Nehemiah 1-5 God’s Answer Nehemiah is a profile in courage and determination, but before he spoke, he had spent hours in prayer. This shows us his priorities in life. Here was a man who lived in exile, but God had placed him in a prestigious position in the court. He had the eye and ear […]
Ezra 7-10 What would you ask for if you sat under a king and had lived in exile for several years? One king asked that question of his queen, Esther, with the promise of half of his kingdom. Ezra, on the other hand, only wanted to go to Jerusalem and teach the Law of Moses […]
Esther 6-10 As we have been studying, one theme continues to repeat itself. The people of God are to remember that God is our protector and our deliverer. [Ps 78:35] Here in the story of Esther, the Jews set up a day each year called Purim to remember that principle. The backdrop of this story […]
Esther 1-5 One thing we learn from this story is how God can and will use even the impulsiveness of a king to bring about His plan to preserve His people. King Ahasuerus, as we have seen in chapter one, is an impulsive king. He makes snap judgments without thinking of the long-term consequences. He […]
Zechariah 8 Jealousy and Zealousness When we think of jealousy, what comes to mind? Often, we think of only the negative side, but this word can mean both good and bad to represent right and wrong passion. When it is attributed to God, it is used in a good sense. That helps us when we […]
Zechariah 1-7 Return and Be Blessed The OT prophets have a recurring theme for the Jews: they must return to God and His ways in order for Him to bless them. They remind the Jews that way back in Moses’ time, God clearly told them how He would bless them, and here it is again […]
Haggai 1-2 Way back in the times of Moses, the large book of Deuteronomy lists the blessings and curses for obedience vs. disobedience. Fast forward to Haggai, and we see that the Israelites have yet to learn or recall what God had said, and now they are floundering. God graciously, [How often do we see […]
Ezra 4-6, Ps 137 Liars can feign truth through words and actions; therefore, we must be discerning. Ezra notes that the enemies came saying let us join you. Let “us” build the temple with you because we “are like you,” We seek your God, etc. Note “your” God, not their God but “your God.” Today, […]
Ezra 1-3 One of the promises God gave his errant children is that after 70 yrs. they could return to Israel. Ezra believed that promise and prepared himself to not only go there but also to guide the people in this large company. Imagine being in this company of many, many people with large gifts […]
Daniel 10-12 We have been asking how patient we are, and these chapters show us Daniel patiently waits for answers about the vision he has received. He wants an answer, and we, too, want answers. Are we willing to wait for God to answer, or are we like many who start strong but then fall […]
