Category Archives: Bible 911

Seraiah

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Seraiah is a name that I saw several times in Ezra and Nehemiah as I was studying to do their Bible 911 post. This name is associated with several priests including Ezra. There are other men, that are not priests, that also have that name. Names were very important to ancient Hebrews. Seraiah is one of those. 2 Samuel 8:17 is the first time it is seen, and many priests from Jeremiah to Nehemiah received that name. Some of the other men may not have been nice people.

The reuse of names to honor people seems to have been common. At the time of Samuel and David, 1 Chronicles 6, several men were named Ahitub and Zadok. In the first century, several priests had the name Ananias.

Seraiah means Prince or Soldier of the Lord. Several experts lean towards Yah Retains. The “iah” is like “el” in a name, it refers to God or Lord. The “Sera” part seems to be the issue with people interpreting it very differently. I like Prince of the Lord, so I will go with that one.

This is a good reference to use in studying this name.  Seraiah | The amazing name Seraiah: meaning and etymology (abarim-publications.com)

It is the “family” part of the name I want to take some time with. Ezekiel and Jeremiah are “family” with all these men named Seraiah. These two prophets, who were also priests, were given some hard words to speak against their family members. But it is true that some of them were not doing right by God.

  • 2 Kings 25:18 and Jeremiah 52:24 tell the story of Seraiah the chief priest being carried into exile.
  • 1 Chronicles 6 is the section that lists priests, Levities, and singers. Verse 14 adds a note about being exiled to Babylon.
  • Ezra 2 has a man in the company with Zerubbabel who returns to Judah.
  • Ezra 7 introduces Ezra the son of Seraiah and family with Hilkiah. He is the Ezra who is also in Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah.
  • Nehemiah 11 and 12 also mention Seraiah(s) in several roles in Jerusalem.

For good and bad, the family of Aaron influenced Israel; before there were kings, with kings, and with governors. The Greeks and Romans did their best to end or diminish the priest of God. The Law put specific restrictions on these relatives of Aaron. Because of the position that God gave them, He held them to a higher standard. Some did well, some did not do well in these duties and responsibilities. That is why they had to offer sacrifices for their sins before representing the people before God.

God bless the Kohen; may they hear His voice and follow His heart.  

Bible 911 – Ezekiel

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Wow, this Bible 911 on Ezekiel reminds me of why I started this series. To study things that I may not be familiar with. I have done other studies in and around Ezekiel, but this one has stretched me. Since I just did Jeremiah 911, I noticed some similar features. One is the pronouncements of the judgment of other nations as well as Israel. But in the middle of some very heavy words, God gives promises of hope and restoration. Ezekiel and Jeremiah are priests and many of their words were against their own tribe members. Jeremiah could have been selected as the high priest because he was the “son of Hilkiah”.

390 + 40

An important feature of Ezekiel is the timestamps. For this post, the two in Chapters 1 and 8 are the important ones. They start again in Chapter 20 and stop at Chapter 40; I will highlight some of these as they date Ezekiel’s visions and the destruction of Judah. The first two timestamps correspond to the number of days that Ezekiel was to lay on his side and “bear the sin” of Israel and Judah (4:5+6).

The 390 days is a thirteen-month year that could be called by the High Priest to adjust the calendar to match the seasons. The forty-day component is for the sins of Judah. I am sure there are many factors that God used to select this number of days. For me, it is a bit of a mystery, I would think it has to do with King Manasseh, but that will be another study. God’s counting is perfect, and we may not be told all of the facts as to start and end times. To impress upon Ezekiel the importance of the message, God used heavenly messengers at the beginning and end of this period.

Back to the first two timestamps. The amount of time between Chapter 1 and Chapter 8 could mean that Ezekiel had his heavenly visions while lying on his side. This set of visions ends with Chapter 11; so, it could be grouped 1-7 and 8-11. From previous studies, I know it is very easy to focus on the angels and cherubim of the visions. God gave these to Ezekiel to inform him of what was going to happen to Jerusalem and Judah. These prophetic visions and acts were started four years before the siege of Jerusalem began (24:1). You have to know that word of this got back to the land of Israel, which was the point. God was adding another witness with Jeremiah and Daniel for the people to repent.

