Precious Moments That Count For Eternity

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The Ministry Of The Holy Spirit

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The Gospel of Mark (Part Seven)

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Healing Family Relationships Through Compassion

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      <div class="chapter ch4" data-usfm="EZR.4">
         <div class="label">4</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Opposition to the Rebuilding</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="EZR.4.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content">, the God of Israel, </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EZR.4.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, &#8220;Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EZR.4.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EZR.4.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, &#8220;You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">Lord</span></span><span class="content">, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EZR.4.3"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EZR.4.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">4:4 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">and troubled them as they built</span></span></span><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EZR.4.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EZR.4.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EZR.4.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">4:6 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="fqa">Ahasuerus</span></span></span><span class="content"> they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EZR.4.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.4.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">4:7 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">written in Aramaic and translated</span></span></span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">4:7 </span><span class="ft">The text of 4:8&#8211;6:18 is in Aramaic.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.4.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EZR.4.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:</span></span></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EZR.4.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="EZR.4.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates&#8212;the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EZR.4.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EZR.4.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.4.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">(This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)</span></span></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.4.11"><span class="content">To King Artaxerxes,</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.4.11"><span class="content">From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.4.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="EZR.4.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="EZR.4.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="EZR.4.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">4:13 </span><span class="ft">The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.</span></span></span><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EZR.4.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="EZR.4.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed. </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EZR.4.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EZR.4.16"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EZR.4.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">The king sent this reply:</span></span></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EZR.4.17"><span class="content">To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EZR.4.17"><span class="content">Greetings.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EZR.4.17"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="EZR.4.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="EZR.4.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. </span></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="EZR.4.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. </span></span><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="EZR.4.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. </span></span><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="EZR.4.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="EZR.4.22"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="EZR.4.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="EZR.4.23"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="EZR.4.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.</span></span></div>
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      <div class="chapter ch5" data-usfm="EZR.5">
         <div class="label">5</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Tattenai&#8217;s Letter to Darius</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="EZR.5.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. </span></span><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EZR.5.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="EZR.5.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="EZR.5.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, &#8220;Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="EZR.5.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">They</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">5:4 </span><span class="ft">See Septuagint; Aramaic </span><span class="fqa">We.</span></span></span><span class="content"> also asked, &#8220;What are the names of those who are constructing this building?&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EZR.5.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="EZR.5.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="EZR.5.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. </span></span><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.5.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">The report they sent him read as follows:</span></span></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.5.7"><span class="content">To King Darius:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pmo"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.5.7"><span class="content">Cordial greetings.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="EZR.5.7"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EZR.5.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="EZR.5.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="EZR.5.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">We questioned the elders and asked them, &#8220;Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?&#8221; </span></span><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EZR.5.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="EZR.5.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.5.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">This is the answer they gave us:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="EZR.5.11"><span class="content">&#8220;We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="EZR.5.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="EZR.5.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="EZR.5.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">&#8220;However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. </span></span><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="EZR.5.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">He even removed from the temple</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">5:14 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">palace</span></span></span><span class="content"> of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">5:14 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="fqa">palace</span></span></span><span class="content"> in Babylon. Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor, </span></span><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="EZR.5.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">and he told him, &#8216;Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.&#8217;</span></span></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="EZR.5.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EZR.5.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">&#8220;So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="pm"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="EZR.5.16"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="EZR.5.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.</span></span></div>
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