Tag: bible
-
To Seek From Him a Safe Journey
21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our…
-
I Took Courage
27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, 28and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the…
-
For the Lord Had Made
22…for the LORD had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king…–Ezra 6 This little phrase grabbed ahold of me this morning. Judah was in a place where joy might have been lacking. They were allowed to return and rebuild, and then they had to stop. All hinged on the decree of a foreign…
-
Arose and Began to Rebuild
2Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.–Ezra 5 The people in Jerusalem faced a decision. They knew what honored God, but political opponents previously stopped them. Now…
-
The People of the Land
4Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build 5and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.–Ezra 4 Just as soon as the building started, Judah faced frustration and opposition.…
-
The Foundation of the House
11…And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.–Ezra 3 When the Babylonians carried Judah into exile, the Temple was destroyed. Imagine how that felt. What questions they might have secretly asked. Not only was the nation defeated, but was God? Now…
-
Each to His Own Town
1Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. –Ezra 2 The return from exile wasn’t just a prophecy. It wasn’t just one of those…
-
Stirred Up the Spirit of Cyrus
1In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing…–Ezra 1 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy…
-
The Heart of Her Husband
11The heart of her husband trusts in her [the wife described in this chapter], and he will have no lack of gain.–Proverbs 31 Much effort is made describing the Proverbs 31 wife. And rightly so. Today, I want to describe the Proverbs 31 husband. Here are 10 such qualities. The verses from Proverbs 31 are…
-
Lest He Rebuke You
6Do not add to his [God’s] words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.–Proverbs 30 Beware the trap of leaning on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). You may be really smart and your thoughts about Scripture may be indeed highly nuanced. But your commentary on the Bible is not more important than…
