Restoration
The Temple is Completed - Ezra 6:1 – 6:12 (commentary)
Darius commanded that the records be searched to determine if Cyrus had actually made a decree permitting the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (v. 1). The document they sought was not found in Babylon but in Ecbatana, the capital of Media Province, where the Persian kings ma …
David Experiences Happiness And Relief From Guilt - Psalms 32:6 – 32:11 (commentary)
The emphasis in this passage is on God’s care for his restored child (vv. 6-7). As long as David was out of God’s will, everything worked against him. But when he confessed his sins he was restored to fellowship with God and he could rejoice. This does not mean that God would she …
The Pruning Process Produces Restoration - Psalms 80:1 – 80:19 (commentary)
This Psalm is a national prayer for restoration. The key word might be translated either “restore us” or “bring us back” (from captivity). The Palmist urges God to listen, wake up, and go to work to save His people (vv. 1-2). Three times is this chapter the wr …
God Never Gives Up On Us - Psalms 85:1 – 85:13 (commentary)
Because of the reference to captivity many Bible scholars believe this psalm was written at the time of Zerubbabel (Ezra.3:4) or more likely during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 2-4) (v. 1). At any rate it seems to belong to the early days of the return from Babylon. The th …
Bearing And Sharing The Burdens - Galatians 6:1 – 6:5 (commentary)
Paul uses a hypothetical case of a believer who falls into sin. Instead of trying to restore this person the Legalists will condemn him and try to make himself look good by making this person look bad. He seems to rejoice when this brother falls and often gives the matter w …
Putting the Spirit Within You - Ezekiel 36:26 – 36:38 (commentary)
God promised to restore Israel not only physically, but spiritually. To accomplish this, God would give them a new heart for following Him and put his spirit within them to transform them and empower them to do His will (vv. 25-30). Again the new covenant was promised, ulti …
Israel Restored to the Land - Ezekiel 39:17 – 39:29 (commentary)
God tells Ezekiel that He is going to hold a feast on Israel’s mountains and offer sacrifices there (vv. 17-20). He tells him to invite all the birds and wilds animals to come from every direction and eat the meat of the sacrifices and drink the blood (v. 17). He says the b …
Division of the Land - Ezekiel 48:1 – 48:35 (commentary)
In dividing the millennial land among the people, God will give seven tribes portions in the northern part of the land (vv.1-7). Proceeding from the north these tribes will be Dan (v. 1), Asher (v. 2), Naphtali (v. 3), Manasseh (v. 4), Ephraim (v. 5), Reuben (v. 6), and Jud …
Song of Praise to The Lord - Isaiah 26:1 – 26:21 (commentary)
In this chapter the Lord tells how He will restore the nation. The emphasis is on righteousness and peace. Peace may be outward and inward. Isaiah pictured the day when Christ will return to establish physical peace in the world. The picture is one of the redeemed enterin …
Restoration of Israel - Isaiah 30:18 – 30:33 (commentary)
Isaiah turns from the subject of rebellion to restoration (vv. 18-26). Even though the people had turned from the Lord, he still wanted to be gracious and compassionate to them (vv 18-19). He says that the Lord has given you much sorrow and hurt but will continue to tell you the …
Blessings in the Millennial Kingdom - Isaiah 35:1 – 35:10 (commentary)
In chapters 1-34, Isaiah has delivered a message of judgment on all nations for their rejection of God. Chapter 34 spoke of great distress when God will judge all people for their actions. In this chapter, Isaiah contrasts the barrenness of Edom with the blossoming of Israe …
Blessing of The Restored Nation - Isaiah 54:1 – 54:17 (commentary)
This chapter portrays the results of the atoning work of the Servant of the Lord and adds a further description of the previous chapter. The gentile nations are depicted as a barren and desolate woman who breaks forth into songs of praise because of her recent (assumed) mar …
Looking Forward to The Lord’s Return - Jeremiah 23:1 – 23:8 (commentary)
Jeremiah summarized the unrighteous kings as being like shepherds who were destroying and scattering God’s sheep (v. 1). The shepherds deserved punishment because of the evil they had done (v. 2). But if God removed them, whom would He appoint to regather His sheep? J …
God Never Forgets His People - Jeremiah 29:1 – 29:14 (commentary)
Jeremiah writes a letter to all the priests, prophets and people that Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon (vv. 1-2). The setting is probably after the fall of Judah in 597 b.c., following the deportation of Jeconiah (Jehoiachin). The couriers were from p …
God Will Restore His People - Jeremiah 30:1 – 30:11 (commentary)
God told Jeremiah to write His promises of comfort in a book so they would be available to the exiles after theJerusalem fall (vv. 1-3). This book would declare a note of hope that the days are coming when God will restore His people. Jeremiah pointed to a day of restoration when Go …
The Second Pair of Tablets - Deuteronomy 10:1 – 10:10 (commentary)
Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s great mercy to them. The Lord acting on Moses’ request not to destroy the people, rewrote the Ten Commandments (vv. 1-5). When Moses broke the Commandments after Israel had made a golden calf, that symbolically broke their covenant ...
Forgiveness And Restoration - Joel 2:18 – 2:27 (commentary)
Remember what this book is about. The land of Israel is being overrun by hungry locusts. The crops are destroyed. There is nothing left. And it’s because of God’s punishment upon them for leaving their first love. These people have deserved to lose God’s blessing on t …
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem - II Samuel 14:1 – 14:24 (commentary)
Joab knew that David couldn’t stop thinking about his son Absalom (v. 1). Because of this, he sent someone to bring a woman from Tekoa to him and he asked her to put on funeral clothes and not use any makeup (v. 2). He told her to go to the king and pretend that she was m …