Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
Maundy Thursday
There are 3 days til Easter!
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Bible Commentaries
Ezra 6

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-22

  1. ROADBLOCK RESOLVED (Ch. 6)
    1. Darius’ response. I’ll Read vs. 1,2. They found it.
    2. Map – They went looking where? (Babylon). They found it where? (Achmetha, probably Ecbatana, the ancient capital of Media)
      1. Show how far were they apart. 265 miles as the crow flies.
      2. If we were only dealing with natural means then they wouldn’t have found this…but the eye of their God was upon them.
    3. (6:8-12) Don’t miss this…the difficulty raised by their foes really became their benefit
      1. ​​​​​​​For the king decreed that their needs be supplied & expenses met.
      2. The man who would have hindered the progress is now used to help with great gifts.
        1. This reminds us of whom in Esther? (Moredcai/all the attacks, then backfired on Haman)
      3. When you obey God, you at once ensure His cooperation for the accomplishment of the task at hand.
    4. (6:13-18) Read 14-16
    5. The work began with mingled joy & tears (3:11-13) but it ended with all the people rejoicing (6:16)
      1. It is highly probable that this is when Psalm 146-148 were composed.
      2. In the Septuagint they are entitled: The Psalms of: Haggai & Zechariah.
        1. ​​​​​​​See Ps.146:4,9; Ps.147:2,3
      3. The joy of worshipping & serving God, is always accompanied by Satan’s attempts to spoil it.
        1. He doesn’t know how not to do that. It is the heart, passion & core of his very nature
        2. However, Satan cannot thwart the plans of God.
        3. Dan.4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, What have You done?
    6. (6:19-22) Passover & The Feast of Unleavened Bread.
    7. This is the 1st Passover since King Josiah’s, more than 100 years earlier.
      1. They were made clean (20) – They purified themselves.
      2. They were unified (21a) - They ate together.
      3. Who partook? (21b) – All who had separated themselves from the filth/uncleanness of the nations of the land.
      4. Why? (22b) – In order to seek the Lord God of Israel.
    8. Communion: point out where communion is set up. Come & pick up, back up, wait to be lead by 1 of the designated communion leaders.
Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Ezra 6". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/ezra-6.html. 2017.
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