3:1 The seventh month was a particularly significant month in the Jewish calendar. In this month was the day of atonement on the 1st. was the blowing of trumpets Leviticus 23:24, the 10th was the day of atonement Leviticus 23:27 and the 15th marked the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles.

This was a time of great expectations in Jerusalem at this time. And so they kept the Feat of Tabernacles Ezra 3:4 which reminded them of deliverance from Egypt and the period in the wilderness Leviticus 23:43. A powerful reminder of the deliverance from Babylon.

4:24 Through the opposition of the adversaries the wonderful work that had commenced with the returning exiles stopped. The work was stopped for abut 16 years. It was this stopping of the work which caused some to say 'the time is not come that the Lord's house should be built' Haggai 1:2.

Opposition should not cause us to slack the work and make excuses for our inactivity.

3:10 That things were done 'after the ordinance of David…' demonstrates bot that David had set out a very detailed basis for temple worship and that these faithful Jews who returned had not forgotten what the Scriptures required even though the nation had been out of the land for 70 years.

4:1 The 'adversaries' opposing the work prompted the giving of the vision (Zechariah 3:1) to the prophet.

3:12 This detail is at the same time as Haggai 2:3

4:4 It is not only enemies who can weaken hands. It is any adversary. The company we keep will affect the way that we respond to the things of God.

3:8 We should not think of the events of this book taking place in a very short time. In telling us that we are in the second year and the second month we are at least 13 months on from the day that the people arrived - and yet they have not managed to lay the foundation of the temple yet (Ezra 3:6) even though they had been offering sacrifices for about 6 months.

4:6 Whilst the adversaries brought an "accusation" against the Jews they did not respond in like manner for we learn in Jude 1:9 that they did not respond with a railing accusation.

Jeshua (or Joshua) was the priest, and Zerubbabel was the mayor (or civic leader). It's wonderful to realise that Ezekiel's prophecy of the kingship being overturned until He came Who's right it was (Eze 21:25-27), came so true.  There was no king since Zedekiah.

3:7 In bringing cedars from Lebanon they are doing exactly what Solomon did when he originally built the temple. 2Chron 2:8

4:2 In saying that they had been in the land since ‘Esar-Haddon’ had brought them to the land the people were clearly those who were put in the land by the Assyrian2Kin 17:24 – they were the fore runners of the Samaritans in the days of Jesus. However occupancy in the land was no indicator of suitability for fellowship.

4:5 In hiring counsellors the adversaries were using underhand methods to frustrate the work of God. They knew that the decree had been made and so, by miss-information, they sought to stop the work. We do well to take care lest we use underhand means to obtain our desires. If we cannot achieve our objectives honestly then we should desist from our activity. Rom 12:17.

3:2 Now back in the land after 70 years without being able to follow the system of worship that God had instituted the record makes the point here that they did what was ‘written in the law of Moses’.

3:3 The fear spoken of is exactly what Daniel has prophesied – Dan 9:25

4:12-16  Notice the rhetoric and unfounded comments made in the letter. It is not a reasoned approach. It is character assassination. We see this in politics when a politician wants to oppose another he sinks to denigrating the individual or his policies rather than highlighting his own views. This should not happen amongst believers.

Ezra 3:2 - "Jeshua" was a priest [(3443) means "he is saved" and corresponds to the Hebrew name for "Jesus" i.e. "Joshua" (3442) means "he will save"]; "Zerubbabel" also known as "Sheshbazzar" [these two names thought to be the same person because it refers to Sheshbazzar building the foundation of the temple (Ezra 5:16) and that is a work assigned to Zerubbabel (Zech 4:9)] was a prince of Judah and the governor (Ezra 1:8;Ezra 5:14); together the prince and priest were men echos of the branch (i.e.Christ) to come (Zech 3:8).

1. the altar built (Ezra 3:1-6) echos the altar of a perfect sacrifice (Heb 13:10).

2. the new temple commenced (Ezra 3:8-13) echos perhaps Christ and/or the foundation of a spiritual temple laid through the apostles (John 2:19-21;Eph 2:10).

