Ezra 8
Ezra leads a group to Jerusalem verse 1- 14
These are now the chief of their fathers
and this is the genealogy of them that went up
with me from Babylon
in the reign of Artaxerxes the king
Of the sons of Phinehas – Gershom – of the sons of Ithamar
Daniel – of the sons of David – Hattush
Of the sons of Shechaniah – of the sons of Pharosh
Zechariah – and with him were reckoned
by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty
Of the sons of Pahath-moab – Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah
and with him two hundred males
Of the sons of Shechaniah – the son of Jahaziel
and with him three hundred males
Of the sons also of Adin – Ebed the son of Jonathan
and with him fifty males
Of the sons of Elam – Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah
and with him seventy males
Of the sons of Shephatiah – Zebadiah the son of Michael
and with him fourscore males
Of the sons of Joab – Obadiah the son of Jehiel
and with him two hundred and eighteen males
Of the sons of Shelomith – the son of Josiphiah
and with him an hundred and threescore males
Of the sons of Bebai – Zechariah the son of Bebai
and with him twenty and eight males
Of the sons of Azgad – Johanan the son of Hakkatan
and with him an hundred and ten males
Of the last sons of Adonikam – whose names are these
Eliphelet – Jeiel – Shemaiah
and with them threescore males
Of the sons of Bigvai – Uthai – Zabbud
and with them seventy males
Ezra finds Levites missing in his group verse 15- 17
And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava
and there abode we in tents three days
and I viewed the people – and the priests
and found there none of the sons of Levi
THEN sent I for Eliezer – Ariel – Shemaiah – Elnathan – Jarib
Einathan – Nathan Zechariah – Meshullam – chief men
also for Joiarib – Elnathan – men of understanding
And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief
at the place Casiphia
and I told them what they should say to Iddo
and to his brethren the Nethinim
at the place Casiphia
that they should bring to us
ministers for the house of our God
Levites join Ezra’s group going to Jerusalem verse 18- 20
And by the GOOD HAND of our God on us they brought us
a man of understanding – of the sons of Mahli – the son of Levi
the son of Israel – and Sherebiah – with his sons
and his brethren – eighteen
And Hashabiah – and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari
his brethren and their sons – twenty – also of the Nethinim
whom David and the princes had appointed
for the service of the Levites
two hundred and twenty Nethinim
all of them were expressed by name
Ezra orders a fast for journey mercies verse 21- 23
Then I proclaimed a FAST there – at the river of Ahava
that we might afflict ourselves before our God
to seek of HIM a right way for us – our little ones
our substance
FOR I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen
to help us against the enemy in the way
BECAUSE we had spoken to the king
saying
The HAND of our God is on all them for good that seek HIM
BUT HIS power and HIS wrath is against all them that
forsake HIM
So we FASTED and besought our God for this
and HE was entreated of us
Precious items transported by priests verse 24- 27
Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests
Sherebiah – Hashabiah – and ten of their brethren with them
and weighed to them the silver – gold – vessels
even the offering of the house of our God
which the king – and his counselors
and his lords – and all Israel there present had offered
I even weighted to their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver
and silver vessels an hundred talents
and of gold an hundred talents
Also twenty basins of gold – of a thousand drams
and two vessels of fine copper – precious as gold
Ezra challenges priests to protect Temple items verse 28- 30
And I said to them
You are holy to the LORD – the vessels are holy also
and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the
LORD God of your fathers
Watch you – and keep them – until you weigh them before the
chief of the priests and the Levites
and chief of the fathers of Israel – at Jerusalem
in the chambers of the house of the LORD
So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver – gold – vessels
to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God
LORD gave Ezra journey mercies verse 31- 32
Then we departed from the river of Ahava
on the twelfth day of the first month
to go unto Jerusalem
and the HAND of our God was on us
and HE delivered us from the HAND of the enemy
and of such as lay in wait by the way
And we came to Jerusalem – and abode there three days
Temple items turned over to priests verse 33- 34
Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed
in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah
the priest – and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas
and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua
and Noadiah the son of Binnui – Levites
by number and by weight of every one
and all the weight was written at that time
Ezra’s group offer sacrifices to the LORD verse 35- 36
Also the children of those that had been carried away
which were come out of the captivity
offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel
twelve bullocks for all Israel – ninety and six rams
seventy and seven lambs
twelve he goats for a sin offering
all this was a burnt offering
to the LORD
And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants
and to the governors on this side the river
and they furthered the people – and the house of God
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 15 And I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava: and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. (995 “viewed” [biyn] means to understand, see, to pay attention, consider, examine, to observe with care or pay close attention to, or realize)
DEVOTION: Ezra was ready to move out to go to Jerusalem but he did a survey of those who were with him and found that there was no Levite who was in the group. He was a priest and knew how important it was to have Levites along on the trip to Jerusalem.
