Blogging the Bible

Ezra was a wonderful man who decided to live according to the will of God. He is described as “scribe skilled in the law of Moses”, (7:6) but also is described as someone who has the powerful support of the Lord. “For the hand of the Lord his God was upon him” (7:6) “for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.” (7:9) beside that he described himself as someone who was aware that God himself was with him “The hand of the Lord was upon me” (7:28)

Ezra and the people around him knew that he counted with the total support of God. However, how did he get that support? Was he better that somebody else? Actually the answer is that he did what the Lord told Joshua  to do in order to be bless and get  God’s support( Joshua 1:8)  “for Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances to Israel” (7:10)

He did three powerful things:

He set his heart to study the law of God

He set his heart to do it (practice the law)

He set his heart to teach the law

The Lord mightily blessed Ezra but also his ministry was not an easy one, he had to deal with many difficult decisions, fears and challenges. Two particular challenges are recorded; one is his struggle with trusting God completely and requesting the king’s protection with his sincere admission of being ashamed because he was not able at that time to make a balance decision about it (8:21-23) The other was the very much difficult situation with mixed marriages, where he forced every leader and person from the exiles to reject their wives and children (9-10)

 Many of us today will take him to court because of that, but you have to live in those times and circumstances to understand his strong zeal in doing that. In the other hand, I am pretty sure that he felt a lot of mixed feelings and in certain occasions he could feel a lot of confusion and struggle in doing so.

Yesterday we closed our reading with the following question, what do we suppose to do when somebody try to stop what God is doing through us? Chapter 5 shows us that when the leaders of the Judah and Jerusalem heard the word of God from their prophets they got encouraged and restarted the work that they were doing for God (5:1-2)

 The key question for us today would be, what God says in his word about it? What is God telling us with this new situation? Opposition always arise when we are working for the Lord, the important thing is that we can remain focus in God’s power and in God’s guidance in our lives.

 The same people that were trying to stop God’s work were used by the king to help the people of Judah (6:1-12).It is very important that we can keep in mind that they could not stop the work because “The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews  and they did not stop them” (5:5) we have to bear in mind that God really care for his people and even though he allows opposition  sometimes in our service to him, he is watching over us.

Chapter 6:14 says “So the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo”  the hearing of word of God definitely played a great roll in the prosperity of the work that the Jews were doing for God. If we want any progress in our service to God, we really need to keep reading and hearing what he has to say in this challenging time that we are living in.

Keep reading every day the Lord has a fresh word for your life!

After having a great celebration because they just started the reconstruction of the temple, the people from Judah and Benjamin met a though opposition from their half brothers Samaritans. The Samaritans has a powerful influence in that land before the exiles came back and they did not want to lose it, but the people from Judah and Benjamin have learned the lesson of keeping their faith in God without any idolatry or paganism.

 The Samaritans or “the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made then afraid to build, and they bribed officials to frustrate their plan throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia” (4:4) they not only discouraged them, but officially stop the reconstruction for a long period of time based in false information that they gave to the King Artaxerxes. (4:6-24)

How terrible and sad is the fact that some people oppose God work just because is not according to their interest. The Samaritans did not want any other view of God but theirs and because of that, they did whatever they could in order to stop God’s work.  What do we suppose to do when somebody try to stop what God is doing through us?

Let us continue to read and find out tomorrow what the people of Judah did in order to overcome this situation.

 Here we go again! After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, the Israelites are coming back to their country. Yes, they are coming back because the Lord is using a pagan king (Cyrus) to release his people.

 Time after time God is demonstrating that he can use whoever he wants in order to bless his people.In these chapters the phrase that called my attention was “the Lord stirred up the spirit of king Cyrus of Persia” (1:1) and in verse five “everyone whose spirit God had stirred” because this is a reaffirmation that everything begins by the grace and power of God. Sometimes it looks like history is running by its own but in reality history is responding to God and to his plans towards humanity.

Every name that you see in chapter two is another demonstration of the power of God to carry out his plans for his people, he promised that a remnant would be preserved and here they are by names and families names. They are not just names but a living proof that the Lord was accomplishing what he promised. (1:1)

Chapter 3 talks about the beginning of the new temple, this one would be a simple one, nothing in comparison with Solomon’s temple, a great challenge to accomplish, but anyway would be a temple to remember that the most important thing was their relationship with God and their commitment to praise and glorify his name.

Will be great for us if we could join the Israelites in singing: “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward
Israel” (3:11) because also his steadfast love endures forever for us!

35:5ff. How quickly they turned away. From doing “everything” that was in the book of the law and celebrating Passover so joyously for seven days like it had not been done since the days of Samuel, they followed after the kings who did “detestable things” and “became more and more unfaithful” (35:14).

