Ezra 8
When I moved from North Carolina to Oklahoma, I took my van to my mechanic and had it serviced. I told him that I was making a trip to Oklahoma. “Please flush and fill the radiator. Check for any potential problems.” Twelve hours into our journey, I was approaching a rest area on I-40. Suddenly, my hot engine light turned on. Just in the nick of time, I merged over into the exit lane and pulled into the rest stop. My radiator was dry. Apparently the mechanic who serviced my van failed to retighten the radiator hose appropriately. I tightened it the best I could, refilled the radiator with water from the rest stop and continued on my journey. No harm done. But what would have happened had it boiled dry a few miles later or a few miles earlier? I would have been on the side of the road perhaps without access to water. The good hand of my God was upon me. The timing could not have been better.
Ezra was making a journey of approximately the same distance. Only his vehicles were wagons. His powers were mules, oxen, camels. His dangers were not mechanical failure but pirates. Often caravans would have armed escorts to protect them. Apparently Ezra had been bragging about his God. He was ashamed to ask for an escort. He threw himself upon the mercy of God. And God provided all the protection he needed. That is the glory of our Lord. We can trust in His protection as long as we are doing His will. Even if we die, it is only to accomplish the best for His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
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
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
Thursday, January 6, 2011
January 6, 2011
Ezra 6
There are many times when I have experienced great joy, graduations, my wedding day, the birth of my children, the weddings of my sons. I could go on and on. But one expects joy on those days. One peculiar time stands out in my mind. It was a time where I had been through great disappointment. Yet in the midst of that disappointment, I chose to worship Him with all of my heart, soul and strength. When I did, He flooded me with His joy. The disappointment and pain were still present, yet His joy continued to flood my soul. What a paradox!
Wow, once again the Lord moves upon the heart of the pagan King to establish His temple and His people. Twenty years after their return, they finish the temple. They celebrate the Passover. Look at verse 22: “And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.“ The LORD made them joyful. That is the wonderful thing about knowing the LORD is that when we are obedient, He makes us joyful. It can be the worst of circumstances, yet when we are obedient, He makes us joyful. Thank you Lord for your joy! It is indeed part of your glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
There are many times when I have experienced great joy, graduations, my wedding day, the birth of my children, the weddings of my sons. I could go on and on. But one expects joy on those days. One peculiar time stands out in my mind. It was a time where I had been through great disappointment. Yet in the midst of that disappointment, I chose to worship Him with all of my heart, soul and strength. When I did, He flooded me with His joy. The disappointment and pain were still present, yet His joy continued to flood my soul. What a paradox!
Wow, once again the Lord moves upon the heart of the pagan King to establish His temple and His people. Twenty years after their return, they finish the temple. They celebrate the Passover. Look at verse 22: “And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.“ The LORD made them joyful. That is the wonderful thing about knowing the LORD is that when we are obedient, He makes us joyful. It can be the worst of circumstances, yet when we are obedient, He makes us joyful. Thank you Lord for your joy! It is indeed part of your glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
January 5, 2011
Ezra 5
The summer after I graduated from High School, I was impelled by the Spirit to go witnessing. It was just something that I could not resist. I got in my car and began driving looking for someone with whom I could share the gospel. I was driven. I was scared. My personality is such that I hate initiating conversations. Seeing some acquaintances from high school parked alongside the road, I stopped. I thought that I could talk with them until God showed me someone with whom I could share the gospel. I assumed that they would not be interested. Steve had always been very sarcastic toward me in the past, especially concerning Jesus.
As I stepped out of the car, Steve said, “Chaffin, I’m glad you are here. I need to be reformed.”
Thinking that he was once again being sarcastic, I said, “Right, Steve, you need to be reformed.”
He replied, “No, really, I need to be reformed.”
I replied sarcastically, “Uh, uh, you do need to be reformed.”
“I’m serious,” he replied, “I need to be reformed.”
Still thinking that he was being sarcastic, I rebutted, “Well, I don’t reform people; I just introduce them to Jesus.”
“Well, introduce me to Jesus.”
