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God Is Never Surprised or Unable to Accomplish His Will

God can make a way to accomplish His will, even using situations that are completely independent of His people. As we will read in Esther as we progress, there was a crisis looming for the Jewish people in which Haman was going to destroy them. God chose to put Esther, a young Jewish girl in place as queen of Persia so that she could be used to save His people at the right time.

For that to come to pass, Queen Vashti had to be removed as queen. We read in Esther 1 about the circumstances by which that took place.

Esther 1

The Banquets of the King

      1Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, 3in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. 4And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days.

      5When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. 7Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king’s bounty. 8The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. 9Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti’s Refusal

      10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. 12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.

      13Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice 14and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom— 15“According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17“For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ 18“This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19“If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. 20“When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.”

      21This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.

There are a number of different questions we could explore in this chapter, but one that comes up quite often is “Why did Queen Vashti refuse the king, knowing the likely consequences?”

The king and the men he was entertaining had been feasting and drinking for seven days. The only reference as to why he was calling her is to her beauty. You can be sure it is very unlikely the king had any noble purposes in mind. It was most likely that she would be humiliated in some way while being asked to entertain a bunch of drunk men.

Ultimately, however, we can return to the over-arching context of the book of Esther. The queen had to be removed to put Esther in place before Haman’s plot unfolded. God was putting Esther in place for His own purposes and thus had to remove Vashti in some way. If God wants to influence the hearts and minds and actions of the king of Persia and possibly the queen, He is certainly capable of doing so. One could also consider the king and his advisors over-reacted by our standards in their response, but that may have been typical for their culture and time or God may have hardened their hearts as He did Pharoah at the time He delivered the Israelites out of Egypt.

One last observation is that the author of the book may not have been Jewish and that this seems to be written more as an historical account of these events without the mention of God or explicitly pointing out how He was working in the background of the events. This has a different tone and feel than other historical books of the Bible which tend to call out more explicitly God as He is working through the lives of the Jewish people.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for working in the lives of Your people, even when we do not see it or understand it. Help us to be brave and focused on honoring You and helping one another, even when it comes at some personal risk to ourselves. Help us to have peace and comfort knowing that You are never surprised. You are never unable to address any situation. We can trust in You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, All Powerful / King of All, Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Introduction to Books of Bible, Peace / Rest, Persecution / Glorifying God

Introduction to the Book of Esther

We are going to start a walk through the book of Esther. As a way to get started, I wanted to share just a touch of backstory, or context. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it.

The name of this book comes from its main character, Esther, a young Jewish girl who later became Queen of the Persian Empire. Through the providence of God, she was in position (Esth. 4:14) to prevent the annihilation of her entire nation. The Feast of Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people on that occasion. There is no organic connection between the Book of Esther and the rest of the Bible, but scholars believe that this book is our only glimpse of Jewish life under the Persians during the period between the first and second returns of Jerusalem. Although there is no mention in the Book of Esther of Palestine, Jerusalem, the temple, or the Law of Moses, the events took place within the general timeframe of officially-approved migrations of Jewish exiles back to their homeland. Esther lived during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I)  in 486-465 B.C. Early in his rule, his armies fought the Greeks for the first time. His empire extended from India to Ethiopia and included twenty satrapies, which were divided into many provinces. Jerusalem was only a tiny outpost in his kingdom. Though the name of God never appears in Esther, God’s power is implied everywhere in the book. The Book of Esther teaches that God’s providence is active in every facet of human life. We cannot escape Him. His purposes, though sometimes hidden, are far-reaching. We can be confident of God’s care and protection. 

As we reflect on the historical context of Esther, we see an example of God’s power and protection permeating throughout the historical record. God puts Esther and even Mordecai in position where they will need to be in order to protect God’s people. God is fully aware of what will confront His people. He is not surprised. He does not need to come up with a “plan B” when this situation develops. We can rest assured that God is in aware of all situations and is able to prepare a way through adversity consistent with His broader plans. This assurance should give us peace in knowing that we can trust in God even during very challenging times when we may not understand how He is working. We should focus on Him and on what role he may want us to play in addressing whatever situations we encounter. Let us not overlook that Esther had to step out in great faith, after fasting and prayer, to protect her people at significant personal risk. She had not experienced an obvious “burning bush” encounter where God told her clearly what she must do.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people to find peace in knowing You are not surprised by any situation. Help us to trust in You even when we do not understand or see how You are moving in a situation. Help us to have clarity and conviction for when and how You want us to act to bring about Your will.  Thank You for Your written word which documents Your relationship with Your people, from which we can learn and be encouraged! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Government, Interceding for Others, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Righteous

Prayer for Defense Against the Wicked

This is a prayer for our nation and the world that absolutely applies today. I would encourage those who follow Yeshua to come humbly before the LORD and pray for defense against the wicked, for Yahweh to raise up and defend the righteous. Do not just read Psalm 7, but pray it as you read, applying it to our nation today.

