They Returned an Answer - Ezra 5:11

In the book of Ezra, Ezra shared how the elders asked, “Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? We asked their names also, to certify you, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them”,and in chapter five and verse eleven of Ezra, Ezra shared how “Tatnai, Shetharboznai and their companions” included in their letter how, “they returned us answer” where we read,

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

The verse reads, “And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, ...” Ezrabegan with the words, “and thus they returned us answer” which means “and therefore they, the people of Israel, gave to us, Tatnai, Shetharboznai and their companions, a decree, response and report”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “we are the servants” or “we, the people of Israel, exist as the bondservants, men of servile condition and slaves” “of the God of heaven” which means “belonging to the Supreme Deity of the visible sky and sidereal heaven which is the abode of God” “and earth” or “and the world”. Ezra shared how “Tatnai, Shetharboznai and their companions” said the leaders of Israel declared themselves to exist as the bondservants of the Supreme Deity, Jehovah God, who ruled over “heaven and earth”.

The verse continues, “... and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.” Ezra added the words, “and build the house” or “and erect, fix and establish the habitation, abode and dwelling place” “that was builded” which means “that was erected, fixed and established” “these many years ago” or “a great and numerous amount of annual days in former times in the past”, “which a great king of Israel” which means “that a chief, master and captain like royal ruler and leader belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “builded and set up” or “erected, fixed, established, finished and completed”. Ezra shared how the leaders in Israel referred to the way the “temple” of Jehovah God in Jerusalem was erected in the past by the master royal ruler and leader. (Solomon – See 1 Kings 6:1-7; 2 Chronicles 3:1-7)

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how “Tatnai, Shetharboznai and their companions” informed “Darius the king” about the way the people of Israel said they were the bondservants of the Supreme Deity of both “heaven and earth”, and they were rebuilding the dwelling place of Jehovah God in Jerusalem which was established by the chief royal ruler, Solomon, from a long time ago. God has a long enduring relationship with the people of Israel, and because He used “Solomon” to build the temple in Jerusalem the first time and it was destroyed, He would use the people of Israel in the current day to rebuild it. God loves to restore and rebuild the lives of people through His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross for the sins of all mankind, (See 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16) and when we receive Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a willingness to continue “building” His Kingdom. 

Next time Ezra says, “after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".