Introduction

Good day to all. Let us summarise the Book of Ezra. What is it about? What is it trying to tell us? In essence, the Book of Ezra begins with King Cyrus's (also known as Cyrus the Great) dispatch of Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem and continues until the time of Ezra.

Ezra dissolved many families intermarried with foreigners. Chapter 10 records the names of those who had intermarried, and then it concludes. Ezra faced two very difficult choices at the time: first, whether to bear God's wrath; and second, whether to break up families intermarried with foreigners.

We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, must understand that many of the problems we face stem from God's wrath. Do not think you are a good person, and do not think you are doing well. Some say, "Teacher, I attend services regularly, and I do this and that." But what do these things prove?

Do not think you are superior to the Jews. Know that the Jews are one of the most outstanding peoples in the world. What they cannot achieve, other peoples find it difficult to achieve. To some extent, we Chinese are not as good as the Jews.

The summary of the Book of Ezra is themed "God's Wrath and Salvation." However, it is common for people to experience God's wrath, and it is also common for people to experience God's salvation. All our problems do not come from demons but from God's wrath. If you can take these words to heart, then thank God! If you cannot, that is also fine! But we must examine what is in our minds.

Why do we say that the Jews are one of the most outstanding peoples? Know that the Jews have been tossed around in the world until now, yet they still uphold the Law of Moses. If the Chinese were not allowed to eat pork, to eat these unclean meats, could you uphold it? I certainly could not.

There is a story about a family who were all saved by sitting on the back of an ox during a great flood. This ox saved their whole family, and that generation decided never to eat beef again. But before long, the old man's son said, "Why can't we eat beef? We can eat it!" We Chinese are so "capable."

Some people joke, "Keeping this from being eaten, that from being eaten! What's the point of keeping that stuff?" But Adam and Eve were not Chinese. If they were Chinese, the serpent would have said, "Look how good the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is! Eating it will give you wisdom." But I tell you, the Chinese would stew the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with the snake meat and eat it. Alas, the Chinese are really "capable"!

Babylon Destroyed the Kingdom of Judah, and God Gave a Grace of Salvation After Seventy Years

Ezra begins with Zerubbabel. A little earlier, the Jewish nation was destroyed by Babylon. Babylon destroyed the Kingdom of Judah, and then God gave the Jews a grace of salvation after seventy years. So, was Babylon powerful, or was God powerful? God was powerful! Then why did God send Babylon to destroy the Kingdom of Judah? Because the Kingdom of Judah repeatedly sinned, provoking God's wrath, and would not listen no matter what was said.

The Kingdom of Judah produced many prophets, such as Isaiah in the Book of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. These were all great prophets, whom we call "major prophets." They all came from the Kingdom of Judah. But these people suffered persecution under the political system of the Kingdom of Judah! Isaiah was sawn in two; Jeremiah was thrown into a pit and suffered greatly.

"It cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem." Because prophets perished in Jerusalem, God would avenge the sins of the Jews, allowing Babylon to destroy the Kingdom of Judah, while giving the Jews a promise: they would be saved after seventy years and would return to Jerusalem with the Jews.

But here's the problem: after these seventy years, had the Jews changed their ways? No, they had not! They had that same face when they were destroyed, and they still had that same face when Zerubbabel brought them back to Jerusalem seventy years later! Why do I say this? Because Ezra's return to Jerusalem was many years later, and those who had returned from captivity began to sin again, provoking God's wrath.

Why is the theme of the Book of Ezra "God's Wrath and Salvation"? Because Ezra's entire record, from the time of Zerubbabel to the time of Ezra, records that the Israelites could not learn their lesson. It was really too difficult not to provoke God's wrath!

Now, as we compare ourselves to these people, do not think we are superior to them. We are not superior to them; we are worse than them! We take the path of the world's system at the slightest opportunity.

Why did God send Ezra back to Jerusalem? It was because God, before manifesting His wrath, first sent Ezra to deal with these matters. For those who were willing to repent, God's wrath would be postponed, but in reality, "what is put off at the beginning of the month cannot be put off past the middle of the month."

Babylon destroyed the Kingdom of Judah, and God gave them a grace, allowing them to return from captivity after seventy years. God hoped that after being captured, suffering these sins, and enduring these hardships, they could say upon their return, "We have learned a lesson." But some say, "The one lesson learned from history is that one never learns a lesson." This is well said.

