Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 2:1-20.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 2:2-3 (NIV) 
2  so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid,
3  but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

On verses 1-3:  Despite being “very much afraid” (v2), Nehemiah goes in faith, boldly choosing to enter the king’s presence with a sad face.  Then when he is questioned by the king, Nehemiah boldly but respectfully asks for:

time off from his service at the royal palace to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the city (v5);
a letter from the king to the royal governors of the Trans-Euphrates guaranteeing Nehemiah’s safe passage (v7); and
a royal authorization to get timber to build the city gates and wall of Jerusalem (v8).

Hi GAMErs,

Here is some background on the book of Nehemiah:

For several decades the people of Judah lived in exile in Babylon, having been ousted out of their own homeland because of persistent sin.  In 539 B.C. Cyrus King of Persia defeats the Babylonians and encourages the Jews to return to their homeland.  As we saw in the book of Ezra, the first group of Jews, about 50,000 of them, returned to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. (Ezra 1-2).  Under the leadership of governor Zerubabbel, the Jews rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem despite much opposition (Ezra 3-6).  In 458 B.C., Ezra leads a second group of about 1,500 Jews back to Jerusalem (Ezra 7-8).  When Ezra arrives in Jerusalem he discovers that the Jews have seriously compromised their faith by marrying unbelievers and following their idolatrous practices.  He leads them to repent and return to the Lord (Ezra 9-10).  In approximately 444 B.C., 14 years after Ezra arrives in Jerusalem, the events of Nehemiah 1 begin.  Written by Nehemiah himself in approximately 430 B.C., the book of Nehemiah chronicles Nehemiah’s long struggle to lead his people to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezra 10:1-44.  Let’s go!

Ezra 10:1 (NIV) 
1  While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites–men, women and children–gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.
 
On verse 1:  Ezra weeps violently because of how his people have sinned, when eventually he is surrounded by a large crowd of men, women and children who weep with him.  What can we learn from this?  Though you might sometimes feel alone, in the kingdom of God you are not alone.  In Christ you are part of a bigger body such that there are others who feel the pain that you, most notably Jesus Christ our brother and our Saviour.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezra 9:1-15.  Let’s go!

Ezra 9:1-2 (NIV) 
1  After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 
2  They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

On verses 1-2:  Ezra learns that his fellow Israelite men, including priests, Levites, leaders and officials, have sinned by marrying foreign women who do not believe in the Lord.  In doing so, they disobeyed God’s command not to marry an unbeliever.    What is so bad, harmful and dangerous about marrying someone who does not believe in the Lord?

Hi GAMErs,

TToday’s passage is Ezra 8:1-36.  Let’s go!

In this chapter Ezra takes a group of approximately 1,500 Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.  Keep in mind that many, if not most, of the people traveling with Ezra have never been to Jerusalem before, as they have spent most if not all of their years in Babylon and Persia. It is not an exaggeration to say that Ezra and these 1,500 exiles were on a mission trip, sent by King Artaxerxes to restore the worship of the Lord in Jerusalem.   

Likewise, we are called to live out loud and lead others to Jesus, both in our own city and abroad.  That’s why I encourage everyone at Thrive to go on a mission trip at least once, and preferably multiple times, while you still can.  In this chapter, we learn some valuable lessons on how to set out on a mission trip. 

On verses 1-14:  Ezra records the people who went with him from Babylon to Jerusalem, trying to account for all of them.  What can we learn from this?  Before setting out on a mission trip, take stock of what you have and who you have with you.