Wednesday: Humbled Before God
Read Deuteronomy 30:1-6. What promise was given here to the Hebrew people? What must this promise, among others like it, mean to men like Ezra and Nehemiah?
Ezra and Nehemiah knew the prophecies.
They knew that God was going to bring the people back from captivity. We saw in Nehemiah 9 that they understood their history and the reasons for their troubles. At the same time, too, they knew God’s graciousness and leading, despite their sins.
Thus, they trusted in the Lord, that He would make the return from captivity successful. Those promises, however, didn’t mean that they would not face many challenges along the way. In much of this quarter so far, we have looked at the trials and tribulations that they faced, even amid the promises of God.
Read Ezra 8:16-23. What was the challenge here, and how did they respond to it?
Despite the promises, Ezra knew just how dangerous the journey was. Thus, the fasting and the humbling before God were ways of acknowledging just how dependent they were upon the Lord for their success. At this time, with so many dangers ahead of them, the idea of asking the king for help and protection had at least occurred to Ezra. But in the end, he chose not to do that, in contrast to Nehemiah (Neh. 2:9), who did have an escort to protect him. Ezra obviously felt that if he had asked, it would have brought dishonor to the Lord, for he had already said to the king, “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” (Ezra 8:22, NKJV). In this case, it worked out well for them, for he later wrote (Ezra 8:31) that the Lord had protected them, and they made it to their destination safely.
| Of course, we are to trust in God for everything. At the same time, too, what are times when we do call upon even those not of our faith for help? In many cases, why is that not wrong, but perhaps even appropriate? |
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We sometimes forget that travel in the ancient world was no mean feat. The distance travelled by the exiles from their captivity back to Jerusalem was about 1000km; something than in modern times can be accomplished in a day in a car. Furthermore, most of us can do it without worrying too much about being attacked by the locals on the way, and if we run out of food, we can usually stop and buy some on the way.
In 500BC such a journey would have taken several weeks and you would have to run the gamut of local warlords, who would ask you to pay for the privilege of passing through their territory.
Clearly, the journey required preparation and Ezra gives an account of who was involved and the issues that they considered. Prayer and fasting is mentioned and no doubt some will see that as the lesson for us. But we should not ignore the fact that planning was required and the people needed to complete the task successfully were recruited.
Sometimes I hear calls for prayer and fasting to solve modern church issues and dilemmas and while I do not dismiss the need for that, there is often an urgent need to put that prayer into action will some planning and application of a bit of common sense. I think that Ezra set us a good example.
All the time, I have been Adventist, I can count with one hand the number of times we had fasting prayer.
We are known for our haystack fellowship lunch than for our fasting.
Before they started their journey toward homeland, they began with fasting prayer.
His specific prayer request was for women, children and possessions they had to carry to start their life in Jerusalem.
They were praying for the presence of God to go before them protect them on their journey.
Ezra here makes an interesting distinction from heathen king to the God of heaven.
I am ashamed (it is unthinkable) for me to ask the protection of the king when I am on the mission of the King of Kings.
God answered the prayer of Ezra because his reputation was on the line.
Ezra had stated "“The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him"
Nevertheless, he began the journey with fasting and prayer.
My wife can testify to the number of miraculous encounters in her life during fasting and prayer.
Why do we not come together as a corporate entity to fast and pray?
Tomorrow is Thanks Giving day in America, there will be celebration of eating and feasting.
There is a time for celebration and there is a time for fasting.
Let us as a people of God dedicate a time of fasting prayer to finish the work of God.
This lesson reiterate my love for SDAH 441
" I saw one weary sad. and torn, With eager steps press on the way, Who long the hallowed cross had borne, Still looking for the promised day; While many a line of grief and care, Upon his brow was furrowed there; I asked what buoyed his spirits up, O this! said he—the blessed hope"
So this is of security! Must we hire security companies to man and protect our places of worship on the Sabbath? Interesting?
In one church the parking area was surrounded by a fence and once full the gates were shut and locked and some of the young men patrolled the area because previously cars had been stolen, but they were not paid.
interesting...may God help us not to secure our possessions more than our hearts.
Knowledge of the conditions under which they would continue to enjoy the prospering hand of God, lent more than ordinary solemnity to the consecration service that was held by Ezra and his company of faithful souls just before their departure. “I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava,” Ezra has declared of this experience, “that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.” “So we fasted and besought our God for this: and He was entreated of us.
Everyday is a journey. We do not know the future, thus we need to have God's protection always. Our breathing depends on that! Of course, God is always in alert, so we are the part that needs to stay conscious about it.
The Holy Ghost is here to help us in all our trials and tribulations. He who worships me must worship me in spirit and in truth.
Life consists of joys and sorrows, happiness and sadness, sickness and health and tragic deaths etc. Despite all of the bad ones God is in control and he beholds. The outcome for Ezra was a positive one, but sometimes we do all what Ezra did but terrible things still happen.
Daily people/Christians are caught up in war, hunger, homelessness, dreadful diseases, new diagnoses of cancer, unfaithful spouses, etc. Sometimes not a fault of the persons but it’s a part of life. But 1 Peter 4:12-16 gave us some encouraging words. Hold on to this promise, live this promise.
We humans don’t know the heart and mind of God, we don’t know how he works. But sometimes we are placed in positions so we can ask for help from others who are not of our faith e.g where we go to school, renting from a non Christians, public transportation expecting to be protected while traveling in areas where others don’t like Christians etc.
God is the life-giver. From the beginning all His laws were ordained to life. But sin broke in upon the order that God had established, and discord followed. So long as sin exists, suffering and death are inevitable. It is only because the Redeemer has borne the curse of sin in our behalf that man can hope to escape, in his own person, its dire results. PP 522
My take away from this lesson is that no matter how the goal is achieved, prayer & fasting, planning & action, help from outside sources, in all things to humble myself and Praise the LORD who works in mysterious ways, it is always His doing.
Hello my Brethren! I am asking you to join me in prayer for my upcoming writing assessment & practical exams, Dec 11-13,2019. I've been praying and asking God to help me as my memory is very bad. Thanks always for insightful comments. God bless!
Holy Ghost, the creator of heaven and earth, the one who dwells in three, father, son and Holy Ghost. To thee all praise, honor, glory and thanksgiving belong. The maker of our brain, mind and body, the one who bring all things to our remembrance, the great One, to thee your humble servant come.
I am not asking anything for myself nor family, cleanse my lips and mind. I presents to you Nikki, you know her by name, her short coming and her memory. Dear Jesus all that I am asking of you is to help her to remember what she had studied, give her clarity of mind to read and understand the questions. All this I ask in Jesus name, Amen.
Thank you my brother!
God bless!
Thank you my Brethren!
God bless!