Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

I. Outline - The Remnant Returns

A. The People of God

B. The Priests of the Lord

C. The Progeny of Solomon’s Servants

D. The Property of the Israelites

II.

Analysis

God is never without a witness in this world -

Ill.

Even in Elijah’s Day - If he had of been the only one, he would have been one, but he wasn’t.

There were 7000 that hadn’t bowed the knee to Baal.

There is always a “saved Israel” within national Israel…a remnant

See the Remnant

In Elijah’s Day

In Isaiah’s time

During the Captivity

Representatives - Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, Mescheck, Abednego, Esther, Mordecai

In Jesus Day

John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, The Apostles

During the Church Age

Believing Jews

Tribulation

A. The People of God - (vv. 1-35) - 24,144

24,144

God seems to enjoy recording names

God recognizes noble and worthy efforts when appropriate

The “province” in verse 1 - What was once a great and mighty nation - An Empire, sin has now reduced to a “province.”

(A district of an empire)

Task = Determine what, if any, significance to these numbers

Smallest = Azmaveth - 42 (v.

24)

Largest = Senaah - 3630 (v.

35)

Unusual = Adonikam = 666 (v.

13)

Significant = Bethlehem (v.

21)

B. The Priests of the Lord - (vv. 36-39) - 4289

The following verses reveal a group who said they were priests but it could not be proven…they would have had to have been of the tribe of Levi and of the Aaronic household.

These verses show the importance of the geneological records.

How they lost their evidence

One of their ancestors married a daughter of Barzillai (the rich man who helped David when he fled from Absalom) - Interestingly, this man took Barzillai’s name, naming his children after them and recording their pedigrees recorded in Barzillai’s house rather than that of Aarons house.

He apparently gloried in this association even above the priesthood.

Some feel that he may have done it to get in on the wealth!

Paul said this, however

Let nothing take precedence over your calling!

What they lost with it (vv.

62, 63)

In the captivity there was no honor in being a priest; but now that they are going back home they would gladly take their place and be looked on as priests.

Smacks of a self-serving prideful attitude...

You won’t bear the cross?

NO CROWN!

You won’t endure the shame?

NO RECOGNITION!

A Principle of Ministerial Service is here revealed

A principle that continued into the New Testament was that spiritual leadership carries higher qualifications and demands than membership in the community of faith.

From the time of Moses (), descent from Aaron was an essential qualification for priesthood.

So to avoid defilement or the Lord’s displeasure, these priests were excluded.

Tirshatha in = governor - Refers to Sheshbazaar

Urim and Thummim

The Urim and Thummim were sacred lots used to know the will of God (; ).

According to they were small objects, perhaps pebbles or precious stones, which the high priest carried in his garments.

Few details are given about how they were used.

Passages such as and 30:7–8 indicate that the question asked required a yes or no answer; thus the priest would use Urim and Thummim to obtain an indication of God’s will.

Thus the Urim and Thummim were a form of casting lots.

A further hint of their use can be gained from the text of reconstructed from the Septuagint: “If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, give Urim, and if it is in thy people Israel, give Thummim.”

Some have suggested that “the Urim and Thummim were two flat objects; one side of each was called Urim, from אָרַר, ‘to curse,’ and when both displayed this side the answer was negative; the other side was Thummim, from תָּמַם, ‘to be perfect,’ and a complete Thummim meant ‘yes’; one Urim and one Thummim meant ‘no reply’ ” (NBD, 1306).

The Urim and Thummim are not mentioned between the early monarchy and postexilic times, perhaps because God made his will known through the prophets.

Other’s have felt that maybe the Urim and the Tummim Glowed in various ways to reveal answers...

C. The Progeny of Levi, The Nethinims, and Solomon’s Servants (vv.

40-60) - 1385

Nethinims (v.

43) - A Certain class of people - these people were servants to the Levites.

Remember the Gibeonites?

D. The Property (vv.

66-69)

736 Horses, 245 Mules, 435 camels, 6720 Donkeys

1000 Drams of Gold = about 1100 pounds of Gold = $19,348,214.00

5000 Pounds of Silver = $1,038,333.33

E. NOTE: “some” - vv. 68, 70

It has always been “some” and it always will be “some” who do the work.

THE TEN-PERCENT FACTOR