Tag: Ezra

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Tears of repentance and shouts of joy

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash

Once the walls of Jerusalem were repaired, Ezra publicly reads the scriptures (the Book of the Law of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) to a crowd gathered at the Water Gate. It was an emotional moment. “All the people wept as they heard the words of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:9).

I’m curious. When’s the last time you wept when you heard God’s word. How often do tears run down your cheeks during your morning devotion? Look around on Sunday morning. How many are weeping in church while scripture is read?

Why was this such an emotional moment in Jerusalem?

It’s been a long time since the last reading of scripture. These people have been in exile in Babylon for seventy years. Some in the crowd may have never heard God’s word before. The last time it was read may have been during Josiah’s reign in Judah, before the destruction of Jerusalem, nearly one hundred years ago. When King Josiah heard the words of a scroll they found when cleaning up the temple, he torn his clothes in grief and repentance, too (2 Chronicles 34).

When the word became flesh in the person of Jesus, some were brought to tears. A woman forgiven much would wet Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:38). Peter would weep bitterly after denying his Lord. Paul would write about admonishing the people in Ephesus with tears in his eyes (Acts 20:31). He wept as he wrote to the the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 2:4). An encounter with the Lord who comes with great love can make us very aware of our great sin, which should touch our hearts in some way.

Apparently there was a little too much weeping as Ezra read. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the scribe had to tell everyone to cut it out. “Quit sobbing!” It’s a holy day, a “holiday,” and that calls for eating, drinking, and rejoicing. There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Plus, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Let’s circle back. When’s the last time you saw smiles and heard laughter when God’s word was read? Look around on Sunday morning. Is anyone filled with joy when the Lord speaks? Is anyone grinning or chuckling?

Why not? Okay, here’s a challenge. Let’s make an effort to respond to God’ word with tears of repentance or shouts of joy. I’m not talking about the sermon. Any preacher can stir emotions with stories and examples. If the reader stops and says, “Hey, can you tone it down a little,” you’re doing it right!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Trusting God or testing God?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Ezra 8.

It sounds like Ezra painted himself into a corner with God.

King Artaxerxes sent Ezra back to Jerusalem to teach and reestablish worship in Jerusalem with plenty of resources to get the job done. But when it’s time to go, Ezra faith is put to the test.

Then 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. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” (Ezra 8:21,22)

Ezra told the king that he had God on his side. True enough. But Ezra also has a whole bunch of gold, silver, and bronze to take back to Judah. Without some soldiers to accompany him and his fellow travelers, they would be sitting ducks for robbery along the way. But he can’t ask for that. Ezra went all in on God’s protection. There was no going back.

So was Ezra faithful or foolish? Well, they made it, and Ezra gives God all the credit. “The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way” (Ezra 8:31).

It’s really easy to second guess Ezra. Remember when the devil tempted Jesus to leap off the top of the temple, with the assurance that angels would catch him before he hit the ground? Jesus declined, reminding the devil, “You don’t test God.” Of course, you don’t take advice from the devil. He’s a liar. But how do you know if you’re trusting God or testing God?

First of all, Ezra was a priest steeped in the word of God. He knew the promises of God, and knew that the exiles’ return to Jerusalem had been promised by God. This was God’s plan, not his own. If God says it, it’s the right thing to do.

Second, is it about you or about God? If it glorifies him, it’s trust. If it’s for approval from others, you might be going out on a treacherous limb.

Finally, you don’t know. Our hearts are deceitful. We lie to ourselves. We say it’s all about God, when it’s really all about us. Lord, have mercy.

Okay, here’s my conclusion. You’re probably testing God not trusting him. Admit it. Repent. He knows. He forgives. Learn something. Don’t go out on that limb again. Next question?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Severe consequences

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Gene Gallin on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Ezra 6.

In anger, a parent might threaten their child, “If you do that again, you’ll be grounded for life!” Everyone knows that’s not going to happen. Young people might lament, “My parents are going to kill me!” But that never happened to any of my friends, even the ones who were always getting into trouble.

The bible includes examples of extreme justice. Like the decrees in Daniel to throw offenders into a fiery furnace or a den of lions. Those monarchs were serious. They really did it.

In the book of Ezra, when the Jews who have returned from exile are trying to rebuild the temple, the locals do their best to shut down the project. The matter ends up in front of King Darius, who searches the royal archives for a solution to the conflict. He discovers that Cyrus had decreed the house of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. All costs would be paid from the royal treasury.

Darius reissues the decree, prescribing severe consequences for any who fail to abide by it. “If anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill” (Ezra 6:11). End of discussion.

There is no biblical record of anyone punished in this way. Maybe that’s because they knew from history that those kings were serious. These royal decrees insured everyone followed orders.

But would you turn in a neighbor who was interfering with the rebuilding of the temple if meant you’d end up with a dunghill in the lot next to yours. I know I wouldn’t.

Anyway, the project was completed on time. The Jews finished the reconstruction of the temple and worship was restored in post-exilic Jerusalem.