3. adversaries (Ezra 4) perhaps echoing the external adversary (2Thess 2:7-10) and the internal adversary (James 1:14-15;Jer 17:9) of those who are not pure in heart. 

4. exhortation of the prophets to work (Ezra 5:1;Ezra 6:14) perhaps echos workers sent out to preach (Matt 9:37-38;2Tim 4:2)

5. the temple completed (Ezra 6:15-22) perhaps echos the ultimate completion of the spiritual temple (1Pet 2:5-12).

Some of the above was gleaned from The Story of the Bible by H.P. Mansfield, Vol. 4, p. 321.

6:1 Let us return unto the Lord Isaiah 55:7 he shall come as ... rain Psalm 72:6
6:6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice Matthew 12:7

6:6 'For I desired mercy and not sacrifice' marks a central theme in Scripture. Saul should have killed the Amalakites but saved the best of them alive and was condemned by Samuel 1 Samuel 15:22. Israel thought that Yahweh was pleased with their sacrifices and missed the point so Jeremiah had to remind them that Yahweh had commanded obedience Jeremiah 7:22. Israel never seemed to appreciate that 'the law was added because of transgression Galatians 3:19. That is the law was introduced 'that sin might appear more sinful' Romans 7:13. There was no virtue in having to offer sin offerings.

There’s an interesting comment on the Law of Moses in Hos 6:6. God desired mercy, not sacrifice. To keep the Law of Moses, Israel had to offer sacrifices – but it was the spirit, and not the letter of the law, that God wanted.  He asked the people to show they loved Him, and not just kept the law and sacrificed to Him.

6:7  ‘Like men’ could equally be translated ‘like Adam’ (see margin and RV). So we have, possibly, an appeal by the prophet to Israel to reflect on the father of the human race. From which we must conclude that they were aware of the Genesis narrative of the origin of sin and death.

6:1-2 Whilst Israel were astray from God they will repent and eventually be redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus.

6:3 The call to ‘know’ by following the Lord against the background of the latter and former rain looks forward to the call of the disciples to ‘follow me’ – Mark 2:14

6:2 ‘The third day he shall ... live’ is a prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus.

When we see a quotation in a chapter of scripture, we can be sure that God wishes us to link the context of the quoting passage with the quoted passage. That's natural, right? If we see a reference in a non-fiction book we assume the writer is drawing on what that book says, not just the out-of-context quote itself. So when there are two quotes from the same passage here in Hosea 6, we can be doubly sure that we need to investigate the link. Both v5 "hewn by the prophets" and v6 "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" are references to 1Sam 15. What is the connection Hosea is making? And why has the wording been changed from "obedience" to "mercy"?

23:6 In exploiting the division amongst those who opposed him Paul was not avoiding the issue He was highlighting that he had a consistent message but that they could not even agree amongst themselves.
So Acts 23:9 shows what we suggested in chapter 22 that the issue of the resurrection of Jesus was not a major issue - at lest to the Pharisees. Indeed many Pharisees believed on Jesus John 7:48 Acts 15:5

Contrast the speech of Tertullus Acts 24:2-8 with that of Paul Acts 24:10-21. Whilst Tertullus' speech is full of flattery and invective Paul presents his case clearly without any flattery. And so would we always speak. If we feel there is a need to flatter the one we are speaking to it is probable that our case is not as good as we would like to think.

23:24-30 The letter, as other letters in Acts, is a wonderful example of how men communicate in ways which enhance their own position by bending the facts.

24:26 So political corruption is not new!

23:19 In taking the 'young man' 'by the hand' we may conclude that this indicates that he was a child. However this doesn't follow. Whilst it is not the custom for grown men to hold hands it is not at all uncommon in the middle east. In fact one may see, in exactly this sort of circumstance, two men holding hands. The 'lesser' will be guided by the 'greater' through the held hand. It is an indication of care for the 'lesser'.

24:23 The Paul was allowed contact with his friends clearly was not a normal courtesy extended to prisoners - it would not have been mentioned if it were - indicates the dilemma that the Roman authorities are now in.

