Have you ever been so upset with a sin or an injustice that you responded with passion and prayer?  Have you ever wept and cried over sin to such a degree that you drew attention from those involved and God?  Ezra the teacher of the Law of God responded with what we might call a “holy fit” when his leaders brought sin to his attention.  “When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down appalled.  Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles.” (Ezra 9:3-4)

The sin that set Ezra off was mixed marriage.  The Israelites had just spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon and suffered in exile because of failure to obey God and give Him first place.  Now upon their return to Jerusalem, some were again mixing with the peoples of the area and getting involved in idolatry.  God had told them not to marry those who were not a part of Israel.  (Ezra 9:10-12)  God viewed this a “unfaithfulness” to Him because it invariably brought idolatry and took the family and children away from God.

Ezra’s holy fit drew a crowd and the convicting power of God and His word fell upon the exiles.  They decided that they needed to repent.  This repentance would involve sending away their wives and children from the mixed marriages!  Most agreed to this but some resisted.  (Ezra 10:11-15)  One hundred eleven men were recorded as obedient to this act of repentance!  What a price to pay and what a difficult thing to do to be right with God!

When we think about this today, many have not heeded this warning from God.  Many never really consider the spiritual background of the person that they want to marry.  Others find that they married someone who is not truly a believer and they have children with them.  What should be done?  First, we might follow Ezra’s example and humble ourselves and seek the Lord.  Confession of sin brings God’s forgiveness.  Repentance might mean renewed effort to live righteously and seek to win your spouse and lead your children to serve God.  If we have not yet married, we should not marry someone or even consider someone who is not a believer!  (2nd Corinthians 6:14-16)

We are all on a journey through this world.  Each day we face spiritual opposition from our enemy Satan.  He desires to steal all the riches of our knowledge of Christ and kill or destroy us and our faith.  (John 10:10)  We must prepare ourselves each day to walk with God in His power and guidance to be successful and arrive at His Temple in heaven!

Ezra had been chosen by the king of Persia to lead this group because he was a priest of the Lord and a man familiar with the Law of God.  God knew that the spiritual foundation of rebuilding His temple would be the most important part. Not only was the Lord’s temple in disrepair, but His people needed a new foundation of truth and obedience.  Ezra was a man known as a teacher who was learned in the law of God. (Ezra 7:10-12)

Ezra knew that his mission to Jerusalem from Babylon would be dangerous.  The caravan route that his team of leaders must take was full of bandits and most would take armed soldiers if they were carrying valuables.  Ezra’s team was carrying lots of valuables.  In fact, the weight of gold was nearly 4 tons and the silver was nearly 25 tons!  This did not count all the gold and silver vessels that had originally been taken from the Temple and were given by the king of Persia for the restoration.  (Ezra 8:24-27)

Ezra called his team together for a fast to humble themselves and petition the God of heaven for a safe journey.  He had told the king that the hand of God was upon them and now he knew that they must trust God by faith to protect them.  (Ezra 8:21-23)  Ezra felt that to ask the king for soldiers would deny the God that they served.  God answered their prayer for protection!  All the people and valuables made it to Jerusalem and were weighed in at the temple building site.  The glory went to God!

Where God guides and His people walk by faith in Him, He provides abundantly.  As you continue your journey through life, remember to be dependent on the Lord each day for His guidance and protection.  We all could use “traveling mercies” for our journey!  May God bless you and keep you this day and make His face shine on you!  (Numbers 6:24-25)

When God’s people set out to rebuild His temple in Jerusalem, there was opposition from those who felt threatened.  Our enemy, Satan, doesn’t like spiritual progress and restoration of true worship.  The rebuilding of God’s temple is all about true worship.  True worship must be accomplished in Spirit and Truth.  (John 4:24)  God’s people must come freely by faith and humbly by God’s prescribe way.  The Temple under the old covenant was God’s prescribed place of worship.

