In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day”, and in chapter nine and verse eight of Ezra, Ezra said, “for a little space grace has been showed from the LORD” where we read,
And now for a little space grace has been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
The verse reads, “And now for a little space grace has been showed from the LORD our God, ...” Ezra began with the words, “and now for a little space” which means “and presently on behalf of a small amount of time” “grace has been showed” or “favor, supplication and entreaty has been demonstrated revealed” “from the LORD” which means “out of Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “our God” or “our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, Supreme Deity”. Ezra noted how favor and entreaty was extended toward the people of Israel from Jehovah God the Supreme Deity for a small amount of time.
The verse continues, “... to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, ,,,” Ezra added the words, “to leave us” which means “to let remain upon us, Ezra and the people of Israel” “a remnant to escape” which means “a spare or small amount or reserve to be delivered”, “and to give us a nail” or “and to bestow, grant, permit, ascribe and dedicate to us, Ezra and the people of Israel, a pin, stake or peg” “in his holy place” which means “within his, Jehovah God's, sacred, set apart and consecrated location”. Ezra said Jehovah God extended His favor toward him and the people and the people of Israel in order to allow a small amount of people to be delivered and to provide a stake within the sacred worship location.
Finally the verse says, “... that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.” Ezra concluded this verse with the words, “that our God” which means “so our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, Supreme Deity” “may lighten our eyes” or “might shine, make bright and illuminate our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, physical eyes, vision and sight”, “and give us a little reviving” which means “and grant, bestow, devote and consecrate a small amount of preservation and sustenance” “in our bondage” or “within our, Ezra and the nation of Israel's, servitude and slavery”. Ezra ended this verse by referring to the way Jehovah the Supreme Deity appointed the small remnant and the “stake” within the temple to illuminate the sight and vision of the people of Israel which would provide a small amount of preservation and hope within their captivity.
When we consider the words in this verse, we see how Ezra acknowledged the favor of Jehovah God that was stretched forth upon him and the people of Israel for a little time. God allowed a small amount of the people of Israel to be set free, and He gave them “a nail” or peg which was a symbol of a claim in the temple so their vision and sight would be illuminated and a small amount of preservation and hope would be provided within their servitude. In other words, God was looking out for the people of Israel even when they forsook Him. God loves the people of Israel, and He loves us as well. He proved His love to us when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross (a peg in the temple) for the sins of all mankind, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us hope and recognition of His grace, favor, illumination and sustenance for all eternity.
Next time Ezra says, “for we were bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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