He held up the trip to find those who were Levites who would be willing to come. The priests had the responsibility to lead the children of Israel in worship but they needed the help of the Levites to get the rest of the work done that needed to be done to serve the LORD in worship services at feasts and other occasions.
Today we need deacons and other officers in the local church to help the pastor do the work of the ministry. If the pastor tries to do it all he will burn out or just quit after a time period. There is always a need to have others come alongside a pastor to help the ministry move forward for the LORD.
I was a regular visitor of the people in my churches. I really tried to get to where members and regular attendees needed me but as much as I tried there was always occasions that I could not be there and it was good to have other members of the church who could be there to help.
Levites were needed to help make sure the worship times in Israel were done decently and in order. They took care of the little details that made each service go well for the priests. God appointed them to these tasks to make sure that everyone knew what their duty was and preformed it according to HIS standard.
Disobedience was not acceptable and the LORD judged quickly at times those who didn’t fulfill their responsibility properly whether it was the priests or the Levites.
God will do the same today with those who are not helping where they have been gifted to help. HE will let those who are not keeping their part of service up in the local body.
Blessings only come when everyone is doing what the LORD expects of them in HIS body the church.
CHALLENGE: What part do you play in each worship service in your local church? Is there more you can do to help the service be better? Are you an encourager of those who are serving the LORD each week? Are you a good volunteer?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 18 And by the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren eighteen; (7922 “understanding” [sekel] means the trait of judging wisely and objectively, insight, success, intelligence, prudence, cunning, or discretion)
DEVOTION: Ezra was on his way to the Promised Land but discovered that he had no Levi with him for the journey. So he sent for men of understanding that were part of the group to find out what they should do about this problem.
They send a group of men to bring a minister for the house of God. So they went to Iddo and his brethren to have them send ministers for the house of God. They wanted to make sure that they could worship the LORD properly on the way and when they arrived in Jerusalem.
So they completed their task to make sure that everything was done properly and in order with the help of the LORD.
We need to make sure that we have people in place during our worship services that can care for all the needs of the service. We need to make sure that everyone knows their responsibility when we begin the service. There is no room for disorganization in the service of the LORD.
There have been some churches where I have attended where everything was not done decently and in order. It seems like everyone didn’t know what they were to do and there were many pauses during the service because of this.
The worship of the LORD should be done smoothly. Everyone should know what they are doing and when they are doing it. It is handy to have a church bulletin to help everyone do things at the right time.
Announcements should all be in order before the service begins. Everyone should be in place. Too often we can see a service that is disorganized because of a lack of preparation.
The children of Israel almost went on a trip back to Jerusalem with not enough individuals to do the job right.
CHALLENGE: Do we prepare our worship services with organization that works together? Is everything done decently and in order?
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: 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all them for good that seek HIM; but HIS power and HIS wealth is against all them that forsake HIM. (1245 “seek” [baqash] means to discover, find, to attempt to do, to try to get or reach something one desires, or to seek to secure)
DEVOTION: Have you ever bragged so much about how the LORD can take care of you that you didn’t know if you should ask anyone else for help? We can give a testimony about how much we know the LORD is right by our side and will help us on any occasion but when we do something that is dangerous for the LORD do we think twice about not asking anyone else to come alongside to help us in some of these services we do for the LORD?
This is where Ezra found himself on this occasion. He was bragging about how the LORD is able to protect him from any enemy even though he was carrying a lot of gold and silver. He put himself in a spot and needed to make sure that the LORD would come alongside his trip to Jerusalem.
The LORD is one who is going to help those who do good and seek HIM during each adventure in life. Ezra was sure that the LORD was with those who do good and seek him but he also knew that he had to have a time of fasting and prayer to encourage the people to remember their total dependence on the LORD on this occasion.