The builders faced opposition. (Ezra 4:1-5)  These enemies came first to offer help in building.  This was a subversive attempt to undermine the work by hindering it.  Zerubbabel saw through their plot and refused their help.  These enemies then tried to discourage and intimidate the workers.  They accused them falsely to King Cyrus and his successor, King Darius.  (Ezra 4:11-16)

God raised up prophets to help the priests and the people.  Haggai and Zechariah spoke to the people and gave them vision and encouragement to complete the work and stand against opposition.  Zerubbabel and Jeshua continued their faithfulness to the plan of God to rebuild.  Good leadership confronted the enemies of God’s people and continued to work!

God watched over the work, and through the governor, Tattenai, a letter was sent to King Darius.  The Jews requested a search of the records and a ruling by King Darius.  The order from King Cyrus was found and in response King Darius commanded Tattenai and the other officials to stay away from the work and allow it to proceed.  Funds from the royal treasury were also to be supplied to finish the project!  (Ezra 6:6-10)

The King even added a penalty to any who would hinder the work of rebuilding God’s temple.  “Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it.  And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble.” (Ezra 6:11) This is amazing that a foreign king would so strongly support God’s work!  Yet the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord and He turns them as He wills!  (Proverbs 21:1)  God’s  people will always face opposition, yet God’s hand will guide them through each situation!

Ezra was a priest who God raised up to lead in the restoration of spiritual worship in a rebuilt temple.  This book records the return of God’s people to rebuild the temple after the seventy years of captivity.  God’s promise of a return became a  reality under Cyrus, king of Persia.  As we look into this window of the history of God’s people we can get a glimpse of the Lord’s temple building in our own day!

Cyrus, king of Persia, was called by God to send His people back to rebuild their temple.  The decree of Cyrus is recorded in Scripture as a record of God’s faithfulness to His promises and people.  Cyrus knew God as the “God of heaven.”  (Ezra 1:2-4)  He also knew that he was appointed by this God to rebuild the temple.  He asked for willing volunteers and givers to supply the needs for this temple.  God wants people who will act by faith and freely surrender! Cyrus, himself, surrendered 5400 articles of gold and silver taken originally from the house of God to Babylon. (Ezra 1:11)

Scripture records that nearly 50,000 people volunteered to be in the rebuilding party.  The priests Jeshua and Zerubbabel led the people in restoring the altar and offering sacrifices.  They celebrated the feast of Tabernacles as prescribed in the Law of God.  The people were filled with generosity and gave freewill offerings to the Lord.

The next step was to lay the foundation stone of the temple.  The priests were all properly chosen and dressed for this joyous occasion.  Trumpets were blown and cymbals crashed as the people  sang with thanksgiving to the Lord: “He is good; His love to Israel endures forever!” Ezra 3:11  The people shouted and praised the Lord.  However, some who were older and remembered the former temple wept aloud.  There were mixed emotions on this special day!

As we contemplate this scene, we remember the building of the “new temple” of God, the church.  Jesus was the chief cornerstone!  (Ephesians 2:20)  It would be built by those who would freely give themselves to God for His work.  It would be built by freewill offerings in response to Christ’s great love!  As the foundation is laid, some who are looking to the past weep.  Others rejoice at what the Lord is doing today!  The work goes on with mixed emotions!

We have been reading this past week about Ezra and Nehemiah, two great men in the history of Israel who relied on God and lived lives of prayer and obedience.  Ezra offered praise and thanks to the Lord for granting him favor to rebuild the temple.  (Ezra 7:27-28)  Ezra prayed for traveling mercies for his party with all the gold and silver articles for the temple. (Ezra 8:21-23)  After God brought them safely to Jerusalem, they met with others and offered sacrifices and thanked the Lord.  Ezra heard about the unfaithfulness of those who had married outside of the faith and he again humbled himself to pray and fast and confess the sins of his countrymen.  (Ezra 9:5l-15)  Others gathered with him and they sought the Lord.  God brought repentance and cleansing as they prayed together.

