Short Reflection from Ezra 1-10

[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: 𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟙:𝟝

“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.

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟚:𝟙

"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!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟛:𝟙𝟚

"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.

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟜:𝟜-𝟝

“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!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟝:𝟛

"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!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟞:𝟙𝟛

"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!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟟:𝟚𝟞

'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"

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟠:𝟚𝟙

"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!

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟡:𝟙𝟘

"Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,"

Ezra was pleading before God, interceding for the people.

 

𝔼𝕫𝕣𝕒 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

"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.

Short Reflection from Selected Chapters of 2 Chronicles

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (AG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

I shall put up only 4 updates for the book of 2 Chronicle. However, I have read all of them this evening. It's more interesting to read through the book in one sitting.

𝟚 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟡:𝟠

"Blessed be the LORD your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the LORD your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."

The Queen of Sheba blessed Yahweh because of God's wisdom upon King Solomon. May people curse not our God because of our actions, words, or lifestyle! Let's live like God's children in this ungodly world.

 

𝟚 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟡:𝟚

"Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, 'Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?'"

Jehoshaphat helped King Ahab but God was not pleased with him. Kings were placed by God in those days to represent God; it was a theocracy, not democracy form of government those days.

Nowadays, pastors are the ones who represent/deliver the message of God. It's imperative that we do not associate with those people who undermine the authority and sufficiency of the word of God, or else we shall be like Jehoshaphat.

 

𝟚 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟚𝟠:𝟚𝟚

"Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD."

What do you do in your distress? Do you repent or rebel? There's no point in getting angry with God. He's not a man to change; it's you who must change your ways.

King Ahaz wasn't only unfaithful but increasingly unfaithful. And he died and his funeral wasn't an honorable one.

 

𝟚 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟛𝟛:𝟙𝟚

"When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers."

Ahaz was a bad king. God chastised him. However, instead of repenting he became increasingly unfaithful and died without an honorable funeral.

His grandson, Manasseh was the most wicked king of Judah. 🥶 And he reigned the longest for 55 years. Oh! What a saddest combination! 😭 The worst king reigning the longest. Imagine people wishing him to die soon but still outliving them.

Finally, the Assyrians overpowered him and tortured him badly. Many people must have wanted him to be skinned alive and be rubbed with chili powder. But v12 happened. Oh! No. He repented, and God heard him.

What's this? It's to demonstrate the love of God. The worst sinner was granted repentance. God can and did change the most wicked man. He did save Apostle Paul, the "chief sinner" too.

God can save and change your friends, siblings, neighbors, near and dear ones, if He could change Manasseh. There's hope. Don't give up.

Short Reflection from Selected Chapters of 1 Chronicles

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (AG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

I shall put up only 4 updates for the book of 1 Chronicle. However, I have read all of them this evening. It's more interesting to read through the book in one sitting.

𝟙 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟝:𝟚

"Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),"

It's interesting to see that birthright can be taken away as it was of Esau and even be disqualified like that of Reuben; that's good.

While Joseph got the birthright, still the chosen tribe for greatness was Judah. God has a way of being gracious!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟡

"and he said, 'Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.' Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did."

David would not accept that water for his pleasure. God was dearer to Him. And it's not hard to see why people were so loyal to him even these three risking their lives just for the water for David.

Unfortunately, it's also true that false teachers are accumulating wealth for themselves at the suffering of needy people, and still, people flocked to them.

However, such loyalty seen in this verse is beautiful. Today, I met a guy who says, (I am sure it was just for the sake of saying but still then) that suppose he knows he has only one hour to live, and if I happen to ask him for help, he will still help me. 😃

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟚𝟙:𝟙𝟟

"David said to God, 'Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O LORD my God, please let Your hand be against me and my father's household, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.'"

There were times, I prayed similar to this, of course, but not to this extent. Leaders must protect those who are under their care.

All of us are leaders in some areas. Don't just expect of others. Fulfill yourself! 🙂👍

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝟚𝟠:𝟚𝟘

"Then David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.'"

Hmmm! I thought only Joshua was asked multiple times to be strong and courageous. Today, I have just realized that Solomon was also asked/charged multiple times to be strong and courageous.

Indeed, a leader needs to be strong and courageous. Hitler-defeating Winston Churchill was right, "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it has been said, it is the quality which guarantees all others."

Short Reflection from 2 Kings 13-25

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (BRW) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟛:𝟙𝟜

"When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, ‘My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’"

Elisha died of sickness. Yet his dead bone 'resurrected' another dead guy (v21).

Jesus saved others but couldn't save Himself according to the words of the chief priests.

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟘

"You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you?"

Pride goes before destruction. Moreover, perhaps, he was disappointed with the king of Israel for refusing a marriage proposal. Maybe a duel to settle a marriage like in a movie!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟝:𝟝

"The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death. And he lived in a separate house, while Jotham the king's son was over the household, judging the people of the land."

Uzziah, a great king, was condemned by the priests and the Lord for thinking highly of himself!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟞:𝟛

"But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel."

Sacrificing children to get what they want from the ungodly source.