“Uh, huh, introduce you to Jesus.”
“I’m serious! Introduce me to Jesus!”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes, I am serious. Introduce me to Jesus!”
I pulled out my New Testament and began to share the gospel with him. A few minutes later, he was praying to ask Jesus to save him from his sin. It was one of those times when it was clear that this was a God-thing. It was nothing of me and all of Him. The eye of my God was upon him and there was nothing that could have stopped Steve from trusting Jesus, except if I had refused to follow the prompting of God. That is His glory!
The eye of their God was upon the returnees to rebuild the temple. Nothing could have stopped them. That is His glory! When asked who gave them the authority to build, they were not hesitant to make it known that they were the servants of the God of heaven and earth. Sure, they mentioned that Cyrus had given them the command, but of more importance to them, they were the servants of the Most High God. That was all that they needed.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am the servant of the Most High God. His glory is far more unimaginably great than I can ever dream. When His eye is upon me, I will accomplish that for which He has designed me. The only question is, “Will I listen to His direction, and will I obey?” When those two questions are affirmative, He will eventually display His glory in me. Granted, most of life is rather mundane and even toilsome. Just look at the lives of the great men of God, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David etc. The majority of their time was mundane and toilsome. But they had their moments that were full of the glory of God because they listened and obeyed. So it was with the ones rebuilding the temple. They knew that they were the servants of the Most High God. Consequently they listened and obeyed and didn’t give up. The glory of God was displayed in their work. Lord, display Your glory in us! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
The summer after I graduated from High School, I was impelled by the Spirit to go witnessing. It was just something that I could not resist. I got in my car and began driving looking for someone with whom I could share the gospel. I was driven. I was scared. My personality is such that I hate initiating conversations. Seeing some acquaintances from high school parked alongside the road, I stopped. I thought that I could talk with them until God showed me someone with whom I could share the gospel. I assumed that they would not be interested. Steve had always been very sarcastic toward me in the past, especially concerning Jesus.
As I stepped out of the car, Steve said, “Chaffin, I’m glad you are here. I need to be reformed.”
Thinking that he was once again being sarcastic, I said, “Right, Steve, you need to be reformed.”
He replied, “No, really, I need to be reformed.”
I replied sarcastically, “Uh, uh, you do need to be reformed.”
“I’m serious,” he replied, “I need to be reformed.”
Still thinking that he was being sarcastic, I rebutted, “Well, I don’t reform people; I just introduce them to Jesus.”
“Well, introduce me to Jesus.”
“Uh, huh, introduce you to Jesus.”
“I’m serious! Introduce me to Jesus!”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes, I am serious. Introduce me to Jesus!”
I pulled out my New Testament and began to share the gospel with him. A few minutes later, he was praying to ask Jesus to save him from his sin. It was one of those times when it was clear that this was a God-thing. It was nothing of me and all of Him. The eye of my God was upon him and there was nothing that could have stopped Steve from trusting Jesus, except if I had refused to follow the prompting of God. That is His glory!
The eye of their God was upon the returnees to rebuild the temple. Nothing could have stopped them. That is His glory! When asked who gave them the authority to build, they were not hesitant to make it known that they were the servants of the God of heaven and earth. Sure, they mentioned that Cyrus had given them the command, but of more importance to them, they were the servants of the Most High God. That was all that they needed.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am the servant of the Most High God. His glory is far more unimaginably great than I can ever dream. When His eye is upon me, I will accomplish that for which He has designed me. The only question is, “Will I listen to His direction, and will I obey?” When those two questions are affirmative, He will eventually display His glory in me. Granted, most of life is rather mundane and even toilsome. Just look at the lives of the great men of God, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David etc. The majority of their time was mundane and toilsome. But they had their moments that were full of the glory of God because they listened and obeyed. So it was with the ones rebuilding the temple. They knew that they were the servants of the Most High God. Consequently they listened and obeyed and didn’t give up. The glory of God was displayed in their work. Lord, display Your glory in us! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
January 4, 2011
Ezra 4
If God can move the heart of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia to order and finance the rebuilding of the temple, surely he can also move upon the hearts of the people living in Jerusalem upon the return of the Jews. Why doesn’t he do that? Surely He is able. Therefore, this is something He has permitted. Why does He do things like that? Even in the midst of God accomplishing His grand scheme in history, He still seeks to do it in such a way that He causes us that we willingly bring our own hearts for the accomplishment of His plans. The time span from the death of Cyrus the Great to the ascension of Darius I is about 8 years. Therefore the minimum amount of time from Cyrus’ decree for the Jews to return to the incident recorded in today’s passage is a minimum of 8 years. In all likelihood it was at least 12 years. Motyer figures that it was 18 years from Cyrus’ decree to when Haggai proclaimed his prophecies exhorting the people to finish the temple.
