Category: Ezra

We Need More Ezras

Ezra 7-10

Devotion by Carla Hardy (Michigan)

The name Ezra comes from a Hebrew word that means “help.” Ezra was a man of integrity, trusted by the king. Most importantly, though, Ezra was a man of God. He committed himself to knowing the Word of God. In Ezra chapter 7, verse 10, it says, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” So not only did Ezra study the Word, but he lived it out so he could share his knowledge and heart with others – in this way he embodied what it truly means to be a helper. 

Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:2 to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” This is exactly what Ezra did. He knew the Word so he could then go out and teach it. When Ezra is sent by the king to Jerusalem, he finds the Israelites in bad shape. They had been disobedient to God, neglecting all of His ways. Ezra was equipped and ready to handle this unexpected discovery because He knew God’s word inside and out. He set about helping the Israelites find their way back to God. He was a true leader; he cared about people, lifted them up, prayed for their repentance, taught them the Word, and showed them how to live out a life of faith. 

In all areas of my life, I want to be like Ezra. I pray and hope people see me as someone with integrity, someone they can trust. I want to know God’s word and keep it in my heart, so I am prepared to help in all seasons. Above all, I want to share God with others and proclaim His goodness, mercy and love.

Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you committed yourself to knowing the Word? How do you study it? How do you best commit it to your heart?
  2. Have you ever known a great leader? In what ways was this person like Ezra? What wisdom did that person impart to you?
  3. This world needs more Ezras. How can you be more like Ezra today in your walk with God?
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Seek God and Find Him

Ezra 4-6 and Psalm 137

Devotion by Sherry Alcumbrack (South Carolina)

Today our reading is from Psalm 137 and Ezra 4-6. I will start with Psalm 137 because it shows the depth of depression that the Jewish people were feeling after being taken into captivity. Imagine a foreign country coming in and destroying your homeland, with thousands killed and thousands exiled to foreign lands. Psalm 137:1 says: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept.” They also desire to see justice on the Babylonians.

As Ezra 3 ended it seemed like things were going well for the Jews. The foundation had been laid and there was great rejoicing. Then the enemies of the Jews who wanted to stop what they were doing started causing trouble. First they asked if they could join them because they were also seeking their God. Of course, this was a lie, they wanted to find a way to stop them by whatever means they could. But the heads of the households of Judah and Benjamin refused this offer. The people of the land scared them into stopping the project. During the reign of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes the rebuilding was put on hold because the enemies convinced those kings that the Jewish people would rebel against them if they allowed them to build their temple.

It was stopped until the second year of the reign of King Darius. In Ezra 5, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah enter the picture. Two men, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, answered the call and started to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Tattenai, the governor of the province, asked by whose authority were they rebuilding the temple. The Jewish people said they were going to keep on building until they heard from King Darius. They continued to do the work under the watchful eye of God, who was with them during this time. When asked who gave them the authority to rebuild, they said, Ezra 5:11b-12 “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. 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.”

King Darius found the scroll from King Cyrus in Ecbatana and sent this decree in Ezra 6:7 “Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God on its site.” And it will be paid by the royal treasury. Ezra 6:12 says: “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!” They finished in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. The Jewish people had not celebrated the Passover feast for around 70 years but they celebrated this event once again when the completion of the work was done on the second temple. Ezra 6:21 “The 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.”

Jeremiah 29:13 has always been one of my favorite verse:  And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” This verse was written during the time of the exiles but it is still relevant for us today. If you ever played Hide and Seek as a kid, the game wasn’t a lot of fun if the one searching leaves, causing the person in hiding to keep waiting. When we seek God, we never want to give up and walk away. We must continually seek Him, and we will find him when we search with our whole heart! He tells us that and we know his promises are sure.

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever faced outside opposition when you were working on a project for God? What does it take to continue serving God when others want you to stop?
  2. What did the ‘God seekers’ do right?
  3. Do you seek God with your whole heart? Is there a part of your heart that is not committed to seeking God? Are there times when you give up the search?
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God’s Promises are Sure

Ezra 1-3

Devotion by Sherry Alcumbrack (South Carolina)

Isaiah 14:24 says: The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”

In the first chapter of Ezra it says that God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to fulfill a prophecy of Jeremiah that they would be exiled for seventy years and after this time they would be allowed to return to Jerusalem. See Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10.

