WEBVTT - Ezra 5

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Ezra chapter five,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. At

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<v Speaker 1>that time, the prophets Hagai and Zechariah son of Ido,

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<v Speaker 1>prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied

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<v Speaker 1>in the name of the God of Israel, who was

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<v Speaker 1>over them. Zerubbable son of Shieltiel, and Jeshua son of

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<v Speaker 1>Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of

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<v Speaker 1>God in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with

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<v Speaker 1>them and help them. But tat and I, governor of

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<v Speaker 1>the province west of the Euphrates River, and Sheth r

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<v Speaker 1>Bose and I and their colleagues soon arrived in Jerusalem

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<v Speaker 1>and asked, who gave you permission to rebuild this temple

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<v Speaker 1>and restore this structure. They also asked for the names

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<v Speaker 1>of all the men working on the temple. But because

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<v Speaker 1>their God was watching over them, the leaders of the

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<v Speaker 1>Jews were not prevented from building until a report was

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<v Speaker 1>sent to Darius, and he returned his decision. This is

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<v Speaker 1>a copy of the letter that tat and I, the

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<v Speaker 1>governor sheth Ar Bozani, and the other officials of the

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<v Speaker 1>province west of the Euphrates River, sent to King Darius.

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<v Speaker 1>To King Darius, Greetings, the King should know that we

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<v Speaker 1>went to the construction site of the Temple of the

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<v Speaker 1>Great God and the province of Judah. It is being

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<v Speaker 1>rebuilt with specially prepared stones and timber is being laid

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<v Speaker 1>in its walls. The work is going forward with great

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<v Speaker 1>energy and success. We asked the leaders who gave you

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<v Speaker 1>permission to rebuild this temple and restore this structure, and

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<v Speaker 1>we demanded their names so that we could tell you

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<v Speaker 1>who the leaders were. This was their answer. We are

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<v Speaker 1>the servants of the God of Heaven and Earth, and

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<v Speaker 1>we are rebuilding the temple that was built here many

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<v Speaker 1>years ago by a great king of Israel. But because

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<v Speaker 1>our ancestors angered the God of Heaven, he abandoned them

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<v Speaker 1>to King Nebeconezar of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and

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<v Speaker 1>exiled the people to Babylonia. However, King Cyrus of Babylon,

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<v Speaker 1>during the first year of his reign issued a decree

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<v Speaker 1>that the Temple of God should be rebuilt. King Cyrus

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<v Speaker 1>returned the gold and silver cups that Nebeconezer had taken

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<v Speaker 1>from the Temple of God in Jerusalem and had placed

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<v Speaker 1>in the Temple of Babylon. These cups were taken from

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<v Speaker 1>that temple and presented to a man named Shesh Bazar,

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<v Speaker 1>whom King Cyrus appointed as governor of Judah. The king

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<v Speaker 1>instructed him to return the cups to their place in

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<v Speaker 1>Juriderusalem and to rebuild the Temple of God there on

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<v Speaker 1>its original site. So this Shesh Bazaar came and laid

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<v Speaker 1>the foundations of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. The

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<v Speaker 1>people have been working on it ever since, though it

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<v Speaker 1>is not yet completed. Therefore, if it pleases the King,

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<v Speaker 1>we request that a search be made in the royal

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<v Speaker 1>archives of Babylon to discover whether King Cyrus ever issued

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<v Speaker 1>a decree to rebuild God's Temple in Jerusalem, and then

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<v Speaker 1>let the King send us his decision in this matter.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for the privilege of being able to

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<v Speaker 1>look at this portion of scripture today. And Lord it's

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<v Speaker 1>interesting and refreshing to be able to see the people

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<v Speaker 1>of Judah listening to the encouragement of the prophets. As

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<v Speaker 1>you raised up these prophets to speak, you shared your

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<v Speaker 1>word through them, and the people responded, and the work

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<v Speaker 1>on the temple resumed, and the people worked on it

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<v Speaker 1>earnestly and quickly, and you were giving them much success. Lord. Likewise,

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<v Speaker 1>we pray that when we read the word of your prophets,

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<v Speaker 1>that as we look through the words of your scripture,

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<v Speaker 1>and as we recognize that all these things are ultimately

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<v Speaker 1>pointing us to faith in your son, Jesus Christ, we pray, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>that we would diligently and faithfully and quickly seek to

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<v Speaker 1>serve you, that we would be obedient to your leading,

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<v Speaker 1>that we would listen to your word, that we would

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<v Speaker 1>put it into practice in our day to day living,

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<v Speaker 1>because we know that this brings glory to your son

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus Christ. Lord, we're grateful for the fact that you

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<v Speaker 1>have given us access to your word, and we're grateful,

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<v Speaker 1>Lord for the fact that your Holy Spirit lives within us,

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<v Speaker 1>and that you stir us up to hear your voice

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<v Speaker 1>and to listen to what you've proclaimed Lord, we're grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for all these things, and we're grateful for your presence

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<v Speaker 1>with us here today. We thank you for all of

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<v Speaker 1>these things in Jesus's name. Amen,