Category Archives: Strong in Our Weakness

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Wise

For God to Act Through Us, We Must Take Action

It is easy to reflect on the victory over Haman and miss some key threads that may be very applicable in our lives. Some look at Esther and see only how she and Mordecai took action to stop Haman. Others see only where God brought about the victory but discount the efforts and risk and planning taken by Esther and Mordecai.  In truth, we should recognize it was both.

Esther 7

Esther’s Plea

      1Now the king and Haman came to drink wine with Esther the queen. 2And the king said to Esther on the second day also as they drank their wine at the banquet, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done.” 3Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; 4for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king.” 5Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?” 6Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.

Haman Is Hanged

      7The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. 8Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, “Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.” 10So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

God’s hand can be seen throughout the book of Esther, ultimately climaxing in part in chapter 7. Reflecting back through the first six chapters, we can see how God arranged for Esther to be queen and be in position for a time like this to save her people. We can see God’s hand in the timing for which the king’s sleepless night led to him wanting to honor Mordecai, just when Haman was going to kill him. We can see the irony of Haman building gallows that he himself would hang from.

However, we also can reflect on the actions of Mordecai and Esther. Mordecai foiled a plot to kill the king. Esther gained the favor of the king and some of his key officials. Mordecai saw the opportunity for Esther to act. Esther fasted and prayed and invited others to do so along with her. She then risked her life by going into the king. When she did go into the king, she was not just blunt and clumsy in the approach. She was patient and clever.

This historical record is a great reminder that we are not simply to pray and then do nothing in most cases, though there may be some exceptions. We are to look to God but also to seek how we should act, even at personal risk.

Take a few minutes to prayerfully reflect and ask God to show you any areas in which He wants you to take more risk or action to address a situation. Perhaps He has placed you in a key role or position for such a time as this, as He did with Esther.   God may open a door for us to find victory, but we must walk through that door.

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, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness

God Works Behind the Scenes in Ways We Don’t Even See

God intervening in His own timing can be fun to watch for His people, but it must be frustrating to those who oppose them. In the record of Esther 6, only Haman really experienced the full irony of God’s timing. He was not amused. He had plans to kill Mordecai. He was having gallows built. That very preceding night, God saw to it that the king could not sleep and that led to wanting to honor Mordecai. The timing was perfect to foil Haman’s desire to kill Mordecai that day.

Perhaps a key lesson for us is to trust in God, even when we don’t see what He is doing for us. He may often be working behind the scenes in ways we don’t see or understand.

Esther 6

The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

      1During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3The king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. 5The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” 6So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” 7Then Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; 9and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

      10Then the king said to Haman, “Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said.” 11So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”

      12Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. 13Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

      14While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

If Haman thought the events in Chapter 6 were bad, he was really going to be surprised at the second banquet with Esther and the king.

We can reflect on this part of the story of Esther, and really the whole historical account, and see God at work behind the scenes. So, too, we should trust that God may be doing likewise in our lives. He may be involved working things out that we don’t even know or understand. Sometimes, we may never know how He arranged something, like Mordecai in today’s reading. He did not know that Haman wanted to kill him. He ends up having Haman honor him on behalf of the king.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for all the times You are working on our behalf, and we do not even know it.  Help us to find peace in serving You and living according to Your ways. Help us to increase in trust and faith in You. Please protect Your people from those who would come against us and against You. Amen.

Take a few minutes and pray for some of our brothers and sisters in faith who may be in other countries or places facing extreme hardship. Pray that God would intervene on their behalf and protect them. We may often overlook praying for them, focusing on our own lives and things close to us.

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, Church / Body of Christ, Courage / Fear, Fasting, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Persecution / Glorifying God, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Wickedness / Evil

For Such a Time as This

Sometimes the choices we are forced to make may seem like being put between a rock and a hard place. There appears to be no good choice.  This certainly applies to Esther in the record we find in chapter 4. Haman plans to kill all the Jews and she has to decide if she will risk her life to try to stop him. Ultimately, she has to answer the question, “Has she been put in this position by God for such a time as this?”

Esther 4

Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot

      1When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

      4Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.

      9Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

      13Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Esther Plans to Intercede

      15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

Even as Esther plans to take action, she turns to the LORD. She calls for a three day fast for herself and all the Jews in Susa. She is drawing near to Yahweh and seeking His favor and help. This is a good approach for us as well. Esther chose to risk her life to save her people. We should be asking ourselves, “What am I able to influence given what position(s) I am in today?” “Does God want me to take certain action that may seem difficult for me but could be why He has placed me in this position?”