Seventy Years Later, Zerubbabel Returns to Jerusalem

Zerubbabel's return to Jerusalem was originally impossible, but it became possible. Was that not God's doing? God had given the Israelites, the Jews, a promise in advance. In the end, the Jews were captured and became slaves in Babylon, which was very miserable!

As a result, seventy years later, God destroyed Babylon for this very reason. The Persian Empire replaced Babylon. It is said that the Persian Empire is now Iran. Persia and Israel have an inextricable relationship.

The first King Cyrus sent Zerubbabel back. In that year, Daniel served as the prime minister of the Persian Empire, so Daniel was also very powerful. At that time, Zerubbabel returned with tens of thousands of people, also carrying gold and silver vessels.

Why does the Book of Ezra record this event? Because God wants to save again. Our God has abundant grace and mercy. Otherwise, according to what we say, let it be! But our God never gives up! God will save the group of people that Zerubbabel brought back.

The words they spoke were very strange. They returned to build the temple, and when the foundation was laid, the emperor changed to Cambyses (Cyrus's son). He was also a relatively powerful king, and he ordered the construction to stop. The governor of the region west of the Euphrates, who was reporting behind the scenes, was killed by God, and a new governor of the region west of the Euphrates came.

Sixteen years later, Haggai and Zechariah once again encouraged the Jews. During these sixteen years, those whom Zerubbabel had brought back were busy with their own affairs. They had no time to build! They always said that the opportunity had not yet arrived.

So, after Zerubbabel returned, construction was halted for sixteen years. On the one hand, it was because King Cambyses had ordered the construction to stop, and on the other hand, those Israelites felt that stopping the construction was a good thing! You can't blame me; it was the emperor who ordered that construction not be carried out. I must hurry home to build my own house, and I must also renovate it, install ceilings, erect walls... They took care of their own little lives very well.

So, is God angry or not? What is in these people's minds? As a result, God cursed them, causing them to live under a curse. The Book of Haggai is to remind them: you are living under a curse. So, the theme of this sharing is "God's Wrath and Salvation."

As a result, God raised up Haggai and Zechariah again. In that era, even if it did not please the Israelites, the Jews, they were still calling out to these Israelites and Jews, urging them to leave the curse that God had given them, because they did not want to build the temple. They said, "Build what temple? I don't have time! Don't you see how busy I am?" In fact, this group of Israelites had not been back from captivity for many years. How could they have forgotten?

Let me remind you: if you are a Christian, you must always be mindful of God's wrath! Where will God's wrath be manifested? First, in financial losses. Originally, you could harvest ten measures of grain, but after harvesting, how could you only harvest five measures? Or after receiving it into the granary, how could only two measures be left? The reason is simple: God blew it away in anger.

Second, in health. If people have problems with their health, they must be careful to be mindful of God's wrath. Do not contend with God; you cannot contend. If God wants to manifest His wrath, even if you feel that God is unreasonable, you have nowhere to reason. You can talk to me, and even if I think what you say is very reasonable, I cannot stop God's wrath.

Am I now provoking God's wrath, or am I strictly demanding of the brothers and sisters? This is often a difficult choice. So, when I minister to the poor or the sick, the words often come to my lips but I cannot say them.

After Sixteen Years of Suspension, Rebuilding Must Begin Again

What did the Israelites do during these sixteen years of suspension? They simply had no interest in God's temple. Sixteen years of suspension was simply a huge grace to these Israelites. They even "thanked the Lord" for it.

After the foundation of God's temple was laid, construction was suspended for sixteen years, wasting sixteen years of time. Why was this the case? In fact, the Israelites' hearts were not in it at all. They were building and complaining at the same time, so God raised up King Cambyses, causing him to order the construction to stop.

Do you think it was the enemy who hindered the building of the temple? No, it was our hearts! In fact, the Jews only built a foundation in four years. This progress was too slow! It was "dragging their feet," so God's wrath came down, causing King Cambyses to order the construction to stop. It is like when we brothers and sisters do ministry or pastoral care. Regarding these people's attitudes, I get angry and then say, "Forget it, no need to do it!"

As a result, construction was suspended for sixteen years. In fact, God's wrath was still accumulating, but God controlled His anger. Do you think it is very hard? I tell you, it is very hard for God to save us!

If God crushed us to death all at once, it would be over, but He does not crush us to death, and then He watches these silly Jews busy with their own affairs. God blows away their grain, their wealth, and their health. Zechariah and Haggai were calling for this very thing.

