Tag: bsf questions answers exile & return a time to build lesson 11

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 5: Ezra 8:21-36

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Ezra 8:21-36

Ezra asked God for a safe journey. He gave the priests the silver, gold, and other articles to protect and carry to Jerusalem. Everyone (and the gold) arrived in Jerusalem safely, thanks to God.

They praised God and sacrificed burnt offerings to Him. They conveyed the King’s orders to the governors there, too.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 5: Ezra 8:21-36

12a) They fasted and humbled themselves before God. They asked God for a safe journey.
b) It allows people to recognize that they totally depend on God. A humble posture of prayer recognizes God’s ultimate sovereignty, power, and goodness. It acknowledges our own limitations, vulnerability, and complete dependence on Him for protection and provision. It is an act of submitting our will to His authority and trusting in His character, not our own merit.
13a) Because he had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him,” so it would look like they didn’t trust God if they had asked.
b) I need to trust God with my coaching, my novel, and my future career.
14a) He put the provisions (gold, silver, and such) in the hands of the priests. He counted it out before they left and then, when they arrived to ensure it all had arrived safely and had not been stolen.
b) It’s just always a good idea to safeguard items. People learn that true faith and practical action work together. Ezra modeled this by fasting and praying (divine trust) while also creating meticulous accountability (human responsibility). His story shows God faithfully protects those who boldly depend on Him and manage His provisions with integrity.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 5: Ezra 8:21-36

Great lesson on relying on God for all your life’s journeys!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 5: Ezra 8:21-36

Fasting can have immense power.

Robbers were always a threat in ancient times. Yet, God was faithful!

The gold and silver were worth millions of dollars in today’s money. This was an important job, indeed.

God’s hand was upon them (as His is on us!).

The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem took 4 months.

The accounting and stewardship were amazing here.

The burnt offerings showed gratitude to God and dedication to Him. A sin offering was made as well.

12 bulls for the 12 tribes of Judah.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Ezra 8:21-36 records Ezra’s profound act of faith, his meticulous care for God’s holy items, and the safe arrival of his contingent in Jerusalem, proving God’s faithfulness.

Interpretation

  • Faith over Fear (vv. 21-23): Before beginning the dangerous journey, Ezra proclaims a fast, asking God for protection. He does this because he had previously told King Artaxerxes that “the good hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him.” Ezra was ashamed to ask for a military escort after making such a bold declaration of faith. He chose to rely radically on God’s protection rather than the king’s army, and the text confirms, “He answered our prayer.”
  • Accountability and Sanctity (vv. 24-30): Ezra demonstrates wise leadership by entrusting the vast treasures of gold and silver to twelve consecrated priests and their Levite assistants. He weighs everything, gives them a solemn charge to guard these “sacred” items, and makes them accountable for delivering the exact weight upon arrival. This shows his respect for the sanctity of the items and his prudence in managing them.
  • God’s Protection and Mission Accomplished (vv. 31-36): The group completes the perilous four-month journey safely, as God delivers them from “enemies and bandits on the way.” Upon arriving in Jerusalem, they rest, meticulously weigh and deliver the treasures to the Temple, and offer burnt offerings to God. They also deliver the king’s decrees, ensuring the mission has the full backing of the Persian authorities.

Conclusion

This passage is a powerful testament to faith in action. Ezra’s decision to forgo a military guard was a risky demonstration of his total trust in God, and God honored that faith with safe passage. The section highlights a perfect balance of divine reliance (fasting and prayer) and human responsibility (meticulous accounting and stewardship), resulting in the successful completion of the mission and the joyful restoration of worship.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 4: Ezra 8:1-20

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Ezra 8:1-20

Ezra lists the heads of the families who came with him to Jerusalem. Ezra realized that no Levites (the priests) were coming, so he recruited some.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 4: Ezra 8:1-20

9) Ezra recorded the lineages to establish the community’s legal and spiritual legitimacy. This proved they were the true covenant heirs of Israel and, crucially, validated which priests and Levites were qualified by ancestry to lead the newly restored Temple worship according to the Law of Moses.
10a) Ezra realized that no Levites were with him. The Levites were the priests, so he needed them to lead the people in faith.
b) Ezra summoned leaders and men of learning to bring some Levites with them. God helped, and some came! They also brought temple servants!
11a) He recruited others to help and enlisted God’s help. He refused to go to Jerusalem without them, knowing that worship of God was a high priority.
b) Right now, my passions and my dreams. He’s calling me to trust Him in this.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 4: Ezra 8:1-20

I love Ezra’s approach to his problem. He relies on others and God for help!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 4: Ezra 8:1-20

We can guess that the total number of people coming with Ezra was between 6-7,000 based on his list of names.

