In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “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”, and in chapter nine and verse nine of Ezra, Ezra said, “for we were bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage” where we read,
For we were bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
The verse reads, “For we were bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, ...” Ezra began with the words, “for we were bondmen” which means “because, since and on account that we, Ezra and the people of Israel, existed as servants and slaves”; “yet our God” or “still our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, Supreme Deity” “has not forsaken us” which means “has in no way or manner left, departed from and deserted us, Ezra and the people of Israel” “in our bondage” or “within our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, servitude and slavery”, “but has extended mercy unto us” which means “however, notwithstanding, nonetheless and moreover has spread out, inclined and offered goodness, kindness and faithfulness to us, Ezra and the people of Israel” “in the sight of the kings” or “within the vision and discernment belonging to the royal rulers and leaders” “of Persia” which means “pertaining to Persia whose name means pure or splendid and was known as the empire of Persia”. Ezra shared how the people of Israel were slaves, but Jehovah God did not leave them in their servitude. God stretched out kindness and faithfulness to them within the vision and discernment of the royal rulers belonging to “Persia”.
The verse goes on to say, “... to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, ...” Ezra continued with the words, “to give us a reviving” which means “to provide Ezra and the people of Israel a preservation of life and sustenance”, “to set up the house” which means “to erect and build the habitation, abode and dwelling place” “of our God” or “belonging to our, Ezra and Supreme Deity”, “and to repair the desolations thereof”which means “and to the rebuild the waste, ruin and decay within the house of God or temple”. Ezra shared how Jehovah God would provide a preservation of life for him and the people of Israel to erect the dwelling place of the Supreme Deity and to rebuild the waste and ruin within it.
Finally the verse says, “... and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.” Ezra concluded this verse with the words, “and to give us a wall” or “and to provide for us, Ezra and the people of Israel, a protective fence, barrier or hedge” “in Judah” which means “within Judah whose name means praised and the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon” “and in Jerusalem” or “and within Jerusalem whose name means teaching of peace and was the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split”. Ezra ended this verse by sharing how Jehovah God also would provide him and the people of Israel with a protective hedge within “Judah” and “Jerusalem”.
When we consider the words in this verse, we see how Ezra confirmed that he and the people of Israel were servants in exile, however, Jehovah God did not abandon them within their servitude. He gave them goodness, kindness and faithfulness within the vision of the royal rulers of “Persia”, so they might receive a preservation of life to rebuild the dwelling place belonging to Jehovah God and to reconstruct the ruin and waste of it along with a protective barrier around the city. God loves the people of Israel, and although they were kept in exile and servitude for seventy years, God had not abandoned them. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and extend to us His “mercy and reviving” so we may be used to rebuild and repair that which He puts within our vision.
Next time Ezra asks God, “what shall we say after this?”, 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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