Ezra-Nehemiah - Overview

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

*July 28, 2009
<http://www.2rbetter.org/>*



   *T4801R - EZRA-NEHEMIAH - OVERVIEW*

“*THE BIBLE AND COVENANT RENEWED”*


 *1. EZRA 2:1-2a (1-2) RESTORATION AND RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL. “Now these
are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those
that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away unto Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every
one unto his city; 2 who came with Zerubbabel.” *Jeremiah's prophecy;
Daniel's prayer; Your response, Father! You worked them altogether for good!
*Hallowed be your :name.*


 *2. 6:14 (3-6) TEMPLE REBUILT. “And the elders of the Jews built and
prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the
son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of
the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and
Artaxerxes king of Persia.” *We bless You Father, for the ministry of Your
prophets. We thank You for restoring them again to the church at the end of
this age. O may we hear Your voice through them as You would speak through
them! *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 9:9 (7-10) RETURN UNDER EZRA. “For we are bondmen; yet our God has not
forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended lovingkindness unto us in the
sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving to set up the house of
our God, and to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem.” *Fresh grace following revival can be so swiftly sinned away!
Forgive us in our day as You forgave Israel in the days of Daniel and Ezra!
*Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth. *


 *4. NEH 2:17 (1-2) RECONSTRUCTION OF WALL PLANNED. “Then said I unto them,
You see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the
gates of it are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of
Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” *Forgive us Father, that the
spirit of Nehemiah is not more often among us! We need to *meditate* upon
Your word concerning Your servant, until he rubs off on us; until You put
this same spirit and determination in us also! *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day.*


 *5. 6:15-16 (3-6) RECONSTRUCTION OF WALL COMPLETED. “So the wall was
finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two
days. 16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the
nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own
eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.” *Hallelujah!
Victory for the forces of Righteousness! Right triumphs over might through
our God! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 9:3 (7-10) RECONSTRUCTION OF PEOPLE THROUGH WORD. “And they stood up in
their place, and read in the book of the law (Torah or Teaching) of Jehovah
their God a fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed,
and worshiped Jehovah their God.” *Three principles walked in Father, enable
You always to deliver Your people from backsliding. We pledge to walk
likewise! *And bring us not into temptation.*


 *7. 12:30 (11-13) RECONSTRUCTION OF PEOPLE COMPLETED. “And the priests and
the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the
gates, and the wall.” *O the lessons and principles we learn from this,
Father! All things are Yours. All we are and all we do is *for Your pleasure
*! *But deliver us from the evil one.*



 *NOTE*: Alan Redpath from England came to lead the Moody Memorial Church of
Chicago in the '50's. He also introduced English Keswick to Mid-America in
1955. But perhaps most significantly, he wrote books on Ezra and Nehemiah,
and pointed out the principles of success used by these two leaders, and how
we today can profit wonderfully by them.!


 I served on the Africa Inland Mission Board of Mid-America under Redpath
for two years. I learned *much* from this man of courage, integrity and
humility. On one occasion he said “I find vital morning devotions the most
difficult discipline to maintain in my life.” This encouraged me! He also
said, “A person can be *orthodox* in doctrine - but *heretical* in spirit!”
This latter has resonated with me strongly through the years!


 The Rebuilding of the Temple under Ezra, and the Rebuilding of the Walls of
Jerusalem under Nehemiah, are most unusual feats of history in the Old
Testament. Consider the tremendous opposition of enemies they *both* faced
in these two projects. Count on it - any great project assigned by God, will
raise up fierce opposition from Satan and his minions! Consider the
restoration of Israel to her land in 1948 after 2000 years, and what she has
faced *every* year since!


 It pays to reread these two books again and again - to *meditate* upon
them, and to draw on God's grace to walk in the principles they set forth by
example before us. - J.A.W.


 *TO SUBSCRIBE -- Please Email:
mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org<mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org?subject=Just%20hit%20send%20be%20automatically%20subscribed>
*


 *TO UNSUBSCRIBE -- Please Email:
mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org<mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org?subject=Just%20hit%20send%20be%20automatically%20unsubscribed>
*


 *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES -- Web: http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/attachments/20090728/05875e2b/attachment.htm>