January 7, 2011

Ezra 7
I often long to see the hand of my LORD upon me or to see Him work in a really obvious way. Do you long for the same thing? It does not happen regularly in Scripture, but it does happen.
Josiah died about 609 BC. It was not long after that the first deportation to Babylon occurred. Cyrus rose to the throne around 539 BC. The Return to Zion was shortly after he rose to the throne. It was awesome for that generation to see the LORD move upon the heart of Cyrus to decree the return and rebuilding of the Temple. It was awesome once again to see Darius decree that the temple be completed about 20 years after Cyrus’ decree. Now Ezra comes along. This chapter begins about 457 BC. It is about 82 years after the decree of Cyrus. Once again the LORD moves upon the heart of the pagan king to work the LORD’S own will! Look how Ezra phrases it,
27Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 28and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.
Once again we see the Glory of the Lord in the pagan king.
But we also see the glory of the Lord working in Ezra.
10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. . . 28So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.
Ezra prepared himself in three ways: 1)sought the Law, 2) did it, 3)taught it. If Ezra had not prepared himself, would God still have done what He did? Yes and no. Yes he would have still moved upon the heart of the king, no He would not have used Ezra. He would have raised up someone else to do the job. I long to see the hand of the LORD move upon me. I long for His glory to shine in me. I think there are some requirements though. I must seek Him to do what He says and share it with others. Do you desire the same? Let us pursue Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john