Reference

2 Chronicles 36:22-23

Sermon Outline:

  1. God graciously restores the remnant of his people to the law, land and temple.
  2. The returned exiles can now see God’s righteousness, their sinfulness, and their need to repent and rely on His grace.
  3. Even as the remnant rejoices in their restoration, they are still full of mourning and longing, centred around the desire to see a Son of David return to the throne.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways did God make use of the kings and powers of the world for the good of his people?
  2. How does the physical restoration of Jerusalem and the temple point to what God was working in the heart of his people?
  3. What do the prayers of Ezra and Nehemiah show that God’s people have learned from their exile? 
  4. Why was the laying of the foundation of the new temple such a wonderful moment? Why was it such a painful moment?
  5. How can the remnant expect a greater kingdom than the one they had previously known, even though they had already seen how their sin had led to the fall of the previous kingdom?
  6. What promises were made regarding the future Son of David which these exiles could hope in?
  7. How is our situation similar to that of these returned exiles? In what ways should we be similarly impacted by their history and their hope?