it. We didn't do 160 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:32.279 a Terrible Trains terrible transition. Do you have one? 161 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:33.319 Yes? 162 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:38.319 So I almost got everything right on that game, and 163 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:40.720 you know who almost get everything right as well? 164 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:47.439 Daniel. We're not even talking about we're not talking about 165 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:48.680 Daniel Ezra. 166 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:51.680 Yeah. Oh, by the way, we should clear something up. 167 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:53.160 I think yesterday we said. 168 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.439 Oh, yeah, that Daniel only had nine chapters. Yeah, but 169 00:07:56.639 --> 00:07:58.120 what I should have said was. 170 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:00.160 Nine chapters is where we're gonna stop reading. That's where 171 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:02.439 we were because it was actually twelve chapters in Daniel. 172 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.319 So, but we were not going to read the other 173 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:05.959 three chapters. 174 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:07.639 So just had to make sure to clarify that for 175 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.519 all of our Bible scholars, yes, who were at home saying. 176 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:14.560 Here, so we were done. We were done with Daniel yesterday. 177 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:18.000 There's a few more chapters. They're prophetic, they're very interesting. 178 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.360 We're not saying it's not important, it's just not in 179 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:21.399 the scope of what this. 180 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:23.879 Yeah, because we're doing we're doing highlights. We're not going 181 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:24.560 verse by verse. 182 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:30.439 Right, So if you during this same time then five thirties, 183 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.240 you've got a couple of other key people in the Bible, 184 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:38.960 and then you get into like the four seventy five 185 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.360 somewhere in there. So what you have is you have 186 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:46.919 Ezra is during this time, Nehemiah is during this time, 187 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:51.320 Esther is during this time. There's some really amazing stories 188 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:56.559 that are happening among the exiled people of Israel, God's people. Right, 189 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:58.960 And so we'll read, we'll flip back and forth. There's 190 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:01.120 a couple of the prophets that are talking during this time. 191 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:04.399 And chronologically it also coincides with second chronicles. 192 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:09.360 Yes, so here's what it says. Ezra Chapter one says, 193 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.919 in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the 194 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:15.559 Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He 195 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:18.159 stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in 196 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:22.080 writing and send it throughout his kingdom. Remember Daniel had 197 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:24.639 been reading Jeremiah and remember that God it says seventy years. 198 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:26.799 Yes, and you know you're reading Seton Chronicles right now right? 199 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.600 Nope, I'm reading Ezra chapter one, verse eleven right next 200 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:30.080 to it. See it. 201 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:34.320 Wait? Wait, did you know that these are the same words? 202 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:35.399 Isn't that great? 203 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:36.480 In certain chronicles? 204 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:37.080 Yeah? 205 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:39.559 So you read the first verse and it's word for 206 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:43.159 word the same exact wording in Seton Chronicles thirty six, 207 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:44.480 verse twenty two. 208 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:46.519 They didn't have copyright loss back then. 209 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:49.639 No, I know, but that was That's crazy. I didn't 210 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.480 know that that was the case. That's really cool. 211 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.320 So here's the proclamation. Cyrus writes. This is what King 212 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:59.080 Cyrus of Persia says. The Lord, the God of Heaven 213 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:01.799 has given me all all the kingdoms of earth. He 214 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:04.960 has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem, 215 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:08.000 which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people, 216 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:10.679 may go to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild this temple 217 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:13.279 of the Lord, the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem, 218 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:15.960 And may your God be with you wherever this Jewish 219 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:19.480 remnant is found. Let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses 220 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:22.360 by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey 221 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.840 and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the 222 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.360 Temple of God in Jerusalem. Then God stirred the hearts 223 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.360 of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the 224 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:33.000 tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to 225 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:36.279 rebuild the temple of the Lord. And all their neighbors 226 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:38.639 assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, and 227 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:41.440 supplies for the journey in livestock. They give them many 228 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.720 valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings. King 229 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:48.039 Cyrus himself brought out the articles that King Nebukenezer had 230 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:50.720 taken from the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem and had placed 231 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.200 them in the temple of his own gods. Cyrus directed 232 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:59.519 Mithridath sure okay Job, the treasurer of Persia, to count 233 00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:03.279 these items to present them to Shesh Bazaar, the leader 234 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:06.039 of the exiles returning to Judah. And this is a 235 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:09.759 list of the items that returned. Gold basins, thirty silver basins, 236 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:15.279 a thousand silver incense burners, twenty nine gold bowls, thirty 237 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.360 silver bowls, four hundred and ten other items A thousand 238 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:20.679 and all, there were fifty four hundred articles of gold 239 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:23.679 and silver, and Sheesh Bazaar brought all of these along 240 