JOURNEY AS GOD'S PEOPLE (EZRA 8:1 - 36)

 

JOURNEY AS GOD’S PEOPLE

Picture taken from Google

 

BIBLE PASSAGE: Ezra chapters 7 - 8:15-21

INTRODUCTION:

When we were a child, we had no responsibilities to think about. We just focused on ourselves and we were dependent to our parents. But now, as adults we have so many things to think about especially to our future. We think about plans and decisions we need to do. Whether we like it or not we need to stand for ourselves. We need to be independent. In our journey in life, we just don’t do anything we think in instant, we need to sit down and think about the plans.

 

Just like in our own personal life, spiritual journey is hard when we don’t have plans ahead. In my own experience, I’ve been in the church for so long since 1991 so I saw how leaders and pastors manage the church or the ministry in different ways. Truly Proverbs 29:18 which says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he,” is a great verse to consider for leaders.

 

This chapters give us a more particular narrative of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem. Ezra's mission was to further the spiritual and religious restoration of the Jewish community in Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple. Ezra is introduced as a skilled scribe and a priest, "a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given." Let’s see what preparations Ezra considered in their journey.

 

LESSON POINTS:

1.    THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREFUL PLANNING (Ezra 8:1-21)

We know the importance of careful planning but most of the times we don’t do it. Some of us we have the attitude of doing the planning when it’s already near and so we are in a rush situation. In Ezra’s case, they were preparing for a 900-mile journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. Approximately, it was a four-month journey. They gathered all the people (who was all making the journey) and approximately, 5000 people who would include in the journey. When they were in a three-day journey, Ezra discovered that no sons of LEVI included in the journey. Levites were needed to assist the priests in the temple. We don’t know exactly what are the possible reasons why there were no Levites in the journey but King Artaxerxes made a decree in the previous chapter, 7:13, that anyone of the Israelites who were willing to go with the journey were allowed to go. It means that the Levites didn’t volunteer themselves in that important journey. Maybe they prefer to remain in Babylon rather than fulfill the role in the temple. Possible, they were already comfortable in Babylon and they think of the hardness of long trip.

 

It's never okay to abandon God’s purposes in our lives in this journey. What did Ezra do? He sent a group of men, men of understanding unto IDDO, the chief of the place (Ezra 8:16-17) to send them workers of what they needed; God provided In verse 18, Ezra recognized God’s hands in their journey.

 

And by the good hand of our God upon 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;

 

Ezra understands that God is sovereign over everything even in individual decision of Levites. He understands their dependence on the Lord that every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord.

 

In our journey, we have plans on where we’re going and how to get there but we need to include God in our journey. WE can plan, we can prepare, we can lay out the best vision BUT WITHOUT THE LORD IT IS NOTHING.

 

2.   THE NECESSITY OF FASTING AND PRAYER (Ezra 8:21-23)

Everything was ready: materials, people and others and in verse 21, Ezra proclaimed a fast. In fact, Ezra didn’t ask the king for soldiers and horsemen in order for them to defend from enemies. He thought that God would defend them. So, he asked the people to fast. They did this to humble ourselves before God and ask Him for a safe journey for them and their children, with all their possessions. He turned to the ONE Who is far more capable; he turned to the Lord. Only the hand of the Lord can make our goals happen. In verse 23, God answered their prayers.

 

In our church, our pastor planned to build a three-story building. The church and the prayer team are busy including this plan in prayers. There are plans, and preparations are doing but only God can make this plan happens.

 

Personally, whatever our plans, ask God and trust Him. Include him in everything we do.

 

3.   THE WISDOM OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNT (Ezra 8:24-34)

In chapter 7, King Artaxerxes loaded with them up with all their needs in travelling and their purpose in Jerusalem – in rebuilding the city and most especially the temple. When they arrived, they weighed all their valuables and listed all and gave to the right people in the temple.

 

CONCLUSION:

In verse 35, they don’t forget the Lord. They burnt offerings unto the Him. They grew up in Babylon but the very first time, they are in the temple and having the opportunity to worship. We can see in their journey that there so many things we need to do to make our journey successful but the most important thing to do is don’t forget God. Consider Him in our journey. He will give wisdom on how our journey becomes smooth.

 

Whatever part of our journey of life we are in at this moment, always be sensitive to God’s call and don’t ever neglect the reminders of God on His Word. KEEP ON!