In Isaiah 44-45, it names King Cyrus over a century before he was born. It is amazing to see how God chooses to work, here he is using a pagan king to fulfill his prophesies. King Cyrus sent out a proclamation that “the Lord, the God of heaven” had appointed him to rebuild His house in Jerusalem. Ezra Chapter 1 v.3 says “Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.”

Then, he told all the survivors to support them with silver, gold, or other valuables. Everyone had a part in the rebuilding of the temple even if they were not actually doing the building. We all have a part in ministry, it may be supporting those that are doing the work, but that is an important and much needed part of any ministry. King Cyrus also brought back the vessels from the first temple that Nebuchadnezzar had taken and restored them to their rightful place.

These people had been taken into captivity when Babylon had taken over, now they are given a chance to return and chapter 2 lists the people and the families that they represent who came back. In 2:68-69a “Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they arrived at the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to erect it on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury…”   The identity of the Jewish people as the people of God was tied up in the temple, where the presence of the Lord dwelt. The Jewish people were devastated by the destruction of the first temple in 586 BC. They were filled with despair and a loss of hope. With the chance to rebuild the temple, the people gained some of their hope back. Their national pride began to come back. In the seventh month after the return, the Levites built an altar to God so that they could offer burnt offerings on it. This was important to them to show obedience to the Law of Moses. It was also an important act of worship to God. They were terrified of the people around them, and they wanted the protection of God to surround them. They reinstated the offerings and the festivals even before the foundation for the temple had been laid, because they wanted to restore their worship to God. The people were excited to build the temple again, to have a place where God would dwell, and where they could go to worship Him.

When the foundation was laid, it says in chap 3 v. 10b-11a “they praised the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel.”  “And they sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, ’God He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” They shouted and wept in celebration and it says it was heard far away.

Just as God used people in the Old and New Testament to carry out his purposes, he also uses us for His purpose. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Also, Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” God is working with us and using us to bring about his promises. We can rest in the knowledge that whatever He has planned for us to do, he will give us the means to fulfill it.

Questions for Reflection:

  1. Describe the thoughts and feelings the Jews may have felt as they heard King Cyrus’ proclamation of Ezra 1:2-4. And, also, as they entered Jerusalem?
  2. In what ways have you been a part of a ministry planned by God and much larger than yourself?
  3. “We can rest in the knowledge that whatever He has planned for us to do, he will give us the means to fulfill it.” – How have you already seen this to be true in your own life? What might God have prepared for you to do next? How has He already prepared you for it? What means are being put in place?
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Set His Heart to Study

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezra 7-8

POETRY: Psalm 142

NEW TESTAMENT: John 15:1-17

About 60 years after the first Babylonian exiles returned to Jerusalem, Ezra, appointed by King Artaxerxes, returned to Jerusalem with a new wave of exiles. His mission was to renew Israel’s commitment to following God’s Law. 

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)

For Ezra had set his heart…

At the time this passage was written, there was no Hebrew word for brain and no concept of its role in the body. Instead, biblical authors used the word heart (lev or levav) to describe both our emotions and thoughts. Here, when Ezra says he “sets his heart” on studying the Law, he means dedicating his entire being to knowing and following God’s Word.  

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV)

…To study the Law of the LORD…

The Law, or Torah, refers to the first five books of the Old Testament. It contains 613 laws that establish a covenant between Israel and God. God promises that following His way will lead to blessing. 

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8 ESV)

…And to do it… 

While being able to recite all 613 laws would be impressive, knowledge without application is futile. It’s significant that not only does Ezra know the Law, but he also commits himself to following it. 

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25 ESV)

…And to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

This is where Ezra’s preparation meets his ministry. As a “scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6), his knowledge of the Torah is complete. His mission is to teach the Torah to restore Yahweh’s rule and reign in Jerusalem.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ESV)

May we be like Ezra. May we set our hearts to study God’s Word, to live it out, and to teach its message to a world in need of revival. 

-Mackenzie McClain

Reflection Questions

  1. What have you set your heart on? What is your entire being dedicated to? How is this displayed in your life?
  2. What is the value of setting your heart on studying the law of the Lord (and now the whole word of the Lord made available throughout the 66 books not just the first 5 Ezra had the privilege of knowing)?
  3. Do you find it easier to study God’s law or to do it? Can you have one without the other?
  4. What ministry has God called you to? Who do you know that you can teach what you know about God and His Word?
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The Remnant Gets to Work