Psalm 7

The LORD Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

     1O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

2Or he will tear my soul like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is none to deliver.

3O LORD my God, if I have done this,
If there is injustice in my hands,

4If I have rewarded evil to my friend,
Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary,

5Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;
And let him trample my life down to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust.

Selah.

6Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries,
And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment.

7Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You,
And over them return on high.

8The LORD judges the peoples;
Vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

9O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

10My shield is with God,
Who saves the upright in heart.

11God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.

12If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.

13He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

14Behold, he travails with wickedness,
And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.

15He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has fallen into the hole which he made.

16His mischief will return upon his own head,
And his violence will descend upon his own pate.

17I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness
And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

For more Biblical examples of prayer, and for personal prayer requests, please visit our Prayer Requests page.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, may the freedom of our constitutional republic be maintained and those who seek an ever larger, ever more controlling federal government have their plans thwarted. May righteousness and godliness be restored in a place of honor. May our freedom of speech and freedom to live out our faith publicly be protected. Let people no longer be fooled by those who claim your name, but live out policies that are against your instructions and force them on others. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Courage / Fear, Diligent / Hard Worker, Discerning / Judging, Faith / Trusting God, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Purposeful / Intentional, Wise

Proceed with Caution: Adversaries Ahead

It is interesting to try to even understand the motivation of those who came against Nehemiah. Why were they so bound and determined to try to stop what he was doing in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem? Sometimes people come against us and we really can’t discern what is in it for them. They seem content just to disrupt any work being undertaken for the LORD and His glory. They want to intimidate God’s people to stop. They are willing to deceive and outright lie. They are willing to threaten and try to rally others against God’s work and God’s people.

Let Nehemiah serve as a solid reminder that we must keep our heads and be courageous. We must seek discernment and act wisely in our response. Do not believe everything you hear or trust everyone who reaches out.

Nehemiah 6

The Enemy’s Plot

      1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. 5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 7“You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” 8Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.” 9For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

      10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” 11But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” 12Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. 14Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

The Wall Is Finished

      15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

As you seek to obey God’s written word and any specific guidance He gives you for your life, be wary that some may and likely will come against you. You may not even understand their motivation, but you will need to be wise and courageous none the less. Seek God and seek the fellowship and help from others who are standing with you for God’s work. Watch carefully not to be tricked into compromising your obedience to God as you respond to them.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide your people to come together to accomplish Your will. Raise up righteous leaders like Nehemiah to lead with courage and wisdom. Protect us from those who would come against us and against You.  Let the success we experience in accomplishing Your will bring glory and honor to You rather than us. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Courage / Fear, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Strong in Our Weakness

How Do We Stand Up to Ridicule and Resistance?

Nehemiah and the Jews at Jerusalem faced fierce opposition. It started with mocking but continued to grow into a threat of violence. They were on a mission to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. How should they respond?

We will often face resistance personally or collectively as God’s people also. We can learn from how Nehemiah led the people to respond.

Nehemiah 4

Work Is Ridiculed

      1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. 2He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?” 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building—if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”

      4Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

      6So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

      7Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.

Discouragement Overcome

      9But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

      10Thus in Judah it was said,
“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,
Yet there is much rubbish;
And we ourselves are unable
To rebuild the wall.”

11Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” 12When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,” 13then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. 14When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”

      15When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. 19I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20“At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

      21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. 22At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.” 23So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.

Nehemiah turned to God and prayed, asking for help. However, he also took strong and well thought out action as well. He stationed the guard to be ready to defend while continuing to build the wall. He kept moving ahead with God’s mission. Prayer and action. Both are important parts of the solution to many challenges and opposition we may endure.

