Zechariah Chapter 5 - NIV

The Flying Scroll


1 I looked again—and there before me was a flying scroll!
2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a flying scroll, thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. "
3 And he said to me, "This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished.
4 The LORD Almighty declares, 'I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in his house and destroy it, both its timbers and its stones.' "

The Woman in a Basket

5 Then the angel who was speaking to me came forward and said to me, "Look up and see what this is that is appearing."
6 I asked, "What is it?" He replied, "It is a measuring basket." And he added, "This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land."
7 Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman!
8 He said, "This is wickedness," and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed the lead cover down over its mouth.
9 Then I looked up—and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings! They had wings like those of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth.
10 "Where are they taking the basket?" I asked the angel who was speaking to me.
11 He replied, "To the country of Babylonia to build a house for it. When it is ready, the basket will be set there in its place."

Prayer Points
- Delegates prayerfully prepare for the National Planning Conference to be held in Nov'09
- Survey reaches almost all of UESI Members
- UESI Members prayerfully respond to the Survey

Zechariah Chapter 4 : NIV

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees


1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and wakened me, as a man is wakened from his sleep.
2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights.
3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5 He answered, "Do you not know what these are?" "No, my lord," I replied.
6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.
7 "What [a] are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.
10 "Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
"(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)"
11 Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
12 Again I asked him, "What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?"
13 He replied, "Do you not know what these are?" "No, my lord," I said.
14 So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to [b] serve the Lord of all the earth."
 
Prayer points
- God's wisdom to to the Planning Committee Groups working on the draft proposals

Zechariah Chapter 3 : NIV

Clean Garments for the High Priest


1 Then he showed me Joshua [a] the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan [b] standing at his right side to accuse him.
2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"
3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.
4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
5 Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.
6 The angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua:
7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.
8 " 'Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.
9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes [c] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
10 " 'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Pray for
- Planning Conference in Nov'09

Zechariah Chapter 2

A Man With a Measuring Line


1 Then I looked up—and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand!
2 I asked, "Where are you going?" He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is."
3 Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him
4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it.
5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.'
6 "Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven," declares the LORD.
7 "Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!"
8 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye-
9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. [a] Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.
10 "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.
11 "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.
12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.
13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."
 
Prayer Points
- For those who are actively working on the UESI Restructuring Plans
- For National Planning Conference to be held in Nov'09
- For the Survey Questionnaire to reach to most of our Graduates and Students
- UESI member prayerfully prepare themselves to respond to the Survey

Zecharaih Chapter 1 :: NIV Bible

Zechariah 1

A Call to Return to the LORD

¹ In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:
² "The LORD was very angry with your forefathers. ³ Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty. ⁴ Do not be like your forefathers, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.' But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. ⁵ Where are your forefathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your forefathers?
"Then they repented and said, 'The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.'"

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.
⁸ During the night I had a vision—and there before me was a man riding a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.
⁹ I asked, "What are these, my lord?"
The angel who was talking with me answered, "I will show you what they are."
¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent to go throughout the earth."
¹¹ And they reported to the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace."
¹² Then the angel of the LORD said, "LORD Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?" ¹³ So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
¹⁴ Then the angel who was speaking to me said, "Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, ¹⁵ but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity.'
¹⁶ "Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,' declares the LORD Almighty.
¹⁷ "Proclaim further: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.' "

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

¹⁸ Then I looked up—and there before me were four horns! ¹⁹ I asked the angel who was speaking to me, "What are these?"
He answered me, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem."
²⁰ Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ I asked, "What are these coming to do?"
He answered, "These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people."

Introduction to Zechariah

Theme: The LORD remembers Zion

Key Words: Jerusalem, the Day of the LORD

Author: Zechariah (Zehk uh ri' uh), whose name means "of whom Jehovah has memory", was a Levite who was born in Babylon (Neh 12:1, 16). Zechariah was one of the post-exilic prophets and a contemporary of Haggai. Like Haggai, he received the calling to encourage the Jews to complete the task of rebuilding the Temple (see Ezra 6:14). As the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo.

