Bible Truth And Prophecy

Todays readings.. Nehemiah 1&2, Hosea 12, Colossians 3&4

            Today we started to read the book of Nehemiah who was in exile in Susa, the capital of the empire of the Medes and  Persians. He is obviously a very special personality for he had become cupbearer to King Artaxerxes – a very responsible and trusted position to ensure the king was not poisoned.

             Nehemiah records that “… my brothers came … from Judah.  And I asked them … concerning Jerusalem.  And they said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province that survived the exile is in great trouble and shame.  The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed …” [Ch. 1 v.2,3]  The Temple had been rebuilt, as we have just read in Ezra, but nothing else.

            In reacting to this news, “I sat down and mourned and wept for days …” [v.4].  He is then “praying before the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.” [v.4,5]    We prove we mean what we say, especially in loving God, by what we then do.

            The climax of his prayer is in v.11, “O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayers of your servants who delight to fear your name.”  Do we “delight” in fearing God?  By “name,” we primarily mean – his ‘reputation’ toward those who love and therefore serve him truly.  We need to get our minds around this.

            Chapter 2 tells us that “in the month of Nisan” (4 months later) in serving the king as his cupbearer, but having continuing great sadness about the plight of Jerusalem that “the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick?  This is nothing but sadness of the heart.’  I was then very much afraid” [v.2]

            What should we do when we are “very much afraid”?   If we are truly godly, as Nehemiah was, we should instantly pray.  Nehemiah tells the king the cause of his sadness, saying, “Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father’s graves, lies in ruins …” [v.3]

            Then the king said to me, ‘what are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven …” [v.4]  What instant and urgent prayer was involved here!   Imagine it!  Nehemiah then asks, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favour in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my father’s graves that I may rebuild it” [v.5]  The request is granted – because he responded in a godly way although in great fear –– there arose a challenging and wondrous opportunity.  The account that unfolds in this book from hereon is an inspiration to all who are fully committed to serve God at every opportunity.  Do you have that sense of commitment?

            How much will such be needed as life in this world becomes ever more uncertain – so let us all set our minds on developing that commitment more and more – and the foundation for this is to ‘feed’ on God’s word every day. 

Todays readings.. Ezra 10, Hosea 11, Colossians 2

    Today we completed reading the book of Ezra.  Only the last 4 chapters were written by or for him, the first 6 are to be seen as a continuation of 2 Chronicles.   Before Ezra came, the people – led by Zerubbabel, and encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (ch.5 v.1,2)  had rebuilt the Temple. When Ezra arrived it became plain many had not, however, regained the spiritual vision of a true relationship with their God.  

    We can see some comparisons with today’s Christianity – and also with the nation of Israel.  Churches continue to exist and be built and a few  flourish – but mainly in an emotional way.  The nation of Israel has now sustained its existence for more than 70 years, but these achievements are physical, they are not an end in themselves.  

     The nation to which Ezra came had compromised their separation from unbelievers.  They lived among people who had some knowledge of God, especially those who came to be known as Samaritans (Ch. 4 v.2) but also among idol worshipers. When Ezra realized many had taken wives from among them, including some of the priests; Ezra proved himself to be the strong minded God fearing man needed to inspire them to correct this situation.

    We read Ezra’s confession of great concern in yesterday’s chapter 9.  “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up …” [v.6].  Today’s chapter starts, “ … Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.”

     Shecaniah, one of the leaders, addressed Ezra, “we have broken faith with our God … but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. Therefore let us make a covenant with our God and put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God.”[v.2,3]  How many “tremble” today?  Do we need to?

    His final words to Ezra are an inspiration to all who have fallen away – or who are in the process of doing so – to turn back and serve God and his Son in the way that was established in the First Century as we read today in Colossians: many verses illustrate this point. Paul encourages them that “being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding …” [2 v.2]  Truly, God is a “mystery” to those who do not search the Scriptures he inspired to be written. let us not be guilty of that.  Paul feared that some “may delude you with plausible arguments” [v.4]. and so it has happened more and more through the centuries.  Let us gain and maintain a “full assurance” – and what “riches” will be seen and experienced when Christ returns!  And how soon now!

Todays readings.. Ezra 9, Hosea 10, Colossians 1

What a powerful and positive letter Paul wrote to the Colossians – let us take it as a letter to us in these last days.  May we “ be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”  [1 v.9.10]

Reading God’s word every day is the essential foundation for us to do this.  Paul told them that God “has delivered us from the domain of darkness …” [v.13]  Let us recognise more and more how we live in “the domain of darkness” and it is only by reading – and then absorbing into our hearts and minds – the inspiring words God’s message to us contains that we can be delivered from  “the domain of darkness …”that surrounds us on nearly every hand. Let us not neglect to do this every day – and do it with all our hearts.

Let us remember what we read 3 days ago in acts, the words that Paul said Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus: that he was sending Paul to the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light “ [Acts 26 v.18]

As we read God’s word more and more, the eyes of our hearts (see ) are seeing more clearly, we are “increasing in the knowledge of God.”  How tragic is the kind of “knowledge” that surrounds us!   It is full of unbelievers – those who imagine that all the marvels and beauty that surround us – all developed by pure chance!   They ‘worship’ a god of their own imagination and this reminds us of Paul’s words in his 2^nd letter to the Corinthians. “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. “[4 v.4]  Let us make sure our minds are not “blinded.”

Todays readings.. Ezra 8, Hosea 9, Acts 28

     We are naturally inclined toward the positive and encouraging matters we read in God’s word – and so it has been encouraging today to read of the faith and commitment of Ezra in leading many of God’s people back from captivity to Jerusalem.  We also read of Paul’s arrival in Rome and how “he lived there two whole years … and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

     This is how Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles ends and we have no certain information from other sources as to what happened after that. We see, however, the essential thrust of his teaching – “proclaiming the kingdom of God” and lament that such a message is just about totally absent among ‘Christians’ today.

       This brings us to see how the chapter (9) we read in Hosea today records many things that are equally appropriate to today’s situation.  The chapter starts, “Rejoice not, O Israel!  Exult not like the peoples.”  We are approaching the silly season of Christmas, how spiritually meaningless it is!  God’s son was certainly not born on Christmas Day!  That is not a day to particularly remember, the early church didn’t!. The one thing we should remember about Christ is his death and resurrection – a weekly inspiration for genuine believers.

      The prophet challenges the people, “What will you do on the day of the appointed festival?” [v.5]  Then he tells them, “the days of punishment have come.” [v.7]  Hosea as the true “prophet – is the watchman of Ephraim (the northern kingdom)  with my God” [v.8]

     What is a “watchman” ?  One who sees the situation from God’s perspective – and warns when there is a need, as God guides him.  Hosea is aware “they have deeply corrupted themselves” and God “will remember their iniquity, he will punish their sins” [v.9]   God then says, through Hosea, “Woe to them when I depart from them.” [v.12]  They will wake up too late, just like our world will – maybe very soon!

     In his final verse Hosea writes, “My God will reject them because they have not listened to him”.  Today, what would a true prophet say?  Would anyone listen?  Can you imagine what he would say?  More important – is to imagine what you would say?  Will you even try to say anything?