Friday: Further Thought ~ Leaders in Israel
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Privilege of Prayer”, pages 93–104, in Steps to Christ.
“The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of this earth’s history. The remnant of Israel were a feeble people, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; but through them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge of Himself and of His law.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
They were the guardians of the true worship, the keepers of the holy oracles. Varied were the experiences that came to them as they rebuilt the temple and the wall of Jerusalem; strong was the opposition that they had to meet. Heavy were the burdens borne by the leaders in this work; but these men moved forward in unwavering confidence, in humility of spirit, and in firm reliance upon God, believing that He would cause His truth to triumph. Like King Hezekiah, Nehemiah ‘clave to the Lord, and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments. … And the Lord was with him’. 2 Kings 18:6, 7” – Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 677.
Discussion Questions:
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... and they lived happily ever after! Well that may be the ending in a fictional entertainment story, but in the real world of Ezra and Nehemiah we know that the ending was quite different. In spite of the restoration, they would always be ruled by another power, the Greeks, the Seleucids, the Romans, the Muslims and so on. Yet is spite of all that, the thread of faith remained, appearing and reappearing in the face of opposition from the captains and Kings of history.
We have come to the end of 3 months of study. What was the point of it all? Did we become cemented in maintaining the status quo? Did we learn something new Were we challenged? Or was it more of the "Same Old Stuff"
Here is my take away big idea: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are about renewal; not in the grand sense, but in the sense of an on-going continual process. We don't arrive but we continue to live, winning and overcoming one step at a time.
A quote to take with you:
Leaders usually plans ahead what they are going to do, then execute the plan and celebrate the success. Nehemiah planned for four months before building the wall, once started the wall was finished in fifty two days and the people walked on top of the wall.
Influence of Solomon lead the nation into apostasy from which the nation never recovered completely.
Evil in the sight of the Lord has eternal consequences.
It takes courage as parent to empower your children to be independent.
Passion alone will not complete the work of the Lord. Without purpose we will be tossed back and forth in every wind of the doctrine.
"We often confuse humility with timidity. Humility is not clothing ourselves in an attitude of self-abasement or self-denigration. Humility is all about maintaining our pride about who we are, about our achievements, about our worth – but without arrogance – it is the antithesis of hubris, that excessive, arrogant pride which often leads to the derailment of some corporate heroes, as it does with the downfall of the tragic hero in Greek drama.
Another mark of a leader who practices humility is his or her treatment of others. Such leaders treat everyone with respect regardless of position."
Humility -
Hi Wayno32, Thank you for your feedback on the article and your thoughts on humility. We have come through a period where the people most lauded for their ability to lead companies were those who were charismatic.
Following is from the introduction from our quarterly
"Fighting Satan is humanly impossible because evil is stronger than we are. Only God can secure victory, revolutionize thinking, and give us power to live balanced lives.
Life’s discouragements are opportunities for change. Disappointments may help us focus on essentials and accelerate our spiritual growth, as we obtain victory in each crisis through God’s empowerment.
Sin is a serious matter, spreading easily and quickly. The biggest challenge does not come from outside—but from infidelity to God with His own people not following His revealed will.
The remnant of Israel were a feeble people, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; but through them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge of Himself and of His law. They were the guardians of the true worship, the keepers of the holy oracles.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 677."
Some might say why bother studying the story of the tribe of Judah's return from exile?
Well it is recorded for a reason. 2Tim 3:16-17
I have discovered that it is easier to learn a lesson from others' stories because we get the whole picture and we are not inclined to justify their bad choices like we do for ourselves.
I believe that understanding the journey of the LORD's people helps us understand their reaction to Jesus and the reason for Paul's letters.
Those that returned from exile were a small part of the children of Israel - the remant- whom the LORD protected to preserve a knowledge of Himself and His Everlasting Covenant and His Principles of Life in the World.
I believe that these are the last days and the LORD has a people - the remnant - to share His Everlasting Gospel which is the truth of His Everlasting Covenant, Rev 14:6-12 before the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth Rev 3:10.