Ezra 3

March 24

Today, our reading is from a new book of Ezra. Interestingly, at the start of the year when I signed up for a random week to write for Seek Grow Love, I had no idea I would have just finished reading the book of Ezra with my daughter. I can’t say that means much though other than I am a little more knowledgeable on the history than I would have been a month ago. A few things to know about the book of Ezra are:

  • A Jewish man named Ezra wrote Ezra.  
  • Ezra was born in exile in Babylon into a Jewish priest’s family and lived the first part of his life there.
  • He was a scribe, writing the books of the Torah and the Prophets. So, he knew God’s law and instructions regarding the temple and sacrifices well.
  • Ezra was written before Chronicles (the books covered earlier this week) but the story itself took place after the stories retold in the book of Chronicles.
  • Time-wise, the book covers the period when a remnant of Jews in Babylonian exile are allowed to return to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the temple and the years following that.
  • Ezra means “help” or “helper” in Hebrew.

In Chapter 3 of Ezra, we see that the rebuilding began with the altar. This allowed the Jews to offer sacrifices for their sins again according to the instructions given in the law of Moses after so many years without them. Verse 1 tells us this started in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, which was considered to be their most sacred month and included several important celebrations including the Feast of Tabernacles.  This feast is one Zechariah speaks of being celebrated in Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom after the return of Christ and some Christians celebrate it today. So, the time period for starting this project was a joyous one.

Verses 7-10 highlight the next part of the project, which was starting the rebuilding of the temple itself, and ends with men weeping and celebrating. We see mixed emotions of excitement, nostalgia, guilt, and hopefulness throughout this book, and we can certainly relate to this as Christians today.

With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. (Ezra 3:11)

Despite opposition, the temple did get rebuilt. And while it was also destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans, the ultimate sacrifice for our sins was not destroyed and will never be destroyed.  Just like the remnant of Jews who returned to Jerusalem from the exile, the New Testament speaks of a remnant who will be left when Jesus returns whenever that is. Nowhere does the Bible speak of the large masses of “anyone who tries to be a good person” being guaranteed eternal life. It does speak of things like a narrow road, the eye of a needle, and a remnant. Fortunately, no matter how many times we wander off the path, we will be welcomed back and forgiven like the people of Israel if we turn and seek.  Interestingly, there is still a “remnant” of the second temple in the temple mount in Jerusalem which now supports the holy Muslim site of the Dome of the Rock and is the source of some ongoing tensions. Ultimately, Jesus will return to reign in Jerusalem, and all nations, tribes, and tongues will worship him and recognize him as the Messiah, the begotten Son of God.  Bring on the Feast of Tabernacles. Bring on the recognition that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Let’s get this party started.

-Jennifer Hall

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. What stands out to you most in this chapter? What would God want you to learn from this chapter?
  2. What were the obstacles in the way of the remnant completing their task? Is there a neglected project for God that He would be pleased to see you attacking this week? What obstacles are in your way and how will you overcome them?
  3. Do a little research on the Feast of Tabernacles. What was the purpose of the celebration? Envision the remnant celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in the Kingdom with Jesus in Jerusalem. What similarities and differences will this celebration have to the one Ezra wrote about in Ezra 3?
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“God, I’m sorry if I sinned in some way”

Ezra 9-10 … 1 Corinthians 6

We hear a lot of meaningless apologies. “I’m sorry if you took that the wrong way,” “I apologize if anyone was hurt,” or “Mistakes were made.”  But the reality of sin in light of God’s holiness doesn’t allow for wiggle room with insincere confessions like, “God, I’m sorry if I sinned in some way.”

When we are confronted with the reality of our sinful attitudes and actions, our response should be like Ezra — to throw ourselves before the Lord in repentance and confession. Not because we are worms groveling at the feet of a sadistic monster, but because, like Ezra, we know that our God is gracious.

“Even in our slavery, God has given us new life and light to our eyes. Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us new life, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” Ezra 9: 8b-9

Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra finds out that the people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have been intermarrying with the pagan cultures surrounding them. His reaction?

“As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled” (9:3)

It seems almost inconceivable that the Israelites of Ezra’s day could have fallen into the sin of intermarrying with the idolatrous peoples around them. God had strictly forbidden inter-marriage with other nations, because He knew that His people’s hearts would be led astray by these unions. This was not an issue of racial purity, by the way, but spiritual purity.

And much like patterns of sin in our own lives, Israel’s pattern of intermarrying with pagan cultures was not new. Solomon married many foreign women who worshipped detestable idols and turned his heart from the Lord.

