June 14, 2023
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Reading along with us in Ezra? Here’s today’s reading:
Ezra 8 (NIV)
List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra
1 These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
2 of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
As the people put their trust in God for safe travels we see Ezra’s concern when he struggles at the need for military presence. His doubt is quickly countered once again by faith when he and the other priests go to God in prayer and dependence on Him for their safety.
Many times it is scary to follow God to go down a path you are unsure of and doubt will creep in but in those times is when we seek God’s direction to stay the course!
Ezra gathered the people together and after 3 days realized that after viewing the people and priests that there were none of the sons of Levi. So he sent for them to join him. Ezra knew the hand of God was upon him and told others this. But there was still much danger so should they ask for soldiers to help them or fully trust God to protect them. They weren`t sure so they spent time in prayer and fasting and God answered them. They went without the soldiers. God bless all.
How important planning and organization are as well as the power, provision and guidance of God being upon us. Ezra makes note of the people with him (priests and leaders) and therefore is aware of the people that are not with him. He then addresses the gaps according to how God orchestrated things for the worship in the temple. The Levites had a special call on them to assist the priests in their functions in mediating the Jews relationship with God, mainly in helping them process the sacrifices the people would bring. When Ezra considered the sheer wealth and the people that were with him, it was wise for him to think about safety and protection. It would not be wrong to seek a practical, physical provision for it, and yet how fitting and faith reenforcing it was to trust God for it. Especially when in the context of fasting and prayer God reveals that is the direction He wants them to go in.
It was also wise for Ezra to take an accounting of the abundance of riches that were coming with them and entrusting that to certain trusted individuals and yet making them accountable to make sure the items made their way to Jerusalem. And how great when all the things come together and the former exiles are back in Jerusalem and worshipping God the way that He had prescribed long ago and all those around them are operating under the instructions that the king had given. It is nice when the right plans of man and the orchestrations of God come together to create a circumstance where people are edified and God is glorified!
Ezra 8
Ezra 8
It’s interesting that Ezra is ashamed to ask for soldiers, since he declared to the king his trust in the Lord: “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”
I was pondering what it means for us to trust in the Lord….I mean, REALLY, trust in the Lord. Do we trust in Him for our daily bread, our personal health and safety, peace, etc? Hm, this is such a learning curve.
Ezra 8
Ezra 10