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Thoughts of a saint and slave
by Sam Isaacson
This week we start a study of the book of Ezra together! I do not know all that much about this Old Testament book, but I do know that 'all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness' (2 Timothy 3:16) so I know that these next weeks will be an exciting time of being stirred by the Word of God - I'm really looking forward to it, so I welcome you to join me so we can work through this together. Please do read Ezra 1, which is where our study is from this week; I will paraphrase it here:
God basically prompted king Cyrus of Persia to make a proclamation, that he would build a temple in Jerusalem, and that the people of God should therefore give money, goods and animals for this task. And so, everyone in Judah rose to the task and brought a whole bunch of money, goods and animals, which were added to the riches Nebuchadnezzar had stolen. This is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23.
Start early!
The first thing to note here is Cyrus' attitude. It was 'in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia' (Ezra 1:1) which he made this announcement - he wasted no time in carrying out the task he knew God had planned for him. Now Cyrus was not a believer; he had received Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom from Darius in Daniel 6, and had Israel as a slave population, but still he acted quickly and effectively at following God's instructions.
Put it in black and white
Cyrus 'made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing' (Ezra 1:1) so that everyone would know and hold him accountable. By taking responsibility in front of the whole of Israel and Babylon he was guaranteeing that his work would be completed - what a good idea! Although not always a suitable suggestion it is often a good idea to consider informing those around us of our plans, and what it is we believe God is calling us to do. My lead pastor taught me a great phrase: 'what gets measured gets done' and it's so true!
God is sovereign
The most obvious truth to pull from this passage is God's control over every situation - 'the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia' (Ezra 1:1), and later on the ones who lead are 'everyone whose spirit God had stirred' (Ezra 1:5). Anyone looking at the Israelites' situation could have been forgiven for thinking that their position was futile; they had been slaves for a great deal of time, and had not had a king of their own. However, God is in control! Even when all circumstances seem stacked against us, and against God, He still has the power to reach into our lives and bring about victory. In this case, Cyrus entirely overlooks the Israelites' captivity, and even his own false gods to make this proclamation; God truly is the only Sovereign Lord!
God is faithful
Perhaps the most stirring line in this entire chapter is the simple 'that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled' (Ezra 1:1) given as the reason that this proclamation happened. Why? God had spoken a word through Jeremiah, He had made a promise, and God will not allow His promises to go unfulfilled! This particular promise came with a specific date in Jeremiah 29:10, but many do not! We must, therefore, learn to be patient in waiting to see God's promises fulfilled - He is faithful and will do it; the challenge comes when His timing is different to ours! We must recognise that His timings are perfect, and He's even working when it seems like everything around us is going wrong (Romans 8:28).
The church serves
Something which is very stirring in this passage is the willingness of the church to respond to a call. Cyrus makes a proclamation that all of God's people must 'be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts' (Ezra 1:4), yet they add to it with their own freewill offerings. This links straight to Jesus' teaching of going the 'extra mile' (Matthew 5:41). When we, the church, are called upon to serve, or to give, how do we respond? Do we think 'ok, I will - it is our duty after all'? Do we judge others for not doing as much as we do? Or do we say 'yes!' and search earnestly for a way in which we can serve more? When we are asked to do a Bible reading in church do we turn up on the day, or do we read it over and over before the meeting? When we are in the worship band do we practice hard and even bring songs we've written ourselves in order to build the worship of the King of Kings, or do we just play the chords in the right order? This is, as it is with Cyrus, especially important when we are reacting to unbelievers.
Leaders first
The description of the church responding in this chapter contains a phrase which stood out to me: 'Then rose up...' (Ezra 1:5) - the first ones to rise up were the heads of the houses, the priests and the levites, i.e. those in leadership. When it comes to time to act there are too many leaders who shirk their responsiblities, and I know I have been guilty of this! To truly lead well one must take responsibility quickly and at every opportunity - how? The answer comes in Ezra 1:6, and is explained in Zechariah 4:6; 'not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God.' Despite the fact that the Israelites would probably have begun to feel quite settled in their slavery (in their comfort zones), and despite the fact that there were so many potential dangers along the way they stood strong for the Lord!
THE CHALLENGE!
Are YOU in a situation in your life right now, where you recognise that there is a need? Could, should the church be serving there? If so, why not lead into that area - not by your power but by His Spirit? God is faithful to fulfil all promises He has spoken into your life, and He is sovereign, always in control and rules over all! So let's act quick while we still have the chance, tell those around us and set clear goals, and make a difference for the Kingdom! I quote Bill Wilson, who said, 'It doesn’t matter so much what you accomplish in life, but what you set in motion.'
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