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 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:12.880 Welcome back to the Bible Guys. 5 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:16.160 I'm Jeff and this is Wesley, and we are moving 6 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:20.600 into Ezra chapter seven, and Ezra's finally on the scene. 7 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:23.879 He's a prophet, he's a priest, he's a great leader, 8 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:28.399 and God is going to do an incredible revival among 9 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:30.519 the people of Israel. And it starts on the inside. 10 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:33.479 So it's a pretty great, pretty great chapter today. But 11 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:38.520 before we do that, Wesley, I have a really good segment. 12 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:42.000 Well I don't. Dez has this really great segment. Jeff 13 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:46.159 will ask Wesley a question. Okay, I'm gonna let you answer, 14 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.479 and then I have to ask Chat GTP, Chat GPT 15 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:54.960 the same question, and we're gonna compare the answer and 16 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:56.799 we're gonna vote on who wins. 17 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.359 Okay, okay, all right, So here's my question. 18 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:02.359 Okay, who's a. 19 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:07.760 Better host, Jeff or Chris. 20 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.359 That's because I'm curious. I'm curious to see what you 21 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:15.560 have to say about that. So my response would be, 22 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.280 do you think carefully, Wesley? Due to the eloquence of 23 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:26.079 both professionals. I feel that the skill set of hosting 24 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:31.599 and doing a great job can be attributed to both individuals. 25 00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:37.359 Wow. Wow, that was a very way of not answering 26 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:37.840 the question. 27 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.640 I learned that from politicians you just give no response. 28 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:43.959 So you're not leaning. 29 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:46.920 Both do an awesome job with the. 30 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:49.359 Guy in the room. 31 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:54.680 Okay, I might have to host with Chris, that's okay, 32 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:55.680 but neutral. 33 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:57.120 I think you can beat. 34 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.920 So so well, who's who's I should ask that question, 35 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:03.239 who's tougher? Somebody from Detroit or somebody from Youngstown. 36 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:05.359 Oh, that's a tough one. 37 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:06.280 That would have been a good one. 38 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:09.520 That's a really tough huh, because I mean they're both 39 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:12.360 gritty in their own way, so that that's a tough one. 40 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.560 Don't you think somebody from Detroit is tougher and somebody 41 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:15.319 from Youngstown? 42 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.319 Come on, Wesley, So I would. 43 00:02:18.120 --> 00:02:22.800 Lean and want to say, yes, I've seen some rough. 44 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:27.439 Last that question too, but the first one. Who's a 45 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.680 better host? Chris or Jeff? I wrote this great question? 46 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:33.080 But let's be real. The magic of the Bible, guys 47 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.759 is both of you together. Chris brings the humor, the energy, 48 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.479 the punch lines. The guy who keeps it light and relatable. 49 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:42.560 Jeff brings the grit, the depth, and the pastoral edge. 50 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:45.159 The guy who keeps it grounded in bold. If you're 51 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:48.719 flying solo right, you want it to hit hard with 52 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.479 conviction and clarity. Jeff's your guy. You want to keep 53 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:54.599 it fun and fast and disarming. Chris kills it. But 54 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:58.759 together it's the perfect combo. You're the steak and the sizzle, 55 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:06.719 the prophet and the punchline, the Bible and the guys. 56 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:13.840 So the answer is neither is better. The duo is 57 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:15.520 the brand. But if one of you gets a book 58 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:16.919 deal first, I'll bets are off. 59 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:21.840 So we were kind of the same one. Yeah, yeah, 60 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:23.520 that's a pretty good one. 61 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:25.960 So then I said, well, who would you rather listen to? 62 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.759 That's why I wanted to answer right. So then it 63 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:31.560 came back and says, oof, you're trying to start a 64 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:32.080 holy war. 65 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:32.280 Here. 66 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.199 He says, all right, here, here's the honest Bible guy's 67 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:39.599 style answer. If you want to laugh all learning, I'm 68 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:43.599 turning to turning tuning into Chris quick wit, lighthearted zingers 69 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:45.639 and the ability to make Leviticus sound like stand up. 70 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.599 And then it says, if I want to be challenged 71 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:54.719 and walk away Sharper. 