We might have thought that Israel’s seventy-year captivity in Babylon finally cured God’s people of their infatuation with idol worship. But here were some of the former exiles, including the leaders, disobeying God and inviting His judgment again by taking foreign women as wives for themselves and their sons. No wonder Ezra tore his clothes and even pulled out some of his hair, a sign of extreme anguish.

In my more modern image, I picture Ezra doing a major forehead slap and screaming at them, “Are you KIDDING me?!?!”

If spiritual amnesia comes as easy to us as it did the people of Ezra’s day (and it does), maybe we need to practice our remembering.

Here’s a brief prayer checklist list I found that you can use each day to keep your memory of God’s will sharp in your mind.

1) Give thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18)

2) Ask God to search your heart and show you any “offensive way” (Ps. 139:23–24)

3) Don’t be anxious about anything, but bring your requests to God (Phil. 4:6)

4) Ask God to cleanse you from “hidden faults” and keep you from “willful sins” (Ps. 19:12–13)

After sitting appalled, and praying to God himself, Ezra gave the people this advice,

“make a confession to Yahweh the God of your fathers and do His will. Separate yourselves “ Ezra 10:11

Being sorry is a necessary step, but doing something about it is what shows sincerity. It also can help to keep us from repeating the same mistake again. 

Maybe we should add a step 5 to that list in honor of Ezra…

5.) Take action in your repentance. Show it. Live a changed life. (Ezra 10:11)

-Susan Landry

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Ezra 9-10 and 1 Corinthians 6

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Hupernikao: Overwhelmingly Conquer

Reading for today:

Ezra 7-8 … 1 Corinthians 5

It may not seem like there’s much of a time gap between chapters 6 and 7 in the book of Ezra, but if you were to look at a timeline of Persian rulers (and why wouldn’t you?) you would notice that between Darius (chapter 6) and Artaxerxes (chapter7) they skip a whole ruler: Xerxes.

And that name may ring a bell if you’ve ever read the book of Esther (if you haven’t, you definitely should). The book of Esther spotlights Jewish exiles who chose to stay in Persia rather than return to Israel, and Esther’s heroism in rescuing them from annihilation.

“…who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b)

Like Esther, Ezra had a purpose to fulfill in his specific place and time.

We learn that this godly man was a descendant of Aaron, which established his right to function as a priest and teacher (7: 5-6). Ezra also knew the Word of God and lived it, which was one of the most important features of his life. He was skilled in understanding God’s law and explaining it to others.  Ezra’s commitment to know and live God’s Word was one reason for the impact he had for the Lord in his time.

Preparation. “Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach” (7:10). Our heart must first be put right with God before our life is truly ready for Him to use fully. Certainly, he can use anyone, anytime…but if we want to be all that God designed us to be, we need to start inside. Other translations of this verse use words like “dedicated, devoted, firmly resolved, and set his heart” to give us a greater picture of what this preparation might look like.

Power. “The hand of the Lord his God was upon him” (7:6). Because of this invisible and powerful hand upon him, the king granted him “all his requests.” I don’t think it’s any accident or coincidence that God’s hand acted on Ezra’s behalf, helping him in his endeavors. After all, Ezra was a man who had “devoted his heart” to seeking God’s ways. What a lovely illustration of God actively intervening to act on behalf of those who actively set their hearts on Him.

In chapter 8 we see Ezra, again, preparing not only himself, but all the people for their trip to Jerusalem.

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.” Ezra 8:21

As we seek God in prayer and fasting, we honor him and set our hearts on Him. We acknowledge that we don’t possess a power great enough to overcome that which is before us, but we know HE does, HE is.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

The Greek word translated as ‘more than conquerors’ in this verse is “hupernikao” which means “overwhelmingly conquer.” It doesn’t mean “barely eek out” or “just get by.” It indicates a crushing victory.

Picture a wrecking ball.

You and I don’t possess wrecking ball kind of power on our own, but this verse tells us that through our great God, we have that power in us, available to us.

Ezra knew it.

And he knew how to utilize it, too. Not by looking within himself– but by preparing, dedicating, setting his heart on God’s word and trusting that God’s hand would overcome.

“I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me…”  Ezra 7:28

hupernikao

it’s fun to say

– Susan Landry

Today’s Bible passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Ezra 7-8 and 1 Corinthians 5

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Overcoming your Thoughts

Reading for today:

Ezra 3-4 … 1 Corinthians 3

If you were to get the Bjorksnas dresser from Ikea with all of its 678 (just a guess) pieces, are you the kind of person who would meticulously follow the instructions or are you more of a ‘this looks about right’ kind of person?