I think it is also worth highlighting a few other thoughts. When the Jews heard about the decree, they responded with fasting and mourning. We often overlook the value of fasting today. Additionally, take note of Mordecai’s faith, expressed in verse 14,  that the Jews will be rescued by God one way or another. I appreciate that faith. That is another area in which we sometimes fall short today.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for the Bible which leads and guides us and inspires us in our desire to walk closely with You. Please protect Your people around the world today from persecution. Raise up righteous leaders and prepare Your people to listen, repent of their wicked ways, and draw near to You. Defeat the plans of those who wish to come against Your people. Kindle in us an appropriate desire for fasting and prayer as a way to draw near to You and ask for Your help. 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Obeying God, Promises, Protector / Deliverer, Share the Good News, Strong in Our Weakness, Visions

What He Says He Will Do…He Will Do

God makes a variety of promises to His people which are documented in scripture. Some are true for all followers, such as the promise of salvation through Christ (John 3:16-18), and some are specific promises to individuals for specific circumstances. One thing we can be sure of is that what God says He will do… He will do.

Acts 18:9-22

       9And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

      12But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” 14But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; 15but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” 16And he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

      18Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. 19They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21but taking leave of them and saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus.

      22When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.

When God told Paul that He would protect him, He meant it. Paul did not even have need or opportunity to open his mouth to defend himself. God took care of it, as promised. Further, we see that Paul was in no hurry to leave after this display of open hostility, despite having been chased out of several other cities on the same missionary journey. This time he had God’s promise of protection and specific guidance to continue proclaiming the gospel here.

While this is just one specific example, it should encourage us to trust in God no matter our circumstances. This was no small matter to Paul, who had been chased out of several cities up to this point on this missionary journey. People wanted to hurt or kill him to silence the message of Christ.

Take some time to reflect on some of the promises that God has made to all of His people. Are you living like you trust Him to do as He says?

Now reflect on any promises you believe God has shown you specifically. Are you trying to bring these promises about by your own will and action in your timing, without waiting on God? Are you avoiding doing it all together because you know you cannot do it on your own? Both approaches are tempting at one time or another, but in truth we must walk in faith and do our part to obey what He tells us and then trust Him to do what He says He will to help us.  I sure appreciate that He will help us to do what He calls us to do and that I can trust Him to do so in His way and in His timing… even when it conflicts with my ways and my timing.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, we thank You for Your grace and protection. We ask You to protect and encourage Your people who face persecution. Grant them wisdom and discernment. Give them periods of rest and peace as You granted to Paul. Thank You that we can trust in Your word and Your assurances. What You say You will do, we know you will do. Please help us as Your people to experience joy and peace, even when facing strife. 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. 

 

Fasting, Interceding for Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Mockers, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness

From Desire to Reality through the Power of Prayer and Action

Nehemiah was deeply grieved to hear about Jerusalem and the sorry shape it was in. He fasted and prayed. In chapter 2 we see how his prayer begins to be answered.

Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah’s Prayer Answered

      1And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” 4Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” 6Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. 7And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

      9Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

      11So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire. 14Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no place for my mount to pass. 15So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. 16The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.

      17Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” 18I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20So I answered them and said to them, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.”

Let us consider that we will see in Nehemiah a combination of prayer and action. He is not just idle and waiting for God to do everything. God opens the opportunity before the king to speak and he does speak, respectfully and boldly. He takes personal risk. If he would have remained silent, perhaps God would not have used him in this rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

We also see that after prayer and fasting, God begins to work through the pagan king of Persia to bring about the restoration of Jerusalem and the answer to Nehemiah’s prayer. God is able to use anyone and any situation. Where we feel completely powerless, as Nehemiah must have felt, God is totally able to make a way we can’t even anticipate.

What Nehemiah was praying for was not a selfish request. It was in line with God’s plan to return the people to Jerusalem. When he prayed, he was praying in line with the work that God already wanted to do. God used him and supported him.

