In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. We fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us. Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered. I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents. Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold”, and in chapter eight and verse twenty-eight of Ezra, Ezra said, “you are holy unto the LORD” where we read,
And I said unto them, You are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also;
and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.
The verse reads, “And I said unto them, You are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also;” Ezra began with the words, “and I said unto them” which means “and I, Ezra, uttered, proclaimed and declared to Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them”, “you are holy” or “you, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, exist as set apart, sacred and consecrated” “unto the LORD” which means “to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God”; “the vessels are holy also” or “the articles, implements and utensils even so and indeed exist as set apart, sacred and consecrated”. Ezra shared how he told “Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them” that they and the implements were set apart and sacred.
The verse goes on to say, “and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.” Ezra continued with the words, “and the silver” which means “and the silver metal” “and the gold” which means “and the gold metal” “are a freewill offering” or “exist as a spontaneous and voluntary gift” “unto the LORD GOD” which means “to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True Supreme Deity” “of your fathers” or “belonging to your, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them's, originators, principals and chief male ancestors”. Ezra shared how the “silver and gold metals” were a voluntary gift to Jehovah God who is the Supreme Deity of “ Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them's”, originators and chief male ancestors.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how he addressed “Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them”. He recognized the sacred value of not only these men, but also the treasures of the temple which were placed in their charge. God wants us to be “holy” or set apart even as He is Holy. (See 1 Peter 1:15-16) He gave us His Only Begotten Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind to make this possible. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21) When we put our faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and lead us into all truth by His Holy Spirit as He cleanses us from all sin. (See John 16:!3; 1 John 1:7)
Next time Ezra says, “watch you, and keep them”, 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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