Four Good Lessons From The Life Of Ezra

Four Good Lessons from the Life of Ezra

Introduction:

Ezra was the second of three key leaders to leave Babylon for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Zerubbabel reconstructed the temple (Ezra 3:8), Nehemiah rebuilt the walls (Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2), and Ezra restored the worship.

Ezra was a scribe and priest sent with religious and political powers by the Persian King Artaxerxes to lead a group of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:8, 12).

Ezra renewed the celebration of festivals and supported the rededication of the temple and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall.

Cyrus, king of Persia, issuing a decree that permitted the Jews of his kingdom to return to Jerusalem after seventy years of captivity (the prophet Jeremiah had predicted that God's people would be in captivity for seventy years). God is universally sovereign and can use a polytheistic king of Persia to make possible His people’s release. He used Artaxerxes, another Persian king, to authorize and finance the trip and Ezra to teach God’s people His Law. This same king also helped Nehemiah restore some measure of respectability to God’s holy city.

Ezra’s effective ministry included teaching the Word of God, initiating reforms, restoring worship, and leading spiritual revival in Jerusalem. These reforms magnified the need for a genuine concern for reputation and for public image.

Nehemiah and Ezra were then, and are now, an encouragement to God’s people to magnify worship as their top priority, to emphasize the need for and use of God’s Word as the only authoritative rule for living, and to be concerned about the image God’s people show to the world.

Discussion:

1. God Keeps His promise

Ano ang pangako ng Diyos sa Kanila? Ibabalik silang muli sa Jerusalem, after 70yrs of captivity

Ezra 1:1-4

Pinili ng Diyos ang Hari o emperador ng Persia (Haring Ciro), upang ito ay matupad.

Si Haring Ciro ay hindi Hudyo, ngunit sya ang ginamit ng Diyos, upang matupad ang Plano ng Diyos.

Tandaan na May mga taong ginagamit ang Diyos sa buhay natin, bagamat minsan hindi sila Kristyano, Kapatiran o kapanampalataya, upang matupad ang mga kalooban ng Diyos sa buhay mo.

Maaring iyan ay kamag-anak, mahal sa Buhay, Mayor, Presidente, o kahit na sinong prominenteng tao, matupad lang ang kalooban ng Diyos sa buhay mo…

Sa tagpong ito, si Haring Ciro, Haring Dario, at Haring Artexerses (6:14) ay ginamit ng Diyos upang matupad at mapagtagumpayan ang mahihirap na pagsubok para sa Israel.

2. The Enemy Tries to Hinder God’s Work in your Life. Ezra 4:8

The enemy will try to remind you of your past sins and failure just to stop you.

The enemy will try to discourage you.

Tandaan na walang makapipigil sa kalooban ng Diyos sa Buhay mo, kapag ito ay Kanyang ipinangako itoy Kanyang gagawin.

Si Gobernador Rehum at Kalihim Simsai (ch4.8), at Gov. Tatenai (6:6) ay nagtangkang pigilan ang pagtatayo ng Temple subalit hindi sila nagtagumpay laban sa Israel.

Nahinto pansamantala, ang pagpapagawa ng Templo , habang hinihintay nila ang tugon ni Haring Dario ngunit hindi ito sumang-ayon sa Kanyang mga Gobernador sa Jerusalem…

Tandaan: When the enemy wins a temporary victory, remember that this is only a delay - not defeat.

3. God’s people will always find Favor from GOD. (Ezra 6:6-8; 22b)

Si Gov Tatenai at Setar-Bozenai ay inatasan pa ng hari na tulungan ang Pagtatayo ng Templo at ibigay ang mga pangangailangan dito, maging pananalapi, mula sa Kabang-yaman ng kaharian…

Inisip nila Tatenai nung una na sila ay kakampihan ng Hari, pero hindi, ang Israel ang kinampihan nito.

When God allows something in you, He will always be your HELP to accomplish it. Nothing, no one can hinder.

God is your first SUPPLY and PROVIDER.

4. A Prayer for Forgiveness (Real repentance). Ezra 9:5-8

Intercession for the brethren.

Ano ang malaki nilang kasalanan, after na ibalik sila ni Lord mula sa pagkabihag, eto na naman nakikipag-asawa na naman sila sa mga Babaing pagano, na ayaw ng Diyos para sa kanila.. kasi nga naliligaw sila ng Sinasamba at nagdudulot ng kanilang pagkakasala…

Nanalangin si Ezra ng isang tapat na pagsisisi, hindi para sa Kanya, isang panalanging parang siya mismo ang nagkasala sa Diyos. Panalangin para sa Buong bayan ng Israel. Pananalangin para sa iba, paghingi ng tawad para sa ating mga nasasakupan.

Maaaring para sa Pamilya, mahal sa buhay, sa Cellgroup, sa Church…

Para sa Bayan o bansa

We become intercessor for other people, just like Ezra.

He provided prophet Haggai and Zacarias as his backup intercessor… 6:14

Connection:

God is as intimately involved in our lives as He was in Ezra’s life, and like Ezra we are sometimes enabled to do the impossible.

Ezra taught us how important is the Word of God, Worship and Obedience to God.

Let us all help restore Worship in our life, in our house, and in the house of God.