Twice in today’s passage, Ezra records that the people returning from exile did things “in accordance with what is written”

“Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers began to build the altar of Israel’s God in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.” (Ezra 3:2)

“They celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed, and offered burnt offerings each day, based on the number specified by ordinance for each festival day.” (Ezra 3:4)

What makes this even more impressive is what we find out in between these two verses:

“They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples.” (Ezra 3:3)

Even though they feared…

They did all these things, so careful to faithfully follow the specific instructions of their God, despite their fear. Impressive.

We’re doing a study in our Wednesday night class right now on a book about changing your thoughts, which leads to a changed life.

The place we’re at in our study currently is teaching us that at the root of any behavior that we might wish to change is a lie that we have (probably unknowingly) believed. We are learning how to identify those lies and create new neural pathways in our brains to (hopefully) eventually develop new behaviors. (If you’re interested, btw, the book is Winning the War in Your Mind, by Craig Groeschel .)

Typically, when we start to practice taking that new pathway, it can feel weird…it can feel uncomfortable…it can even feel scary. But it’s only in acting when we feel scared or uncomfortable that we are able to overcome the existing pathway and create a new one.

This scientific knowledge confirms what the Bible has told us for generations, which is that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

The only way to overcome a falsehood is with the truth. And in order for truth to really permeate our mind it has to become personal to us.

Simply printing out a Bible verse and sticking it to your mirror isn’t going to cut it. Take that verse, pull out the truth as it applies to the lie you are believing and write a declaration.

Here’s what I mean:

  • You struggle with trusting God, so you decide to hang up the verse that says, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” to remind yourself of the truth that you can trust God to take care of you.
  • Instead, consider taking that same verse and personalizing it by writing out a statement like this, “God loves me more than I love myself. He knows me more than I know myself. He has my best interests at heart and He can be trusted. If He didn’t spare His own Son, but gave Him for us all, I can trust that he will graciously give me all things as well.”
  • And then even shorten it further, perhaps, to put to memory, “I can trust that God will graciously give me all things.”

Write it. Speak it. Think it. And as you begin to practice a new behavior, rooted in truth, it may feel scary. But press through and keep at it!

Renew your mind and overcome the lies that hold you back from living the life that God intends for you to live.

-Susan Landry

Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Ezra 3-4 and 1 Corinthians 3

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The Scourge Of Red Tape

Ezra 4-6 and Psalm 137

Part of today’s reading is Psalm 137. I’m starting with it because this is not a note to end on. Sit with it a few minutes, but don’t take it with you for the whole day. Maybe there is no helping that. 

Psalm 137 is a tour through the raw emotions felt by those in exile. It’s the lament of the desperately misplaced. It’s a prayer to remember their home, Jerusalem, and their former standing with God. It’s a chilling and shocking request for God to repay Babylon for what they did to Jerusalem, concluding with the horrifying mental image of babies being smashed against rocks. The emotions are palpable and powerful.

Let that be a “looking back” exercise from where we are in Ezra. Look how far things have come, from complete and utter despair in a foreign land, to being home again and in the process of rebuilding and restoring. Speaking of Ezra…

When you try to do something worthwhile, there is likely to be a few obstacles. Even the most simple of projects can take twice as long as you’d thought. And that’s without anyone trying to sabotage your efforts.

At this point in the book of Ezra, the people of Jerusalem are working hard on rebuilding the city and temple, probably running into all the usual pitfalls of trying to build things. But they have a much bigger problem: Some locals are trying to stop them from building, even actively sabotaging their building plans.

These locals write the king about the people in Jerusalem, employing disinformation and half-truths, and claiming that they are all troublemakers who will rebel once the city and walls are built. The king Artaxerxes can agree that, historically speaking, they are indeed troublemakers, and he orders the construction halted.

Amidst the long hiatus, the Jews in Jerusalem receive some much needed encouragement from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, and are sparked to begin rebuilding again. Tomorrow we’ll be looking at the part Haggai played in this.

Soon after starting the project back up, they are pestered by the locals again, who are questioning if they have permission to build. They provide their entire story, and inform the locals that Cyrus commanded them to rebuild. Word gets back to the king and they do some fact checking in the archives. They find the papers regarding the edict of Cyrus, and the king makes it clear that the original edict stands. The rebuilding will continue, and the efforts will be subsidized by the empire, including animals to sacrifice.

