Psalms 53 - 63

A Fool Says There Is No God

Note: This covers three days of reading.

The Psalms speak about the glory of God and His goodness. They also express the needs and laments of the psalmists to God.  What is surprising is how much the Psalms talk about evil people and sin.  Because they were written in the time of the law, perhaps the sin is amplified in the writing to define a clear difference between those who trust in the Lord and those who do evil.

Psalm 53 deals almost entirely with evil.  The first verse sets the tone, "Only fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'" Then David starts to list the attributes of evil people and how the Lord will visit his justice on them.  As previously stated, because men lived under the law, only the offering of a sacrificial animal could cover their sin, but it did nothing to the sin "nature," i.e. the evil nature innate in mankind that motivates us to sin.  Only through the acceptance of the sacrifice at Calvary and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can a person live above sin.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 51 - 52

Restore The Joy Of My Salvation

Psalm 51 is one of many Psalms that always speaks to my heart when reading it.  Typically I read the King James Version, but for the annual Bible reading I am using the New Living Translation.  Like the KJV, this translation captures the depth of pain over sin that David expresses.

This Psalm is one that all believers have said (in their own words) because all believers have reached a point, many times, where they know they have sinned and disappointed the Lord.  David committed adultery and then to hide his sin had the husband of the woman with whom he sinned killed.  The man who was murdered was a great and loyal warrior for David.  After being confronted by Nathan and having his sin exposed, David had no choice but to repent and ask forgiveness.

While many of us have never committed sins as heinous as these, the reality is that any sin we commit hurts our relationship with God.  That is why we need the baptism of the Holy Spirit in our lives to convict us and guide us away from temptation.  While temptation is inevitable, yielding to the temptation is a choice.  When the Holy Spirit is present in our lives and temptation is placed before us, if we choose to yield to the Holy Spirit, the desire for sin is nullified.  God grant us the gift of the Holy Ghost in our lives every day.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 45 - 50

King And Queen

Note this is double posting for Wednesday and Thursday.

The Psalms are wonderful because of their breadth and depth and yet each Psalm retains a familiar tone to every other Psalm.  Almost all are in praise of God and have a prayer-like quality.  Some are laments, some expressions of wisdom, some recount a victory or a failure, and some are prophetic, yet all contain the familiar theme of the Lord as God and man as sinner in need of God.

Psalm 45 is a beautiful song of a king and a queen. The king is "the most handsome" (v.2) full of grace and blessed.  He is a mighty warrior, glorious and victorious. Verse 4 states he "defends truth, humility, and justice." "The nations fall beneath your feet."(v.5).  This has to be the Lord Jesus depicted in a prophetic way. Verse 6 ties this king to God's throne and rule forever.

Verse 10 begins the description of his bride and queen with a call to "forget your people and your family far away."  This has to be speaking of the elect bride of Christ.  We are called to Him and are to forsake all others for him.  We are to forget our ideas and theories about God and Christianity and stay true only to His Word.

She is led to Him for marriage - a prophetic depiction of the Marriage Supper of the Bride and Bridegroom!

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 42 - 44

Thirsting For God

Many consider Psalms 42 and 43 one continuous Psalm.  Verses 42:5, 42:11, and 43:5 are identical and serve as a choral interlude to the rest of the verses.  This sets the tone for these two Psalms.  "Why is my sould cast down?"  Knowing that theLord watches over his own, the writer wonders why his soul is distressed.  Verse 1 compares his longing for God to the deer, perhaps wounded or hurt, thirsting for water.  Verse 7, "Deep calleth unto the deep" captures the depth of his desire to know the Lord.  If there is something deep within in, then the Lord must have a response somewhere, otherwise we would not desire it.

As a believer, these Psalms speak to me.  There is a desire in my heart to know more of God and to experience more of His grace and love.  Yet, I get caught up in the things of the world and my soul is grieved.  Like the Psalmist, I even question "Why have You forgotten me?" (42:9) realizing that He is an abiding presence.  This is the struggle - to get ourselves out of the way and let His deep, his waterbrook speak to us.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 39 - 41

Forgiveness

The last three Psalms of book one of the Psalms are today's reading.  In Psalm 39, David discusses his anger with evil and the problem and frustration he has remaining silent. He balances this with a plea for mercy and forgiveness from the Lord because he realizes how short his life is here on Earth.  To be consumed with anger accomplishes nothing, thus he prays to God for deliverance.