We need to realize when we walk by faith we have to have times of fasting and prayer before we take some steps of faith that need to be taken. This was one in the live of Ezra.
He believed that wrath was going to be upon any who forsook the LORD. Service to the LORD brought blessing and deliverance in his mind and should also be in our mind as well.
Jesus said that special works had to be preceded with times of fasting and prayer. Major decisions need to be preceded by fasting and prayer by couple who want to honor the LORD with their money or service.
Once we are successful in any time of service for the LORD we need to always give the LORD full credit for HIS deliverance. We should always brag on the LORD for any ministry that succeeds or any blessings our families have from the LORD.
CHALLENGE: We should never be ashamed to ask the LORD for help!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
(1245 “besought” [baqash] means to seek, require, desire, exact, or request)
DEVOTION: Have you ever backed yourself into a corner? Have you ever bragged about someone and wondered it that individual can complete the project? Have you ever trusted someone so much that your life depended on it?
Leadership is not an easy task. All the details have to come together. That requires having the right people in the right places to make a project succeed. Ezra had a major opportunity to serve the LORD. He gathered the people together to find out if some of the right people were missing. He found that they were. He needed to have Levites join him in his journey to Jerusalem. None of them appeared to be willing to go into this new land that was emptied seventy years earlier. They were settled in their new environment. They had adjusted to their new home.
He sent men to gather some Levites. It worked. Now he was ready to leave for Jerusalem. However, he had another problem or opportunity. He told the king that God was able to protect him on their journey, so he didn’t feel he could ask for soldiers to travel with them.
Instead, he prayed to the LORD for journey mercies. He ordered all the Israelites to fast and pray for journey mercies. They fasted and prayed for three days and left for Jerusalem.
The LORD was entreated of them. What does that mean? HE heard their prayers. HE answered their prayer request with journey mercies through rough territory where there were robbers and enemies.
Why would robbers be interested in them? The reason was that they were bringing tons of precious metals, as well as, other precious things to Jerusalem. He was leading 5,000 to 8,000 people on a long journey to Jerusalem.
They arrived safely in Jerusalem. They rested after the trip and then gave the gifts to those who were in control of Jerusalem. Sometimes we brag about God and all HE does and then we find ourselves in a pickle in front of people.
We know that God is all-powerful. We know that HE can protect us on all of our journeys. Even though we know these things, we wonder. One of our most powerful tools is prayer. When we combine prayer with fasting, we have even more power. Are we collecting all the power we need for the work of the LORD? Are we proclaiming a fast or time of affliction in our churches, so that, we can see revival? Should we be doing this?
CHALLENGE: The Bible informs us that major decisions should be accompanied with prayer and fasting. Personal practices of prayer and fasting with the proper attitude will improve our relationship with the LORD. Are we interested enough in this relationship to practice this???
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: 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and HE delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. (693 “lay in wait” [arab] means ambush, often acting as kidnappers or bandits, or to lurk)
DEVOTION: One of the problems the Ezra had was that on the trip from Babylon to Jerusalem there were many thieves along the way. He had to realize that he needed the LORD’S protection because of all the gold and silver he was carrying. He didn’t want to ask the king for an army to guard him after he told him that the LORD would protect them.
He was trusting on the LORD to put HIS hand over this group, so that, there was no trouble. We have to do the same everyday if we want to proper in our service to the LORD. HE is our deliverer. HE is the one who can protect us when no one else will.
So without an escort we find that Ezra recognized the protection of the LORD during his journey. He stated that the LORD delivered them from any enemy along the way. He gave all the credit to the LORD and not to anything he had done.
We need to ask the LORD for deliverance from those who want to ambush us in our walk with the LORD. There are people who would love to see every Christian fall and tell others about their fall.
The LORD wants us to help those who are struggling and protect them from the enemies that want to cause them harm. One of the problems is that there are even those who claim to be believers who like to see others fall to make themselves look good. This is a wrong attitude.
The LORD is our perfect deliverer but HE uses HIS followers to help their fellow Christians live a life that is pleasing in the sight of the LORD. We have a responsibility toward our fellow believer to be praying and encouraging them in their battle against every enemy they face. We don’t have highway robbers along a path we walk today because we are driving everywhere but we find them once we stop.