Nehemiah carried a burden for Jerusalem and it’s broken walls.  He began to pray to the Lord about his burden.  (Nehemiah 1:5-11)  He had opportunity to speak with the Persian king, Artaxeres, and prayed again.  (Nehemiah 2:4) God granted him favor and he was sent by this pagan king to rebuild the walls.  He was given materials and money as well as willing workers.  As he arrived, God gave him a vision and plan to put the people to work by families, assigning them personal responsibility near their own homes.  He shared his vision and God granted favor!  Prayer was offered to combat discouragement and stop opposing forces. (Nehemiah 4:4-5)   Nehemiah armed the workers and encouraged them to work and fight for their own children, homes and families!  (Nehemiah 4:14)  He had a trumpeter near him at all times to sound a call to fight (or pray) when an attack might come.  (Nehemiah 4:20)  Prayer was important for Nehemiah and those who worked together to rebuild the walls.  It brought a focus on God as the source of all help and a vision of God’s plan and purpose!

Take time today to praise the Lord, thank him for who He is, and enjoy sweet communion with Him.  Do this for yourself and for your family!  Meet with God’s people and pray and praise Him in community!  He is coming soon!

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” Ezra 7:10

Ezra was a devoted man with a calling on his life.  He understood from the study of God’s Word, that obedience brought blessing and disobedience brought a curse. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 14-15)  He had devoted himself to obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those in Israel to do the same.  God’s gracious hand was upon him as he set out for Jerusalem.  (Ezra 8:22)  His task was primarily spiritual restoration.  The broken down state of the Temple was a symptom of the deterioration of the spiritual life of God’s people and the result of forsaking obedience to the Law of God.

As Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and set things in order, it came to his attention that the priests and Levites had not kept themselves separate from the pagan peoples and practices of the Canaanites.  They had inter-married and this had led to idolatry and unfaithfulness to the Lord.  (Ezra 9:1-2)  Ezra responded by an immediate humbling of himself before the Lord.  He tore his clothes, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat down appalled until evening.  Others who “trembled at the words of the God of Israel” sat with him.  (Ezra 9:3-4)  Ezra then prayed a prayer of confession and repentance that pours out the grief and anguish that they were feeling for the sins  among God’s people.  (Ezra 9:6-15)

Repentance isn’t complete with just “trembling at the Word of God”.  Conviction of sin is only the first part and if genuine, it leads to action.  In this case, a convocation was called in three days to deal with this situation and an investigation brought out those who had disobeyed the Lord.  One hundred eleven men are listed as guilty of mixed marriages and they agreed to send their wives away.  What a serious turn-around and costly action was taken to bring God’s blessing on His people again!  Would that we all would “tremble at the Word of the Lord!”  May our trembling lead to action that brings true repentance that leaves no regrets.  (2 Corinthians 7:9-11)

Were you ever in a strange land and carrying lots of money?  Mary and I went to Russia in 1999 to adopt our two daughters.  We had to travel by plane and train literally half-way around the world.  We were told that we needed about $3000 dollars in cash to use in the process.  This was a lot of cash to carry around in a strange part of the world where the average wage was around a hundred dollars per month.  We needed God’s gracious hand on us as we traveled!  God answered our prayers and all went well and we have two beautiful daughters according to God’s plan!

The book of Ezra records another trip taken by God’s people where they traveled by caravan across 800 miles of dangerous territory with lots of valuables–25 tons of silver and nearly 4 tons of gold.  (Ezra 8:26-27)  Ezra had spoken to the king about the power of his God–the creator of Heaven and Earth.  Ezra had told the king about God’s power to save His people and now the rubber met the road.  He called the people together who would be taking the trip and asked them to fast and pray for God’s protection over their caravan.  (Ezra 8:21-23)  They set out after consecrating themselves and their valuables to the Lord for His protection.  Their trip was uneventful and nearly 4 months later they arrived safely in Jerusalem!