Psalm 40 is a song of thanksgiving for the attention the Lord pays to David.  He extols the joys of a life committed to the Lord.  Psalm 41 is a cry for healing and salvation for "the poor."  David expresses confidence in the Lord that He will remember the poor, those who have nothing and must depend solely on God.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 36 - 38

Those Who Do Evil, God, And Sin

Psalm 36 contrasts evil doers with God.  Verses 1 - 4 explains how evil blinds the sinner and hardens their heart.  They have no reverence for the Lord and refuse to act in a manner that pleases Him. Evil consumes the unrepentant sinner.  Verses 5 - 12 provide an abrupt and stark contrast to the opening verses, almost presenting as a new Psalm.  The Lord's love is as vast as the heavens and His faithfulness is boundless.  All find shelter under His wings and feast on His abundance.  The differences make apparent the twisted mental condition of those who would deny the existence of God.

Psalm 37 is a Hebrew acrostic (so is 38) that deals with the question of how believers should respond to evil. First, a believer must trust in the Lord (v.3 ), commit all to Him (v. 5) and let Him be our innocence and testimony.  Instead of fretting over evil and showing anger, we are admonished to rely only on the Lord's strength.

Psalm 38 is an extended cry for healing.  David confesses that he has sinned and that he realizes his failing health is the consequences of sin (v. 3).  He is overwhelmed with guilt (v.4) and surrounded by his enemies looking to worsen his condition. In spite of his sin, David knows his only hope in in the Lord.  Desperate and in pain, David pleads, "Do not abandon me, O Lord. ... Come quickly to help me,  O Lord my savior." (v. 21-22).

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 33 - 35

Creation, Protection

All of the Bible speaks to a believer, yet sometimes certain verses, chapters, books speak more deeply to one's heart.  Psalms 33 and 35 both have always spoke to me.  

Psalm 33 is a creation Psalm, extolling the majesty of God, the Creator. "The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born." (v. 6).  David knew the creative and unlimited power of God.  "We put our hope in the Lord.  He is our help and shield."  Thus the One who spoke and created is also the One who helps us."

Psalm 35 is completely different than 33, and most of the other Psalms.  It is a call for help that directly identifies the seemingly illogical and undeserved attacks on David (a type of the believer) by his enemies (a type of Satan's demons).  The first verse sets the tone, "O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me."  David boldly asks the Lord to take sides - to choose David and to fight for him.  David names every type of enemy he has: fighters, killers, humilators, those who lay traps, robbers, malicious witnesses, liars, false accusers, those who rejoice in his troubles, mockers, snarlers, haters, gloaters, plotters, essentially those who manifest every nameable evil spirit!  

The panoply of David's enemies is extensive, yet David knows the Lord is with him.  He is persistent in his plea to the Lord asking (v. 17), "How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?" The Lord allows trials and tests, tough situations, hurtful comments to come upon us to see if we will turn to Him and ask "how long?".  David continues his plea, (v. 22-23), "O Lord, you know all about this.  Do not stay silent. Do not abandon me now, O Lord.  Wake up! Rise to my defense. Take up my case, my God and my Lord."

We, as believers, must know that temptation and evil will beset us.  The Devil is unrelenting in his attacks on the righteous and our only hope is in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 30 - 32

Salvation, Protection, Confession

Psalm 30 is a perfect reflection of the believer's life. Verses 1 - 4 speak of the salvation, the "rescue" God performs.Verse 5 tells of the joy after being rescued, the "joy comes in the morning" the dawn of a new day, a new life. Verse 6 speaks of the security the Lord provides, and verse 7 speaks of failure, our inevitable sin nature causing us to make mistakes.  Yet the Lord does not dispose of us for mistakes.  Instead, the believer cries for mercy (verses 8-10) and help, and the Lord is faithful and merciful.  Therefore the joy returns in verse 11, "You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy."  And now, the believer sings the praises of God (v. 12).  Beautiful!!!

Psalm 31 is a prayer for protection. Psalm 32 is a prayer of confession.  Tradition holds that this was one of seven Psalms of penitence used in the early church (Pss 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143).

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 27 - 29

Confidence, Mercy, Nature

The three Psalms of today's reading touch on three different subject.  Psalms 27 is an expression of confidence in the Lord by David.  Though he is beset on many sides by his enemies, David rests in the knowledge that the Lord is with him. His desire is to live in the house of the Lord forever (v. 4).  Even if his father and mother leave him, the Lord will be there (v. 10).