Continual dependence on the LORD is the only way that we can defeat the enemies that are trying to undermine Biblical Christianity. There are so many different types of individuals who call themselves Christians that we now have to really define what we mean by a Biblical Christian.
One of the enemies we are facing is those who call themselves Christian but really are not using the standard of the Word of God to define what they believe. The challenge is real in our world. There are many who wolves in sheep’s clothing that are lying in wait for us!!
CHALLENGE: Only the LORD can give us wisdom to recognize those who are really wolves.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Ezra proclaimed a fast verse 21- 23
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Silver and gold verse 25- 30, 33, 34
Watch over the silver and gold verse 29
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Ashamed to require of the king a band of Soldiers verse 22
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Ezra entreated God regarding trip verse 23
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sons of Levi verse 15- 20
Proclaimed a fast verse 21
Afflict ourselves verse 21
Fasted verse 23
Separated 12 chief of the priests verse 24
Gave the offering
Offering verse 25- 28
House of our God verse 25, 30
Freewill offerings verse 28
Priests verse 29, 30
Levities verse 29, 30
House of the LORD verse 29
Money given to Meremoth verse 33
Burnt offerings verse 35
Sin offering verse 35
House of God verse 36
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 17, 18, 21- 23, 25, 28, 30, 31,35
House of our God verse 17, 25, 30, 33
Hand of our God verse 18, 22, 31
His wrath against those who forsake HIM verse 22
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 28, 29, 35
LORD God of your fathers verse 28
House of the LORD verse 29
God of Israel verse 35
House of God verse 36
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Babylon verse 1
Artaxerxes verse 1
Enemy verse 22, 31
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Forsaking the LORD verse 22
Lay in wait verse 31
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Ministers verse 17
Understanding verse 18
Afflict verse 21
Seek the LORD verse 21, 22
Do good verse 22
Seek the LORD in prayer verse 23
Holy verse 28
Deliverance verse 31
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
List of men who came from Babylon verse 1- 14
Gathered at river Ahava verse 15
Found they had none of sons of Levi verse 15
Ezra sent for men of understanding verse 16
Sent to Iddo the chief of Levi’s verse 17
18 Men of understanding came verse 18
David verse 20
Chief of the fathers of Israel verse 29
Jerusalem verse 29- 33
Came to Jerusalem
Abode three days
Fourth day money given to
Meremoth verse 33
Departed from river of Ahava 1/12 verse 31
Delivered king’s commission verse 36
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
21 For the association of fasting and humbling oneself, see Psalm 35:13.
“A safe journey” (dereḵ yešārāh) is literally “a straight way” unimpeded by obstacles and dangers (cf. v.31). 1 Esdras 8:50 has euodian (“favorable journey”). The Jews before travel offer a prayer called tephillath hadderech (“prayer of the road”). Bowman (“Ezra-Nehemiah,” p. 632) reports that this verse was the text of John Robinson’s last sermon at Leiden before the Pilgrims sailed in 1620.
“Children” (ṭap̱ as in Deut 1:39) designates those younger than twenty, with a stress on the younger ages. Such “little ones” are most vulnerable in times of war (cf. Deut 20:14; Judg 21:10; Ezek 9:6). The vast treasures they were carrying—“our possessions” offered a tempting bait for robbers. (Yamauchi, E. (1988). Ezra-Nehemiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 659). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Trusting (vv. 21–23). Ezra’s whole approach to this trip was a spiritual one; for if the good hand of God wasn’t with them, everything would fail. But to receive the blessing and help of God, they had to humble themselves and seek His face, so Ezra called for three days of fasting and prayer, asking God to protect them on their long journey.
Ezra could have asked for an armed escort, but he felt that a request for protection would dishonor the Lord in the eyes of the pagan king. He had already told Artaxerxes that God’s good hand was upon him and the Jews, so how could he then ask for human help? Ezra was relying on God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3), that those who bless the Jews are blessed by God, and there’s a fine line between faith and presumption. Fourteen years later, Nehemiah didn’t hesitate to request an armed escort from the king (Neh. 2:9); and Paul was glad for the Roman soldiers who protected him during his journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea (Acts 23). Were they less devoted than Ezra? Of course not! Undoubtedly the Lord gave Ezra special faith for this journey because He knew that Ezra’s desire was only to glorify God. When you consider the factors involved in this expedition, you can see what great faith Ezra possessed. Here were several thousand Jews, inexperienced in travel and warfare, carrying a fortune in gold and silver, led by a scholar, not a soldier, and planning to travel through dangerous territory that was infested with brigands, and yet their leader didn’t want an army to protect them! If anybody deserves the “Great Faith Award,” it’s Ezra! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be heroic (pp. 42–43). Colorado Springs, CO: ChariotVictor Pub.)
