In 587 BC the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and conquered the Kingdom of Judah. Disheartened and defeated, many of the Jews were exiled to Babylonia, where they would spend the next 49 years in captivity. Though they weren’t allowed to leave, the Jews weren’t mistreated and lived under relatively good conditions. When the Persians conquered Babylon in 538 BC, the Jews were permitted to leave, and while some had grown accustomed to their new life in Babylon, others had longed to return home and did so. The Old Testament’s Book of Ezra describes the return from exile as well as the mindset in recreating Israel. Though Ezra’s views of deportation seem unethical by today’s standards, his actions are justified because he had the long-term success of Israel in his heart. …show more content…
Chapter 7 in the Book of Ezra describes Ezra as someone that, “had set his heart on the study of the Lord and on teaching statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7: 10), and with such a description, it seems unlikely that Ezra would deport non-Jews out of hatred. Ezra’s studiousness created a reputation that was impressive even to King Artaxerxes. As a result, Artaxerxes commissioned: I have issued this decree, that anyone in my kingdom belonging to the people of Israel, its priests or Levites, who is willing to go up to Jerusalem with you, may go, for you are the one sent by the king and his seven counselors to supervise Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the law of your God which is in your possession. (Ezra 7: 13-14) Ezra’s qualifications allowed him to be chosen by the King of Persia, and he was tasked with following the law to recreate the Kingdom of
In this verse, we must ask, what is the peace of Jerusalem? Certainly it isn't the state of affairs today. So should we pray for half of the city to be given to the Arabs? Will that bring peace? History shows that it will only increase the conflict. Ok… what about giving Jerusalem over to the Vatican or the United Nations, they can certainly keep the peace, maybe that is what we should pray for. Is God's inheritance a mere political football? Can man govern what God has ordained as His?
In addition to setting the tabernacle apart through the perception of a form of royalty, the Israelites had to also maintain a holy atmosphere at all times. Moses constructed a courtyard that surrounded the tabernacle with only one entrance located on the eastern side. Everything contained within the courtyards was considered holy and only those made holy through sacrifice and repentance were allowed to enter. Alexander moves from Exodus to Leviticus as he enters the topic of holiness. Here is where the Lord stresses the importance of being made holy and the consequences of entering His presence without doing so. The courtyard was divided into three areas, each containing a different status of holiness. The Israelites could enter the courtyard, the priest could enter the ‘Holy Place,’ and the high priest was the only one allowed to enter the ‘Holy of Holies.’ Moses was considered holy and righteous so he was therefore the mediator between God and His people.
In August, 2005, President George W. Bush made a great mistake—forcing Israel to give up her covenant land. The U.S. government forced Israel’s leaders to evict Jewish families from their homesteads in the Gaza community. Business owners were wrenched from their
However, even though the exiles were allowed to return to their ancestral homeland of Judah, many of the people chose not to return but to remain in the recently conquered city of Babylon. There are many contributing factors concerning why these Hebrew exiles chose to remain. Even so, it is difficult to understand why a people, who were located in Palestine for over a millennium and who had such strong religious beliefs and practices, would choose to abandon the location of their now destroyed sacred Temple and ancestral home after being exiled for only fifty years.
There are many Christians, whether you believe or not that question why they should read the Old Testament/Hebrew bible. They feel it is unnecessary because of todays’ times and how things have changed, so they think that the Bible is far behind in what is going on in today’s world. Nevertheless, the Bible is current and is never outdated; therefore, we should never assume, especially as Christians that there is nothing new we can learn from the Bible. Reasons why Christians should read the Old Testament is because we should know that the Bible is still relevant in today’s world, to know God and his nature which in turn can transform one’s life, and to get wisdom and understanding so that they can apply to their lives.
So, some Jewish Europeans became ‘Zionists,’ and they attempted to choose a new home for the jews. The pioneers searched and searched, and put their eyes on Palestine.
In 586 BCE, the forces of the Babylonian Empire conquered the Jews, destroying their Temple and carrying off a proportion of the Jewish population into exile. It was during the end of the Exile, among the Jews now living in the Persian Empire, that the first
...Exodus: History or Mythic Tale? - My Jewish Learning." Judaism & Jewish Life - My Jewish Learning. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
In the Empire, the Emperor had complete jurisdiction over all policies and decisions. In the beginnings of the empire, h...
Furthermore, Jews, unfortunately, have a history of exile. However, they were able to shed light on the situation, and stay hopeful. “Whenever Jews felt persecuted and exiled they would hope for the day of return—‘Next year in Jerusalem’ became their cry. In
Surveying the Old Testament reveals the theme of God’s faithfulness to his people. In light of this understanding, the restoration of the Israelites prophesized in the Old Testament is essentially the fulfillment of every covenant with God. This perspective relates to the work of Christ and encourages any follower of God to trust in his faithfulness.
Overall, the significance of the Exile left upon the Jews were astounding with the changes through their identity, life and religion. The experiences made from the Babylonian invasion to the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem taught the Jews the importance of the covenant made with God. During the exile, the Jews never lost hope in YHWH with the continuous faith and practices through their everyday life. The reestablishment of the Temple and Jerusalem were steps that were taken to renew the commitment of the covenant made with YHWH. The experience of the exile has transformed the laws, practices and faith in which remains and influences the religion from that point on.
Originally chosen as the “children of God”, by God. Originally a theocracy, these bedouins overcame much to live in small stretch of land that is just slightly bigger than the state of New Jersey. This small nation of people were constantly persecuted throughout history. In the beginning of their history thy were persecuted by the Egyptians, where they were kept as slaves for roughly four hundred years until they were led to freedom by Moses. For the next millennium or so, the jews were captured and freed in a repetitive cycle that became overbearing. Whether it was Rome, the Philistines, Babylon, Persia, or the Greeks, the children of Israel always seemed to make it through the torture unharmed by some greater
The Bible is translated many different ways and by many different people. Which is the correct way to translate it right? Are any of the translations or views on it right? The answer to this can be unclear. Everyone tends to interpret the bible in at least slightly different ways, and these small differences in thinking can drive people apart.