May 6, 2026 - Ezra 1-6

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing” (1:1).  And what was it that was put in writing?  “Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem” (1:3).  Ezra traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem in 458 B.C.  The second temple had already been completed, encouraged by the ministries of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.  The exile had lasted 70 years, precisely the time prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25 & 29).  Ezra saw much that needed to be corrected in the lives and the worship of the people and, in the last chapters of Ezra, he faithfully and firmly addresses these matters.  The first matter, though, that stands out to me as I read these chapters is God’s faithfulness, once again, to do what he promised to do.  He said he would send the people into exile, and he did.  He said, after 70 years, he would return them to Jerusalem, and he did.  We have a God whom we can trust in all things!

God only wise, and great, and strong,

Hath made the orbs to run their race:

Knowledge and might to God be­long,

Honor, and majesty, and praise.

Jehovah is unchangeable,

His ways and thoughts are not as ours;

He cheers the languid souls that fail;

And quickens all their drooping powers.

They who wait upon the Lord

Shall surely find His promise true,

Receive the quickening powerful Word,

And, born of God, their strength renew.   –Charles Wesley (1767)