Mysty PfefferA delightful theme I see in Ezra is even during the dark reign of sin’s captivity and punishment, the hand of the God is on us. Are you like me, and sometimes wonder how much of the circumstances you are experiencing are of your own creation?
In my teenage years and early adulthood much of my confusion, pride, pain, and lack of solid relationship was born out of my own rebellion. Dark, ominous thoughts, and self-loathing lingered through those early years.
Much like Israel emerging out of seventy years of captivity, my own darkness began to finally abate at nineteen. I wonder in awe sometimes at how the hand of God was all over me during that time and it brings me to tears to see the parallel in Israel’s history.
Please join me this week as we read the book of Ezra and see how the hand of God is on him and his people as the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia, return to Jerusalem.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to make a proclamation throughout the kingdom. (Ezra 1:1)
The proclamation is “Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold. (v3-4a)
Not only were they to be given money, manpower, and the animals to assist in the work of rebuilding the temple, ALL of the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar carried away will be returned.
How do you see God moving the heart of a pagan (nonbelieving) king in these verses?
King Cyrus decrees the God of heaven charged him to build a house at Jerusalem and return all the vessels of the temple. I see God moving heaven and earth in perfect harmony as he orchestrates kings to do his bidding for His purpose and His glory.
The exodus, the end of slavery, the growing legacy of David and Israel’s rise and fall, all play a part in reflecting His power and holiness. Knowing God moves in a mighty way helps my faith stay strong when things happen that I don’t understand.
Most importantly, I also see what the enemy takes, God will restore.
The pain of arguing and fighting, and the insecurity poverty wrecks in a home to the point of total rebellion, is no match for the love he is capable of showering over every situation to reach those He loves.
What area of your life can you look back on and see the hand of God there guiding you? Take a moment to thank Him and if you haven’t yet, maybe ask Him to restore the peace, the harmony, and the contentment you once knew, or maybe never knew.
Ezra-The Scribe and Rebuilding of the Altar
Ezra is a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD God was on him. (Ezra 7:6)
Now in the second year, after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, the Levites and kinsmen who came out of captivity appointed Levites to supervise the work.
As we read Ezra 3:10 -13 take a moment to see and savor what true repentance and understanding looks like when a people remember how worshipping God wholly and completely used to be.
Please, write your thoughts about what the Holy Spirit is showing you in these verses in your journal and I’ll share mine below.
The children of Israel gathered to make sacrifices to honor God in the original place of the first temple Solomon built. As the people gathered to build the temple and stones were laid, the childhood memories of the first majestic temple come flooding into their hearts and minds.
They are overcome with such a mixed bag of emotions they are undone! Regret, shame, relief, redemption and awe of God roll up in their hearts and they dissolve into weeping messes.
Repentance works that way.
When past pain, heartache, and sin’s repercussions are behind us and a feeling of forgiveness and love emerge to wash all the shame away, we are left with tears of redemptive joy!
Jesus the cornerstone of the eternal temple will come a few hundred years later and establish a new place of worship. He creates the avenue of redemption through his life, death, and resurrection and restoration takes place in the temple of our body.
Glory to God for this amazing picture of grace and salvation.
Ezra 5-6 Opposition Abounds but God is Still Moving
We don’t know how much time elapsed but the governor of the outlying province and his associates saw the rebuilding of the temple and were threatened by the Jews’ prosperous work and convinced Artaxerxes they were wicked and rebellious.
So, he makes a decree to stop the work on the temple and the rebuilding of the city until the reign of Darius.
Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to rebuild again as letters to Darius are sent to search the royal archives and for the decree of Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Darius the king makes a simple decree:
Let the work on this house of God alone.
The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province Beyond the River. May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy the house of God. (Ezra 6: 7,8b,12)
What do you see happening in this passage of Ezra 5-6?
How do you respond when you face opposition to what God has called you to do?
Once again, God directs the heart of a king to provide authorization, approval, and funds to rebuild the place of worship. It is he who orchestrates the big picture and allows things to fall into place.
What would happen to the stress, worry, and dissatisfaction of our lives if we just trusted God with the big picture?
The cost of our redemption is paid in full by Jesus.