They were willing to work hard and sacrifice. They endured mocking and threats. They endured discomfort in terms of building always ready to fight. The people were committed wholeheartedly, not just to the point of convenience. Often today I perceive people are only committed to the point of convenience. A five-minute prayer and then do nothing while you wait for God to solve it. Reading Nehemiah challenges me to reevaluate my own life to be sure. What am I doing to resist abortion? What about false teaching in schools that moves our children farther from God? When I see someone persecuted for their faith, do I stand with them as I pray for them? Or do I simply pass a quick prayer and go about my business? Do I even come back to pray for them earnestly and repeatedly? These are all fair points to ask.

As a parting thought, some may not agree with how Nehemiah prayed against his enemies. He did not simply pray they would be forgiven, but that their sin would be held against them. Just note that he was not rebuked in scripture for this prayer. Asking for our enemies and the enemies of God to be defeated is not offensive to God. He answered the prayer and helped the Jews.

I invite you to pray with me:

 Father, please help Your people to stand boldly and stand together in the face of opposition including mocking and threats. Help us to come earnestly in prayer before You and also to have wisdom and courage to take strong and wise action to continue with the mission You have given us. Defeat the plans of the enemy or various enemies who may come against us. Amen. 

 

All Powerful / King of All, Fasting, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Admit Our Sin and Turn Back to Yahweh

Many Christians will acknowledge that they have sinned and seek forgiveness. Many will repent of the sins they recognize. However, there is something special in Nehemiah which most of us could stand to reflect on more fully. Nehemiah was not only concerned about his own sins, but more broadly on the sins of His people. He is deeply grieved that his people, God’s people, have strayed so far from God’s commandments and statutes. He admits the sins also of his family and his own. He calls out to the LORD seeking forgiveness. He wept for days. He fasted and prayed. This was not a quick 5-minute prayer in the morning before grabbing a cup of coffee and going to work.

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

      1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, 2that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

      4When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5I said, “I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. 7“We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8“Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ 10“They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11“O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”
Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah focuses on God as “the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments.” He acknowledges the need to love God and keep His commandments. It is not simply that we should have genuine emotional feeling for our relationship with God or that we should just observe the laws. It is both! True love for God should drive us to want to live according to His commandments. (This is not just the 10 commandments as some believe today. There is much more. Read Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?)

Nehemiah never once puts blame toward God for scattering the people. He even recalls specifically that God said He would scatter them if they were unfaithful. He never challenges God or why God acted in a certain way. Full accountability lays on the people for this situation.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please inspire more of us to be like Nehemiah in that we would feel a love for You and a deep grief for how far Your people are from You, even as they call upon Your name today. Please draw more of us to intercede on the behalf of all who call upon the name of Yahweh or Yeshua. Let there be a restoration of Your laws among believers and let there be a full recognition of Yeshua as Messiah. Raise up strong leaders among Your people and those who would intercede in prayer. Lead Your people in repentance to turn back to obeying Your commands, ordinates and statutes and seeking personal relationship with You! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Government, Introduction to Books of Bible

Introduction to the Book of Nehemiah

We are going to start a walk through the book of Nehemiah. As a way to get started, I wanted to share just a touch of backstory, or context regarding the book of Nehemiah. I am copying from my Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB), whose Executive Editor is Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. This is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it.

Although the current Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book, and later came to be known as I Ezra and II Ezra, Jerome was the first man to call the second portion by the name of “Nehemiah.” The names of “Ezra” and “Nehemiah” were first printed in an English edition in the Geneva Bible in 1560. Nehemiah means “Jehovah comforts.” Nehemiah was the principal character of the book and probably wrote it. The book recounts the rebuilding of Jerusalem as a fortified city and the establishment of civil authority there. Nehemiah was appointed by the Persians to be governor He came with an army escort at government expense to accomplish God’s purpose. The Book of Nehemiah is a natural sequel to the Book of Ezra. It focuses much attention upon their efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, despite fierce opposition from unfriendly neighbors. The Persian kings were humane rulers, unlike their predecessors, the Assyrians. The Persian Empire (539-331 B.C.) was established upon a more benign policy of returning displaced ethnic groups to their homelands. Nehemiah was a remarkable spiritual leader who could perform in practical ways. He was very sad to learn of the terrible condition of Jerusalem, but he believed that God, working through pagan kings, could bring about full restoration. He trusted God completely and would not be intimidated by anyone. The Book of Nehemiah covers about twenty-five years (457-432 B.C.). The prophet Malachi was active during this time. 