72 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:55.520 It's Jeff. 73 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:57.240 He brings the weight, the clarity, and the kind of 74 00:03:57.240 --> 00:03:58.840 insight that makes you rethink how you. 75 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:00.159 Live on Monday. 76 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.319 But if I want the best to both, give me both. 77 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:05.080 Mike's hot because the back and forth is the show. 78 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:07.759 So the final answer is I'd rather listen to the 79 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:09.520 Bible guys, not the Bible guy. 80 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:11.960 Isn't that awesome. 81 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.000 It's staying neutral, it's not waiting, it just won't answer. 82 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:17.759 So it's funny. 83 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:20.079 Both of us have so much on the internet, you know, 84 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:23.360 from our messages and stuff like that. I can take 85 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:26.600 a message like if you gave me an outline, yeah, 86 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:30.240 I can drop it in and say write this or 87 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.040 preach this to me like in the voice of Chris Sarbo, 88 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.920 and it'll say, Hey. 89 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:37.160 Everybody, it's good to see you here today. Have you 90 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:38.399 ever noticed this problem? 91 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:38.839 Me too? 92 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:41.600 Let me tell you it'll start going right now, just 93 00:04:41.639 --> 00:04:42.399 like Chris preaches. 94 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:44.839 And then if I say, if I drop the exact 95 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:49.000 same message in and say write this like Jeff Forster, 96 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:52.040 because there's so much of our stuff online, it'll come 97 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:54.319 out and it'll write it out just like mine. Usually 98 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.360 really grounded in the Bible, and you know, true and honest. 99 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:02.920 It's really good stuff. So oh man, okay, let's ask 100 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:05.519 it as week we have another minute. Let's go, who's 101 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:13.439 tougher someone from I mean, who's tougher question mark? Someone 102 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.920 from Detroit or Youngstown. 103 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:20.160 This is definitive right here. 104 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:23.079 But see this is gonna get tricky because you almost 105 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:27.319 have to go by neighborhoods, which I don't know Youngstown 106 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:27.680 like that. 107 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:29.720 But yeah, okay, let's see. 108 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:33.399 Here we go, who's tougher someone from Detroit or Youngstown. 109 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:38.720 Now that's a street fight of a question. Yeah, let 110 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:42.279 me see. 111 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:44.600 Oh, here goes. 112 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.360 It says Detroit is motor city built on grit, steel 113 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.319 and survival home and muscle cars, motown and people who've 114 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:53.720 learned to hustle through economic collapse. If you can make 115 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.160 it Detroit, you've probably patched a muffler with duct tape 116 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.759 and stared down all the sides. 117 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:57.959 Of a crater. 118 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:03.319 When it says Youngstown, steel Town, USA, it's smaller, but 119 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:06.560 pound for pound, tough as they come. When the mills closed, 120 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:09.839 the city bled but didn't quit. This is russ Belt Royalty. 121 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:12.279 These folks don't flinch. They just get to work. 122 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:13.120 So the verdict. 123 00:06:13.160 --> 00:06:16.399 If you want brute force and street smarts, Detroit's your guy. 124 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:19.279 If you want blue collar grit and bar fight toughness, 125 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:20.360 young Town's in the ring. 126 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:21.439 So who's tougher. 127 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:23.680 Let's just say, if they ever meet in an alley, 128 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:26.199 don't bet against either one. But if they team up, 129 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:32.000 call it the roust belt, rumboy diplomatic. 130 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:33.040 Yeah, it's just neutral. 131 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:37.000 Okay, So we're not getting an answer from anybody, then 132 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:38.120 that's funny. 133 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:39.360 That's funny stuff. Man. 134 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:44.639 So you want to talk about a rumble, I don't know. 135 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.120 That's not a good transition, but I guess that would work. 136 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:48.360 If you. 137 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:52.240 Want to talk about gritty, there you go. You want 138 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:54.279 to talk about gritty and toughness. 