The Chapter-A-Day thread. (3)

[brinny]

There is a lovely old song by a group called BoneyM.
The song is about the Jews living in captivity in Babylon.

"Rivers Of Babylon"

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land

Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

Liz Mitchell

Liz Mitchell is the the lead singer of BoneyM. She is a beautiful black woman. I have seen here on television talk shows and she is a genuine Christian. She was well aware of the deep religious connotations that the words of her song had for Christians.

I have just listened to "By the Rivers of Babylon" on youtube, and it perfectly captures the story of the Jews living in captivity as described in the Book of Ezra.

Found a video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ybv4DOj-N0

 

[brinny]

I have always thought that the song DOWN BY THE RIVER SIDE was a song about the Jews in captivity along the banks of the Babylon rivers of Eurphrates and Tigris. The Jewish slaves would have sung sad songs about their captivity in Babylon. This song was a sad negro spiritual and sung by black slaves.

Down By the Riverside

Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna lay down my burden,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.

Chorus:
I ain't gonna study war no more,
study war no more,
ain't gonna study war no more.
I ain't gonna study war no more,
study war no more,
ain't gonna study oh war no more.

Other possible first lines to start the verses

• Gonna try on my starry crown
• Gonna put on my golden shoes
• Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace

Found a version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ1gHm8v3ek

 

[MissRowy]

I LOVE that song Rivers of Babylon!

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Brinny,

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE is so funny.

People keep appearing from nowhere to join in.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Work on the temple is hindered by the adversaries of Judah

Ezra Chapter 4

The adversaries of Judah suggested that they wanted to help build the temple.

The leaders of the Jews said they could not help so the adversaries of Judah decided to concentrate on causing trouble for the builders of the temple.

The adversaries of Judah sent constant complaints to various Kings of Persia to try to stop the temple from being build. They were determined to sabotage the building project.

The complaints included that the Jews were dangerous, rebellious and would not pay their taxes.

King Artaxerxes of Persia got one of these complaints and ordered the temple building to stop.

Then some years later King Darius of Persia got the work going again (Verse 24)

 

[brinny]

Work on the temple is hindered by the adversaries of Judah

Ezra Chapter 4

The adversaries of Judah suggested that they wanted to help build the temple.

The leaders of the Jews said they could not help so the adversaries of Judah decided to concentrate on causing trouble for the builders of the temple.

The adversaries of Judah sent constant complaints to various Kings of Persia to try to stop the temple from being build. They were determined to sabotage the building project.

The complaints included that the Jews were dangerous, rebellious and would not pay their taxes.

King Artaxerxes of Persia got one of these complaints and ordered the temple building to stop.

Then some years later King Darius of Persia got the work going again (Verse 24)

The adversaries of Judah were awful sneaky in their nastiness towards Judah....sounds like the biggest goal of theirs was to chip away at Judah from all sides including psychologically.....

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Brinny,

Here is a hymn about returning to Zion.

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.

They shall obtain gladness and joy;
And sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Haggai and Zachariah prophesy regarding the temple

Ezra Chapter 5

In the days of King Darius King of Persia the prophets Haggai and Zachariah prophesy that the building of the temple should continue.

So the Jews start the building work again, and the local area Governor tried to stop them. But the eye of God was on the Jews and so the work could not be stopped.

Word was sent to King Darius of Persia that the work was being done under a proclamation by the former King Cyrus.

King Darius ordered that a search be made of the public records, to see it such a proclamation was ever sent out by the former King Cyrus of Persia, regarding the building of a temple in Jerusalem.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Here is a beautiful hymn about the temple in Jerusalem.

Last night I lay a-sleeping
There came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Jerusalem
Beside the temple there.

I heard the children singing,
And ever as they sang,
Me thought the voice of angels
From heaven in answer rang.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna to your King!

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Brinny,

Here are the words to your video.

"Rivers Of Babylon"

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
ye-eah we wept, when we remembered Zion.

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land

Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

 

[brinny]

Brinny,

Here is a hymn about returning to Zion.

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.

They shall obtain gladness and joy;
And sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,
And come with singing unto Zion;
And everlasting joy shall be upon their head.

Beautiful. Reminds me of some verses i read in Isaiah.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Haggai and Zachariah prophesy regarding the temple

Ezra Chapter 5

In the days of King Darius King of Persia the prophets Haggai and Zachariah prophesy that the building of the temple should continue.

So the Jews start the building work again, and the local area Governor tried to stop them. But the eye of God was on the Jews and so the work could not be stopped.

Word was sent to King Darius of Persia that the work was being done under a proclamation by the former King Cyrus.

King Darius ordered that a search be made of the public records, to see it such a proclamation was ever sent out by the former King Cyrus of Persia, regarding the building of a temple in Jerusalem.

