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Ezra 1

Good Morning “Knowing Things are NEVER Out of His Control.”  Today we start Ezra 1.

We wrapped up 2 Chronicles 36 with Judah in 70 year Babylonian captivity.  The chapter ended leaving us with evidence that God would use King Cyrus to bring His people back into Jerusalem.  That proclamation begins Ezra 1 and our reading today:

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:”

“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.” Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

Furthermore he continues in his proclamation with a statement of release:

“Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.” Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭

What’s the big deal?  The big deal is, the Medo-Persians and King Cyrus were Pagans, and their Brutality was nearly unmatched.  

Imagine modern day Isis, Hamas, or some other re-labeled Muslim terrorist group.  Imagine Iran, so powerful they conquer Israel and the US… then imagine, one day in the midst of that level of spiritual oppression the President of Iran announcing that ALL his power has come from the God of Israel.  Additionally he states, “We’re going to go build The God of Israel a temple in Jerusalem and any of you believers can come too.”  Crazy right?  Impossible?  Far fetched?  That’s exactly what Ezra is recording.  In fact even weirder, Persia here, is where modern day Iran now resides.  

Trust in Gods unfailing Word!  No matter how out of control things may seem - THEY NEVER ARE!  He can even turn the oppressor of His people into the very source of their deliverance.  He first puts them in position (Romans 13:1) then He directs them.  “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The real question is what do we NEED most in this moment?  Have we positioned ourselves for His blessing or His discipline?

Love you all!  Dig in!  Know His Word, so you can trust in it, and live by it.