Psalms 28 is a lament to God to hear David's prayer.  He asks for God's mercy and justice. He complains about the evil ones who attempt to take his life, and asks the Lord to give him mercy.  "The Lord is my strength and my shield" (v. 7).  David knows that the Lord is his and Israel's protection (v. 9).

Psalm 30 is a song of thanksgiving to the Lord and expresses the glory of God in nature.  The symbolism in this Psalm is consistently oriented towards nature: the heavens, the sea, thunder.  His voice "splits the cedars," and  "shatters the cedars." (v.5). He makes the mountains skip and leap (v.6).  His voice is like lightning and might oaks.  He rules the wilderness and the floodwaters.  All of these are symbolic of the life of the believer.  Obstacles (the cedars) are removed at His word. The things we must overcome (mountains) leap out of our way.  He is with us in the dry times (the wilderness) and the times of plenty (floodwaters).  In all things, He rules our lives.  Verse 11 provides the perfect summary, "The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace."

May the Lord bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 24 - 26

God's Earth

Psalms 24 divides into three parts. Verses 1-2 declares that the Earth is the Lord's.  It is His creation and He is the owner.  Verses 3-6 asks, "Who is worthy to rule the Earth?"  This is a prophetic question - pointing to Jesus as the King of David.  Verses 7 - 10 answers the question with the pronouncement of the King of glory entering the "ancient gates" and "ancient doors."

In Psalms 25, David expresses his faith and trust in God. As an interesting side-note, this Psalm is a Hebrew acrostic in that each line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  In Psalm 26, the lament returns with David pleading for God to forgive David and restore his innocence.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 21 - 23

My God - You Are My Shepherd

Two of the most beautiful Psalms are in today's portion.

The 22nd Psalm is a that speaks of the Lord's suffering on the cross and in that regard is prophetic.  Although it can be applied to David's suffering, the images are much more severe than anything David personally suffered, e.g. David's hands and feet were not pierced (v.16).  Nearly all the suffering aspects of the cross are covered by this Psalm.  Jesus was completely abandoned by the Father to suffer and die as a sinless man on our behalf.  No more moving account is found in all of Scripture.

Psalm 23 is a much beloved Psalm by many generations of Bible readers.  When I was in grade school (back then the Bible could still be read in school) we had to learn this Psalm and recite it before our classmates. The portrayal of the Lord as a loving, personal (the Lord is my) shepherd is presented.  He meets every need of the sheep. He provides water, shelter, comfort, protection, indeed all that is required.  Even in the valley of the shadow of death, He is near.  

Note that the scripture states it is the shadow of death.  For a shadow to exist, there must be light nearby - His Light.  The light of God shines in darkness and reduces death to a mere shadow.

May the Lord bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 15 - 20

Lament, Victory, Praise

Note: This entry covers yesterday and today's readings.

Psalms 15-17 are lamenting Psalms similar to others we have previously encountered.  David laments his condition and pleads to the Lord for deliverance. Psalm 18 in the first of several larger Psalms and is a song of victory.  At 50 verses it is the largest Psalm encountered in our reading so far.

Psalm 18 presents the Lord as a divine Savior in battle against natural and spiritual enemies.  David describes three distinct presentations.  In 18:7-15 the Lord is a divine warrior with earthquakes, smoke, flames dark storm clouds, and thunder at His disposal. His arrival to save David is dramatic and fearful. In verses 16-19 he is presented as a divine leader protective of His servants. The Lord "reaches down" and "supports" and "leads to safety."  In verses 30-26 is in a divine protector, a shield from all danger. He teaches his servant the ways of war and guides him to through the battle to victory.

Psalm 19 is a song of praise to God's wisdom.  His wisdom is manifested in the heavens (1-6).  His wisdom is manifested in His Teaching, the Word (7-11). Finally, the Lord manifests His wisdom through his servant (12-14).  Verses 7 to 11 are some of the most poetic and beautiful in all the Psalms.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 12 -14

How Long?

The three Psalms in todays reading continue the ideas of the Lord as protector and the evil as arrogant and questioning.  Psalms 12 is a lament asking the Lord to protect the faithful and disappearing remnant. The evil are vocal in their repudiation of God, yet the Lord tells David "I have seen the violence done to the helpless."  The Lord in mindful of those who trust him and is aware of the wicked.