Abortion is a child sacrifice to get what they want—maybe an independent life.

Hmmm, even abandoning kids at home and going to workplace for earning more money could be related to this.

Even putting kids in a hostel or boarding school to abdicate parenting could be related to it.

Children are God's gifts. Parents are responsible to bring them up in the Lord!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟟:𝟛𝟛

"They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile."

This is always the problem. People respect God, love God, fear God, and worship God, but not that different from others.

God demands not only to fear Him, not even to fear Him the most. He demands to fear only Him!

You may go to church, read your Bible, pray regularly, and help others, live a moral life, and still be denied entry to the kingdom of God, hearing, "I never knew you."

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟠:𝟛𝟝

"Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"

True, the Assyrians were the world power and God had chosen them to punish the nation, Israel. But they weren't chosen to punish the nation, Judah. The Assyrians were proud, presumptuous, and a time to pull them down was near.

Power tends to corrupt. Leader tends to be abusive. May God help His Chosen people!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟡:𝟛-𝟜

"They said to him, ‘Thus says Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and rejection; for children have come to birth and there is no strength to deliver. Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.'’"

There was a man leaders can go to in a troubled time. In my experience in Delhi, only UPSC guys ask for prayers.

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟘:𝟙𝟡

"Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good. For he thought, ‘Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth in my days?’"

Hmmm! Hezekiah reacted surprisingly. Why did it seem good to hear a prophecy of captivity after his death? I don't know. But this story is recorded as a precedent. Let's remember this next time!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟙:𝟚𝟚

"He did evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done."

The books of Kings remind us that every life lived is before the presence of God, and He shall judge everyone according to our deeds, especially on the last day!

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟚:𝟙𝟡

"’because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,’ declares the LORD."

Humbling before God. That matters most in day-to-day life.

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟛:𝟚𝟞

"However, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him."

In this fallen world, no matter how righteous one might be we will still live by the consequences of others.

 

𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟜:𝟙𝟜

"Then he led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land."

No one likes the poor.

 

[11:47 am, 21/05/2022] S.R: 𝟚 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟚𝟝:𝟙𝟚

"But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen."

Only the poorest were left behind. Was that good? They weren't killed, weren't taken to captivity. But nobody likes or respects or admires the poor. People often mistreated them. Perhaps, many were killed and mistreated. And the remaining who were alive were to be workers of the lands for themselves or to pay taxes or for their own survival.

Poverty is not a virtue.

The 500th Help Think Blog Post

This is my 500^th blogpost for Help Think.

I started 9 years ago, here’s the link.

I’ve been here for 3,296 days

Though nothing worthy of praise.

I ain’t in the league of geeks

Although I‘ve been here 470 weeks.

Posting an average of once a week

Barely three to four at its peak.

 

Two years, I took a break

They were not a mistake;

2015, overwhelmed in seminary,

2017, busy in pastoral ministry.

How long will I go on blogging?

Maybe as long as I keep writing.

I do have 100 more to post

Yet, that’s nothing to boast.

 

Thrice a week, my target, to post

That’s enough for this year to last.

Gratitude to my WhatsApp friends

With their partnership Help Think sustains.

Who are my readers? I cannot tell

I write for Christians, and for anyone as well.

To help them think to know God’s words

And help them live a life that accords.

 

My goal on social media, or online

Is for Romans 1:11, in me, to shine:

“That I may impart to you

Some spiritual gift to strengthen you”

To be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

And to hold on to Romans 8, twenty-eight.

For the redeemed, all things work together for good;

That cannot be forgotten nor be misunderstood.

 

Aye, we shall not be utterly cast down,

Though we may fall; for we are God’s own.

Um, that’s Psalm 37, twenty-four

Three Scriptures a lot, I shall mention no more.

I ain’t a great writer, not even good

Though I wish and strive that I would,

Nor a techie as you see on my web page;

I hope to be better in both as I age

 

A few weeks ago, I pondered

Not to let the 500^th post be squandered.

Thank you, my readers and encouragers!

Would you read all the more and be firm believers?

Certainly, I shall not write a 500-line rhyme

That will take me a lot of time.

Noteworthy are some special occasions

Though they need not require celebrations.

 

This blogpost (poem) is a dedication

To Mermie, my greatest fan, without hesitation,

A delightful friend more than I could wish for,

Yet shall be better evermore.

Who’s a friend to me?

Lord, one whose desire is to honour Thee,

Whose mind is set to know and live

Out Thy word as long as we live.

 

Lovely are the struggles of God’s people

Though weak and slow they battle

Against sin, vain philosophy, and worldliness

Even if it leads them to loneliness.

They choose to live for God, a self-denial

Even in times of suffering and trial;

Yet they will remain imperfect

Someday, God shall make them perfect.

 

Such ones are my delightful friends

They shall last even when the world ends.

I set out to compose a 500-word poem

I only wish you appreciate this as a poem

Now, I must bring this to a close

It’s time I suppose

Before you get an overdose

To bid y’all adios!