Monthly Archives: February 2022

Freedom from Captivity

International Sunday School March 6 2022 Spring Quarter #1

Ezra 1:1-8 NIV  In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:  (2)  “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.  (3)  Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.  (4)  And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'”  (5)  Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.  (6)  All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.  (7)  Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.  (8)  Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

Ezra 1:1-8 NIV 

Ezra 1:11 NIV  In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:11 NIV 

Ezra 2:64-70 NIV  The whole company numbered 42,360,  (65)  besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers.  (66)  They had 736 horses, 245 mules,  (67)  435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.  (68)  When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.  (69)  According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments.  (70)  The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

Ezra 2:64-70 NIV 

Job and the Just God

International Sunday School February 27 2022 Winter Quarter #13

Job 42:1-6 NIV  Then Job replied to the LORD:  (2)  “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  (3)  You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.  (4)  “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’  (5)  My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.  (6)  Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 42:1-6 NIV 

Job 42:10-17 NIV  After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.  (11)  All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.  (12)  The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.  (13)  And he also had seven sons and three daughters.  (14)  The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.  (15)  Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.  (16)  After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.  (17)  And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Job 42:10-17 NIV 

Bildad Misspeaks God’s Justice

International Sunday School February 20 2022 Winter #12

Job 8:1-10 NIV  Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:  (2)  “How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind.  (3)  Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?  (4)  When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.  (5)  But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty,  (6)  if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your prosperous state.  (7)  Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.  (8)  “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned,  (9)  for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.  (10)  Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?

Job 8:1-10 NIV 

Job 8:20-22 NIV  “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers.  (21)  He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.  (22)  Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

Job 8:20-22 NIV 

Ezra and the Law

International Sunday School February 13 2022 Winter Quarter #11

Ezra 7:1-10 NIV  After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,  (2)  the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,  (3)  the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,  (4)  the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,  (5)  the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—  (6)  this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.  (7)  Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.  (8)  Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.  (9)  He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.  (10)  For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Ezra 7:1-10 NIV

Ezra 7:23-26 NIV  Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?  (24)  You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.  (25)  And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them.  (26)  Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

Ezra 7:23-26 NIV