Psalms 13 asks "How long...?" four times, "...will you forget me?"; "...will you look the other way?"; "...must I struggle?"; "...will the enemy have the upper hand?" The Psalmist seemingly demands and answer from the Lord.  The Psalm ends with an expression of faith in God's love, His rescue, and His goodness.

Psalms 14 is a "wisdom Psalm" and begins with a declaration, "Only fools say in their heart, 'There is no God.'"  a scripture quoted by Paul in Romans 3:10-12.  The Lord sees the whole earth from heaven and sees the evil ones.  He will visit terror upon them and frustrate their plans.  On those who call on His name will be delivered.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 9 - 11

Victory And Faith

Psalms 9 and 10 are traditionally considered as one continuous Psalms.  David celebrates the victory of the glorious great King of Heaven and Earth, the Lord.  David's enemies retreated from the face of God.  Evocative of Psalms two, David reaffirms the greatness of the Lord as King of all.  The Lord is a shelter and continuous source of help and the great righteous avenger of evil.  A brief interlude in Psalms 10 tells of the exploits of the evil - their bragging and sneering, their mockery of God.  David implores God to punish the wicked and not let their evil go without retribution.

Psalms 11 is an expression of faith.  David states his trust in the Lord for protection and rebukes those who rely on human strength and will.  God watches over all the Earth and is mindful of the righteous and evil, protecting the believer and punishing the sinner.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 6 - 8

Lament, Protect, Glory

Psalms 6 is a lamentation asking God for healing and restoration.  David realizes that the Lord is the only one who can bring full deliverance. He may have written this during a time of great sickness of personal loss.  Psalms 7 starts off with the same lamenting theme (v. 1-2), but then asks for forgiveness.  David continues to ask the Lord to protect him from his enemies.  As we read in Samuel, David's life was one of near constant battle with his enemies.  He learned to call on the Lord in time of need and to plead for protection from his enemies.

Psalm 8 glorifies the Lord and presents the Earth as what it should be from creation. David sees the magnificence of the Creator and the creation from the beauty of the stars in the heavens to the glory of mankind and the animal kingdom.  "O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!" (v. 9).  It is interesting that David invokes a combined form of God's name: Jehovah Adonai - the self-existing master - in this closing verse.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 3 - 5

Hear Me, O Lord

These three Psalms move from the introductory tone of the first two to the chaotic disorientation of daily life and the reliance the believer must have on God.  We are beset by many enemies (spiritual evil influences) constantly stating that God cannot save and protect.  Yet David knows the Lord is a shield and protector utterly destroying the enemy (Psalm 3). In the midst of enemies of every side, we can lay down and sleep (v.5) because the Lords watches over us.

Psalm 4 is a lamentation with a prayer to God to rescue David.  He rebukes his enemies and expresses confidence in the Lord for deliverance (4:2-3).  Verse 4 exhorts the believer to not "sin by letter anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent."  This was demonstrated by our Lord Jesus when he was mocked by the high priest and the Romans and yet remained silent.  Verse 8 repeats the the idea expressed in 3:5, "In peace will I lie down and sleep, for you alone Lord keep me safe."  The idea of resting in Christ is there for the Christian believer.

Psalm 5 is a morning prayer.  David expresses God's greatness (v.1-3). He reaffirms that God cannot dwell with wickedness and will destroy all evil (v. 4-6). David asks for guidance by the Holy Spirit  (v.7-8) and acknowledges that his enemies, while present, are driven away by the presence of God.  The prayer ends with an expression of joy for the graceful protection of the Lord, "O Lord you surround them with your shield of love."

These Psalms, like all the Psalms reveal the wisdom of God through the experience of man with God.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Psalms 1 - 2

Introductory Psalms

Note: Today marks a change from the historical books to the Psalms, part of the poetic books but significant enough to demand its own category.  We shall be in the Psalms for seven weeks. In the fourth week, we reach the halfway point in our Bible reading overall.

Psalms 1 and 2 are introductory chapters for the entire Psalter, setting the tone of what God's wisdom (chapter 1) and God's rule (chapter 2) mean for mankind.  Indeed, the entire book deals with these two core subjects in a variety of ways.  The book of Psalms is generally agreed to be a collection of five books, distinct in tone and style.  Book 1 is Psalms 1 to 41 and provides a perspective from David and also provides a segue to the Psalms of others: Asaph, Solomon, the sons of Korah, etc. 

