[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (OVU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
[6:34 am, 11/05/2022] S.R: πΌπ«π£π
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“Then the heads of fathers'
households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even
everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the
LORD which is in Jerusalem.”
v1 and v5 talk about the stirring
of the spirit of the king and the people by the Lord. We ought to desire after
this that such stirring would be done in our hearts to live for God.
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"Now these are the people of
the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and
Judah, each to his city."
They were supposed to live in the
promised land but were taken away. The next generation was brought back btw.
After all, Babylon is not their destiny. Exceptions are exceptions. A rule is a
rule!
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"Yet many of the priests and
Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first
temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid
before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy,"
It's sad when newer ones aren't
good as the older ones. In fact, we expect the newer ones to be better. Not
that old is gold in this story, but the glory of God was missing in this new
temple.
And when younger ones were so glad
even of this new temple, it was appropriate for the older ones to weep. How can
you be satisfied with ordinary things when you were given the best thing? You
trampled gold for mere iron.
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“Then the people of the land
discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building, and hired
counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king
of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
Don't underestimate what your
opposition can do!
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"At that time Tattenai, the
governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their
colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, "Who issued you a decree
to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?"
We need political leaders like this
governor, Tattenai. He seemed fair, logical, and righteous. There was
opposition, but he won't be intimidated to stop the work without a genuine
cause.
Next time, when you pray for
leaders, pray that they will be at least like Tattenai, even should they leap
into hell!
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"Then Tattenai, the governor
of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried
out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent."
This governor is of noble mind,
noble works, and well appreciated by the Jews and the king!
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'Whoever will not observe the law
of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him
strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or
for imprisonment."
Wow! The trust the king had in
Ezra! It was a time when the king had authority over the kingdom.
Our present world is full of
freedom—and freedom only to sin. The depraved sinner knows nothing except to
sin. Even the redeemed saints are not free from sin, that's why we have to
battle sin, not easily but as "do or die"
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"Then I proclaimed a fast
there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to
seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our
possessions."
Ezra would rather depend on God
than depend on the king. That sent a message to his people, enemy, and everyone
that he believed and practiced what he read and taught!
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"Now, our God, what shall we
say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,"
Ezra was pleading before God, interceding
for the people.
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"Then Ezra the priest stood up
and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives
adding to the guilt of Israel. Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God
of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of
the land and from the foreign wives.’"
Admit you are wrong. Stop doing
wrong. Start doing right.
In short, Confess and Be Separate
unto God.