Whatever is needed to lift us spiritually comes in the form of a loving church family and a solid effort to read God’s Word daily. In the midst of this, the adversaries flee and ask for a blessing and prayer!
Ezra Sent to Teach the People
In Ezra chapter seven we see the repeated phrase “for the hand of the Lord his God was on him” (we also see it in the first person– “the hand of the Lord my God, was on me” and in the plural form—“the hand of our God on us”).
My friend Gayle uses this phrase often in natural conversation.
She can fall down and bruise her face and she’ll say, “The hand of the Lord kept me safe and I didn’t hurt myself severely.” Much like Ezra and his contemporaries, she sees the hand of God in her life.
She even lives in expectation of God’s hand upon her. What would that look like in your life?
As you and I read the letter of King Artaxerxes in Ezra chapter seven we see this beautiful truth all over it!
- He makes a decree that anyone (the people in captivity) who wants to return to Jerusalem may go.
- Ezra is taking the Law of God with him.
- Silver and gold are supplied by the king and his counselors for the house of God.
- The money will be used for worship and whatever else is required for the house of God.
- Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of God.
- Ezra is given power to appoint judges and magistrates to enforce the Law of God.
- Ezra is to teach those who do not know the Law.
Ezra says, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king, his counselors, and before the king’s mighty officers. I took courage for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go with me.” (Ezra 7:27-28)
Ezra 7 ESV – Ezra Sent to Teach the People – Now – Bible Gateway
Now, the beauty of the bible is its authentic style and genuine portrayal of the character of God and the character of the people represented. Despite having the letter from the king giving him all authority to carry out the above tasks for God, Ezra was still afraid!
When you and I are given a task to do for God we can expect to meet opposition on every side and experience some fear. We can have the decree of salvation firmly tucked into our soul and still be ashamed to ask for help, too!
So, before we step out in faith, we can humble ourselves before our God to seek Him for a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.
If we declare God’s hand upon our lives, we also have the freedom to walk in it!
As you read Ezra chapter eight this week look for the hand of God on his people and enjoy the same promise it carries into the lives of each and every Christ follower you know.
I am especially enjoying how to face the fear of a God given task in verses 21-23 and the action plan displayed by Ezra and the returning exiles to defeat fear.
What nuggets of truth in these verses can you hold onto and memorize for your next battle with fear?
Ezra Prays About Intermarriage and The People Confess
The end of our reading this week takes us through Ezra chapter 9 and 10.
We understand from scripture that intermarriage with foreign wives led the Israelites away from God. In their worship, their daily lives, and how they treated one another. The order of repentance for them and for us is to confess and turn away from sin.
This sounds very harsh and contrary to God’s command to “honor the wife of your youth” and take care of the widows and fatherless”. But I don’t see God saying not to support them financially and give them what they need.
I see God pointing out the children of this union do not know him. They don’t even speak the language of their father’s people. Scripture is clear about Rahab the prostitute from Caanan, and Ruth the Moabite being accepted by God because they gave up their pagan ways and followed the One True God.
So maybe, when you and I read these chapters and the command to put away foreign wives and children we can read it through the understanding of God’s grace and goodness.
God does not turn his back on those who repent and have a sincere heart change. There is no evidence of this in the wives of the returning exiles or else they would be accepted by God. The influence and abominations of their unclean ways will continue to influence their husbands.
God says we can’t have two masters, or please both masters, because we will be led astray.
Since God sees all and knows all, His decision here is right and just.
How do theses passages speak to your heart today?
Is there someone in your life influencing your faith in God in a negative way?
How can you pray for rescue in this situation?
The Israeli survivors were still allowing the dark reign of sin to define who they were. The were embracing the culture’s ungodly ways and creating pain and heartache for their families in the process.
When I participate and approve of things contrary to God’s Word, I am doing the very same thing. God warns me not to do things or become deeply involved with events/people/ organizations that tempt me to forget Him.
This doesn’t mean I can’t associate with them, because I am to be in the world and not of the world. However, I don’t want my affections, personal goals, and identity to get so enamored with the world that I forget the good God whose hand is upon me at all times.
Find your own nuggets in the book this week, my friend! I pray if lifts you and carries you through all your questions and concerns! If you want more encouragement from Bible study check out the Daniel Overview, too!