As we reflect on the historical context of Nehemiah, I am struck again by the faith and courage of a leader like Nehemiah to fully rely on God to help restore glory to His people and to Jerusalem by using pagan kings. Israel as a nation was in no position to rely on itself to be able to do much of anything. We can all benefit from reflecting on that aspect as it pertains to our situation today. We may say that our nation is far from God, and it is true. However, the people of God who live in our nation and still wish to follow and pursue Him wholeheartedly have much more influence and power than anything Nehemiah could have counted on. We can influence people and ultimately participate in elections and shift the direction of government. How can we act as though we are powerless if Nehemiah could act so boldly? The key is that Nehemiah knew that God could use even non-believers to accomplish His purpose. Like Nehemiah, we need to fully rely on God and bring our supplications and requests before Him. We need to come to Him asking earnestly for Him to bring restoration and revival.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please inspire leaders among Your people to rise up and bring us together. Please give all Your people courage like Nehemiah to overcome adversaries and rely on Your power and authority where we do not have control or even much influence in situations. Prepare Your people to hear the message of restoration and revival and respond with full commitment. Help us overcome our adversaries. Use those who do not even follow You to accomplish Your purposes and bring glory to You! Show us each the part You want us to play. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, All Powerful / King of All, Faith / Trusting God, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways

Why Does God Answer Some Prayers and Do Some Miracles And Not Others?

Many people are confused about when and why God does miracles or answers prayers. It is difficult to understand why He answers one prayer and seems to not answer another.  He heals one person and not another. Why does he allow some to be martyred for their faith, but save others?

There are many reasons why God may choose not to answer our prayers the way we want Him to. Sometimes He answers “yes”, sometimes “no”, sometimes “not yet” or “not the way you think is best but rather the way I know is best”. To study more about prayer, please consider our teachings about prayer, Learning To Pray Effectively, and Is God Ignoring My Prayers? Additionally, we encourage you to review other devotions listed in the “Prayer” category. (Once you click the link “Prayer“, just scroll down through the devotions to review them.)

It is good to seek to understand why God may not be answering our prayers and to test ourselves and our motives as to whether we are submitted to His will in righteous prayer and trusting Him or demanding our own outcome.

It is very important to trust God and submit to His will. His ways are so far above ours that we cannot hope to fully understand our all-powerful, eternal, all knowing God.

[Isaiah 55:8-9]    8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

It is really that simple. Even a dog learns to trust a good master with no hope of ever understanding all of the master’s plans. So too a small child who has good parents learns to trust them. We are to do the same with God.

Few have had as much motivation as Job to feel that God has abandoned him and seek to understand why He allows certain things in this world. Job was a righteous man, yet God allowed Satan to torment Him through personal loss of family and wealth and through personal illness. Job’s “friends” and wife, which he is allowed to keep, seem to be more a curse than a blessing. For the full series of events refer to the book of Job.

[Job 1:1]   1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

Job was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil. I strive to achieve such a righteous description for it is the description of one who submits to God and serves Him wholeheartedly. Yet God allowed Job to suffer incredibly. After enduring much suffering, Job struggled to understand why these things were happening to him.

God’s response takes up four chapters (Job 38-42) which basically can be summarized to say “Who are you to question God?”

Along the way, Job is humbled again.

 [Job 40:3-4]   3Then Job answered the LORD and said, 4“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.

[Job 42:1-3]  1Then Job answered the LORD and said, 2“I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 3‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

We can see with Job that it is not because of sin that God allowed bad things to happen to him. Yahweh had His own reasons. While sin is a reason for Yahweh not to hear our prayers, sometimes He just has other plans and sin has nothing to do with it. If Job does not convince you of that, then consider Yeshua asking the Father to be spared the pain and suffering of the cross.

Matthew 26:39

      39And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

We know the Father had good reason for Yeshua to experience that suffering, so that we could be forgiven. Yeshua was perfect and righteous… and the answer to His prayer was “no”. He set a perfect example in remaining fully submitted to the Father.

To be sure, it is fine to ask God to show you why He does or does not do some particular miracle or answer a prayer a certain way or why He allows certain events. We should ask as a child asks a father… humbly, respectfully and without challenging authority or complaining. He may answer or He may not. We are to trust and love Him either way, submitting to His will rather than insisting on our own.

