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STT: Ezra

Ezra continues the history of Israel, picking up after seventy years in Babylonian captivity. We see them take their first steps toward reclaiming their nation and their place as God's chosen people. As you can imagine, things are a little shaky. This generation doesn't know much more about living as God's people than that first generation of Israelites who left Egypt. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between the two. Just like in Exodus, we find:

The institution of God's law
The establishment of a worship center
Hostility from enemy nations

And like Exodus there are occasional lengthy passages of genealogies or other details.

Some things to watch for as you read:

Watch how God sovereignly directs all the events. The phrase "the hand of the Lord" is used a few times. We'll see it again in Nehemiah.

Notice the problems caused by compromise.

List Ezra's character traits. These are summarized in 7:10.

How are the principles in Ezra relevant to us?

A Friend of God

By Paula

"So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Exodus 33:11

Not as a man speaks to his servants.

Or to his son.

But to his friend.

Jesus reiterated this in John 15:15 "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

Not enemies. Friends.

This includes me. This includes you.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Exodus, friends, Moses

On the Lord’s Side

By Paula

Then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD'S side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exodus 32:26 NKJV

After a week of hearing much in the news about personal moral failure, I read this verse. Three things struck me about Moses' call.

It is personal. No one can make the decision for you.

It is public. The challenge is issued in front of the entire nation.

It is active. It requires that we separate ourselves.

Today and every day, you and I face that same challenge.

Am I, are you, on the LORD'S side?

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Exodus, Moses, sanctified

Called By Name

By Paula

See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. (Exodus 31:2 NAS)

God looked at a nation of two million Hebrews (maybe more) and called out one man, by name, for a specific job.

By name.

God knows our names, knows us intimately. We aren't part of a nameless, faceless multitude of "believers". We never have to give our 'believer account number' when we pray. We don't even have to wear a name tag.

See, I have called by name ____(YOU)______.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Exodus

Show Me Your Glory

By Paula

This past week, I started reading The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer.

I struggle with complacency when I crave passionate intimacy with God. Tozer cites a moment in Moses' life, on Mount Sinai.

(Exodus 33:17-18) So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

I have found grace in God's sight. God knows my name.

I just need to ask.

Tozer ends chapter 1 with a prayer.

I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tozer, A. W. (Aiden Wilson). The Pursuit of God (pp. 14-15). Kindle Edition.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: A W Tozer, Moses, Mount Sinai, Pursuit of God