Christ Baptist Church

Spring 2015Chapter 10

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Ezra 10:1-4 Confessing prayer, Immediate action 1. What was Ezra doing and who joined him? Were the

action genuine?

2. Does this show how serious he is taking their sin? How seriously do we act when confronted with communal sin?

3. Thought question: Do you think Ezra felt he had failed?

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Ezra 10:1-4 Confessing prayer, Immediate action

4. Who spoke up and what did he declare (v2)?

5. What recommendation was made (v3)?

6. What charge was given to Ezra? Do we have people in our lives that hold us accountable? Are we supporting others as Schecaniah did?

 If you keep my commands, youwill remain in my love,

just as I have kept

my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

John 15:10

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Ezra 10:5-8 Ezra Rose Up, Ezra Withdrew

8. After the supporting challenge from Shecaniah, what was first action? Why was this important?

9. What did Ezra do next?

10.What proclamation was made, by whose authority and what was the penalty if disobeyed? What was the purpose (v7)?

 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

Ezra 7:26

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Ezra 10:9-15 The Gathering

11.Now that the men had gathered, what was their state of mind? Why?

12.What did Ezra say to them?

13.What was their response?

14.Thought Question: Why do you think there was dissent?

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Ezra 10:16-44 The Inspection 15.Who examined/ruled on the issue? Why do

you think Ezra did not judge alone?

16.Thought question: What do you think was investigated?

17.How does this fit into the commands of Artaxerxes (7:26)?

Ezra 10 – Confessed Sin, An Unhappy Ending

Naming and Shaming• Leadership is mentioned first

• Family of the High Priest• Other Priests• Levites• Singers• Populations

• 9 of 33 reappear from the list in Chapter 2

Weekly Challenges - Applying God’s Word

• Are we willing, like Shecaniah, to step out and confront our leaders, hold them accountable and support them?

•God’s people must avoid / resist the seductive temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil.

• Are we willing to take dramatic actions to remove sin from our lives?

Ezra / Nehemiah Timeline

PERSIAN KING DATES BIBLICAL CORRELATION TimeLine

CYRUS 539-530 Return of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 1-3)Temple work begins

538536

CAMBYSES 530-522 Rebuilding at Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4) 530

DARIUS I 522-486 Haggai and Zechariah prophesy Temple Completed (Ezra 5-6)

520516

XERXES 486-464 Story of Esther (Esther 1-9)ARTAXERXES I 464-423 Return of Ezra

(Ezra 7-10)Return of Nehemiah

(Nehemiah (1-2)Prophecy of Malachi

458

445

443

Chap 7 - 10

Chap 5 - 6

Chap 4:7-23

Chap 1 – 4:6,24

80 years

Ezra Overview

Chapter 1• God stirs King Cyrus to act• Temple Treasure returned

Chapter 2• God stirs the Israelites to

return• 50,000 obeyed

Chapter 3• God is worshiped!• The Altar is built,

foundation laid

Chapter 3• Old men remember the old

temple and weep …• “Sound heard far away.”

Chapter 4• Opposition begins • subversion,

discouragement, fear, bribery, frustration

Haggai 1• Admonishes leaders and

people• The people return to God

Chapter 5• People obey despite

opposition, admit their sins• Tattania’s factual report to

King Darius

Chapter 6• God stirs in King Darius &

he supports the Israelites

Chapter 7• The Hand of God is on Ezra• Artaxerxes commissions

Ezra to go to Jerusalem

Chapter 8• The Hand of God is on Ezra• Ezra trusts the Lord for

safety, but is not foolish• Ezra arrives in Jerusalem

Four Characteristics we see in Ezra (Chapter 7)

Devoting ourselves to God

Studying His Word

Acting according to His

Will

Teaching others about His

Grace

Are we:

Timeline

http://www.blueletterbible.org/images/rosepub/imageDisplay/#s=OT_timeline2_b