139 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:54.720 Uh. 140 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:56.240 This is one of the things I love about Ezra 141 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.759 is He's he's this diplomatic leader, but he's just got 142 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:02.839 this grit about him to say, man, we're going to 143 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:04.600 get this job done. We're going to go back to 144 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:07.279 Jerusalem where we're going to rebuild the city and all 145 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:07.759 these things. 146 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:09.959 So let's jump into it. 147 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.879 I think you're going to see because he's also going 148 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.480 to not only get the people back to the city, 149 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:15.759 he's bringing them back to God, bringing them back to 150 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:20.319 God's laws. And so if you're following along, we're about 151 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:25.600 four fifty eight BC somewhere in there and Ezra. In 152 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:30.160 Ezra chapter seven, it says many years later, during the 153 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:33.279 reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, there was a man 154 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.759 named Ezra. He was the son of Sayah, son of Azariah, 155 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:41.040 son of Hilkiah, son of Shaloum, son of Zadok, son 156 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:44.639 of a Haitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son 157 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:50.279 of Marioth, son of Zarahiah, son of Uzai, son of Bukai, 158 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:54.920 son of Abba Shua, son of Phineas, son of Eliezer, 159 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.879 son of Aaron, the high priest. Oh, thank goodness, because 160 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:04.240 I almost misunderstood. I thought it was different. Yes, that one, 161 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:08.120 that's the one we're talking about, okay, Clid. So basically 162 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:09.639 that was his lineage all the way back to the 163 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:12.160 first priest. Yea Aaron, That's what this was. 164 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:14.959 And to toss the sin really quick, Jeff, this would 165 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.439 be common of what you would see in the Eastern 166 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:21.480 world of identifying who you are and where you come from, 167 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:23.399 like when you do introductions. 168 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:24.879 And yeah, that's right. 169 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:28.560 So anyways, it's establishing the fact that he has the 170 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.079 right to be a priest because his great great great 171 00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:34.279 great great great great great great great grandfather was aaron right. 172 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:34.720 So that's it. 173 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:35.279 This. 174 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:37.799 Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the 175 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:39.919 Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, 176 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.320 had given to the people of Israel. He came up 177 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.840 to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything 178 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:46.639 he asked for because the gracious hand of the Lord 179 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:49.639 his God was on him. Some of the people of Israel, 180 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.840 as well as some of the priests, leevites, singers, gatekeepers, 181 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:55.639 and temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him. In 182 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.919 the seventh year of King artizerxi's reign. Ezra arrived in 183 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:03.120 Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arrived arranged 184 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:05.840 to leave Babylon on April eighth, the first day of 185 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.360 the new year, and he arrived in Jerusalem in August fourth, 186 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:10.639 for the gracious hand of His God was on him. 187 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:13.080 This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey 188 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:15.360 the law of the Lord and to teach those decrees 189 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.679 and regulations to the people of Israel. King art e 190 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:21.159 Xerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, 191 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.399 the priests and scribes who studied and taught the commands 192 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:24.960 and decrees of. 193 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:25.799 The Lord of Israel. 194 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.840 From our to Xerxes, the King of Kings, to Ezra, 195 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.200 the priest, the teacher of the law of the God 196 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:34.039 of Heaven, Greetings, I decree that any of the people 197 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.240 in Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, 198 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:39.840 may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you. I am 199 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:42.320 my Council of Seven hereby instruct you to conduct an 200 00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:46.519 inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem based on 201 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.120 your God's laws, which is in your hand. We also 202 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.200 commission you to take with you silver and gold which 203 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:53.279 we are freely presenting as an offering to the God 204 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.399 of Israel who lives in Jerusalem. Furthermore, you to take 205 