Date: Zechariah's prophetic ministry began in 520 B.C., two years after Haggai had completed his. The prophet apparently received the vision of the first chapters when he was still a youth (see 2:44). Chapters 7 and 8 belong to 518 B.C., two years later. The reference to Greece in 9:13 seems to indicate that chapters 9-14 were written after 480 B.C., when that nation replaced Persia as the great world power. The prophecies that the book of Zechariah contain were edited between 520 and 475 B.C.

Background: The exiles who returned to their home in 536 B.C., under the edict of Cyrus, were among the poorest Jewish captives. Some 50,000 returned to Jerusalem under the direction of Zerubbabel and Joshua. They rapidly rebuilt the altar and began the reconstruction of the Temple. However, they soon began to feel apathy, due to the opposition of their Samaritan neighbors, who obtained an order from the king of Persia to halt the labors. For about twelve years the construction had been blocked by discouragement and concern with other objectives. Zechariah and Haggai urged the people to return to the LORD and his purpose of restoring the ruined temple. Zechariah encouraged the people of GOD, announced the day when the Messiah would reign from a restored temple, in a restored city.

Historical Setting: The setting at the beginning of the Book is the same as the setting of the Book of Haggai. The prophet Haggai spoke directly to the issue of the rebuilding of the Temple, encouraging those who returned from captivity in Babylon to finish the task. Zechariah spoke to that issue as well, according to the Book of Ezra (Ezra 5:1). But Zechariah wished to bring about a complete spiritual renewal through faith and hope in GOD. He spoke about the nature of GOD's Law and of the hope which GOD promised to those who were faithful to Him.

The second portion of Zechariah was written in the period between the times of the prophets Haggai (520 B.C.) and Malachi 450 B.C.). The Persian Empire was ruled by two great kings during these years, Darius I (522-486 B.C.) and Xerxes I (585-465 B.C.). This was a period when the Jewish people in Jerusalem were settled in their new land with a walled city and their beloved Temple. But they were unhappy and dissatisfied. Some of the people had expected that Zerubbabel, governor of Jerusalem, might be the Messiah, but this had proven to be false. The people needed a new word concerning GOD's future for them. This message from GOD was given in a most dramatic fashion by the great prophet Zechariah.

Content: The book of Zechariah begins with an energetic message from the LORD asking the people to repent and return to their GOD. The book is replete with Zechariah's references to the Word of the LORD. The prophet doesn't transmit his own message, but faithfully communicates the message that GOD has given him. He calls the people to repent of their lethargy and complete the unfinished work.

Later, GOD gives assurances to the people of his love and care in a series of eight visions. The vision of the man and the horses reminds the people of the vigilant care of GOD. The vision of the four horns and four carpenters alludes to the judgment of GOD, first upon Judah and later upon their enemies. In the vision of the man with the measuring cord appears an apocalyptic reference to the beautiful and peaceful city of GOD. Joshua, the High Priest, represents cleansing from sin. The magnificent vision of the gold candlestick, supported by the two olive trees, is a message to Zerubbabel in the sense that GOD's purposes can only be fulfilled through His Spirit. The flying scroll emits a pronouncement against those who steal and swear falsely. The vision of the women bearing the ephah alludes to GOD's holiness and cleansing from sin. The vision of the four chariots describes GOD's sovereign control over the earth.

The visions are followed by a scene in which Joshua is crowned as king and priest. It has to do with a magnificent symbol of the coming of the Messiah.

In chapters 7 and 8, GOD makes use of a question about fasting to reinforce his mandate of justice and rectitude, which should be placed before religious formalities.

Chapters 9-14 have an eschatological (the study of end times) character. Zion is restored, and radiates the glory of the king who governs it. Two prophetic messages stand out. The first prophecy, or "oracle", is in chapters 9-11. GOD will deliver his people (chapter 9), the prosperity of the people of GOD (chap. 10) will be restored and the Shepherd of Israel will be initially rejected, which will bring great desolation (chap. 11). The second prophecy is in chapters 12-14. Once again GOD frees his people, while they are afflicted by Him whom they pierced (chapter 12). A fountain is then opened to cleanse sin and impurity (chapter 13). Finally, the LORD will reign over all the nations from a restored Zion (chapter 14).