Why after 8-12 years was only the foundation of the temple built? The answer is found in our own hearts that are easily dissuaded from following the Lord. The Lord is showing us how easily we can be discouraged and stop the work that He has called us to do. It can come in the form of direct opposition as it did from the people who discouraged the returnees when they wrote a letter to Darius. But the returnees had already been dragging their feet. I would think that 8-10 years was more than enough time to build more than just a foundation. Why doesn’t the Lord move the obstacles? He wants to show the people their hearts first. That is part of His glory. He desires to change our hearts with our cooperation. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
If God can move the heart of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia to order and finance the rebuilding of the temple, surely he can also move upon the hearts of the people living in Jerusalem upon the return of the Jews. Why doesn’t he do that? Surely He is able. Therefore, this is something He has permitted. Why does He do things like that? Even in the midst of God accomplishing His grand scheme in history, He still seeks to do it in such a way that He causes us that we willingly bring our own hearts for the accomplishment of His plans. The time span from the death of Cyrus the Great to the ascension of Darius I is about 8 years. Therefore the minimum amount of time from Cyrus’ decree for the Jews to return to the incident recorded in today’s passage is a minimum of 8 years. In all likelihood it was at least 12 years. Motyer figures that it was 18 years from Cyrus’ decree to when Haggai proclaimed his prophecies exhorting the people to finish the temple.
Why after 8-12 years was only the foundation of the temple built? The answer is found in our own hearts that are easily dissuaded from following the Lord. The Lord is showing us how easily we can be discouraged and stop the work that He has called us to do. It can come in the form of direct opposition as it did from the people who discouraged the returnees when they wrote a letter to Darius. But the returnees had already been dragging their feet. I would think that 8-10 years was more than enough time to build more than just a foundation. Why doesn’t the Lord move the obstacles? He wants to show the people their hearts first. That is part of His glory. He desires to change our hearts with our cooperation. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
Monday, January 3, 2011
January 3, 2011
Ezra 3
Sitting in the backyard of my parents house on a fall Saturday afternoon can sometimes be a noisy experience. They are about 5 or 6 blocks from Boone Pickens Stadium. We can hear the roar of 60,000 people whenever something good or bad happens during the game. We know that OSU has scored whenever we hear the ROTC cannon fire and the band playing Oh, A&M. It is a noise of celebration that we like to hear. Do you celebrate the goodness and mercy of the Lord?
It had been 70 years since the first exile and about 54/55 years since the destruction of the temple. Hmm. . . as I write I am 55 years old. Had I been born when the temple was destroyed, I would have had no memory of the first temple. All my memories would have been only of the exile. I am sure my parents would probably have replayed again and again their memories of Jerusalem. To be able to return to live in Jerusalem as a free man would certainly have seemed like a dream. Yet God accomplished it in their lifetime. They were able to establish homes and return to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles and then lay the foundation for the second temple. Surely this was a time for celebration! Indeed the Lord is good and his mercy is everlasting!
I was in exile from my Lord. My sin had alienated me from experiencing the pleasure of His presence. But He is good and His mercy is everlasting toward me. In His kindness He moved upon the heart of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver me from exile. He has brought me back to Himself. What a joy and cause for celebration that is!
