Who primarily is God’s elect?
(Ezra 7:10; 20:8-11; Nehemiah 1:1-11; Daniel 9:21-27; Romans 9) Blog Oct 13-19, 2019
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles from Babylon to Judea. This return was enacted by three Persian kings. Cyrus made the first decree in 538 BC, under which Zerubbabel led 50,000 Jews back to Judea. Darius made the second decree in 520 BC and four years later in 516 BC the construction of the temple in Jerusalem was completed. Artaxerxes made the third decree in 457 BC under which Ezra led a smaller number back to Judea. Thirteen years later, after humbling himself, fasting, and fervently praying, Nehemiah, Artaxerxes cupbearer, returned to Jerusalem commissioned and inspired to rebuild its walls. Together with God’s provision, Nehemiah combined personal thought, planning, & human effort as he met opposition from those inspired by Satan.
God’s call (Ezra 7:10; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:20)
1. How does Jeremiah describe the human heart? As very deceitful & desperately wicked.
2. According to Romans 3 what does the Law of God point out? Sin
3. How must Ezra, the scribe, have prepared his heart in order to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it? He must have condemned the sinfulness of his heart, confessed the sinfulness of his heart, & asked God to forgive the perverseness of his sinful nature..
4. Why was the good hand of God upon Ezra? Because he had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, to do it, & to teach it.
5. What characteristics of Nehemiah made him a person that God would call to serve him? He sighed & cried for all the abominations done among God’s people (see Eze. 9:4), he confessed his sins & those of God’s people, he was a careful student of God’s Word, & he was a diligent, trusted worker in his occupation.
6. What can we learn from God’s call to Ezra and Nehemiah if we desire to be called to serve God in a special way? That God calls those who are sorry for their sins, & are committed to him, to his Word, & to prayer.
7. What other persons in the Bible were similarly prepared for God’s call? Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, Amos, Peter, John, Matthew, Paul, & a host of others.
God’s time (Daniel 9:21-27; Acts 10:37-38)
8. How were Daniel, Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel related to prophetic timing? They were each present & devoted to God at the time that God had promised (through Jeremiah) the end of the Babylonian captivity.
9. How are we to determine which of the three Persian decrees ordering the rebuilding of Jerusalem is the one mentioned in Daniel 9:25? The predicted coming of the Messiah & his death in the middle of the seventieth week is the only way to determine which decree is referred to in Daniel 9:25.
10. If the cross of Christ is the key to understanding Bible prophecy which Persian decree determines the beginning of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9? The third decree (that made by Artaxerxes in 457 BC) marks the beginning of the 70 weeks for it was made exactly 483 years before the baptism of Jesus which was his anointing as Messiah that took place 3 ½ years prior to the cross in AD 31.
11. What Bible references demonstrate that in Bible prophesy a day symbolizes a year? Numbers 14:34 & Ezequiel 4:5-6.
12. How do we know that Daniel 9 gives an explanation of the time period mentioned in Daniel 8:14? Because Daniel was praying for the restoration of God’s sanctuary, because Daniel had not understood the part of the vision dealing with the 2300 days, because Gabriel states that he has come to give explanation of the “mareh” (the part of the vision dealing with 2300 days), because Daniel 9 speaks of sin, sanctuary sacrifices, & the work of the little horn, & because Daniel 9 specifically mentions the Most Holy Place.
13. If 483 years passed from the decree of Artaxerxes to the baptism of Jesus how many of the 2300 years remained to complete the prophecy of Daniel 8:14? 1817 years remained until the cleansing of the sanctuary should begin.
14. What man of God was prepared to leave Babylon and serve God when Artaxerxes made his decree? Ezra, the scribe.
God’s election (Isa. 42:1-5; 45:4; 65:9, 22; Mark 13:20, 27; Rom. 8:28-29, 33; 9:11; 11:5-7, 28; Col. 3:12; 1 Thes. 1:4-6; 2 Tim. 2:10; Tit. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2:6; 5:13; 2 Pet. 1:4-11)
15. According to Isaiah 42, Luke 23, and 1 Peter 2:6 who primarily is God’s elect? Jesus, himself.
16. To whom does the Bible refer in most of its references to the “elect”? To those who have entered salvation in Jesus, God’s Elect One.
17. Why do many expositors attempt to relate the word “election” to God’s call to service rather than to God’s choosing for salvation in Jesus? Because they don’t understand the principle of election in Christ who is the Elect One.
18. What often happens when God calls someone to serve him? They make excuses like Moses, or tarry like Abraham, or go the opposite direction like Jonah, or go like Isaiah only after seeing no one else willing.