I would invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to fully trust in You, even when I do not understand. Help me to understand if there is sin in my life from which I need to repent to draw nearer to You. Help me to endure hardship with hope and even joy based on my relationship with You. Father, thank You that You have chosen me to know You. Help me know You more and more closely. Amen. —-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Provider, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

The Key to Ezra’s Success as He Pursued Restoration

The LORD continued to provide for and support the efforts of those whom He had chosen to come back and rebuild the temple and Jerusalem.  You can, of course, catch up on the earlier parts of Ezra we have been reading if you missed the background. God stirred up the heart of King Cyrus and people of Judah to return and provided resources and support from the king to help them on their way. They faced opposition, but ultimately overcame and worked to restore the temple and implemented Passover again. They wanted to draw near in relationship to God according to His instruction.

We have also been discussing a parallel between the return to Jerusalem and our own personal return to relationship with the LORD. As we seek to draw near to Him, we often need Him to stir our spirit and draw us to Him. We, then, need to obey. It is through His power and blessing that we, individually or as a group, truly return to Him.  He can make a way where none seems possible.

As we continue in Ezra 7, we read about Yahweh again putting His hand upon a key player, this time Ezra, and working to bring more people and resources back to Jerusalem. He is restoring more people to relationship with Him according to His ways. It is not because of the cleverness or greatness of Ezra, though he deserves credit for obeying.  The key to Ezra’s success may be summarized that he was acting in the will of God and not for his own agenda as he pursued the restoration of God’s ways. He had the hand of blessing on Him from God as a result.

Ezra 7

Ezra Journeys from Babylon to Jerusalem

      1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest. 6This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. 7Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

      8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

      11Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel: 12“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 13I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14“Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18“Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God. 19“Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. 20“The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.

      21“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently, 22even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed. 23“Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons. 24“We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.

      25“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26“Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”

The King’s Kindness

      27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 28and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king’s mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

It is within the LORD’s power to stir the spirit of those who are not His and those who are His people. He can make a way for His people to be drawn together again where once they were dispersed. He can make a way for us to rediscover the law of God where once it was largely lost. He can make a way to restore us to His holy appointed times where many had forgotten or drifted away. Praise and glory and honor be to Yahweh! There is no other like Him.

If you are feeling distant to Him or wanting simply to draw nearer, reach out to Him. Pray. Study. Worship. Call upon Him and ask Him to bring you back to Him and to others who seek Him diligently. Even if you do not feel distant personally, take a few minutes to pray to ask the LORD to restore and grow the fellowship of more followers that would truly be willing to leave behind the traditions of men and return from Babylon (metaphorically) to rediscover the law of God and pursue it passionately with others who do likewise. Ask Yahweh to raise up more leaders like Ezra who will help to act out His will and lead the people to restoration and fellowship… a return to proper relationship with God according to His ways.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness

The LORD Makes a Way!

The enemies of God’s people came against them in Ezra 5. They wrote to King Darius and tried to convince him to search the archives and see what trouble-makers the people of Judah were in the past, especially Jerusalem. The intent was to stop the Israelites from rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. What an ironic out come then that Darius finds the history instead where Cyrus gave permission to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem. Instead of stopping the rebuilding, he encourages it and pays for it!

I believe it was the LORD. He can make a way to overcome our adversaries to accomplish His purposes.

Ezra 6

Darius Finds Cyrus’s Decree

      1Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. 2In Ecbatana in the fortress, which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: “Memorandum— 3“In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; 4with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5‘Also let the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.’

      6“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there. 7“Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8“Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay. 9“Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be given to them daily without fail, 10that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11“And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this. 12“May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!”

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

      13Then Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent. 14And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

      16And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

The Passover Observed

      19The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. 20For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover. 22And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Also note the importance of celebrating Passover. This is a consistent theme that is observed multiple times in scripture. Once the people turn back to God and have the opportunity, they immediately focus on and record how they celebrate the Moedim, in particular Passover. It is a very important appointed time of the LORD. It celebrates His setting His people free from bondage in Egypt. In Messiah, we can also now recognize and celebrate how we are set free from bondage to sin through the death and resurrection of Yeshua.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for providing for Your people. Thank You for making a way for us to be reconciled to You and Your ways! Please inspire the spirit of Your people to return to Your ways and reject the ways of man and culture that contradict what You want. Grant us victory over our enemies, who are also Your enemies. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.