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:26.919 with the exiles when the exiles went from Babylon back 241 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:30.919 to Jerusalem. And then it gives long lists of all 242 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:34.159 the people who went, Yes, Drusalem. I don't know that 243 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:35.360 we need to read no. 244 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:38.679 Three hundred names for certain we do not, yes, but 245 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.200 I mean, let's just say. 246 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.480 I can't tell you. The total was forty two, three 247 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:45.279 hundred and sixty people returned to Judah, in addition to 248 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:50.200 seven three hundred and thirty seven servants and two hundred singers. Wow, 249 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.559 And they took seven hundred and thirty six horses, two 250 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.120 hundred and forty five mules, four hundred and thirty five camels, 251 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.000 and six thousand, seven hundred And. 252 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.080 You know, remember we talked about the Bible exact, Yeah, 253 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:03.360 right with numbers, and so. 254 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:06.440 Seven hundred and thirty six horses, not seven hundred thirty horses, right, 255 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.000 seven hundred and thirty six horses. 256 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.960 And isn't these are the kind of numbers that that 257 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:14.559 just amazed me. The fact that it is so. 258 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:18.679 Hard like meticulous. Yeah, like why would we ever need 259 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:22.360 to know that? But it is. It is an exact 260 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:24.559 count in history. 261 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.919 It just keeps us rooted in the fact that this 262 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:30.039 is actual history, right right, the precision of it as 263 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:32.279 opposed to the generality of you know, how you and 264 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:34.159 I would just say, and you know, a bunch of 265 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:38.080 people went right, roughly forty thousand people went right, God said, 266 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:42.200 Actually it was forty two, three hundred and sixty along. 267 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.720 With and by the way, not only does it five 268 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:46.320 hundred and thirty seven more, not only. 269 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.440 Does it list all those people, but it tells you 270 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:52.399 exactly how many people from each tribe and city in area, right, 271 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:54.720 like the people of Bethlam. There's one hundred and twenty 272 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:56.279 three from Bethlehem. 273 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.639 Right, they went back, They went back. So this is 274 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.320 this This is a really profound thing in that uh, 275 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:06.039 one of my you know, I love archaeology. I love 276 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:09.159 this stuff so much, and it's one of the reason 277 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:11.519 why I love going to the Middle East. It's not 278 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:14.759 always pretty, but there's so many amazing things. To walk 279 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.799 the Roman streets or to walk the Egyptian streets to 280 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:22.000 be you know, I'll be there again here soon. And 281 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:24.720 here's what it is. There's a note you got to 282 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.799 get yourself a life application study Bible. They've got a 283 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:32.639 picture of this clay cylinder. Yes, that was found and 284 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:35.240 it's called the Cyrus cylinder, and it was found in 285 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:39.120 an excavation in Babylon and it's nine inches long and 286 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:43.200 it's a baked clay barrel inscribed in qneiform. You know 287 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:45.720 that was their hand their writing. They would use these 288 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:50.440 little sticks and they would make lines with it, different shapes. 289 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.759 And it says the inscription was written by Cyrus the 290 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.759 Great as an effort to describe and justify his policies. 291 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.720 The largely intact tech is about one thousand words in 292 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:05.200 translation and dates to about five hundred and thirty six PC. 293 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.200 Guess when this happened, ding ding ding r. Five thirty 294 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:13.200 six PC roughly five thirty eight BC. And it says 295 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.200 one section of the inscription relates to the Jews and 296 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:19.279 is a significant part of biblical history. Cyrus decided to 297 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:22.840 reverse the deportation policy of the Babylonians in the Assyrians 298 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.519 before him, and he permitted all the captive peoples who 299 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:28.440 had been uprooted to return to their ancestral homes. He 300 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:30.720 also returned the images of their gods to their former 301 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.919 sanctuaries and helped the various groups to rebuild their temples 302 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.320 of their gods. Thus, it is clear that Cyrus's decree 303 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.799 permitting the Jews to return to Palestine was part of 304 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:44.200 this new policy. This piece of archaeology is a remarkable 305 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.879 confirmation and illumination of scription. 306 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:47.720 And isn't that the best? 307 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:48.639 Isn'tsble? 308 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:52.600 It's incredible because here we have again recorded an incredible 309 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:56.799 detail exactly what had happened. And then we find in 310 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:00.799 our it doesn't say in our lifetime, but assuming. 311 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:01.639 The last hundred and fiftyears, the. 312 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:04.240 Last hundred and fifty years, they went ahead and found 313 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:09.120 a thousand words that literally describe what was written. 