Psalm 1 provides the ideal view of a person totally committed to God in contrast with a person who chooses wickedness.  The believer delights in the Lord's teachings, lives a life of joy and meditation, as rooted by a continuous source of water (typing the Word) and bear fruit in each season of their life.  Their life is prosperous. In contrast, the wicked flounder and are scattered by every wind.  Doomed to condemnation they have no hope of glory and are predestined to destruction.

Psalm 2 provides the ideal view of a nation subjected to the rule of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in contrast with the historical (and present day) condition of nations. Verse 1 asks, "Why are the nations so angry?" Futility, battles, pacts, cartels, and a dismissal and outright denial of God (v. 3). However, the Lord is not concerned with the petty goings on of mankind - He rules with a rod of iron and rebukes kingdoms with His wrath.  His plans continue unabated and inexorably towards the Kingdom of God with Jesus. the Son of David, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In His grace, He warns the rulers to "serve the Lord with reverent fear" (v. 11) or face utterly destruction and annihilation.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Esther 6 - 10

From Annihilation To Celebration

The wickedness of Haman and his trickery in getting King Xerxes to declare an immutable law that those who felt dishonored by the Jews could kill the Jews bore heavily on Esther and Mordecai. Esther knew that she had to intervene and show up Haman for what he truly was.  At her arranged dinner she begs the king to belay the decree by revealing that Haman was the one who set up the annihilation.  King Xerxes loves Esther and has Haman killed.

Esther realizes that once a decree is set forth by the Persian king it cannot be altered. So, at great risk to herself, she boldly presents herself to Xerxes and pleads with him to make a new decree that the Jews can legally respond in kind against those who want to destroy them.  Because of his love for Esther, King Xerxes sets forth the decree and had Mordecai implement it.  The Jews rally and destroy their enemies and all of Haman's sons and family.

This event is so significant in Jewish history, that Esther creates a holiday which is officially placed into the mix of other celebrations and is called Purim - meaning lots - because they cast lots to know the will of God.  The holiday is established and the celebration of Purim continues to this day.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Esther 1 - 5

Esther Becomes Queen

The story of Esther takes place during the exile and is a reaffirmation of the grace God shows to the Jews even in their exiled condition.  This book is unique in all of Holy Scripture in that God is not mentioned at all, yet its place in the Holy Canon is indisputable in most scholar's opinion.  The love of God for His chosen people, even in their fallen condition is demonstrated through the ascendancy of Esther as queen and the protection of Mordecai and all the Jews in the Persian kingdom through the pagan king Xerxes.

Because queen Vashti dishonors Xerxes, she is deposed and a search is made for a new queen. Esther beauty and gracious qualities immediately endear her to the king as soon as he sees her.  Because her uncle Mordecai informs the king of a plot against the king's life, Mordecai is given protection.  This all sets up a show down between Haman, the king's right-hand man, and Mordecai when Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman.  Through trickery and treachery, Haman has the king issue a decree to persecute and destroy all the Jews in the kingdom. But Haman's hubris will ultimately prove to be his downfall when Esther boldly petitions the king to allow her to make a dinner for the king and Haman.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Nehemiah 10 -13

Purification

Nehemiah continues with his campaign to restore Jerusalem back to a holy city before God.  In chapter 10, we read the vow the people take to remain true to the Law of God as issued by His servant, Moses (v. 29). They even swear an oath asking the Lord to bring curses on them if they disobey. Their list of promises is extensive and comprehensive covering all aspects of their daily lives.

Nehemiah was not content to just swear an oath.  He put his intentions into actions.  He removed all Ammonite and Moabite people from the assembly. He restored the stores rooms back to the purpose of Temple storage.  He made certain the Levites received their portion of income.  He confronted those who bought and sold on the Sabbath, even to the point of locking the gates of the city and guarding them at the start of Sabbath to the end of Sabbath. He reprimanded those who disobeyed. Those who married pagan women were greatly rebuked and made to swear they would never do this again.

His actions made the people realize the seriousness of God's Word. Nehemiah caused the remnant to respect and remember the God of Moses.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Nehemiah 1 - 9

The Servant Leader

Note: This entry covers today and yesterday.