Ezekiel 9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. (KJV)

Imagine the turmoil for this prophet and priest of God Most High as he watched people he knew be marked for death. This was his Temple, city, and people that he now had to speak against. All of these centuries later, I fear, we tend to remove the personal aspect that Ezekiel and the other prophets lived with as they spoke the thoughts of their God to the Family. 9:11 is in the middle of a vision that if it had been spoken in Jerusalem would have gotten Ezekiel stoned to death. God’s loving nature and mercy are seen in the last part of Chapter 11 where He promises restoration.

Kings, Prophets, and High Use Words

I love God and I love how He works in His time. Josiah was the last godly king of Israel and his work and life produced the prophets and kings that would play out the prophecies of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and others. This WordPress post was written several years ago and will help make sense of the backstory of Ezekiel and the punishment of Jerusalem.
ificouldteachthebible.com/2017/10/28/josiahs-children/

Below are a collection of thought, facts, and observations.

Jehoiachin ruled for 100 days before being removed and taken to Babylon. For Jehoiachin that is a number of mercy, his life was spared. He was 55 years old when he was released by Awel-Marduk after 37 years as a prisoner.

Ezekiel was alive, a teenager, during the reign of Josiah. (It was at the end of his rule.)

IF Jeremiah was born when Josiah started ruling, he would be in his 50s when Jerusalem fell. He would have been a prophet for over 40 years.

Like Jeremiah, in the middle of words of judgment, God gives words of hope and restoration through Ezekiel.

There are sections of announcements of judgment on other nations. Jeremiah 24 and 25 may help in understanding this.

There is a section on Egypt, where the survivors ran to after leaving Jerusalem. Timestamps are out of order here, so it is apparent that there was some editing to produce the final book.

There is a section about Tyre. Much of that is a shadow of Satan. (26:1)

The “prince of____” is mentioned several times. Depending on the translation it is used the most in Ezekiel, not all are about Israel.

“Son of man” is mentioned more often here than in other books. Most are directed to Ezekiel, but the connection to Jesus should not be ignored.

Son and daughter are also used many times.

Land and day are used repeatedly, not always about “the day” or “the land”. Outside the Torah, it is a leader in the use of these words. NASB is my reference.

NIV has many “year and day” combinations in the Book of Ezekiel, most are part of the timeline of his life and the messages he was given.

Next to Revelations. Ezekiel uses cherubim or living being or living creature many times. It is a main reference if you are studying these heavenly messengers.

Ezekiel 26:1 is also the time when Jerusalem fell to the siege. Since Ezekiel is a priest, I believe he used the religious calendar. That means that references to the first month are just before Passover. A third-month reference is around the time of Pentecost.

Other posts I have written where Ezekiel was important.

Going Further –

Find and list the thirteen timestamps that refer to Jehoiachin in exile and write a statement about them. OR Read the ending chapters of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles and imagine how Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah fit into those stories.  

Bible 911 – Jeremiah

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This Bible 911 from Jeremiah is part of a series of “declares or says the Lord” statements. Judah has turned from God, and they refuse to repent. Jeremiah’s writings can be complex, and they are not in a nice linear format. I wonder how much editing Jeremiah and Baruch did in joining these words into the powerful message they are. We are not sure when this verse was written, but you would hope it is after Josiah and his work to bring Judah back to the Lord. The message however is clear, God is going to hold the people of Israel accountable for not following Him. King Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33) is a key player in this apostasy and judgment.

Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel are alive and active at this time in history. If you take all of their 9:11s, they make an interesting statement about Jerusalem and Judah (they were written at very different times). Each of these prophets had their own area of ministry, but all were used by God during a dark period of time for Judah and Jerusalem.

