Jerusalem of Exiles

Synopsis     Ezra 4:7-17     6/10/2020 

After the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon, they began rebuilding the Temple. However, the local inhabitants felt threatened by this. And so, they did what they could to stop the Israelites.  

Initially, they worked to discourage the Israelites from completing the work. But later, after their efforts failed, they wrote to King Artaxerxes. In their letter, they warned the king that if the Jews rebuilt Jerusalem, they would eventually rebel against the kingdom.  

Jerusalem of Exiles 

God brought the Jews out of their exile. And he returned them to Jerusalem.  

Of course, their sudden appearance made the surrounding people nervous. So, the people of the surrounding lands resisted God’s plan. Even though, in the long run, His intentions towards these very same people was for good. 

God and the Nations 

When I was a stranger to God, He led me through some really difficult circumstances. During that time of my life, if I thought about God at all, I mostly remember feeling resentful for the difficulties I occasionally faced. 

But in accordance with His deeply mysterious sovereignty, there was a certain necessity in it. God loves the nations. And, ultimately, He has already won the victory over the great adversary of humankind. Yet, in a similar way, all of what we experience is necessary – both for us and for the fulfillment of His purpose.  

All of our days somehow contribute to the victory that He has already wrought.  And since this is the case, the level of my peace corresponds to depth of my faith.

“and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him” Rom 8:17