No sooner is there joy in the beginnings of rebuilding the temple, when some jealous neighbors begin to make trouble. They question whether there was an official decree allowing the reconstruction. Thanks to King Darius, who came after his father, Cyrus, as King, they found the decree giving permission for the rebuilding of the temple, and King Darius made sure that it would continue.
Today’s reading introduces Ezra. It is many years after the completion of the temple, when the successor to King Darius, King Artaxerxes authorizes Ezra to come to Jerusalem and be the special priest to help the people understand God Word.
I love verse 6, where we learn that the gracious hand of the Lord was upon Ezra. Imagine how excited he must have been, to be the one to help God’s people fully return to God! Is there anything better that you could do with your life than to help others find God? You will always have God’s loving and gracious hand upon your life.
Examples of Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“Studying Your ways, O Lord”
Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook. You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet! Check the menu options at the site for more information.
The Bible Through the Seasons 