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8:21–23. First, spiritual preparation was made for the journey. Ezra was concerned with matters pertaining to God’s people. So Ezra proclaimed a fast in preparation for the journey. He wanted the assembled group thereby to humble themselves before … God in order to ask Him for a safe journey for themselves, their children, and their possessions. Being humble before God shows one’s spiritual dependence, his acknowledgment that God is in total control. Ezra did not want to ask for military protection (soldiers and horsemen) because he had already publicly announced that God would take care of the people as they returned. In contrast, Nehemiah readily accepted a military escort on his way back to the land (Neh. 2:9). (Martin, J. A. (1985). Ezra. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 667–668). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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8:21–23 I proclaimed a fast. They would soon begin the long journey. Such travel was dangerous, for the roads were frequented by thieves who robbed for survival. Even messengers traveled with caravans to ensure their safety. Ezra and the people did not want to confuse the king regarding their trust in God’s protection so they entreated Him for safety with a prayerful fast. God honored their prayer of faith with His protection. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ezr 8:21–23). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, &c.] After the messengers to Iddo were returned with those they brought with them: that we might afflict ourselves before our God; humble themselves before him for their sins, confess them, and declare their repentance of them, and ask forgiveness for them: to seek of him a right way for us; to take from thence towards Jerusalem, to be directed by him in it: either by a prophet, or by a vision in a dream, as Eben Ezra; or rather by the guidance of his providence; this they sought in prayer by the riverside, where it had been usual with them, and since has been, to perform religious exercises, see Ezek. 1:1 and 3:15; Acts 16:13. hence Tertullian calls the prayers of the Jews orationes littorales; they sought not so much which was the shortest and easiest way for them to travel in, as which was the safest: and for our little ones and for all our substance; for the safe conveyance of them; this shews, that though males only are numbered, as before, yet they had their wives and children with them; for little ones cannot be supposed without women to take care of them. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 121). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Frequently the enemies of the pious are described as those who “lurk,” lie in wait for the unsuspecting: Ps 10:9; 59:3 [H 4]; Lam 4:19; Ezr 8:31. Even God is viewed as a “lurking” bear who has turned against his people (Lam 3:10). The verb may describe the actions of criminals before they strike: I Sam 22:8,13; Mic 7:2; Prov 1:11,18; 7:12; 12:6; 23:28. Against such there must be constant vigilance. (Hamilton, V. P. (1999). 156 ָרַב. (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke, Eds.)Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press.)
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Sinner on Site
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 JOHN 1:8
Part of our job as parents is dealing with the sins of our children. Correcting misbehavior, admonishing them for mistakes in judgment and disciplining them for their own good make up a fairly big wedge on the parenting pie chart. But I believe it’s also important that we never develop the impression that our children are the only ones who ever come up short in the character department.
They need to know that the two grown-ups they know best in life confess their sins and need forgiveness, too. Raising children, perhaps more than any other assignment in life, reveals your true character. The spiritual discipline of admitting your own sin is part of what makes your parenting real and genuine. I can’t count the number of times I made a mistake and needed to ask one of my children for forgiveness. Like the time one of our children stepped on my favorite fly rod. It not only snapped, but so did I. I grabbed the remaining pieces of that rod and began to break them against my bent leg in a fit of anger.
Barbara was stunned. The children scurried and scattered to their bedrooms like bugs. Thirty minutes later, I called a family meeting and apologized for my sin. I’m not just talking about when your sin is something directed solely at your children—they also need to hear how you deal with things like covetousness or pride or retaliation. If you are honest about your own sins, they won’t feel so funny admitting them to you, talking about them and learning how you handle them.