23:29 This is the first of three times that the Roman legal system says that Paul has not done anything worthy of death. The others are 25:25, 26:31. In a similar way the Romans through Pilate acquitted Jesus three times (Luke 22:4 , John 19:4,6)

24:14 Paul, knowing the strength of his position (see note for May 10th 2004) spoke in a way which was calculated to both tell the truth and cause the high priest to have to think about Paul's beliefs against the background of what he, as a Pharisee, had been taught. He was preaching to the high priest, not merely defending himself against the accusation.

23:35 ‘judgment hall’ is <4232> and is found in Phil 1:13 where it is translated ‘palace’.

24:19‘Who ought to have been here’ highlights the cavalier nature of the way that the Jews treated Paul. As long as he was not in Jerusalem preaching they were happy. Having him in Roman custody suited their ends, as long as they did not appear at the judgment seat Paul’s incarceration would continue.

23:11-13 It is interesting as we look at these three verses. In V.11 we read that the Lord Jesus commends Paul's work, and tells him he will preach in Rome. That was the Divine intention, told to Paul through Jesus. Now in V.12-13 we find a conspiracy of Jews condemning Paul and determining within themselves to prevent him going to Rome. Here, we have the will of man as opposed to the Will of God. 

23:3 The behaviour of those who smote Paul highlights that they did not have the ‘good conscience’ that Paul had. Their rules were being undermined – see comment on this chapter in May this year.

24:16 The appeal again to having a ’good conscience’ echoes his comment in Acts 23:1 in May 2008

23:2-5 Contrast Paul's reaction to being struck with that of Christ's in a similar situation (John 18:22,23). Christ did not react, even though He could have made the legitimate argument that He was the true High Priest.  Paul had not yet learned how to react like his Lord (1Pet 2:21-23).  How would we react? 

23:3 To call someone a whited wall meant calling them a hypocrite.  Jesus said the same thing of the Jewish leadership (Matt 23:27).  Today, the term whitewash is used to describe a means of glossing over mistakes. White associated with the redeemed saints, on the other hand, is a token of purity and acceptance (Rev 2:17; 3:5; 19:8).

23:11-14  If these forty men were true to their vow, they would have starved to death.  This episode illustrates that when Yahweh plans something, nothing or nobody can frustrate its completion.  Paul was destined to go to Rome.  Look at all the twists and turns that took place, and yet the end result was that Paul went to Rome. 

As we look at the events happening around us in the geo-political world, we sometimes might be caught up with the twists and turns that occur.  Nevertheless, we can be absolutely assured that Yahweh will bring about the things that He has prophesied in His Word, even though they seem unlikely in the short term (Psa 33:4; 119:160).

24:5 In speaking of the believers as ‘Nazarenes’ we see another name that those opposed to their teaching used. Maybe drawing upon the way that Jesus is spoken of – Matt 2:23 – in prophecy.

Resurrection And Judgment (lesson 9 of 20 from "Outline of Basic Bible Teachings" by Wes Booker)

I. Is it important to know about the resurrection and judgment? Acts 23:6;24:15;2Tim 4:1

II. Resurrection and judgment:   A. At Christ's coming - 2Tim 4:1,8;John 11:23-26;Matt 16:27;25:31-34,46   B. Jesus is the judge - John 5:21-22;Acts 17:30-31  C. Only ones to be judged - those who know the gospel - John 12:47-48;2Pet 2:20-22;Luke 19:11-27   D. Some (those without sufficient knowledge) will stay dead and not rise - Jer 51:39,57;Isa 26:13-14 (KJV)    E. Of the responsible, BOTH righteous and wicked - Dan 12:2;2Cor 5:10;Col 3:24-25;Matt 25 {3 parables: wise and foolish virgins, those given talents (faithful and wicked), and sheep and goats}; John 5:28-29   F. All righteous "made perfect" together - Heb 11:39-40;1Cor 15:51-55;Luke 14:12-14

24:10 Paul’s measured response contrasts starkly with the ranting or Tertullus and indicates the gentle way a believer should deport himself.