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:58.360 any silver and gold that you may obtain from the 206 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:01.399 province of Babylon, as well as the luntary offerings of 207 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:03.120 the people and the priests that are presented for the 208 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.600 temple of their God in Jerusalem. These donations are to 209 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:08.320 be used specifically for the purchase of bulls and rams 210 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.519 and mail lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, 211 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:13.000 all of which will be offered and the altar of 212 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:15.480 the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. Any silver and 213 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:17.360 gold that has left over may be used in whatever 214 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.080 way you and your colleagues feel as the will of 215 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:21.639 your God. But as for the cups we are entrusting 216 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:23.240 to you for the service of the Temple of your God, 217 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:26.320 deliver them all to the King, to the God of Jerusalem. 218 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:29.559 If you need anything else for your God's temple, or 219 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:31.519 for any similar needs, you may take it from the 220 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:34.399 Royal treasury. I are to Xerxes, the King, hereby send 221 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:37.159 this decree to all the treasurers in the province west 222 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.559 of the Euphrates River. You are to give Ezra, the 223 00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:42.000 priests and teacher of the Law of the God of Heaven, 224 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.320 whatever request. You are to give him up to seventy 225 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:47.240 five hundred pounds of silver, five hundred bushels of wheat, 226 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.600 five hundred and fifty gallons of wine, five hundred and 227 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:52.480 fifty gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt. 228 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:55.279 Be careful to provide whatever the God of Heaven demands 229 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:57.679 for his temple, For why should we risk bringing God's 230 00:10:57.679 --> 00:10:59.559 anger against the realm of the King and his sons. 231 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.759 I also to degree that no priestlyvite, singer, gate beeak keeper, 232 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.039 temple servant, or other worker in this temple of God 233 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.519 will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of 234 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:08.039 any kind. 235 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:09.559 And you, Ezra, are. 236 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.159 To use the wisdom your God has given you to 237 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:14.919 appoint magistrates and judges who know your God's laws to 238 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:17.559 govern all the people in the province west of Euphrates River. 239 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:19.919 Teach the law to anyone who does not know it. 240 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.080 Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God 241 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:23.879 and the law of the King will be punished immediately, 242 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:29.159 either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment. Wow 243 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:32.200 am I reading through verse twenty eight, Ye, praise the Lord, 244 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:34.919 the God of our ancestors, who made the King want 245 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.440 to beautify the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. Praise 246 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:41.960 him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring 247 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.879 me before the King his counsel in all his mighty nobles. 248 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.080 I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord 249 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:49.080 my God was on me, and I gathered some of 250 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.159 the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem. Wow, 251 00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:55.440 talking about the favor of God on Ezra. 252 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:56.120 Yeah. 253 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.519 I think Jeff, it might be helpful for some people listening. 254 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:02.720 Can you give us a brief snapshot of the temple? 255 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.879 So it made reference to the temple. Someone may hear 256 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:07.360 that and like, do they mean just like. 257 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:08.039 A church or what. 258 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:12.679 Was the temple specifically? Here it's talking about the temple 259 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:14.879 at Jerusalem blood. 260 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:15.320 Yeah, yeah. 261 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:18.360 So Jerusalem was the city that God had set up 262 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.240 as the capital of Israel. It was the city of David, 263 00:12:21.799 --> 00:12:24.840 and David desired to build a temple for God. Prior 264 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:28.200 to that, all of the worship was centered around the Tabernacle, 265 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.240 which was like a temporary It was mostly a tent, 266 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:34.080 but a temporary building that could travel, yeah, that could 267 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:37.720 travel around Israel. And then David decided, I want to 268 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:39.480 build a temple. I believe God wants me to do this. 269 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:42.039 But God said, not you. You're a warrior, you have 270 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:42.919 blood on your hands. 