God was guiding King Darius to do what was best for the Jews.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Anyone caught hindering the building of the temple is to be hanged by order of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra Chapter 6

The adversaries of the Jews complained to Darius King of Persia that the Jews were rebellious and would not pay their taxes.

The Jews replied that they were working under the orders of a proclamation made by Cyrus a former King of Persia.

Darius ordered that a search be made, and the old proclamation by the former King Cyrus was found.

On reading the proclamation King Darius gave out orders that anyone hindering the building of this temple was to be hanged and their house was to be pulled down (Verse 11).

The local area Governor obeyed the orders of Darius speedily (Verse 13).

The elders of the Jews prospered through the prophesies of Haggai and Zachariah (Verse 14).

God turned the heart of King Darius so that he warmed unto the Jews.

This made the Jews stronger (Verse 22)

During the reign of King Darius the building of the temple was completed (Verse 15).

There was great joy and much celebration among the Jews when the temple was finished.

 

[brinny]

Anyone caught hindering the building of the temple is to be hanged by order of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra Chapter 6

The adversaries of the Jews complained to Darius King of Persia that the Jews were rebellious and would not pay their taxes.

The Jews replied that they were working under the orders of a proclamation made by Cyrus a former King of Persia.

Darius ordered that a search be made, and the old proclamation by the former King Cyrus was found.

On reading the proclamation King Darius gave out orders that anyone hindering the building of this temple was to be hanged and their house was to be pulled down (Verse 11).

The local area Governor obeyed the orders of Darius speedily (Verse 13).

The elders of the Jews prospered through the prophesies of Haggai and Zachariah (Verse 14).

God turned the heart of King Darius so that he warmed unto the Jews.

This made the Jews stronger (Verse 22)

During the reign of King Darius the building of the temple was completed (Verse 15).

There was great joy and much celebration among the Jews when the temple was finished.

King Darius was a righteous king. How precious that God used him in such a mighty way and in so unlikely an ally for the Jewish people......a Persian king.

Precious.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

King Darius was a righteous king. How precious that God used him in such a mighty way and in so unlikely an ally for the Jewish people......a Persian king.

Precious.

Brinny,

God 's power was guiding Darius King of Persia to do what was right for the Jews. This book of Ezra is showing God's wonderful powers in a totally new light.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Anyone caught hindering the building of the temple is to be hanged by order of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra Chapter 6

The adversaries of the Jews complained to Darius King of Persia that the Jews were rebellious and would not pay their taxes.

The Jews replied that they were working under the orders of a proclamation made by Cyrus a former King of Persia.

Darius ordered that a search be made, and the old proclamation by the former King Cyrus was found.

On reading the proclamation King Darius gave out orders that anyone hindering the building of this temple was to be hanged and their house was to be pulled down (Verse 11).

The local area Governor obeyed the orders of Darius speedily (Verse 13).

The elders of the Jews prospered through the prophesies of Haggai and Zachariah (Verse 14).

God turned the heart of King Darius so that he warmed unto the Jews.

This made the Jews stronger (Verse 22)

During the reign of King Darius the building of the temple was completed (Verse 15).

There was great joy and much celebration among the Jews when the temple was finished.

Brinny,

In the book of Ezra God is building a church for the Jews.

But today in 2015 God is still building his church, only this time he is building a church for the Christians.

Here s a hymn about God building a church for Christians.

For I'm building a people of power
And I'm making a people of praise
That will move through this land by My Spirit
And will glorify My precious name

Build Your church, Lord
Make us strong, Lord
Join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son
Make us one, Lord
In Your Body
In the kingdom of Your Son

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Brinny,

King Darius of Persia seems to be a stronger supporter of the LORD God of Israel than many of the kings of Judah and Israel. Clearly it was the power of God that was guiding Darius to do these things to help Jews to build the temple in Jerusalem.

 

[agamemnonoftroy]

Artaxerxes sends Ezra to beautify the temple in Jerusalem and no expense is to be spared.

Ezra Chapter 7

Artaxerxes King of Persia greatly supported Ezra. Ezra was a priest and scribe.

Artaxerxes wrote a decree giving Ezra money and power to support the temple in Israel.

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the kings treasury (Verse 20).

Artaxerxes gives Ezra the power to put to death anyone that does not obey this decree (Verse26).

I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me (Verse 28).

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem (Verse 27).

 

[MissRowy]

Such amazing faith from Ezra

 

[brinny]

Brinny,

In the book of Ezra God is building a church for the Jews.

But today in 2015 God is still building his church, only this time he is building a church for the Christians.

Here s a hymn about God building a church for Christians.

For I'm building a people of power
And I'm making a people of praise
That will move through this land by My Spirit
And will glorify My precious name

Build Your church, Lord
Make us strong, Lord
Join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son
Make us one, Lord
In Your Body
In the kingdom of Your Son

Precious lyrics, and there's even the word "precious" in a description of God's name. How glorious is THAT?

Awesome!