314 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.200 Ready for this three thousand years ago? 315 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:12.759 Right? Right? So? 316 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:16.000 Or almost three twenty five hundred years a hundre years ago. Yah, so, 317 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:19.159 twenty five hundred years ago. This was written and has 318 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:21.399 been around to get this, It's been around and it's 319 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.200 been known. So one hundred and fifty years ago, you 320 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.039 and I we have we have knowledge that there's a 321 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:28.679 cylinder backing this up. But before one hundred and fifty 322 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:34.440 years ago, for thousands of years, people were taking God's word, 323 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:38.240 you know, to be true. Right, And all of a sudden, 324 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:41.399 imagine that, right, So somebody just stumbles across the cylinder, 325 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:43.200 they read it and they go, oh, my goodness, this 326 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:45.200 is a part of history written by the king that 327 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:47.080 backs up everything that we read in God's word. 328 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.240 Isn't that cool? 329 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:52.559 It's fabulous, It's it's awesome. So these things. Now, what 330 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:55.679 Cyrus is deciding to do is allow the people to 331 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.919 go back. And you know, when you read his letter, 332 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:00.799 he says, the Lord God of Heaven has given me 333 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.159 all the kingdoms. He's the point you're thinking, ooh, did 334 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:05.879 Cyrus become a Christian? But he also did it for 335 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:09.440 all the other peoples and all their gods too. Right. 336 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:12.039 What he was doing was he was currying favor, and 337 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:15.200 instead of having them all always only being away from home, 338 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:18.559 he's sending them back home. His goal is I need 339 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.200 you guys go home and be prosperous, so I keep 340 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:23.600 collecting taxes. That's that's what he's doing, right. But he 341 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:25.559 says nice words and they're happy about it. They get 342 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.039 to go home, and then he gives them back all 343 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:32.440 the stuff that Nebukanezer stole. So remember when Belshazzar or 344 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:38.679 Belta Shazzar, no Belshazzar was drinking out of the cups 345 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:41.879 from the temple all that, Yes, remember that. Yeah. So 346 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.600 Syrus gives it all back. Yes, God was done with him. 347 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:46.200 Yeah. 348 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.840 And so God God makes sure that Cyrus gives it 349 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:53.759 all back. And then they begin heading back towards Jerusalem. 350 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:56.759 All the people are very excited about it. So this said, 351 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.120 there's another note. It says the Book of Azer opens 352 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:02.759 in five thirty eight BC. We know that this writing 353 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.440 that was found was five thirty six PCs, so it 354 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:08.400 was written two years after the beginning of the Book 355 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:11.839 of Ezra, which is great, that's pretty amazing. And forty 356 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.400 eight years after Nebucken Azer destroyed Jerusalem and defeated the 357 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:18.279 Southern Kingdom and carried the Jews away to Babylon as captives. 358 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.720 Kenezer died in five point sixty two, and because the 359 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:25.039 successors were not strong, Babylon was overthrown by Persia in 360 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.680 five point thirty nine. Just prior to the events recorded 361 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:30.279 in this book. Both the Babylonians and the Persians had 362 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:34.960 a relaxed policy toward their captives, allowing them to own 363 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:38.319 land and homes and to take ordinary jobs. Many Jews, 364 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.839 such as Daniel and Mordecai and Esther who will read 365 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:44.079 about soon rose to prominent positions within the nation, and 366 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.599 King Cyrus of Persia went a step further. He allowed 367 00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:48.839 many groups of exiles, including the Jews, to return to 368 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:51.119 their homelands, and by doing this, he hoped to win 369 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:53.759 their loyalty and thus provide buffer zones around the borders 370 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:56.079 of his empire. For the Jews, this was a day 371 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:58.039 of hope and beginning. This was at the end of 372 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:00.440 that seventy year window that Jeremiah said, and you're going 373 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:04.039 to be under judgment for seventy years. But then God says, 374 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.119 I'm not going to forget you. I'm going to give 375 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.440 grace to you, get give mercy back to you, and 376 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:09.960 you're going to be able to go home. And so 377 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.000 that's what happens. 378 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:15.359 Do you think that maybe Cyrus also had a you know, 379 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:18.880 like another administration comes in and they sort of undo 380 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:21.480 what the previous administration had done because they don't necessarily 381 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:24.480 agree with it, and so and so, yeah, I mean, 382 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:27.440 I think what you said is probably true. Hey, go home, 383 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:28.880 pay taxes, so I could be prosperous. 384 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:30.960 He's creating a buffer zone around the center part of 385 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:33.480 his because they're all allies now, yes, oh good, let 386 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:33.799 us go. 387 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:36.799 But there's also probably another part of him that recognizes 388 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.559 the cry of the people, the injustices that have been done. 389 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:44.200 You know, he's probably thinking, hey, this great empire has 390 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:48.720 been built off of a lot of pain in history, 391 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:51.599 and now that we're so large and we're so prosperous, 392 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:54.599 let me, let me let me right some wrongs that 393 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:57.119 have been done. Because it's one thing to say go back, 394 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.400 it's another thing to say and take all the stolen 395 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:04.319 things that we've took from your grandfathers or your or 396 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:08.000 your father's right and and you know, the previous administration 397 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.480 had had done this, and this would be probably what 398 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:13.240 their grandfather's time, right, this would be like the third generation. 399 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.240 Yeah, seventy years, Yeah, seventy years. 400 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:19.400 So so yeah, there's still stories, there's there's still you know, 401 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:22.079