Theological Contribution: One of the greatest contributions of the Book of Zechariah is the merger of the best from the priestly and prophetic elements in Israel's history. Zechariah realized the need for both these elements in an authentic faith. He called the people to turn from their sins. He also realized that the Temple and religious ritual played an important role in keeping the people close to GOD. Because he brought these elements together in his own ministry, Zechariah helped prepare the way for the Christian community's understanding of Christ as both priest and prophet.

Zechariah is also noted for his development of an apocalyptic-prophetic style - highly symbolized and visionary language concerning the events of the end-time. In this, his writing resembles the Books of Daniel and revelation. The visions of lampstands and olive trees, horsemen and chariots, measuring lines and horns place him and these other two books in a class by themselves. Zechariah also has a great deal to say about the concept of GOD as warrior. While this was a well-established image among biblical writers, Zechariah ties this idea to the concept of the Day of the LORD (see Joel 2). His description of the return of Christ to earth as the great Warrior in the Day of the LORD (14:1-9) is one of the most stirring prophecies of the Old Testament.

On that day, according to Zechariah, Christ will place His feet on the Mount of Olives, causing violent changes throughout the land (14:3-4). The day will be changed to darkness and the darkness to light (14:5-8). The entire world will worship Him as the LORD spreads His rule as King "over all the earth" (14:9).

Purpose of the Book: - To introduce glimpses of reality for the postexilic community from a heavenly standpoint, namely, that “The transcendent God is working out His eternal purpose for Judah and Jerusalem, equipping His covenant people to fulfill the spiritual role for which He chose them ( 1:7- 6:15)”

- To describe the quality of life which the postexilic community is to display (Zech 7:1--8:32)

- To demonstrate that the Lord will establish His kingdom, not through a gradual evolutionary process,but through struggle and tension

- To urge Israel to return to Yahweh so that He would return to them and continue to fulfill His word

- To promise that in spite of the nation’s lowly position and its spiritual insensitivity, a Deliverer willbring a time of ultimate blessing

Haggai Chapter 2 :: NIV Bible

Haggai 2

The Promised Glory of the New House

¹ On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: ² "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ³ 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? ⁴ But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty. ⁵ 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.' 

⁶ "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. ⁸ 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. ⁹ 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Ask the priests what the law says: ¹² If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?' "
The priests answered, "No."

¹³ Then Haggai said, "If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?"
"Yes," the priests replied, "it becomes defiled."

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, " 'So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,' declares the LORD. 'Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

¹⁵ " 'Now give careful thought to this from this day on ^[a] —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD's temple. ¹⁶ When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. ¹⁷ I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,' declares the LORD. ¹⁸ 'From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Give careful thought: ¹⁹ Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
" 'From this day on I will bless you.' "

Zerubbabel the LORD's Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ²¹ "Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

²³ " 'On that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the LORD Almighty."

Footnotes:

1. Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past

Haggai Chapter 1 :: NIV Bible

 Haggai 1

A Call to Build the House of the LORD

    ¹ In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua ^[a] son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

    ² This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' "

    ³ Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: ⁴ "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

    ⁵ Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. ⁶ You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

    ⁷ This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. ⁹ "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. ¹⁰ Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. ¹¹ I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."

    ¹² Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.

    ¹³ Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: "I am with you," declares the LORD. ¹⁴ So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

Footnotes:

a.Haggai 1:1 A variant of Jeshua ; here and elsewhere in Haggai

Setting the Priorities: A Key to Restoration

An Introduction to the Book of Haggai

What is the key to restoration? It is none other than and nothing less than reconsidering the priorities. Whenever, the people of God set their priorities right and acted accordingly, the results have been spectacular and amazing. This is the message of Haggai, the prophet to the disheartened people of God.

Historical Setting:

Historically, the Babylonian captivity of Judah came to an end by the decree of the Mede - Persian emperor Cyrus. In 538 B.C. Cyrus, King of Persia allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem after 70 years in captivity. The decree was for the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Jerusalem temple. A group of people of God came back with joy and much hope to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah and a descendant of the last legitimate ruler of Judah (Jechoniah). Two years later (536 B.C.) construction on the temple began, led by Zerubbabel. Despite the glorious beginning, after two years (534 B.C.) the work stopped, mired in discouragement and derailed by a lack of focus. The people of God were complacent about the ruined temple and were much enthusiastic about building their own houses, thinking that time has not come to build the temple of God. They reversed their priorities and failed to put God in first place in their lives.