Note that Ezra carefully planned his persuasion tactics!

Map of Ezra’s journey back to Jerusalem and the probable location of the Ahava Canal:

map of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem and the Ahava Canal
Courtesy of generationword.com

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Ezra 8:1-20 records the roll call of the returning exiles and Ezra’s first leadership crisis, which reveals his uncompromising priority: restoring legitimate worship.

Interpretation

  • The Register (vv. 1-14): This section is the official list of the heads of families who returned with Ezra. It’s more than a headcount; it’s a legal document establishing the genealogical purity and credentials of the group, beginning with the most prominent lines of priests and the royal house of David. This list validates their identity as the true, restored people of Israel.
  • The Crisis and Resolution (vv. 15-20): After gathering the caravan by the river Ahava, Ezra inspects the people and has a stunning realization: there are no Levites present. His mission was to restore the Law and worship, and the Levites were essential personnel for Temple ministry and teaching. Instead of proceeding, Ezra immediately halts the entire journey and sends a delegation of leaders on a specific mission to recruit ministers for God’s house. “By the good hand of our God upon them,” the mission succeeds, bringing back skilled Levites and Temple servants.

Conclusion

This passage demonstrates Ezra’s meticulous, non-negotiable commitment to spiritual purity and proper worship. The list of names established the identity of the community, while Ezra’s refusal to move without the Levites proved his dedication to restoring the function of the community according to God’s Law. It showed he would not compromise on divine requirements for the sake of convenience or speed.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 3: Ezra 7:11-28

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Ezra 7:11-28

King Artaxerxes gave a letter to Ezra, stating that anyone could return to Jerusalem with him with the silver and gold taken from the temple and more. He told him to use the money to buy offerings to God and to buy materials to build the temple. All the treasurers are to provide him with whatever he needs. He is to be in charge of administering justice and teaching the law to others. Those who do not obey the laws may be punished by death or imprisonment.

Ezra praised God for putting it in the king’s heart to help the Israelites and for extending good favor to him.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 3: Ezra 7:11-28

6) God moved King Artaxerxes to authorize the return, provide lavish funding (silver, gold, supplies) from the royal treasury, grant tax exemption to all Temple workers, and give Ezra full civil authority to establish and enforce God’s Law, using state power to protect and provision the mission.
7) God’s providence included “stirring the spirit” of pagan kings. He moved Cyrus to release the exiles, Darius to find the lost decree and fund the Temple, and Artaxerxes to grant Ezra full authority and resources to restore the law.
8a) Ezra praised God for putting it in the king’s heart to help the Israelites and for extending good favor to him. He gathered up leaders from Israel to go with him.
b) Everything — food, clothing, shelter, life.
c) It’s important for us to remember what God has done in our lives so that when times get hard, we can go back to God’s faithfulness and use it to fuel us during the bad times. And, it’s crucial because it stops us from taking credit for God’s work and reminds us that we are not self-sufficient. We acknowledge His active hand in our lives. This moves us from thinking, “I’m so good/lucky” to “God is so good.” It cultivates gratitude and humility, actively pushing back against pride and reminding us that our successes are a result of His favor, just as Ezra did when he praised God for moving the king’s heart.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 3: Ezra 7:11-28

I love how God can (and does) use anyone to help His people.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 3: Ezra 7:11-28

The king commissions helpers, a copy of the Law, and gifts for the temple to go with Ezra upon his return to Jerusalem. The king encourages others to return to make Israel great again. The king was very generous in his offerings to Ezra.

Artaxerxes wanted to placate the gods (in this case, the One and Only God) so that he could be blessed. This was a common belief in those times.

Ezra was given significant authority. He knew that only God could create this!

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Ezra 7:11-28 details the official letter of commission from King Artaxerxes to Ezra. This decree grants Ezra extraordinary authority and resources for his mission to restore the Jewish community in Jerusalem.