People will often come against you as you go about God’s work. It takes courage and boldness, and some clear planning, to overcome them. When God gets directly involved to help you overcome your adversaries or mockers, that really helps as well!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have strong desire to be part of what You want to accomplish instead of making my own plans. Help me to be courageous and bold. Help me to turn to You with prayer and fasting but also be willing to take bold action. Let me not be distracted by those who mock me, or You. Silence them or open their eyes to Your glory and draw them near to You. Bring about the restoration of Your ways among Your people! Help Christians around the world return to Your ways instead of the ways of men which are so mingled in the common church doctrine and teaching. Help Jews to recognize and embrace Yeshua as Messiah. 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, 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.

Can God Use Me?, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

We Ask Ourselves ‘Can God Use Me?’ Yes, He Can!

Many of us fall prey to a common lie that God cannot use us if we have flaws or areas of weakness. Because we all have flaws and areas of weakness this means that many will choose not to serve God because they do not feel they are worthy.

There was only one perfect person, that in the person of Yeshua… God Himself when He became man.  All of God’s servants including the prophets, disciples, and many “superstars” of the faith had areas of weakness.

Starting in Exodus 3:1 and continuing through Exodus 4:18 Moses debates with God various reasons why he is not the right choice for God to send to free His people from Egypt. Yes, that’s right… Moses as He stood in front of the burning bush and spoke directly with God had lots of reasons why he was the wrong choice.

His excuses ranged from what appears to be a lack of self confidence (Exo 3:11), to just a flat out excuse of “I don’t know your name.” (Exo 3:13), “they won’t believe me…” (Exo 4:1), to “I am not a good public speaker…”  (Exo 4:10), and finally one last plea to pick someone else “please send anyone else” (Exo 4:13).

God used Moses in a mighty way to lead His people and demonstrate God’s power to many nations. God can use you too!

Don’t think that Moses is the only one! Consider Gideon as another example. Even David was the smallest of his brothers and “only” a shepherd boy when he killed Goliath.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to remember that it is not my strength and ability you need to do you work. It is only my willingness to obey that is required. It is through Your strength and Your power that Your work will be accomplished. Help me to be a willing vessel to serve You and submit to You.

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.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Government, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Through Prophets, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Get Back About Restoring Your Relationship with God

The LORD once again restarted the rebuilding of the temple that had been stopped by adversaries convincing the king of Persia to order the building halted. They did not receive permission from the king, but rather from God Himself, through HIs prophets. They took courage and resumed, knowing there were adversaries in the land who would come against them and knowing they were vulnerable to the king of Persia should he look at their actions unfavorably. They took courage and proceeded with God’s work, even when the might of the rulers could come against them.

Ezra 5

Temple Work Resumed

      1When the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, 2then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

      3At that time Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, “Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?” 4Then we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building. 5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.

Adversaries Write to Darius

      6This is the copy of the letter which Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: “To Darius the king, all peace. 8“Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands. 9“Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’ 10“We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head. 11“Thus they answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12‘But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. 13‘However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14‘Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15‘He said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.” 16‘Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is not yet completed.’ 17“Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.”

This is not just an interesting chapter in history. This is insight into how we, as followers of Yeshua, should act. Yes, we can be mindful of the government. However, there are times when God will call us to obey Him over the misguided direction of the government. I can think of the recent years of restrictive policy around concern for an illness. It affected many countries, but in particular the US is what I am most familiar with. There were states that would allow gambling establishments and sports arenas to be crowded, but then insist that churches could not be opened for public health concerns. This was nonsense and quite a few pastors and congregations took a stand, to their credit. They were going to fight for their right to worship and gather in Jesus’ name.

Prayerfully reflect on what this may mean for you in your life. What are some things where you may need to stand up for God, even if some leaders in government or business or the community are standing against you? Ask the Spirit to lead you.

As a parting thought, don’t think of Ezra only as the Jews rebuilding the temple. Instead, think of it as God’s people restoring proper relationship with Him according to His ways! This is so totally relevant to us today as many of us seek to do the same thing in the midst of much false teaching that pervades society in general, but even many churches. Get back to restoring your relationship with God according to His instruction! Do not let adversaries stop you!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people to stand firm and have courage to do what You call us to do, even when we face opposition. Raise up strong, god-fearing leaders who will unite us as Your people and have positive influence over communities and government. Protect us from our adversaries, who truly are Your adversaries. Raise up the righteous and defeat the wicked and worldly who would stop Your people from living as You call us to. 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.