But did you catch what the king’s motivations are? It is “so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king as his children.” So it isn’t so much for the people as much as it’s to ensure the well-being of the king. What, did you think the king wasn’t getting something out this deal?

Overcoming these obstacles, the rebuilding of the temple is eventually finished, followed by a dedication for the temple, a massive sacrifice to atone for the sins of Israel, the appointing of priests, and observing feasts (think back to the first temple in 1 Kings 8). In other words, they are doing all the things they were not able to do while in exile. Now they have a stronger connection to and reestablishment of their worship and traditions they enjoyed before they were exiled.

It is a joyous day. Indeed they’ve come far toward restoration, but we’re left with an anti-climax and the feeling that there is much work left to be done. You can’t just build a temple, go through some motions, snap your fingers, and declare that the people are restored. There is work yet to be done on the hearts of the people.

-Jay Laurent

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Psalm 137 & Ezra 4-6

Tomorrow we will read the two chapter book of Haggai as we continue on the

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Hello, IT. Yeah Huh. Have You Tried Forcing An Unexpected Reboot?

Ezra 1-3

The book of Ezra picks up the story of Israel at a very important moment: the return from exile. The Persians swoop in and conquer the Babylonians in 539 BC. The persian King, Cyrus the Great, acknowledging God for giving him the kingdoms of the earth, issues a proclamation that the temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt. The Jews who were taken captive and exiled in Babylon are allowed to return to the land they call home and help rebuild the temple. We’re reminded of the Exodus, when God’s people were freed from the clutches of Pharaoh.

For an ancient king, Cyrus seems to be especially respectful of the customs and religions of his subjects. It turns out that this is in a way beneficial for him, since allowing your subjects freedom of religion and not enslaving them earns you so much more support and makes for a more stable empire. He was a bit of a trend setter in this regard.

Cyrus is reversing what Nebuchadnezzar set in motion. Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian empire conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, took the temple vessels, and scattered the people into exile. Cyrus has conquered Babylon, allowed everyone to go back to where they call home, given back the temple vessels, and ordered the temple rebuilt. But really it is God doing the exiling and reversing, through the hands of these kings, to give his people another chance.

Ezra 2 gives an extensive list of the wave of 50,000 some people who returned to Judah, and details the livestock, if you were dying to know. We usually think this kind of passage is a bit of a drag, but it’s really more of a celebration, with more confetti at every name and number. Think of the importance they placed on leadership, and the legacy and roles of the people mentioned. Each of these people are going back to wherever they call home, where they have deep roots and history. Each of them has something unique to contribute toward rebuilding their lives, and they’ll need the skills and resources of everyone to restore Jerusalem and the temple.

Similarly, in the body of Christ, we need the unique skills and gifts everyone brings to the table. We all play an important role in taking care of each other and reaching out into the world.

And so the project begins. First things first! They make sure there is at least an altar and that the usual schedule of sacrifices is back on track. They are trying to build a continuity between what their lives were like before the exile and what they are like now after the exile. Being able to worship again is a stepping stone toward restoration. Routines are important!

Into the second year after returning to Jerusalem, the materials and workers are all being gathered to get the temple together again. When the foundation is laid, there is a big ceremony with music and singing to God. They sing, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” Things are looking up. We’ve got the people, the temple foundation, and some semblance of our usual worship.

But there is something in the air that signals to us that not everything is quite right again. While many people are shouting loudly for joy, many of the older folks who saw the first temple are weeping loudly. It is bittersweet. It is good that there is now at least part of a temple, yet it doesn’t hold a candle to what it was before.

We end chapter 3 with this very divided response to the temple. The noise is so loud that they can’t tell who is joyful and who is sorrowful. They’ve been waiting so many years just for this chance to rebuild, and now it’s not even clear if it is a good thing or not. 

But restoration is a process. Most things that we want, we can get almost instantly. I can drive to the store and get ice cream. I can order something from Amazon almost without moving a muscle, and it will arrive in two days. Way in the future, in the year 2000, we’ll just think of what we need, and it will materialize in our teleportation device. But doing something of significance takes time, effort, prayer, and also probably money. And so does rebuilding Jerusalem. It is tempting to compare back to what things used to be like (the “good old days”) and be discouraged. What we might be missing is that God’s plans and ideas usually break our categories for what we think is even possible.

-Jay Laurent

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to on BibleGateway here – Ezra 1-3

Tomorrow’s Bible reading will be Ezra 4-6 and Psalm 137 as we continue on our

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