We are reminded today of the importance of being consecrated to the Lord.  Prayer and fasting are not ancient disciplines that are outdated in the twenty-first century.  They are as needed today as ever.  We travel this world that is full of dangers both physical and spiritual.  We have valuables more precious than gold and silver–our sons and daughters, our grand-children, our fellow human beings!  Prayer and fasting are needed to preserve their lives and souls!  In God’s gracious hands, we will arrive safely at our destination in the heavenly Jerusalem!

“The gracious hand of our God is on everone who looks to Him, but his great anger is against all who forsake Him.  So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:22-23

In today’s political climate, Christians often feel that elected officials are against them and hinder the work that they are called to do.  For example, Christians have been working to reverse the law concerning abortion and have made much progress.  The current administration seems to want to reverse the progress and make abortion on demand available to anyone and everyone.  It is easy to get an attitude and loose heart!

Ezra records the spiritual battle for the rebuilding of the temple.  When the Jews came to Jerusalem armed with the orders from Cyrus, they were immediately opposed by local political enemies.  These enemies offered to help with the work, intending instead to hinder it, and were refused.  They then changed tactics and wrote letters to the next king, Artazerxes.  These letter brought accusations against the builders and caused the work to cease.  (Ezra 4:18-23)  The builders stopped work and left it unfinished for a time.  Discouragement set in because of political and spiritual opposition!

God’s word cannot be hindered, however. God had spoken through Cyrus that His temple would be rebuilt!   God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people.  (Ezra 5:1-2)  The eye of their God was upon them and another letter was sent to the next king, Darius.  Darius made a search, found the decree of Cyrus, and enforced it!  (Ezra 6:6-12)   God truly knows how to change attitudes in political power!   Where He guides He also provides;  Darius even ordered the bills paid by the royal treasury!  (Ezra 6:8)

We must be careful to not become discouraged or let our attitude droop.  God is in charge and can change the hearts of those in authority.  God’s people must heed the prophetic word to continue the work on His house!  Our focus must not change and our attitude must be positive!  God watches over His word to bring it to pass!

“For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.” Ezra 6:22

The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21:1

Are you worried when the politician of the wrong party gets into office!  Are you concerned when a leader may not make decisions you agree with or like.  Today’s reading reminds us that God is in control of even pagan kings and He can turn their hearts to do His work.  We are to pray for our leaders and trust the Lord to turn their hearts to do His will!

Cyrus, King of Persia was named by the prophet Isaiah as the one God would choose to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.  (Isaiah 44:26-28)  This prophetic word occurred over 15o years before in 688 B.C. when Babylon was the ruling world power.  God truly knows the end from the beginning!  Cyrus began to fulfil this prophesy by making the decree in 538 B.C. to rebuild the temple.  (Ezra 1:2-4)  He released Jews who wanted to go and to give to do so.  He also sent back the articles from the temple which had been taken by King Nebuchadnezzar some 70 years earlier.  (Ezra 1:9-10)  Some 5400 utensils made of gold and silver were released to go back to Jerusalem!  What a miracle!

Ezra lists the numbers of people who returned as well.  Priest, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants were all accounted for.  The whole company was 42,360 Israelites, not counting servants.  (Ezra 2:64-67)

As we look at what transpired after the decreed 70 years of captivity (Jeremiah 29:10), we are amazed at how accurately God predicted what would happen and how and when it would come about!  God is able to turn the hearts of those in leadership.  It doesn’t matter if they are believers or not.  It doesn’t matter what their background or nationality.  God knows each person and uses them for His purposes.

Take time today and pray for our nation and it’s leadership.  We are far from where God wants us to be and our leaders are doing things that are contrary to God’s word and will.  Remember how God uses leaders and nations.  When His people pray, He hears and acts.  “The heart of the king (president, judge, senator, congressman) is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse where ever He pleases.” Proverbs 21:1