October 26/27, 2014 (Week 7)

The Return to Jerusalem Study
“Temple Rebuilding and Opposition” (Ezra 3-6)

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DIVISIONS AND PRINCIPLES
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First Division: The Exiles rebuild the altar and begin burnt offerings.
Ezra 3:1-6; Exodus 29:38-45; Leviticus 6; I Corinthians 6:19; John 7:38-39; Ephesians 1:13; I Corinthians 15:3; Romans 1:4; Romans 8:9; 2 Timothy 3:15

Principle #1: God's prescribed way for us to begin as temples of His Holy Spirit is to believe the Gospel.

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Second Division: The Exiles do the work to lay the foundation for the temple. 
Ezra 3:7-13; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:10 

Principle #2: We lay the foundation to be temples of the Holy Spirit by taking in the teachings of the Apostles and Prophets. 

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Third Division: The Exiles refuse the help of non-believers to build the temple. 
Ezra 4:1-3; 2 Kings 17:24-25; Ephesians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Principle #3: We are to be united with other Believers in building God's Spiritual temples but non-believers are to have no part in them.

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Fourth Division: The Exiles stop construction because of the opposition, but God sends Prophets to restart it. 
Ezra 4:4 - 6:12; Matthew 6:32-33

Principle #4: To build biblical Christ-like temples, we must make Bible Study - and application of it - our first priority. 

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