Ezra had a commission from the king and all the people had gathered ready to begin the journey a thousand miles to Jerusalem. This was a trade route but Ezra was nervous about ambush along the way. He didn’t want…
Category: Devotions
Any Who Are Willing
Psalm 106 reflects on the mistakes of Gods chosen people who God had asked to “observe justice” and do “righteousness at all times”. The Psalm turns to a plea in vs. 5 “that I may see the good done”, but…
What Is Your Petition
A decree has gone out from the king to all of the Persian empire, in Esther 3:13 “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, on one day, the thirteenth day…
Go To The King
Mordecai and Esther are not in the kings inner circle. Haman has the ear of the king and convinces the king that these Jews “do not observe the laws of the king” and a decree is issued to “to destroy,…
At the Gate of the King
As we move forward past the time of the exile and after the rebuilding and dedication of the temple, we find those that stayed behind in Babylon, now the Persian empire. Cyrus had offered for all to return in Ezra…
I Will Bring Them Back
These last prophecies from Zechariah describe the end times. It is a hard message to read, but how much harder for sin to continue unchecked. The Lord will bring his people back (Zechariah 10:6-12) but it is in preparation for…
Your King Comes
Praise rings out at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. There is joy in the people as they experience the fulfillment of God’s promise to them. They observed the Passover and celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven…
Build This House of God
The opposition of the returning exiles has challenged them and they provide a short history and progress update to the present King Darius. Darius investigates and finds the decree from Cyrus. Darius understands what is happening and confirms the decree…
I Have Returned to Zion
The people had been scattered, the land at rest for seventy years. Now, God says, “I have returned” and as they were blown away by the wind, they will return. This happened in Zechariah’s day and this is also a…
Grace Grace To It
Zechariah sees into heaven and is at the throne of God. Joshua is dressed in filthy rags and Satan stands as his accuser, the angels are at work though, and dress him and prepare him to stand in his position…
I Will Fill This House With Glory
The work on the temple had stopped. The people were going about their lives. The opposition was still there. Then the word of the Lord comes to stir them to work. God confirms that he is with them. He explains…
Consider Your Ways
The exiles that had returned were faced with local officials that were in control of the region, they were all still under Persian rule. These, the enemies of the exiles were contending for power over this “Province beyond the river”…
We Were Like Dreamers
The exiles are home and the people settled in their home cities, well at least in the right place. Jerusalem’s walls are down, the temple destroyed, and the Assyrians had relocated people to their land. But they were home. They…
Go Up To Jerusalem
Cyrus acknowledges Yahweh, the God of the heavens, the one who is the God of Israel, the one who is in Jerusalem. Cyrus issues a proclamation for all to return “whose spirit God has stirred” then returns all of the…