Nehemiah runs basically in parallel to Ezra, i.e. the books overlap chronologically.  While Ezra was a priest and interested in establishing the Law and true worship in the remnant of Jews allowed to return to Jerusalem by the Persian kings, Nehemiah was motivated to establish the practical aspects of daily life.  

Nehemiah was a wine steward to Artexerxes. He was informed by one of his brothers about the conditions of those who had returned to Jerusalem.  In particular, he was greatly moved by the description of the city walls and gates and the general disrepair into which the city had fallen.  He was grieved to the point that the king allowed him to return to Jerusalem with a small contingent of Jews to rebuild the walls and gates.  Artexerxes sent letters and provided safe passage.  Nehemiah, upon arriving in Jerusalem was even more shocked and grieved when he saw the city first-hand.

In spite of the opposition of Jews who had acclimated to the occupation, and others who were against the rebuilding of the city, Nehemiah determined in his heart to rebuild and repair the walls and gates.  He did this using a management style of leading by serving. (This is a style that many secular leaders should examine and adopt, but I digress!!!). This style is the paradigm that Paul teaches in the New Testament and a style adopted by Jesus Christ Himself.

Nehemiah, although governor, accepted no pay nor food portion from his subjects.  He labored tirelessly and unrelentingly to complete the rebuilding.  Because he placed God and the people ahead of himself, the Lord was with him and protected him and provided him with great wisdom.  Miraculously, he and those assisting him completed the project in a scant 52 days (6:15). 

His prayer and recounting of the history of Israel is recorded in chapter 9.  It is remarkable that such a detailed retelling could be accomplished in 31 verses (5 - 35), yet it is!  In verse 36 is one of the more somber verses in the Bible.

So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves in this good land. The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our livestock. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery.

The sadness and loss of this condition is captured perfectly in these ending verses (36-37). Despite their rebuilding efforts and their willingness to return to Jerusalem, the city is not fully "theirs."  They live their only at the whim of the king of Persia who permits it.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Ezra 6 - 10

Rebuilding

Darius reaffirms the decree of Cyrus and permits Zerubbabel to continue with the rebuilding of the Temple.  After the rebuilding is complete the Temple is dedicated and Passover is celebrated. 

In chapter seven we are introduced to the book's namesake.  Ezra is moved by God to return to Jerusalem to begin teaching the faithful remnant the Law of Moses.  King Artexerxes of Persia permits Ezra to go and provides him with security, letters of passage, and supplies for his journey. He brings a contingent of families with him to begin the teaching.  After arriving it is determined that intermarriage with pagans has made it nearly impossible to find those who are ceremonially clean.  Ezra prays a beautiful and sincere prayer (9:6-15) earnestly asking God to forgive the people. A plan is formulated whereby the pagan wives will be divorced and God will forgive them.

This is a type of the modern believer.  We had "married" into creeds and dogmas not consistent with the pure Word of God.  Thus, while still wedded to these heretical belief systems we were unfit to worship the Lord and receive His Holy Spirit.  Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross a way was made for us to return to true worship, but we had to agree to "divorce" or put away our beliefs and return to His Word.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Ezra 1 - 5

Return And Rebuild

Note: We begin the trilogy of post-exile books that also contain a historical, rather than prophetic and didactic, emphasis.  All of these are short books with the first two having frequent references to the the prophetic books.

Cyrus II, the Great, is anointed by God to decree that the Jews can return to Jerusalem and start rebuilding the Temple.  This is after approximately 70 years of exile.  Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, is appointed governor of Judah and is told be Cyrus that all the gold and silver items taken by the Babylonians, whom Cyrus conquered, will be returned to Jerusalem to be used in service in the rebuilt Temple.

Cyrus and Zerubbabel are types of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who comes to lead the Jews back to worship of the true God of Israel.  It is the grace of God, His unmerited favor, that allows the Jews to return and softens the hearts of the Persian kings to not only allow the return, but to also financially and legally assist in their return to Judah and rebuilding of the Temple. 

There is no surprise when the current inhabitants of Jerusalem vehemently oppose the rebuilding.  After writing the King Artaxerxes when the Jews lay the Temple foundation, the reconstruction is temporarily halted. But God did not inspire Cyrus to only have a subsequent king stop everything.   As we will see in tomorrow's reading, once God sets a plan in motion, no devil from Hell can stop it.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.