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 22, 2012


 *WEEK 48 - NOV 25-DEC 1 - EZRA-NEHEMIAH - THE BIBLE AND COVENANT RENEWED*


 *NOV 25. 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” (ASV ‘01).
*Jeremiah's
prophecy; Daniel's prayer; Your response, Father! You worked them
altogether for good! *Hallowed be your :name.*


 *NOV 26. 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.*


 *NOV 27. 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. *


 *NOV 28. 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.*


 *NOV 29. 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.*


 *NOV 30. 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.*


 *DEC 1. 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*: Covenant and the Bible run arm in arm throughout history. Nehemiah
9:38 tells how covenant was used to seal the reading of the Word and public
commitment to walk in its truths. Marriage is a covenant. How important it
is for us to covenant ourselves to our spiritual bridegroom!


 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.


 From the time the edict of Cyrus went forth, forty nine years elapsed.
Within that time the Temple, the Walls and the City were rebuilt and
completed. Though Herod improved this Temple, it was essentially here,
within these walls and in this City that Jesus of Nazareth ministered,
died, rose again and gave the gift of Pentecost.


 Memory Verse: Ezra 10:3 - *“Therefore let us make a covenant with our God
to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of
my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it
be done according to the Law” (ESV).*


 *
*

*TO SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-subscribe at 2rbetter.org*


 *TO UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: mailing-unsubscribe at 2rbetter.org*


 *FOR ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/attachments/20120722/aeb40183/attachment.htm>