The Joy of the Lord is our Strength!

Nehemiah 8: “Do Not Grieve, This Day is holy”

When you hear or read God’s Word, do you grieve as these had done? The people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Law. [Neh 8:9] What is our response when the Word is read each day or each time we are with others in the church? It had been 70 years. at least that these had heard the words of the Law, and Ezra had studied and prepared his heart to read it to the people upon their request.

We fail to understand these words because we are so blessed to have the Word in our language at our fingertips. Yet, these had not only not heard it but had not understood it. It took Ezra, the Levites, and others to help the people understand, and when they did, they were pricked in their hearts. The people were admonished not to grieve but to rejoice and share this news with others.

This is our challenge: share the good news of Jesus and His resurrection, and let your joy be evident to others. 

Are you Prepared to go?

Cyrus God's Servant

Ezra 1-4 God’s Servant

What does a servant look like and act like? Ezra was a Jewish scribe living in Babylon during the 70 yr. captivity that God ordered to discipline his errant children. Jeremiah prophesied about it, Daniel read about it, and Isaiah prophesied about a king named Cyrus who would release them. Ezra was that person prepared to go when Cyrus released them!

Cyrus knew these facts: The Lord, God of heaven, had blessed him with the rulership over all the kingdoms of the earth.[Ezra 1:2] Secondly, he knew that this God of the Hebrews had enlisted him to build a house for Him in Jerusalem. So thirdly, he set about to carry out those orders by opening the storehouses in Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar had placed the wealth of the Jewish Temple for over 70 yrs. ago! [Is. 44:28] Just think, God’s prophets had set the wheels in motion for all of this to happen, and King Nebuchadnezzar had willingly placed all the riches for 70 yrs. in safekeeping in the Babylonian temples.

Application for us: Long ago, in eternity past, God preserved us as His treasure and, at His appointed time, revealed us to the world for one purpose:  “so that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light;” [1Pet 2:9]

Cyrus willingly served the God of heaven, do we?

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