When the people laid the foundation for the temple, they rejoiced, and it was heard far away. Their 70 year old dreams were being realized. With 42,000+ people assembled on the top of Jerusalem’s rocky temple mount, the sound of their celebration could be heard far away. God had scored an amazing touchdown in their nation! Should I not also celebrate upon my return from exile? He has scored an amazing touchdown in my life! Let the celebration of his goodness and mercy begin. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Sitting in the backyard of my parents house on a fall Saturday afternoon can sometimes be a noisy experience. They are about 5 or 6 blocks from Boone Pickens Stadium. We can hear the roar of 60,000 people whenever something good or bad happens during the game. We know that OSU has scored whenever we hear the ROTC cannon fire and the band playing Oh, A&M. It is a noise of celebration that we like to hear. Do you celebrate the goodness and mercy of the Lord?
It had been 70 years since the first exile and about 54/55 years since the destruction of the temple. Hmm. . . as I write I am 55 years old. Had I been born when the temple was destroyed, I would have had no memory of the first temple. All my memories would have been only of the exile. I am sure my parents would probably have replayed again and again their memories of Jerusalem. To be able to return to live in Jerusalem as a free man would certainly have seemed like a dream. Yet God accomplished it in their lifetime. They were able to establish homes and return to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles and then lay the foundation for the second temple. Surely this was a time for celebration! Indeed the Lord is good and his mercy is everlasting!
I was in exile from my Lord. My sin had alienated me from experiencing the pleasure of His presence. But He is good and His mercy is everlasting toward me. In His kindness He moved upon the heart of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver me from exile. He has brought me back to Himself. What a joy and cause for celebration that is!
When the people laid the foundation for the temple, they rejoiced, and it was heard far away. Their 70 year old dreams were being realized. With 42,000+ people assembled on the top of Jerusalem’s rocky temple mount, the sound of their celebration could be heard far away. God had scored an amazing touchdown in their nation! Should I not also celebrate upon my return from exile? He has scored an amazing touchdown in my life! Let the celebration of his goodness and mercy begin. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Saturday, January 1, 2011
January 1, 2011
January 1, 2011 Ezra 1
“Obama Orders Rebuilding of Christian Cathedral in Washington D.C.” Can you ever imagine such a headline? I can’t. I could see this headline, “Obama Donates Funds to Building Mosque in Jerusalem.” Granted we are a different culture and context than was Cyrus, king of Persia. But nevertheless, this is pretty amazing stuff! The Lord moves upon the heart of Cyrus, not only to permit the rebuilding of the temple, but to also fund it from the government treasury and order it done! The way Ezra phrases it, it seems as though it was the direct prompting of the Lord without any requests from the priests, Levites or people of Israel. Wow! Truly as Proverbs 21:1says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Now that is glory!
Do you think the Lord would change Obama’s heart? Obviously it is possible, but would He do it? Hmmm. . . I suppose if it met God’s purposes for history, He would do it for certainly that is why He moved Cyrus. I also suppose that if God’s people, as a whole, really became serious about prayer and personal and corporate repentance, then it would also happen. But that doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. In the meantime, isn’t it great to bask in the knowledge that even the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
“Obama Orders Rebuilding of Christian Cathedral in Washington D.C.” Can you ever imagine such a headline? I can’t. I could see this headline, “Obama Donates Funds to Building Mosque in Jerusalem.” Granted we are a different culture and context than was Cyrus, king of Persia. But nevertheless, this is pretty amazing stuff! The Lord moves upon the heart of Cyrus, not only to permit the rebuilding of the temple, but to also fund it from the government treasury and order it done! The way Ezra phrases it, it seems as though it was the direct prompting of the Lord without any requests from the priests, Levites or people of Israel. Wow! Truly as Proverbs 21:1says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Now that is glory!
Do you think the Lord would change Obama’s heart? Obviously it is possible, but would He do it? Hmmm. . . I suppose if it met God’s purposes for history, He would do it for certainly that is why He moved Cyrus. I also suppose that if God’s people, as a whole, really became serious about prayer and personal and corporate repentance, then it would also happen. But that doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. In the meantime, isn’t it great to bask in the knowledge that even the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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