Your children need to know they’re living with people who are totally dependent on the mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. They need parents who are not afraid to admit they fail and need the Savior’s forgiveness, just like they do. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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WHY OUR LORD PRAYS FOR THESE PEOPLE
I pray for them. John 17:9
Why does our Lord pray for these people at all? He is facing His own death, the greatest and most terrible moment in His life is at hand, and yet He pauses to pray for them. Why does He do it? The answer is all here. He does it first and foremost because of His great concern for the glory of God. While He is on earth, the glory of God is, in a sense, in His hands. He has come to glorify His Father, and that is the one thing He wants to do above everything else. And now as He is going to leave these people, over and above His own concern about dying is His concern about the glory of God; it is the one thing that matters.
Second, He prays for them because of who and what they are. They are the people to whom He has manifested the name of God, the people who have been given to Him, the people to whom He has given the Word, people who believe certain things. That is the definition of a Christian, and they, and they alone, are the people for whom He prayed.
Then He prays for them because of their task, because of their calling. He is going away, and He is leaving them in the world to do something; they have work to do, exactly as He had been given work to do. You see the logic of it all? God sent Him, He sends them, and He prays for them especially in the light of their calling and their task; the work of evangelizing. There are other people who are going to believe on Him through their word, and so they must be enabled to do this work.
He also prays for them because of their circumstances, the circumstances in which they were placed in the world. He says that they are going to have trouble in the world (verse 14).
A Thought to Ponder: Over and above Christ’s own concern about dying is His concern about the glory of God. (From Safe in the World, pp. 11-12 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Much Yet to Do
“Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” (Joshua 13:1)
There is no set “retirement age” for the Christian, for there is always “yet very much land to be possessed.” Joshua had survived 40 years in the wilderness, then led in the long hard conquest of Canaan, and was now at least 80 years of age. Not only was he “old and stricken in years,” but God even told him he was old! But instead of allowing him to settle down to enjoy a few retirement years in his hard-won new home, God sent Joshua out once again for further conquests.
That must always be the case with those who love and serve the Lord. There is still much Scripture to study and learn, many people yet to reach with a gospel witness, many with whom to share God’s love and comfort, much money yet to be earned to give to missions. Even those who must retire from active service or become confined at home still have much praying to accomplish.
No one who knows the redemptive love of Jesus Christ is ever too old to possess more “land” for the Lord. “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing” (Psalm 92:12-14).
Old age eventually comes to everyone who survives youth and middle age, but that does not mean it is time to quit. “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come” (Psalm 71:17-18). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Last week, a friend forwarded me a letter circulating in his community. It called for him to apologize for his race and placed on him the burden of hundreds of years of institutional racism and past injustices.
There was no room for dissent, no room for disagreement. Agree in every way or stand condemned. That’s not uncommon in this cultural moment.
There’s an incredible intensity and, as my friend put it, an incredible absolutism for each and every issue, not just the race issue. It seems that the entire world is at stake with what we think and what we say. Despite near constant calls to have dialogue and conversations, too often tempers flare and the whole thing devolves into diatribe, with echo chambers reinforcing what each side has already thought. And for Christians, these moments threaten to steal our understanding of where we fit in a greater story.
God is writing a great story for the whole world, and Scripture reveals that story. It’s the story of creation to new creation, from the heavens and earth to the new heavens and new earth. We’re somewhere in that timeline, in this tale of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.
It is important to ground ourselves in the truth that we have been created by a good God, and have been created good as part of a marvelous story of redemption and renewal. Even though in the fall of Adam, so much of God’s good creation has been twisted and frustrated and is now in need of reorientation and healing.
The story is clear, that God has worked in history, in Christ, to renew His creation and to make people new, to help them understand their role in the grand story of the renewal of all things.
As we see this story correctly, as we become part of this story, as we learn to find our moment in the larger story, then suddenly we can have the clarity that we all need, particularly in this confusing cultural moment.
Right now, one of the most confusing things in our moment is all the bad ideas that we hear all the time about who we are, about what it means to be human. The deepest conflicts in this moment aren’t moral ones. It’s not a disagreement about what’s right and what’s wrong, even though certainly our views on that as a culture have dramatically changed. The deeper confusion is about who we actually are.
On one hand, you have Scientism’s of what it means to be human, which has dominated academia and the cultural imagination in so many ways for a century or more now. This says that we’re essentially the result of mindless, costless, purposeless processes. There’s no Higher Power that had us in mind, and we’re not headed to any sort of goal or purpose in history.