Chapter 9:7 starts with a “This is what Hashem Tzva’os says”. This phrase is found in verses 15 and 17 also. A good translation of this is “Lord of Host or Armies”. For a Jewish perspective on this title, please see Tzeva-ot: Master of Legions – Chabad.org or The Name of G-d – Judaism 101 (JewFAQ) I believe that this term sets the tone for how serious the Father is about the problem, He is ready to lead His armies into battle. The section I will focus on is verses 7 to 16.

Verse 7 – This verse is in harmony with 6:27-30 where Jeremiah is appointed a tester of people as if they are metals. The refining has to be done before you can test most metals. That is and has been God’s focus, the test is to show how much you have moved forward and to remind you that you’re not done yet. The curriculum for this test is God’s righteousness. The Spirit uses grace to construct the lesson plans, please refrain from adding impossible additions that detract from the real learning.

Verses 8 and 9 – The tongue is the problem and how we treat each other. From the Ten Commandments, numbers 5-10 are the Old Testament standard. Jesus simplified these with the statement “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Please, go back and read the chapters leading to this point. God is making His case and He is not happy. 9:4-6 is an interesting play on words with the name Jacob (deceiver) and how they treat each other.

Verse 10 – God is attached to His Land. This land is important to Him. He is upset at how His land has been treated and defiled, which is the bases for the seventy years of exile. I do not fully understand this, but what else is new? Here are some examples of why I say this:

  • Melchizedek is serving as His High Priest in Salem.
  • Terah was sent there but he did not go.
  • Abram went by faith and the land was given to his descendants. He even left and returned.
  • Jacob came back twice. Once after he was dead.
  • Joseph was brought there twice.
  • God ruined Egypt to get His people back to that land. 2:7, 3:2,
  • I believe but cannot prove that is where the Garden of Eden was.

Jeremiah 9:11  And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. (KJV) Okay, verses 10 and 11 should be one paragraph. Heaps and dragons are better translated in non-KJV translations. This verse is very clear as to what will happen when God gives His land the respect it was deprived of.

Chapters 2-8 were written early in Jeremiah’s ministry and does mention Josiah. It must have been tough for this young prophet because some of his messages were against his family. The destruction and judgments stay consistent in these words.  Even in the midst of these proclamations, there are words of hope-3:14, 4:1.

Verse 12 seems to be Jeremiah asking a question of God about the land. This FYI is free of charge, the word land appears in Jeremiah more than any other Book in the Bible. Not all of these references are about Israel. I compared several major translations, and it was the same in all of them. Process that how you will, I just found it interesting.

Verses 13-16 is God responding to that question. These verses echo Deuteronomy 27-30. Verses 13+14 reminds me of the free-will that Adam and Eve had in the Garden, and they chose the wrong tree to eat from. The people of Israel did not obey the Word of the Lord and did what they wanted to do. Verses 15+16 has the Leader of the Army giving poison water and bad food to the nation as He purses them with the sword.

Thoughts on Jeremiah 911

  • The title and office and ministry of a prophet is a solemn calling and should not be claimed lightly. Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah paid a high price but were used by God in a very dark period in the history of Jerusalem.
  • There are many historical connections in Chapters 1-9.
  • God’s plan has never changed, He desires a people who want to fellowship with Him. There were bright spots but Israel repeatedly chose the Tree of Knowledge over the Tree of Life.

Bible 911-Daniel

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Daniel 9:11 is part of a prayer of repentance by Daniel for the people of Israel. The timing of this prayer is during the first year of Darius the Mede and at the end of the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah (9:1).

Daniel’s Kings

Daniel served several kings. Four are named in the Bible, some are not. The named kings (in order) are:

  1. Nebuchadnezzar – Chapters 1-4
  2. Belshazzar – Chapters 7 (first year),8 (third year), 5 This was the last thing he did as the city fell that night, verse 5:30
  3. Darius – Chapters 9 (first year), 6 is early in his rule but some time had passed; 10:21 and 11:1 refer to his first year, which includes the angel Michael and the job he does.
  4. Cyrus – Chapters 10 (third year), 11 +12 are part of this last vision. He is first mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah and is the king who sent Ezra to Jerusalem.