The exiles had been back in Jerusalem for 18 years - but the work of rebuilding the temple lay idle for the last 14 years. This was the situation during the time of Haggai and Zechariah (c. 520 BC).

In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai and he gave this first word in September, 520 B.C (Ezra 5:1-2). Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah and Joshua the son of Jehozadak was the high priest. Then the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them (so we read Ezra 5:1), to reprove them for their remissness, and to encourage them to revive that good work when it had stood still for some time, and to go on with it vigorously, notwithstanding the opposition they met with in it. He exhorted them to turn from the uncleanness of their ways and to trust in God's sovereign power. 

Haggai began two months before Zechariah, who was raised up to second him, that out of the mouth of two witnesses the word might be established. But Zechariah continued longer at the work; for all Haggai's prophecies that are recorded were delivered within four months, in the second year of Darius, between the beginning of the sixth month and the end of the ninth. But we have Zechariah's prophecies dated above two years after (Zechariah 7:1).

When Haggai prophesied the foundation to the temple was laid and the altar was rebuilt but the temple wasn't yet rebuilt. It was finished four years later in 516 B.C. (Ezra 6:15)

The Book of Haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of God faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in God and how God provided for their needs.

THE name Haggai means "my feast". Haggai was a prophet (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) of the restored remnant after the 70 years' captivity. To hearten, rebuke, and instruct that feeble and divided remnant was the task of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The theme of Haggai is the unfinished temple, and his mission to admonish and encourage the builders.

The elders of the Jews built the temple, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Ezra 6:14)

 

Date and Time line: August 29 to December 18, 520 B.C.

Haggai preached his sermons during the second year of Darius I king of Persia (521-486 B.C.)

Reference	Year of Darius	Month	Date of New Moon	Day	Equivalent Date, BC
Hag. 1:1	second	sixth	29 Aug.	1st	29 Aug. 520
Hag. 1:15				24th	21 Sept. 520
Hag. 2:1		seventh	27 Sept.	21st	17 Oct. 520
Hag. 2:10,20		ninth	25 Nov.	24th	18 Dec. 520

First Return: The first return from Babylonian exile was under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. when Cyrus was King (539-530) (Ezra 1--6).

• Haggai and Zechariah prophesy and the Temple was completed under Darius I (521-486).

1.      The foundation for the temple was laid in the second year of the return (536 B.C.) (Ezra 3:8-13; 5:16).

2.      Samaritan and Persian resistance ended the rebuilding of the temple for 16 years (until 520 B.C.) (Ezra 4:4-5).

3.      Haggai and Zechariah prophesy from 520-518 B.C. encouraging the nation to rebuild the temple and the Temple was completed in 515 B.C. (Ezra 5--6)

Second Return: The second return from Babylonian exile was under Ezra in 457 B.C. while Artaxexes I Longimanus was King (Ezra 7--10).

Third Return: The third return from Babylonian exile was under Nehemiah in 445/444 B.C. also while Artaxerxes I Longimanus was king (Neh 1--13).

 

Purpose:

1.   To encourage the returned to move from a resigned satisfaction with their return to the land to an expression of faith by making an effort to rebuild the temple

2.   To encourage the reestablishment of temple worship as the nation's main goal

3.   To encourage that Yahweh will bless them and the land as they move towards rebuilding the temple

4.   To encourage that Yahweh has a future place of importance for them in spite of their past rebellion

Application:

1.   To examine our priorities to see if we are more interested in our own pleasures than doing the work of God- in the UESI ministry and in the church.

2.   To reject a defeatist attitude when we run into opposition or discouraging circumstances in our campus ministry.

3.   To confess our failures and seek to live pure lives before God.

4.   To act courageously for God in the campuses because we have the assurance that He is with us always and is in full control of our circumstances.

5.   To rest secure in God's hands knowing that He will abundantly bless us as we faithfully serve Him.

Daniel Chapter 12 :: NIV Bible

Daniel 12

The End Times

1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise [a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"

7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. [b] When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."

