Kathleen's thoughts
Ezra 7: 21-28, 8: 1-36, 9: 1-15
Artaxerxes' decree I King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River; Whatever Ezra the priest and expert in the law of the God of heaven asks of you must be provided promptly.
Ezra's thanksgiving Praise the Lord God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. And who has shown favour to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers. SO I took courage because I was strengthened by the Lord my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.
The exiles who returne with Ezra
The campsites
Ezra finds Levites
Prayer ad fasting I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children and all our possessions.
The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek Him, but His great anger is against all who abandon Him. So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request.
The temple treasures
Journey begins, We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God, and He protected us from the power of the enemy and from ambush along the way.
Ezra's arrival at Jerusalem
Ezra's grief
His prayer
For thought and contemplation.
The secret of Ezra's successful ministry is found in Ezra 7:10. He not only knew what he had to do, but he also did it. As someone has said.. "It is of no benefit to know more, unless you first do something with what you know already.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself" James 2: 14,17
Blessings
Kathleen.
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