271 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.080 But I'll let your son do it. 272 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:47.519 So David collected all the stuff and Solomon stepped in 273 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:50.200 and helped collect it. But then Solomon, his son, actually 274 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:52.679 built the temple and it was glorious when you add 275 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:54.960 up the costs of it. It was billions and billions 276 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:58.440 of dollars in today's costs to build this magnificent temple, 277 00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:02.399 and it had outers that were designed for everybody, you know, 278 00:13:02.440 --> 00:13:05.080 the gentiles, the non Jews could come in and it 279 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:10.000 just kind of was this place of gathering that was 280 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:12.840 a worshipful thing, but it's also very social. Then you 281 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:15.039 could come into the inner courts. This is where the 282 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:19.039 Jews could be and this is a place of actual worship. 283 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.360 They could bring their sacrifices and things, and then you'd 284 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.919 move into the Holy Place. It's where the temple or 285 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.039 where the priests would do their work. The priests and 286 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.960 levites would do their work. There were all these symbolic 287 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:34.519 elements to wash to be holy, the bread, the candlestick, 288 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:38.000 the altar, all these things there, and then inside of 289 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.600 that was the Holy of Holies and this represented the 290 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:44.000 presence of God. The Ark of the Covenant was in there, 291 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:48.039 and that represented both the law and the favor the 292 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:49.960 blessing of God, both of those things. They had the 293 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:54.399 Ten Commandments inside of it, and it had the budding 294 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:59.159 rod of Aaron in there, representing the priesthood. And one 295 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:03.399 time a year, the high priest could go through all 296 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:08.519 the sanctification and the cleansing, so that he would be 297 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:10.519 as holy as possible, and he would one time of 298 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:14.759 year bring in the blood of a lamb that was sacrificed, 299 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.360 this perfect lamb, and would pour it on the mercy 300 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.759 seat as an offering to God for all of the 301 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:23.480 people to cover their sins. 302 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:23.679 For the nation. 303 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:26.399 So it's pretty spectacular place, and it was very, very 304 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:29.480 rich and unbelievable. It was the pride of the nation. 305 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:31.360 If you want to know where that sat, it sat 306 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:35.039 on what is the Temple Mount today in Jerusalem. Alaksa 307 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:39.919 Mosque is there now, but the but I've been there. 308 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:41.960 I've been on the Temple Mount and all that stuff. 309 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:46.240 So if you ever see Jews at the Western Wall 310 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:48.559 or what they used to call the Whaling Wall, they 311 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:50.919 still will pray at that wall. That's the base of 312 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:56.080 this Temple Mount. But it got obliterated by Nebu Canezer 313 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:58.399 that came through, and the first time invaded, he didn't 314 00:14:58.399 --> 00:14:58.759 wipe it out. 315 00:14:58.759 --> 00:14:59.960 The second time he just the blitter. 316 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:00.320 It's it. 317 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:06.159 And then there have been a number of people who 318 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:08.000 wanted to go back, and we've talked about that, and 319 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:11.159 they began rebuilding The very first thing they did was 320 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:14.159 set up an altar, and then they began to rebuild 321 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:19.360 a much scaled down version of the temple at that point, 322 00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:22.080 so it kind of centered around the worship of God, 323 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:26.799 centered around that space. Yeah, and so this king gives Ezra, 324 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:31.000 you know, I mean, yeah, it gives Ezra so much 325 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.279 resources and favor to go back and say, hey, I 326 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:36.399 want you to go back and rebuild it as good 327 00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:39.240 as you can, and basically gives. 328 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:39.879 Them a blank check. 