Introduction:
A. How many of you have seen the “Keep Calm and Carry On” Posters?
1. “Keep Calm and Carry On”- this slogan, printed on a colored background and topped with a royal crown, has cropped up everywhere.
a. It is emblazoned on everything from totes and T-shirts to coffee mugs and throw pillows.
2. Here are some silly renditions of it:
a. Keep calm and pretend it’s not Monday.
b. Keep calm it’s almost Friday.
c. Here’s an old-school: Keep calm and carry on my wayward son. (Kansas song)
d. This works for some people: Keep calm and eat bacon.
e. For other people it’s: Keep calm and eat chocolate.
f. For parents it’s: Keep calm and carry diapers, cheerios, a sippy cup, Purell, a binky, more diapers…
g. In honor of Father’s Day it’s: Keep calm and call dad.
h. Unfortunately, some people’s motto is: Freak out and break stuff.
i. Or for some people you say to them, “Keep calm!” And they say, “I am calm!”
3. So, where did this bloody thing come from, and why has it become the fad of the moment?
4. Well, this message first appeared in Great Britain as World War II began in 1939.
a. British officials printed it on posters designed to offset panic and discouragement during the war.
b. Actually, It had only limited distribution, and thus was little known.
c. It was rediscovered in 2000, and has been re-issued by a number of private companies, and has been used as the decorative theme for a range of products, thus its’ present popularity.
B. For our purposes in today’s sermon, in addition to “keep calm and carry on,” I want us to think about “Keep calm and trust God.”
1. Today as we continue our sermon series from Ezra and Nehemiah, we are going to learn how important it is for God’s people to keep calm and trust God no matter what obstacles they are facing.
2. Here’s a quick review of the story from Ezra that we have learned so far:
a. The Jewish exiles returned to the land of Israel after 70 years in captivity.
b. God had opened the door for them to do so by moving the heart of King Cyrus of Persia.
c. And so over 42,000 Israelites picked up and moved back to the land of Judah.
d. Once they had settled in they had to overcome their own fear and enemy interference as they began to rebuild the temple.
e. Once they finished the foundation, their opponents “hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose and so Israel’s enemies successfully delayed the project.
f. We ended last week with the last verse of Ezra 4: 24 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.
g. And so the work on the temple of God came to a screeching halt for about 16 years – from 536 BC to 520 BC.
3. Today we are going to learn how God helped the exiles to keep calm, trust God and carry on.
I. The Story
A. Let’s pick up our story at the beginning of Ezra chapter 5: 1 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. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them. (Ezra 5:1-2)
1. Just like every spiritual advance in history, from Abraham’s relocation to the missionary expansion in the book of Acts, it always begins with a word from the Lord.
a. And every spiritual advance in response to God’s call, also is quickly tested and threatened.
2. Thankfully, after the ominousness and discouragement of chapter 4, chapter 5 returns to the optimistic tone that dominated chapter 3.
3. So how did God get them moving again? He sent messages to His people through two prophets – Haggai and Zechariah.
a. These two prophets were called upon by God to encourage the people to resume building the temple.
b. Situations of hopelessness can always be effectively countered by the bold proclamation of God’s Word.
4. Thankfully, we possess the very words that God gave to Haggai and Zechariah.
a. We would greatly benefit from studying their books of prophesy.
b. The two prophets and their books are quite a contrast from each other – about the only thing they had in common is that they were both prophets of God.
c. Haggai’s book is only two chapters long, but Zechariah’s book is much longer – 14 chpts.
5. Let’s read a short sample from Haggai: 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 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. (Haggai 1:1-8)
a. We notice in that passage the chronology of these events – 2nd year of King Darius.
b. We notice that some were saying it is not time to rebuild, but God says, “How can you live in your own nice houses, when My house is in ruins?”
c. God says, “Get back to work building my house, so that I can take pleasure in it and be honored by it.
6. Praise God that the preaching of the prophets got the work moving again.
7. Notice also that the prophets didn’t just preach to them or at them, it appears that they worked beside them…they were helping them.
a. It is always a great example for God’s people when the spiritual leaders are willing to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty and work up a sweat!
B. So what would you expect might happen after the exiles resumed the work on the temple?
1. Would you expect obstacles and opposition? Oh, Yeah!
2. The story continues: 3 At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” 4 They also asked, “What are the names of the men constructing this building?” 5 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. (Ezra 5:3-5)
3. Historians tell us that these were turbulent times in the Persian empire and that there had been many revolts throughout the first two years of Darius’ reign.