On the other hand, you have this postmodern construct that says that you and I are whatever we choose to be. It says that the number one responsibility to be human is to express our “true selves,” and the number two responsibility is to accept other people’s “true selves.” But those true selves might be completely disconnected from reality, disconnected from biology, from bodies, from families,from anything other than our own self- determination.. This has become a breaking point in our culture, but of course, we’re not the first generation to face something nearly as challenging. (Break Point)
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Psalms 90
God is eternal in time past and future–while man is temporal and weak.
INSIGHT
In this psalm, Moses declares the eternality of God in verses 1-2. Then he contrasts the frailty of man in verse 3. God’s displeasure with sin next occupies his attention: “We have been consumed by Your anger . . . You have set our iniquities before You” (vv. 7-8). Based on these three realities, Moses calls upon God in a series of petitions: “Teach us to number our days . . . Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy . . . Make us glad . . . and establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:12, 14-15, 17). You can make these petitions your own. (Quiet Walk)
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HE REALM OF EXPERIENCE, PART 1
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
But God be thanked, we can also answer the question with regard to the mechanism of this glorious promise in an experimental manner, from the realm of experience. That our text is true is the universal testimony of all the saints whose histories are recorded both in the Bible and in the subsequent history of the Christian church. The ways in which this promise works out are almost endless; but the principle that is common to them all is that there is but one ultimate good–the knowledge of God and the salvation of our souls. Holding that in mind, we see that trials and tribulations work out in the following ways:
They awaken us to the fact of our over-dependence on earthly and human things. Quite unconsciously, oftentimes we become affected by our surroundings, and our lives become less and less dependent upon God, and our interests become more and more worldly. The denial of earthly and human comforts and joys often awakens us to the realization of this in a way that nothing else can do.
Our trials also remind us of the fleeting nature of our life here on earth. How easy it is to “settle down” in life in this world and to live on the assumption that we are here forever. We all tend to do so to such an extent that we forget “the glory which shall be revealed” (verse 18), and that, as we have shown, should be the frequent theme of our meditation. Anything that disturbs this sloth and reminds us that we are but pilgrims here therefore stimulates us to “set your affection on things above” (Colossians 3:2).
A Thought to Ponder: There is but one ultimate good–the knowledge of God and the salvation of our souls.
(From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 123-124., by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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From Prayer to Praise
“Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:6-7)
The story of David facing fears of surrounding enemies and impending death seems to be on repeat in the Psalms. But before we allow it to become redundant, consider your own life. How often do you face trials that strain your heart with fear, worry, and doubt? Perhaps David’s life isn’t too far from your own, just with fewer spears and battle cries.
In today’s psalm, David spends the first portion crying out to the Lord for help. But for our encouragement and edification, pay special attention to the close of this installment of Scripture. David goes from heart-wrenching prayer to heartfelt praise!
Consider practicing praise throughout your daily prayer pattern. Here are several reasons why you should bless the Lord.
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He hears your prayers (Psalm 66:17-20; Matthew 21:22; 1 John 5:14-15).
He is your strength (Exodus 15:2; Isaiah 40:29; Philippians 4:13).
He is your shield (Psalm 18:2; 33:20; Proverbs 30:5).
He is trustworthy (Psalm 9:10; 56:3; Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 17:7).
He is your helper (Psalm 54:4; Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:6).
He gives you reason to rejoice (Isaiah 61:10; Romans 15:13; Philippians 4:4).
He is worthy of praise and worship (2 Samuel 22:4; Psalm 96:4; Revelation 4:11).
Join your heart today with the psalmist. Rejoice greatly and sing praises to the Lord!
(MH, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Jesus Is Our Peace
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14
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Sol Ibarra writes (Mexico): The Word of God is there. God has sent us to warn men. I send Ezekiel to the Israelites. It sends us first to our families and close friends. But then to the last of the earth. People need to know what’s a message for each one. Repent and turn to God. People will or won’t listen. Many will. Many will reject it. My duty is to invite everyone who reads this message. Seek God. He is the God who gives life and the God who heals. He can transform your life from such
Way to bring glory to his name and blessing in your life.
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“The holiness of God affects every aspect of our lives — economics, politics, athletics, romance — everything with which we are involved.” —R.C. Sproul
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