Beginnings

Main Thrust: Exile & Return, Rebuilding of the Temple

I. Approximate timeline

• 607-586 BC - Beginnings of exile / destruction of Solomon's temple
• "Just as God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah, God would judge the Babylonians for their sins and the Babylonian Empire fell to the armies of Persia in 539 BC, once again proving God’s promises to be true. Later, under the rule of the Persian King Cyrus, the Jews were again allowed to return to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity just had been prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10) and the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 44:28–45:4)." (GotQuestions.org)

II. Starting strong - Ezra 3 (2 years to lay the temple foundation)

III. Opposition & discouragement - Ezra 4 (about 17 years)

IV. Renewed vision & purpose

• Ezra 5:1-2 At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them.
• Haggai 1 & 2:1-9
• Zechariah 4:6-10 Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it! (Grace, grace to it!)’” Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

V. Seeing the big picture - chosen by God from the beginning

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.
• Haggai 2:23 "But when this happens, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, I will honor you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like a signet ring on my finger, says the Lord, for I have chosen you. I, the Lord of Heaven's Armies, have spoken!"
• 1 Thessalonians 1:4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
• Romans 11:2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning.
• Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• John 1:1-5 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
• Hebrews 1:10 He also says to the Son, "In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands."
• 1 John 1:1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.
• 2 Timothy 1:9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time-to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
• Romans 16:25-26 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
• Colossians 1:15-20 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see- such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
• Ephesians 1:4-11 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
• Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

VI. Finishing well

• 1 Kings 18:41-45 Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!" So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, "Go and look out toward the sea." The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, "I didn't see anything." Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, "I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea." Then Elijah shouted, "Hurry to Ahab and tell him, 'Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry, the rain will stop you!'" And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.
• We tend to look for the BIG answers, but often fail to see them coming like the dawn breaking through the darkness. Consider the seed, no external signs of growth until first green appears... but growth has been happening below the surface. Think of friendships, of relationships, jobs, other 'small beginnings.'
• Inner change (sanctification) doesn't happen overnight; likewise, it may take a while to bear fruit as our roots go deep into Him. Do not be discouraged, but be persistent in prayer, and have faith that "He who began a good work in you..."
• Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
• A new year, new hope, new vision
• Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega-the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come-the Almighty One."
• Revelation 22:13 (Jesus speaking)"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."