Daniel 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. (KJV)

To appreciate what Daniel was repenting of we should start in 9:2. He had STUDIED Scripture, especially Deuteronomy 27: 14 to 26 and 28: 15 to 68, and had accepted the words of the Prophet Jeremiah. So, he prayed and petitioned by fasting and by humbling himself (vs. 3). I view this as huge when you remember that Daniel had been ripped away from his family, forced from his country, and made a eunuch because Israel had done these things. I will add the two death threats (okay maybe three) that had happened by this time in his life.     

Jeremiah’s seventy years of desolation were due to Israel not giving the land its sabbath rest. They did not believe that God would supply for the off years or thought they would make more profit. Daniel 9:20 is where God introduces a new seventy. In the process, He announces the coming “Anointed One” or Jesus’ birth. Gabriel brings this message and is sent again in Luke to Zechariah and Mary. (I have never studied this seventy. There are plenty of thoughts about how it is to be accomplished.)

The Prophets Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel were alive and ministering during the “eleventh hour” of Jerusalem and Judah. Ezekiel and Daniel had experiences of angelic visions and interactions that pointed to current assistance and future events. Gabriel is the angel who delivers the messages from God. Michael is introduced as the one who fights and defends God’s people. This is also the picture we get of him in Jude and Revelations. In Daniel 10:21 and 11:1 we get a glimpse of the conflicts in the spirit world, Michael is supporting Gabriel against the prince of Persia. This must be a “spiritual prince” because Darius is Persian, and he was an ally of Daniel.

Bible 911 – Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel

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This Bible 911 is an overview of the 9:11 verses in Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. The unifying thought in these three verses is the destruction of Judah/Israel and Jerusalem.

These prophets lived and wrote during the same period. They may have met each other in Jerusalem before the deportations started. As adults, they lived in different parts of the Babylonian empire. Each was given a specific message and duty from God. The words and actions of these prophets provide a picture of the heart of our God during this dark time in Israel’s history.

The 9:11 verses seem to overlap each other in content. The circumstances surrounding each of these three verses are very different and will be studied in their own Bible 911 post.  

My reflections on Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel

  • The books (because of the kings of Judah) would indicate Jeremiah started his ministry first, followed by Daniel, then Ezekiel.
  • Jeremiah and Daniel started their ministry as young men; Ezekiel could have been in his thirties.
  • Jeremiah died first. Daniel lived the longest.
  • Jeremiah and Ezekiel were priests and Daniel was a son of a ranking official in Judah.
  • Jeremiah had contact with priests, kings, and the people in his ministry. Daniel was involved in the political aspect of the kingdom. Ezekiel was with the community and spoke to them.
  • Daniel and Ezekiel had dealings with angels.
  • All were alive at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah.
  • I am sure there are more and I have missed some interesting facts. I did not give references as they would come from all three books and these are my reflections.

The Three Verses with observations – these are KJV

Daniel 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. (THIS IS PART OF A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE. JEREMIAH’S PREDICTION OF SEVENTY YEARS IS REFERENCED. THE OATH IS FROM THE CHAPTERS OF DEUTERONOMY 28-31.)

Jeremiah 9:11  And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. (THIS IS EARLY IN HIS MINISTRY AND IS PART OF A SERIES OF WORDS FROM GOD ABOUT THE SINS OF HIS PEOPLE AND THE JUDGMENTS THAT ARE COMING. DRAGON IS ALSO TRANSLATED AS JACKEL AND DOG.)

Ezekiel 9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. (EZEKIEL IS WRITING ABOUT A VISION HE HAD THAT SPOKE OF THE COMING JUDGMENT ON JERUSALEM. THE MAN IS FINISHED MARKING THE UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE FOR DESTRUCTION.)

Other prophets who ministered during the same periods of time.

  • Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah ministered before Jeremiah. They spoke frequently about the “day of the Lord”. Jonah is also around this period.
  • Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah, and Haggai did their work during the restoration period of Judah and Jerusalem. This is the period after Jeremiah’s seventy years of rest for the land.