4. So perhaps these local officials were just trying to do their job to look out for the empire and to squash any revolts.
a. So they asked to see their building permits, and wanted to see their drivers licenses to take down their names.
b. We will notice in the letter they sent to Darius that this structure was being built with large stones, so perhaps they wondered if this was going to be a temple or something more – a fortress.
5. But, we are told that “the eye of their God was watching over” them and they were not stopped from rebuilding while the letter was sent to Darius.
a. This may be another indication of the integrity of the officials, they weren’t just trying to throw their weight around, but they felt that sending off a report and a request for guidance was all that was needed at this time.
C. Acting as a good historian, Ezra gives us first-hand material whenever possible.
1. The story continues: 6 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. 7 The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: Cordial greetings. 8 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. 9 We questioned the elders and asked them, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?” 10 We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information. 11 This is the answer they gave us: “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. 12 But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. 13 “However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14 He even removed from the temple 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 in Babylon. “Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor, 15 and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’ 16 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.” 17 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.
2. So the letter is a good one – certainly not as sensational or exaggerated like the letter we looked at last week that was sent to Artaxerxes many years later.
3. They report that they stumbled upon the building project and wondered if they have the proper permits.
4. They asked who had given them authority to build, and the Jews gave them a little history lesson, including the fact that the former king, Cyrus, gave them permission and provisions.
5. These opponents didn’t believe that such a decree had been made, so they asked for Darius to make a proper search and then tell them what they should do about the situation.
D. So the story continues: 1 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: Memorandum: 3 In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide, 4 with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. 5 Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God. 6 Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from there. 7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed--young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem--must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. 11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.
1. Does Darius’ letter cause you to cheer? It does me! How awesome and great is our God!
2. Isn’t ironic that King Darius would never have known about this decree if the opponents hadn’t suggested that he look for it.
3. No outcome could have been more favorable, for the king’s reply now put the temple builders in a far stronger position than before.
4. It gave Zerubbabel all the benefits of state money and protection, and all this without the touch of state interference. Wouldn’t we like that on our building projects!?
5. Darius’ letter also decreed a severe penalty upon anyone who would hinder this project.
6. There is poetic justice in making a man’s own house his instrument of execution for tampering with the house of God.
E. The story continues: 13 Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 16 Then the people of Israel--the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles--celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.
1. The expression “with diligence” is something of a keynote in these chapters – 5 and 6.
a. It is used to describe the way the builders resumed their work in 5:8.
b. It is used to describe the urgency of the kings decree in 6:8, 12.
c. It is used to describe how Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai obeyed the kings orders in 6:13.
2. Tattenai, as provincial governor, had acted responsibly throughout – in making the inquiry, in waiting for confirmation, and then in giving full effect to the decree – he was no Saballat, whom we will meet later in the story of Nehemiah.
3. And so the temple was finally finished in the sixth year of king Darius in 515 BC – 4 and ½ years after Haggai and Zechariah got things moving again, and about 22 years after it had been started in the second year of king Cyrus.
4. And the pattern continued – with the completion of the temple, there was a celebration – just like after the completion of the altar, and the completion of the foundation of the temple.
5. It was a grand celebration, indeed, yet it paled in comparison with the dedication of Solomon’s temple where 22 thousand oxen and 120 thousand sheep were offered, not hundreds.
F. The chapter finishes with the observance of the Passover: 19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
1. Just five weeks after the dedication of the temple, the Passover was held.
2. As they remembered how God had brought their ancestors out of Egyptian bondage, I’m sure they couldn’t help but marvel at how God had brought them out of their captivity.
3. Notice verse 21 – The Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it along with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors.
a. This is a crucial verse for correcting the impression we gained from 4:1-3 that they were an exclusive and closed party.
b. In reality, we find that only the self-excluded were unwelcome.
c. The convert and the repentant found an open door into the family of God – that’s how it should be in the church also.
G. And so this chapter brings the story of the first 20 some years of “The Return” to a satisfying conclusion.
1. The age and efforts of Zerubbabel and Jeshua come to a close.
2. A new age of Ezra and Nehemiah will open in Ezra chapter 7, but let’s keep in mind that the chapters are back to back, but they are separated by a generation from these events.
II. The Application
A. So what lessons can we learn from today’s section of the story? Let me offer two.
B. First, we learn something of the power of God’s Presence.
1. God is with us always. He will never leave us. He is with us no matter what happens – good or bad; obstacles or no obstacles.