Verse 36:15 again reveals the tender heart of God. God “sent word to them again and again through his messengers because he had pit on his people.” They mocked the messengers and despised the words. And so God allowed Babylon, who had been threatening them for years, to carry them off into captivity. And just as the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied, Jerusalem fell and there was seventy years of exile. And just as Jeremiah had prophesied, God raised up a leader, Cyrus, who was moved to allow the people to return and rebuild Jerusalem. Though all the promises of God appeared to have failed, they had not. God always keeps his promises and there was a remnant preserved who would now return and continue the work to bring about the promise.

I wonder what our stories would be like if someone were recording them? What would be the verdict on our story? Would it be that we “did what was right in the sight of the Lord?” Or, would it be that wqe “did evil in the sight of the Lord?” Would our story be one of following the Lord, and then turning away, following the Lord, and then turning away? Have we “lost the book” and forgotten what God has required of us? 1 Corinthians 10:11 and 12 says that this happened to Israel as an example for us and that it was written down for a warning to us! But in verse 13 God also promises that there is no temptation, no trouble, no trial that we will encounter that God will not be with us and give us a way of escaping. Nothing that life can throw at us (and when we read the history of Israel obviously life can throw some pretty big curves!) is an excuse for not following the Lord. He always provides a way through any trouble we face in life. So we are to read the bible and follow its teaching–this is God’s word to us today. He no longer sends prophets, or speaks from burning bushes or gives visions as a primary way of leading us. Hebrews says that though he spoke to us this way in the past, NOW he has spoken to us through his Son, Jesus. The life and teaching of Jesus are “the book” we are to follow. All of scripture is inspired and profitable for doctrine and for teaching in right living says Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16. God has given all that we need to follow him. We have his Word in the bible, we have his Spirit in our hearts, and we have his church (each other) to journey together with. Will we do what is right in the eyes of the Lord?

The “arm of the flesh” is no match for the arm of the Lord! That is the message of chapter 32. Hezekiah calls n the Lord through the prophet Isaiah and the Lord hears his cries for help. God is so tender-hearted!  Even when Hezekiah falters, he repents, and the Lord once again hears him and delivers him.

But once again the son does not follow the lesson of the father.  Hezekiah’s son rebuilds all the alters and false idols that his father had torn down.  We often say that “if only God would speak to us we would know he really exists and we would know what to do.”  But the record in the Old Testament proves this is false. God tried to speak to the people (33:10ff) but they would not listen. Even after all the miraculous deliverance and help they had received.  They did not listen.  When they finally repented, did he say, “too bad for you!”  No!  Once again, the tender heart of God turns toward his peoiple (33:13).

Chapter 34 sees Josiah come to the throne at the ripe age of eight!  But look what this young boy does at age 16! He turns the people back to following all the instructions of the Lord when the prophet Hilkiah finds the book of the Law when they were rebuilding the temple again.  Wow! This is what Paul was talking about to Timothy when he said “do not let anyone look down on you because of your youth!”  This young man followed the Lord and led his people to do the same.

Humankind is so weak and prone to disobedience!  Thank God that he is so faithful and prone to mercy!

In chapter 29 Hezekiah become king and does what is right in the sight of the Lord. He leads in re-establishing the temple order and sacrifices and  calls the whole assembly to gather to rededication themselves to the Lord. (Sound familiar?) There are two key elements of this amazing event.

First, worship is a part of all they are doing. As they rededicate themselves they are drawn into worship through songs and prayers and bowing themselves down and making offerings.   These were not people simply “going through the motions.”  The offerings are symbolic of what was happening in their hearts.

Second, true worship is matter of the heart, not just visible actions. These were people whose hearts were repentant and broken and now willing to redirect their lives. 29: 30 makes this clearing when it highlights that all those “with willing hearts” brought offerings. People can “go along with the program” and their hearts can be far from worship of God.  We can sit in the pews, sings the songs, give our money, but if our hearts are not willing and if our hearts do not “bow” we are not worshiping.

Hezekiah’s invitation to all of Israel–northern and southern kingdoms–to rededicate themselves to following the Lord had a mixed response (30:10-11).  As always some laughed at the idea of doing what God had commanded and some humbled themselves.  These are the two possible responses to God’s rule in our lives. There is no “neutral” when it comes to following the Lord.  He rules (we humble ourselves and submit) or we rule (we scorn and ridicule what God says).

God’s grace and compassion show up in chapter 30, also. Even though some assembled participating without the required preparations (consecration), the Lord heard Hezekiah’s prayer on their behalf that God pardon all those whose hearts were “set on seeking the Lord” even though they had not purified themselves as required by the law. And vs. 20 says that “the Lord heard Hezekiah.” This is amazing! This story makes it  very clear that “following the rules” was not an end in and of themselves. God gave the rules to guide people so that they might worship him in spirit and in truth.  In the middle of a story about rededication to following God’s laws, God out of his compassion, allows for excpetions when the hearts of the people are right.  Who said that the God of the Old Testament is a arbitrary and capricious God? He is not.  His heart is always tender toward his people and he is always finding a way to speak to his people and to draw them close to himself and in doing so, the Lord is glorified and the people rejoice (30:25).  Life is good when we do what is right in the sight of the Lord and follow his ways.