Interpretation

The letter from the Persian king, the most powerful ruler on earth at the time, contains four astonishing provisions:

  1. Official Permission (vv. 12-13): The king formally authorizes any Jewish person, priest, or Levite in his empire to return to Jerusalem with Ezra.
  2. Royal Funding (vv. 14-23): Artaxerxes and his counselors donate a massive amount of silver and gold for the Temple. He further commands his treasurers west of the Euphrates to give Ezra whatever else he needs—up to 100 talents of silver, plus wheat, wine, oil, and salt—”without limit” and “promptly.”
  3. Tax Exemption (v. 24): The king grants complete tax immunity to all priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and other Temple servants.
  4. Civil Authority (vv. 25-26): Most significantly, the king empowers Ezra to appoint magistrates and judges to govern the entire province based on the Law of God. He gives Ezra the full power of the Persian state to enforce this law, including imprisonment, confiscation of goods, banishment, or even death.

Conclusion

The passage concludes with Ezra’s own reaction (vv. 27-28): a burst of praise to God. Ezra recognizes that this incredible political and financial backing was not a human achievement but a divine miracle. He blesses God for “put[ting] such a thing as this into the heart of the king.” This letter demonstrates God’s absolute sovereignty, showing His ability to move the heart of a pagan king to not only fund the restoration but to legally establish God’s Law as the law of the land.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 2: Ezra 7:1-10

by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Ezra 7:1-10

Ezra left Babylon during the reign of Artaxerxes with some of the Israelites back to Jerusalem. He was given everything he needed.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 2: Ezra 7:1-10

3) Ezra was a priest and expert scribe qualified by his direct lineage and deep personal devotion to God’s Law. The king agreed to his request due to God’s divine influence (“the good hand of his God was upon him”) and a smart political strategy to ensure a peaceful, loyal province. God moved Artaxerxes to be agreeable to Ezra’s request.
4a) Verses 6 and 10
b) God’s people would need a leader and someone who knew God’s Word so that they could reestablish their lives, customs, and traditions.
c) Ezra brought up all kinds of people back to Jerusalem. However, the list reveals Ezra’s priority was legitimate worship. By halting the entire journey to recruit Levites, he showed that having the correct personnel for Temple service was non-negotiable. The detailed census itself served to define and purify the community, laying the foundation for his spiritual reforms.
5) He’s given me this forum to help others. He continues to bless my life as I try to follow Him the best I can.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 2: Ezra 7:1-10

I love how Ezra is called and chosen here. We all are, and it’s good to remember this.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 11, Day 2: Ezra 7:1-10

Sixty years passed between Ezra 6 and 7 with not much to-dos.  The book of Esther takes place in this timeframe when Xerxes reigned, who was married to Esther.

  • Ezra 1-6 is the first wave of exiles returning to Jerusalem
  • Ezra 7-10 is the second wave with Ezra himself (around 458 BC)
  • Nehemiah led the third wave

The point of the list of names is to show that Ezra is of the Levite tribe, descended from Aaron, and a rightful priest for the Jews.

Ezra returned during the second phase. He was an expert in God’s law, whose job was to preserve, teach, and observe God’s laws.

The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was about 900 miles.

Ezra’s job was to teach the word of the Lord to the people.

Fun Fact: The Bible has more than 40 human authors.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Ezra 7:1-10 introduces the book’s second main figure, Ezra, a priest and expert scribe in the Law of Moses. It establishes his authority through a detailed lineage tracing back to Aaron, the first high priest, and highlights the divine favor upon him, which is key to his mission.

Interpretation

  • Ezra’s Credentials (vv. 1-6): The passage opens by establishing Ezra’s impeccable qualifications. His long genealogy validates his priestly authority, while his description as a scribe “skilled in the Law of Moses” confirms his expertise. He is not just a priest by birth but a scholar by devotion.
  • The Second Return (vv. 7-9): Decades after the initial return under Zerubbabel, Ezra leads a second, smaller group of exiles to Jerusalem. This journey is explicitly successful because “the good hand of his God was upon him.” This phrase underscores a central theme: Ezra’s success is a direct result of divine favor, not just his own skill or royal permission.
  • Ezra’s Motivation (v. 10): This key verse reveals the heart of Ezra’s mission. He had “set his heart” to do three things in order:
    1. To study the Law of the LORD.
    2. To do it (i.e., to live it out personally).
    3. To teach its statutes and rules in Israel. This demonstrates that his purpose was a deep, spiritual revival based on a foundation of personal devotion and scholarly knowledge.

Conclusion

This passage serves as a formal introduction to Ezra, presenting him as the divinely appointed and qualified leader for the next phase of Israel’s restoration. His mission was not to build a physical temple, which was already done, but to rebuild the spiritual and legal foundation of the nation by teaching God’s Law. The success of his journey, attributed to God’s “good hand,” sets the stage for the religious and social reforms he would soon implement.

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