2. When we are engaged in God’s work and we encounter setbacks, we can calmly carry on because, like the Israelites, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth” (5:11), and He is with us!
3. Obstacles and delays may discourage us, but we can rest in Jesus’ promise: “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matt. 16:18 NLT).
4. The apostle John gives us this important reminder: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 Jn. 4:4).
5. The beloved Psalm 23, verse 4 says: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
6. God is with us always. His presence should give us courage and strength so that we will not fear and so that we will not give up.
C. Second, we learn something of the power of encouragement and enthusiasm.
1. In today’s story, we see that God’s people were stuck.
a. They were discouraged, unmotivated, and afraid to get back to work on the temple.
b. For 16 years no progress was made…the temple just sat there unfinished.
2. Then God put a Word on the tongues of Haggai and Zechariah.
a. He infused some courage and enthusiasm into those two prophets.
b. Those two prophets then inspired God’s people to get up and get going.
3. As we saw in the text, it looks like those prophets not only shared the Word of God with God’s people, but they also worked side by side with them.
a. They were enthusiastic and encouraging and look at the power of enthusiasm and encouragement!
4. Ehrich Weiss was a remarkable man – by the time of his death, he was world famous.
a. Have you ever heard of him? Maybe this will help – He was born in 1894 and became the highest-paid entertainer of his day. That still doesn’t help much, does it?
b. Well, when he finally got his act together, Weiss adopted the stage name: Harry Houdini.
c. As you know, Houdini was the master showman, a mystifying magician, and escapologist.
d. On March 10, 1904, a London newspaper challenged Houdini to escape from a special pair of handcuffs they had prepared. There were 6 locks on each cuff and 9 tumblers on each lock.
f. Seven days later, 4,000 spectators gathered to witness the outcome of this challenge which Houdini had accepted.
g. At precisely 3:15 PM, the manacled showman stepped into an empty cabinet which came up to his waist.
1. He knelt down and was out of sight for 20 minutes.
a. He then stood up smiling and the crowd applauded, thinking he was free, but he was not.
2. He asked for more light and the lights were turned up. He knelt down out of sight.
3. Fifteen minutes later he stood to his feet and applause broke out – again, premature.
a. He was still handcuffed and said he just needed to flex his knees.
4. Down into the cabinet again went the magician.
a. Twenty minutes passed slowly for the murmuring crowd before Houdini stood to his feet with a broad smile.
b. Loud applause quickly stopped as the audience saw he was not yet free.
c. Because the bright lights were making him hot, he leaped from the cabinet, twisted his manacled hands until he could reach a pocket knife in his vest.
d. Opening the knife with his teeth and holding the handle in his mouth, he proceeded to slash his heavy coat into strips and threw them aside.
5. The audience roared its approval and cheered him on.
a. Down into the cabinet Houdini went, but this time for only ten minutes.
b. With a dramatic flourish, he jumped from the box – wrists free – waving the bulky handcuffs over his head in triumph.
c. Pandemonium exploded in London – again the showman had achieved the incredible – almost the impossible.
h. Afterwards, Houdini was interviewed and the big question was why he had interrupted the process of his escape as often as he did.
1. With a twinkle in his eyes, the magician freely admitted that he needed the audience’s applause to keep up his enthusiasm.
5. What an essential role enthusiasm and encouragement plays in our lives.
a. In many ways, it is the key ingredient that frees us from the cramping and dark confinement of a task.
b. When the odds are against us; when the hours are long, and when the end is not yet in view, encouragement and enthusiasm rescue us from the temptation to quit.
c. Athletes feed on it. Salesmen are motivated by it. Teachers count on it. Students fail without it. Leadership demands it. And projects are completed because of it.
6. Few things are more contagious and magnetic than encouragement and enthusiasm.
7. That’s why scripture says: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:24-25).
D. We can keep calm and carry on knowing that God is with us, and motivated by the encouragement and enthusiasm of our brother and sisters.
1. You all encourage me so much by your words, works and character.
2. So let’s continue to be enthusiastic and let’s encourage one another.
3. Let’s not be negative and let’s not be discouragers.
4. Let’s keep calm, trust God and encourage each other to carry on!
Resources:
Ezra-Nehemiah, by Mark Throntveit, Interpretation Commentary Series, 1992
Ezra & Nehemiah, by Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 1979
Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther, by J. Vernon McGee
Standing Out, Charles Swindoll, Multnomah Press, 1979, “Houdini’s Secret,” pgs 89-91.