In chapter 31 we see one of the most natural responses to true worship–people gave generously for the work of the Lord.  When we are touched by the presence of God all of life is properly ordered and our “things and stuff” are put in perspective and we are willing to give of what we have for the sake of others and the sake of God’s kingdom.

The last verse of chapter 31 is the goal–”Doing what is good and right and faithful before the Lord…in everything … in obedience …seek the Lord and work wholeheartedly!” I want this to be my epitaph!

The pattern seems so obvious to us as we read it. What was it no obvious to the kings of Israel and Judah?  Follow the Lord and his commandments and be strong and powerful, or do not follow the ways of the Lord and perish. How is it that these leaders could not see that meant what he said? 26:5 says as long as Uzziah sought the Lord he had success. But as soon as he forgot the Lord he failed. 26:16 says his pride led to his downfall.

We may be amazed at this seeming blindness, but I believe we are often guilty of the same.  We follow the Lord for a time. Then we get busy, distracted, impatient, or self-sufficent–prideful–and we falter. And God can do the same today that he did long ago.  He may not be “handing us over” to armies and other kings, but he can “hand us over” to our own vices, our pride, our obsessions, our lusts, and our sin of every kind. We, too, can “worship” other “gods.”  The gods of money, power, sex, health, fitness, work, friends, possessions, can all get in the way of our trusting in and serving the Lord.

The scripture is full of information.  It is full of revelation about God and about ourselves. Will we be like the kings of Israel and Judah who followed the Lord?  Or will we be like those that forgot the Lord and turned away from following him?  It is a choice we have every day of our lives!

In these three chapters is repeated the incredible orderliness and preparation for the people of God to worship and serve the Lord. The splendor of the temple and all of its ceremony was a demonstration to the watching world of the time that there was a God in Israel like no other god. In the context it was a clear statement of the holiness and power of God over all the earth. This is a principle that causes some tension throughout the scripture. It is the tension between caring for the poor and being of humble spirit and expressing worship in a way that demonstrates the greatness of God.

The temptation is to go to one extreme or the other or to elevate one principle and ignore the other. Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of one of these (a homeless person, a prisoner) we do for him and that if we do not love our brother (a homeless person, a prisoner!) we cannot love God. But Jesus also allowed Mary to pour a VERY expensive bottle of perfume on his feet in an act of worship. At least one disciple complained that this perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. The truth is Jesus and the scripture teaches both. We are to worship him using all of the resources and talents we can muster! AND we are to reach out to the poor and needy and most vulnerable members of our society. There is no “either/or” possibility. Some in the church are called to work with the poor and some are called to manage the worship of God. The church–God’s people–must make sure we are doing both with all of our heart and soul!

Verse12-13, 19 of chapter 22 could really summarize all of Old Testament history. The message in these verse is actually the message of all of God’s revelation.  We need discretion and understanding–and God gives it to us when we seek it–and we need to devote ourselves to seeking, or following the Lord.

In the midst of all this record of eremonial sacrifice and ritual it is clear that what God really desires is our hearts. This is what David said in Psalm 51:16-17. God used the sacrificial system to teach Israel about God’s holiness and their sin, need for forgivenss, and their need to be obedient. However, throughout God’s dealings with Israel the real lesson was that God wanted to be in relationship with them.  He wanted a relationship where he would provide for his people and they would love him and trust him. Not a bad arrangement! The problem is that sin clouds their eyes.  They forget who the provider is.  Their passions and lusts obscure their vision. They want power and glory for themselves. They are fearful and full of doubt.  Sound familiar?

This sin leads them to mistrust God and to forget his mercy and to run after other “loves” thinking they will satisfy. What God desires, David tells his son, is not sacrifice–meaning just toeing the line.  God wants our love and devotion. He wants us to want him! A broken heart is what God desires more than anything else–a heart that is tender toward God.

We, too, easily get caught up in our own passions and lust.  We, too, fail to trust God’s word and end up putting our trust in all sorts of other things–including ourselves–that will fail. God desires that every day we seek him first. Every day he wants us to demonstrate our love and devotion and trust him no matter what the circumstances.  The sin of David’s counting his men, was a sin of self-glory and mistrust. His counting represented his trust in his army and his pride in believing that what he had was of his own making. What are we “counting” on in our lives?  Our money? Our friends? Our professional status? Our achievements?  If we are counting on anything or anyone but the Lord, in the end they will all prove inadequate.

So, as David said to Solomon, we need to say to each other… devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord.  Then you will have success!