Sixteen years later, they rebuilt again, and it was completed in four years. I ask you, after it was completed, were the Israelites really willing to live a God-centered life? In fact, they were forced to do so, because Zerubbabel was the governor. If he gave an order and they did not do it, would they not be beaten? Alas, are you moved?

After the construction, what did the Jews do? They engaged in a series of actions that provoked God's wrath, intermarrying and doing business with the local inhabitants, the Samaritans, to make money, while the temple of God remained desolate.

I ask you, how did God feel? He endured year after year, waiting patiently, thinking, "When will these rebellious people of mine turn back to God, become wise, and live a God-centered life?"

But people felt that living a God-centered life was impractical. "Where would I find the time?" they thought. "I am already tired and busy, working, going to and from work. Where would I find the time?"

Brothers and sisters, we must realize that our generation is not much different from the Israelites! I tell you, if you truly had a heart to live a God-centered life, following God's word, would you be so poor? Would you suffer from so many illnesses? And even if you did, have you truly repented? The "repentance" you speak of is merely lip service.

Brothers and sisters, know that God still wants to save us, and He has exhausted every means to do so! God's wrath is constantly upon us, and we should not be surprised, for the human heart easily drifts into the world.

As the prophets Haggai and Zechariah spoke of God's curse upon them, they retorted, "God, look at what you're doing! Why are you cursing me?" But there was no reasoning with them! One cannot outwrestle God, not even with one's thighs against God's little finger!

So they said, "Alright, let's build!" They built for four years, but their faces were grim, begrudgingly going to build the temple each morning. I tell you, if God were truly angry, He could crush them. What good could they accomplish with such an attitude? When it was finished, they exclaimed, "Finally, this drudgery is over!" And they went back to making money.

Alas, did they learn their lesson when the Kingdom of Judah was destroyed by Babylon? No! When Zerubbabel led the people back, did they have the zeal to rebuild God's temple? They complained at the slightest hardship, and resented the time spent building God's temple that could have been spent building their own homes. So God stopped the work, and when they resumed four years later, they did so with dark faces, out of compulsion.

God wants to lead us into a blessed life, but we insist on walking into a cursed one. This is the nature of man! It has less to do with being in a "Charismatic church" or a "Traditional church," and more to do with individual choice. Does one truly have that heart within?

As a result, Zerubbabel's group began to marry, have children, celebrate birthdays, and throw parties, intermarrying with the local "suitable" families. The high priest and wealthy merchants intermarried, forming close relationships, and then they exploited the local Jews.

Since ancient times, the hearts of the Israelites and Jews have remained unchanged. Only when God manifested His wrath did they say, "I repent, you are powerful, I will listen to you." But they did so grudgingly.

Do you seek the Lord God with joy and gladness, knowing that this path is the path to life?

I often say, "Even when you can relieve yourself, it is not up to you." If you do not trust in God, what do you trust in? Do we know what our future holds? You do not, and neither do I. But if the future is one that provokes God's wrath, then calamity is certain, without a doubt.

Recently, a pastor passed away, and everyone spoke of his goodness. And another person, after a check-up, was diagnosed with cancer and is now undergoing treatment, and everyone says he is a good person. I tell you, if Ezra had been sent back to Jerusalem and had not dealt with these issues, then Ezra would have been the one with cancer.

Therefore, serving God often involves difficult choices: on the one hand, not wanting brothers and sisters to live under God's wrath, but also not wanting to offend you! Zerubbabel led the people to rebuild, and it was completed after four years. But more than sixty years later, God sent Ezra back to Jerusalem again.

Sixty-Two Years Later, God Sends Ezra Again

In fact, God's wrath was about to come upon these Israelites again, just as Jonah went to Nineveh. You see, the Kingdom of Judah fell seventy years prior, and Zerubbabel returned in 538 BC. There was a sixteen-year gap of inactivity, plus four years of construction. In the blink of an eye, sixty-two years passed, and then God sent Ezra again to resolve the issue of God's wrath. Alas, when will we learn to escape God's wrath?

Ezra did something very inhumane, which was to separate those who had intermarried with foreigners, and the children were not to be kept, because the Israelites had once again entered into God's wrath. In fact, it was not just intermarriage, but also many other reasons, such as loving the world and living for worldly things.