329 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:44.080 If you measure this one, it's hundreds and hundreds of 330 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:45.320 millions of dollars in US. 331 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:48.440 Yeah, it goes all the items that he had, the 332 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:53.039 seven five hundred pounds of silver, bushels of wheat, the 333 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:55.759 five hundred and fifty gallons of wine, the olive oil. 334 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:59.399 These were like very expensive things, right, you know in 335 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:03.799 our were used to trading currency. Well at their time, 336 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.720 this would have been like currency in that day. 337 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.320 Yeah. 338 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:07.840 Yeah. 339 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.840 So then I think it's interesting in the Book of Ezra, 340 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:13.120 we've kind of interweaved in and out. 341 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:15.039 Of Ezra a couple of times, as we've told other stories. 342 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:16.679 His name. 343 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:18.600 Even though the book is named after him, his name 344 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:22.159 doesn't get mentioned until chapter seven. Yeah, right, and so 345 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.480 we believe he probably wrote it, but he doesn't mention 346 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:29.919 himself until chapter seven and he establishes who he is. 347 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:33.759 His whole lineage all went back to Aaron, which means 348 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:37.960 he's a rightful priest. Yeah, but I think it's interesting 349 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:41.159 it says in verse ten, which is super powerful. Verse 350 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.519 ten says let me find it. 351 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:46.000 Yeah, this was because Ezrah. 352 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:49.000 Yeah, it said, this was because Ezra had determined to 353 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.679 study and obey the law of the Lord and to 354 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:54.159 teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. 355 00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:56.840 This is why God chose to blessing. Yeah, is he 356 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.840 had given It wasn't just because of his lineage. His 357 00:16:58.840 --> 00:17:00.879 lineage just proved the other right have the job. Yes, 358 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.640 But God chose to pour out this incredible blessing on 359 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:09.359 Ezra because Ezra determined to study and obey the law 360 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.839 of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations 361 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:14.119 to the people of Israel. And I think this is 362 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:18.720 the trifecta quite honestly, know it, love it, and teach it. 363 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:19.559 Right. 364 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:22.920 He didn't just handle the word, he literally he lived 365 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:27.039 it out. My dad just went to having eight weeks ago, 366 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:30.680 its two months ago, and my mom gave me a 367 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:32.799 bunch of things. I have a few of his Bibles. 368 00:17:33.319 --> 00:17:36.519 And my dad was a note taker. So my dad 369 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:40.319 worked for thirty four years at General Motors. 370 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.480 He was a stock chase, he drove a fork drug. 371 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.720 And a lot of times would mention you he didn't 372 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:48.279 go to college or whatever, and he would talk about 373 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.880 that so to kind of talk down about himself a 374 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.640 little bit that he didn't go to cond not too much, 375 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:53.720 but just like, hey, I never went to college. Write 376 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.559 that kind of statement, and didn't feel like he was 377 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.319 an expert in anything. And then he didn't become a 378 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:03.240 Christian until he was forty. But my dad had this 379 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.480 character and he determined in his heart to study God's Word, 380 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:08.359 to know God's word. Not only that, but to teach 381 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:11.920 it to his boys. And so every morning my dad 382 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.400 would get up, usually around four o'clock in the morning, 383 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:17.799 he'd spend time in the Word. He'd be reading the Word, 384 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.920 and then he would leave us a note saying this 385 00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:22.279 is where I was reading today and ask us a 386 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.119 couple questions. He wanted us to read the same thing 387 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:24.880 and then yeah. 388 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:25.480 That's cool. 389 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:28.079 And then every evening before we went to bed, I 390 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:30.519 would say four out of or five out of seven 391 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:33.599 days a week, we would sit down in the living 392 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.039 room before we go to bed, grab our bibles, and 393 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:36.839 we'd at least. 394 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:39.119 Read through a chapter of Proverbs. 395 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.480 Or something else that he was paying attention to at 396 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:43.359 the time, and spend fifteen or twenty minutes talking about 397 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:45.519 things and wanting us to say, this is what we're 398 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:47.079 learning from this passage. 399 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:48.799 And he consistently did that. 400 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:51.880 And then he wanted us to memorize scripture, so he 401 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:54.319