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Hi fusion,
Good points! However, I'm not convinced that stopping something by force of arms would necessarily be meant to be understood as 'captivity' and 'destruction of the city and gates'.
In Ezra 4:3 we read that the Jews are presently working on rebuilding the temple according to the command of Cyrus. So, it would seem that the time that this passage of Ezra is referring to is the time that Cyrus, after releasing the Jews from the 70 year captivity, authorized, or their words 'commanded' the temple to be rebuilt from the destruction of the armies of Nebuchadnezzar.
We also read in the next couple of verses that the people surrounding them bribed officials to waylay their rebuilding efforts through the reign of Cyrus and into the reign of Darius. So, it would seem that the rebuilding didn't get completed in either of these king's reign.
Then, throughout the next few verses we find that it carried over to king Artaxerxes reign and the city was still not rebuilt. The people have sent a letter to Artaxerxes informing him that he will lose taxes if the city is rebuilt and the gates are restored. So, up to this point the city has not been rebuilt or the gates restored from the overrunning of the city by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. The people of the surrounding cities are doing their best to keep that work uncompleted.
In verse 21 Artaxerxes responds that the city will not be rebuilt until he says so. Now we find that the Jews were stopped by force, but the city had not been rebuilt or the gates restored at that point. So, it is not likely that this 'stopping by force' had anything to do with the state of the city and the gates. This would, however, be very convincing as to the fact in the prophecy of the troublous times which we are told would be a part of the rebuilding efforts.
Finally, chapter 4 ends: 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. This refers to only the house of God, the temple, and doesn't even begin to touch the rebuilding of the city.
In Nehemiah we read that Artaxerxes so cared for Nehemiah that he apparently changed directions and now decided that it was good to order that the rebuilding of the city and the restoration of the gates begin again. He thus issues the decree that the prophecy of Daniel refers to. So, what the Scriptures confirm is that Cyrus did begin the rebuilding efforts in Israel, but they were waylaid by the neighboring nations. The work was never completed until Artaxerxes finally issued a decree that began the work again. The decree to restore and rebuild the city and its gates.
It's all about the same captivity of the 70 years in Babylon and the same destruction of the city done by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. According to Ezra's writing, the city lay in ruins already when the 'stopping by force' occurred.
I am glad that this subject has come up again. All the various Scripture references have given me a chance to brush up on this piece of Jewish history and recall some of the things that I had completely forgotten to support my understanding. It's really been years since I actually studied this time in Israel's history.
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted
Good points! However, I'm not convinced that stopping something by force of arms would necessarily be meant to be understood as 'captivity' and 'destruction of the city and gates'.
In Ezra 4:3 we read that the Jews are presently working on rebuilding the temple according to the command of Cyrus. So, it would seem that the time that this passage of Ezra is referring to is the time that Cyrus, after releasing the Jews from the 70 year captivity, authorized, or their words 'commanded' the temple to be rebuilt from the destruction of the armies of Nebuchadnezzar.
We also read in the next couple of verses that the people surrounding them bribed officials to waylay their rebuilding efforts through the reign of Cyrus and into the reign of Darius. So, it would seem that the rebuilding didn't get completed in either of these king's reign.
Then, throughout the next few verses we find that it carried over to king Artaxerxes reign and the city was still not rebuilt. The people have sent a letter to Artaxerxes informing him that he will lose taxes if the city is rebuilt and the gates are restored. So, up to this point the city has not been rebuilt or the gates restored from the overrunning of the city by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. The people of the surrounding cities are doing their best to keep that work uncompleted.
In verse 21 Artaxerxes responds that the city will not be rebuilt until he says so. Now we find that the Jews were stopped by force, but the city had not been rebuilt or the gates restored at that point. So, it is not likely that this 'stopping by force' had anything to do with the state of the city and the gates. This would, however, be very convincing as to the fact in the prophecy of the troublous times which we are told would be a part of the rebuilding efforts.
Finally, chapter 4 ends: 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. This refers to only the house of God, the temple, and doesn't even begin to touch the rebuilding of the city.
In Nehemiah we read that Artaxerxes so cared for Nehemiah that he apparently changed directions and now decided that it was good to order that the rebuilding of the city and the restoration of the gates begin again. He thus issues the decree that the prophecy of Daniel refers to. So, what the Scriptures confirm is that Cyrus did begin the rebuilding efforts in Israel, but they were waylaid by the neighboring nations. The work was never completed until Artaxerxes finally issued a decree that began the work again. The decree to restore and rebuild the city and its gates.
It's all about the same captivity of the 70 years in Babylon and the same destruction of the city done by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. According to Ezra's writing, the city lay in ruins already when the 'stopping by force' occurred.
I am glad that this subject has come up again. All the various Scripture references have given me a chance to brush up on this piece of Jewish history and recall some of the things that I had completely forgotten to support my understanding. It's really been years since I actually studied this time in Israel's history.
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted
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