In reality, a person's life is not long, and it passes in the blink of an eye. What can you boast about in these few decades? Nothing but toil and trouble, nothing but God's wrath! I often feel distressed, having ministered to many seriously ill people. Although I ministered to them, the "stubbornness" in their minds remained firmly entrenched.

God saw that the Israelites would never learn from history, never understand the severity of God's wrath, so He sent Ezra to Jerusalem to prevent God's wrath from coming upon them. This was in 458 BC.

From 538 BC to 458 BC, eighty years passed in the blink of an eye. The hearts of the first generation who returned to Jerusalem to build the temple were simply not focused on God's temple. Later, after much effort, the temple was finally built, but the people went back to living their own lives!

The situation when God destroyed the Kingdom of Judah was the same as it was during the time of Zerubbabel and Ezra. How difficult it is for people to change! I tell you, without God, life in this world is simply impossible.

If you are bold, you can make yourself God; but if you are timid like me, you must know that we cannot do without God, so let's not talk nonsense and provoke God's wrath. What did God send Ezra back to do? To resolve the issue of God's wrath, to teach the Jews how to follow God's law, how to act according to God's word.

It is good that you know you are timid, but it is even better to simply not have that timidity. Let us willingly and joyfully serve our God, removing the "stubbornness" within us, because the things within us are too corrupt.

I tell you, those who have suffered sin should not think that the sin is over and done with, especially some of our brothers and sisters who have suffered great sins. Whether you have come out of it or not, you must be careful.

Do not think that the Israelites changed after provoking God's wrath and being moved to Babylon. They did not change. Did they change after returning from Babylon? No. Did they change when they rebuilt the temple? No!

From the priests and Levites to the ordinary Israelites, God sent Ezra to deal with the situation before He manifested His wrath, hoping that the hearts of the Israelites would turn back to God. I ask you, did they turn back? No! The Book of Ezra records the names of these people.

Their story that followed was tragic. They were forcibly separated, like a demolition. They wanted to protect their families, but Ezra's soldiers simply snatched them away. Oh, my goodness, filled with wailing and screaming! Can you imagine? The wives were dragged out and sent back to their parents' homes, even if their parents' homes were comfortable, they had good relationships and did not want to be separated.

The wives cried to their husbands, and the husbands cried to their wives, but they were dragged away. Can you imagine what happened later? There were lingering ties that could not be broken. In fact, the foreigners returned later. Could you stand guard at their door every day? You couldn't keep watch over them, and they would secretly visit their children. How difficult it was!

Brothers and sisters, is it somewhat inhumane to escape God's wrath? But is it anti-human or anti-God? Ponder this slowly, because worldly things are so reasonable that they seem very logical; but the things of God are truly unreasonable, not in accordance with our human logic.

If you carefully read what Jesus said, it is also illogical, "A person must forsake parents, wife, and children for the sake of Jesus Christ." These are not the words of man, but the words of God.

Let us reconsider how we should live in this world. In fact, God does not really care how many wives you marry. David and Jacob married many, but God did not care. What God cares about is whether you can walk in His will. Why do I say that Ezra did not solve the problem? Because fourteen years later, God sent Nehemiah back again.

Fourteen Years Later, Nehemiah is Sent Back to Jerusalem

Nehemiah and Malachi, who wrote the Book of Malachi, were contemporaries. Zerubbabel, Haggai, and Zechariah were from the same era. In 444 BC, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem. Alas, the temple of God was desolate! Ezra did not solve the problem. In the end, the local thugs were still in power, and the thugs and the chief priests of Judah had become relatives, becoming the local rulers and nobles.

Nehemiah did not dare to stir up these hornets' nests, so he did not deal with the matter. Because Nehemiah and Ezra were only about ten years apart, and Ezra was still in Jerusalem at that time, he found that it could not be solved. How could anyone be in the mood to build the city walls? Because Nehemiah was sent to be the local governor, he was able to do this. Alas, how distressed God must have been!

Why is it so difficult for people to live a blessed life? Why is it so easy for people to live a life that provokes God's wrath? Why must people provoke God's wrath? Brothers and sisters, we must learn to have a heart that fears God. Remember, your illness is not caused by others, but by God. Where did that demon come from? God sent it, because you always want to live a comfortable life. How simple is that logic.

The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, speaks of God's wrath and salvation. Therefore, Ezra recorded this passage. Can you remember God's wrath and salvation? We will end our Bible study here. May God bless you all!

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