GOD ORDERS THINGS IN OUR FAVOR

GIVE HIM PRAISE !!

Ezra 6:13-22

 

V:13. "Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily."

 A. Before you start a project, check with God first.

     1. In the Word of God, are instructions to follow in all our daily activities.

     2. Anytime we start a project for the Lord, there will be someone who will try to

         stop the progress.

     3. If we proceed according to the will of God all opposition will be moved aside.

 B. God initiated the order to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem through His Word given

      to Cyrus (536BC)  the King of Babylon.

    1.  God reconfirmed His order with a Word given to Darius the King of Babylon

         (520 BC).  

    2. A governor and others who worked for the King opposed the work of God.

    3. Working for God brings opposition from the world.

        a. We should not panic or get upset because of the opposition.

        b. God is in charge.

        c. God is more than the whole world against you.

   C. God uses the world to bless his people.

       1. God can change the hearts those up and down the chain of command to

           accomplish His will.

       2. Problems along the way are there to test and strengthen our faith.

       3. When God gets into the opposition, it will move His way in hurry.

 

V:14. "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia."

 A. We should always go through the proper channels to get God's work done.

      1.We should start at the top. God is the top.

      2. We start with prayer.

      3. God will lead us to the right authorities to get His work done.

      4. The governor and His buddies didn't have the authority to stop the building

          program.

      5. Don't waste your time dealing with folk who can't help you.

 B. When God gives the approval, don't waste time,  get the job done.

     1. God started at the top of His government with King Cyrus and enlisted

         also the King of Persia  to get the Job done.

     2. Prayer should be continuous through out the project.

     3. God's leaders should lead the prayers.

     4. God's leaders should oversee the building of God's temple.

 C. Success is in Worship and dedication to God.

V:15. "And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king." A. God has a plan for the completion of His work.

     1. God knows the day, the month and the year when His work will be complete.

     2. God knows who will be in charge when the work is complete.

 B. No one has authority over God's plan but God.

    1. God will see to the success of His plan.

    2. Whatever we come up with to do for God, is already in His plan.

 

V:16. "And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy."

 A.  God's house is a dedicated place.

      1. God's House should be dedicated by all the redeemed of God regardless of their

          position in the Church.

      2. God's house is a place of assembly for the saints of God.

      3. God's house is a place of worship.

 B. We should enter into God's house with joy.

      1. We should keep ourselves dedicated to God at all times,

      2. Our dedication to God, insures His pleasure in us.

 

V:17. "And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel."

 A. Jesus is our sin offering.

    1. His death on the cross atoned for our sins.

 B. The Israelites were generous in the offering to the Lord.

    1. They had been freed from captivity.

    2. They had given them another chance to worship Him in His house.

    3. No amount of offering can pay for our freedom from hell.

 C. God was generous with His sin offering; the death of His Son.

    1. We ought to be generous in our offering to the Lord.

    2. What we are willing to sacrifice for God is an indication of our gratefulness.

 D. Everybody ought to be represented in the offering.

    1. No one is exempt from the offering.

    2. There is no age limit in our dedication to God.

    3. The young and the old should make an offering to God.

 

V:18. "And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses."

 A. Everybody has a place in the worship of God in His house.

     1. God's worship team begins with the leaders of the Church.

     2. God has given us pastors, deacons and teachers.

         a. They ought to be first in the worship of God.

         b. Leaders should be committed to follow God's plan in all that they do.

         c. We must remember that we are all role models for Lord.

 B. Knowledge of God comes with responsibility.

     1. We have a duty to hold regular worship services to exhaust the Father.

     2. We have a duty to hold regular worship services to draw others to Christ.

     3. We have a duty to worship God according to His Word. 

 

V:19. "And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month."

 A. The passover had it's beginning when Israel was released from captivity in Egypt.

     1. The last straw for the Pharaoh was the death of every first born male Egyptian.

     2. The death angel passed over the house of Israel.

 B. The eternal death angel has passed over all the redeemed of God.

    1. Everyday for a Christian is a day to celebrate the passover.

    2. Jesus is our passover lamb.

 

V:20. "For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves."

 A. God commands us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice.

     1. To purify ourselves we must clean up our thoughts.

     2. To purify ourselves we must refrain from ungodly activities.

 B. Once purified, we can offer God an acceptable sacrifice.

     1. We have to prepare our hearts to seek God.

         a. Ask for forgiveness.

         b. Repent of our sins.

         c. Seek God with a humble spirit.

         d. Commit ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

         e. Make ourselves available to serve.

     2. What are we willing to give up for God?

         a. The Israelites sacrificed an unblemished animal for the atonement of their sins.

         b. Since Christ is our passover, we must be willing to give sacrificially to the

             Lord.

     3. What we sacrifice for God, benefits others to the glory of God.

 

V:21. "And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat."

 A. The world is all around us.

      1. We live in a sinful environment.

 B. God has called us out of the world to serve Him.

     1. We must separate ourselves from the ungodly.

     2. We are surrounded by those in the dark and those who refuse to see the light.

         a. We must not fellowship with evil doers.

         b. Our job is to be a role model for the lost to follow.

V:22. "And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."

A. Everyday for a Christian is a day of celebration

    1. Everyday for a Christian is day of Jesus joy.

    2. Everyday is a day to give thanks to God for His goodness to us.

B. It is the Lord who changes the heart of the enemy to become a blessing to you.

    1. Your enemies are under God's control.

    2. God can cause your enemies to work on your behalf.

    3. God will give your enemies what they need to bless you.

C. We must keep in mind that all things work for the good of those called by the Lord.

    1. We have every reason to give God the praise.

    2. Since we have breath, we are commanded to praise the Lord.