8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"

9 He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

11 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.

13 "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."

Footnotes:

a. Daniel 12:3 Or who impart wisdom

b. Daniel 12:7 Or a year, two years and half a year

Daniel Chapter 11 :: NIV Bible

Daniel 11

1 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.

The Kings of the South and the North

2 "Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. 4 After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others.

5 "The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power [a] will not last. In those days she will be handed over, together with her royal escort and her father [b] and the one who supported her.

7 "One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 "Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

14 "In those times many will rise against the king of the South. The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans [c] will not succeed or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back upon him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.

20 "His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

21 "He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

25 "With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

29 "At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands [d] will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 "His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

33 "Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

36 "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. [e]

40 "At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at [f] the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Footnotes:

a. Daniel 11:6 Or offspring

b. Daniel 11:6 Or child (see Vulgate and Syriac)

c. Daniel 11:17 Or but she

d. Daniel 11:30 Hebrew of Kittim

e. Daniel 11:39 Or land for a reward

f. Daniel 11:45 Or the sea and

Introduction to the book of Daniel!

Dear UESI Family,

Greetings!  This is just a gentle reminder about the Bible Reading Plan, which is Starting tomorrow i.e., 12th (Saturday) September.  Our first book in the Bible Reading Plan is about the book of Daniel.  To facilitate you to know the backgroud of the book of Daniel, we have given a brief Introduction about the same.   

With regards,
J Selvadurai

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL

The Person

Daniel was taken captive as a teenager and was deported to Babylon by the King Nebuchadnezzar during the 1st siege of Jerusalem in 605 BC.”In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” (Daniel 1:1). There he served in the government for about 60 years during the reigns of 4 kings - Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus. He also became God’s mouthpiece to the Gentile and Jewish world declaring God’s present and eternal purpose. Daniel's life can be characterized by purpose, prayer, courage, conviction, character and prophecy. The name Dani’el means ‘God is my judge’ in Hebrew.

The Book

The book contains some of the famous Bible stories with some profound lessons about God and life. Daniel is the good news of the kingdom of God. Nations and empires will rise and fall, but the kingdom of God will endure. The aim of Daniel is to display the kingdom of God as victorious over all ages.

Its content

The book covers history from 605 up to at least 535BC. It gives a historical account of the faithful Jews who lived in captivity and shows how God is in control of heaven and earth, directing the forces of nature, the destiny of nations and the care of his people. It assures us that history has a meaning and a message for us today.

The book also records dreams and visions, symbols and numbers.  Thus it is also apocalyptic in nature. Daniel's apocalyptic visions (8-12) give a glimpse of God’s plan for ages, including a direct prediction of the Messiah. Daniel has more to say about the coming antichrist than any other OT writers.

Its author and date

Daniel claimed to write this book (12:4). Still many critics have argued and attempted to explain that the book was written in the time of Maccabees in the 2^nd century and not in the 6^th century.

Its audience

Other captives in Babylon, the gentile world and God's people everywhere (including UESI)

Its language and structure

This book is unique in biblical literature. It is partly written in Hebrew (1:1 –2:4a; 8:1 – 12:13) and partly in Aramaic (2:4b – 7:28), a close cognate language to Hebrew, using the same script. The first six chapters present stories about Daniel and his friends (historical narrative). In the last six chapters, the visions of Daniel (apocalyptic material) are presented. 

Its Key verses

Daniel: 20-22 and Daniel 2:44

Its Key people

Daniel – The main character

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – His three Hebrew friends. They refused to bow down to an image of gold ordered by King Nebuchadnezzar and hence they were condemned to a fiery death. But God intervened and spared their lives.

Kings Daniel served –

Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar: Babylonian Empire (chps. 1-4, 5; 7; 8)

Darius and Cyrus: Medo-Persian Empire (chps. 6; 9, 10-12)

Its major Themes

God is in control

God has a purpose

God preserves

God is faithful

Its Relevance

In a time when the mankind faces doubts and uncertainty about everything, the book offers hope and assurance and the character inspires us to trust God’s sovereignty and goodness. Read on for your own lessons and be blessed.