{"id":6225,"date":"2019-11-14T20:00:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T03:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=6225"},"modified":"2019-11-10T20:18:39","modified_gmt":"2019-11-11T03:18:39","slug":"ezra7_1-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ezra7_1-10\/","title":{"rendered":"The Key to God\u2019s Special Favour and Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ezra 7:1-10 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezra 7:1-10.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

On verses 1-5:\u00a0\u00a057 years have passed between the end of chapter 6 and these verses in chapter 7.\u00a0\u00a0During this 57 year gap, the events described in the book of Esther take place.<\/p>\n

Now in chapter 7 Artaxerxes is king over Persia, while Ezra, a Jewish priest who grew in Babylon, is accompanying a second group of Jewish exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem (v7).<\/p>\n

Notice that we are seven chapters into the book of Ezra, and it is here \u2013 over halfway through the book \u2013 that Ezra, the man after whom this book is entitled, appears on the scene.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If Ezra wrote this book, the fact that Ezra\u2019s name and appearance are not mentioned until here shows Ezra\u2019s humility.<\/p>\n

Ezra\u2019s genealogy is listed in verses 1-5.\u00a0\u00a0Ezra\u2019s genealogy shows that Ezra\u2019s story did not begin or end with him, but that Ezra was part of something bigger that God was doing.\u00a0\u00a0Ezra\u2019s genealogy also shows Ezra\u2019s priestly lineage, how he came from a long line of priests originating with Aaron the first high priest.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Realize that\u00a0your story does not begin or end with you, but that you are part of a bigger story that God has been writing for generations<\/strong>, a story that happening before you came into being and one that will continue on after you die.\u00a0\u00a0Also,\u00a0always remember who you are and where you came from.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>As one who has trusted in Jesus, you are not just anybody, but you are a royal member of God\u2019s family and a priest in His kingdom.\u00a0 You come from a long line of priests that originates with the greatest high priest of all, Jesus Christ.\u00a0When you know who you are and where you come from, it allows you to serve God with humility and confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ezra 7:6 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the\u00a0LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0his God was on him.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 6-10:\u00a0\u00a0Twice in this passage it says about Ezra that \u201cthe hand of the Lord his God was on him\u201d (v6 and v9).\u00a0\u00a0In other words, Ezra enjoyed the presence, protection and favour of God on his life.\u00a0\u00a0Why?\u00a0\u00a0Verse 10 gives us the reason:\u00a0\u00a0it was because \u201cEzra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel\u201d (v10).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Because Ezra loved the word of God, Ezra enjoyed the presence, protection and favour of God.\u00a0\u00a0Likewise,\u00a0the more you love, study and apply God\u2019s Word, the more you will experience and enjoy His presence, protection and favour.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Like Ezra,\u00a0may you be a lover of God\u2019s Word, a diligent student of God\u2019s Word, and one who teaches God\u2019s Word to others both through your words and through your actions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, thank You that those who love Your Word, who diligently study Your Word and who carefully apply Your Word get to enjoy a special portion of Your presence, protection and favour.\u00a0\u00a0May I be someone who loves Your Word, studies it diligently, and applies it carefully to my life.\u00a0 When I do so, not only will You bless my life, but You will bless others through me as well.\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezra 7:1-10.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

On verses 1-5:\u00a0\u00a057 years have passed between the end of chapter 6 and these verses in chapter 7.\u00a0\u00a0During this 57 year gap, the events described in the book of Esther take place.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now in chapter 7 Artaxerxes is king over Persia, while Ezra, a Jewish priest who grew in Babylon, is accompanying a second group of Jewish exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem (v7).<\/p>\n

Notice that we are seven chapters into the book of Ezra, and it is here \u2013 over halfway through the book \u2013 that Ezra, the man after whom this book is entitled, appears on the scene.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If Ezra wrote this book, the fact that Ezra\u2019s name and appearance are not mentioned until here shows Ezra\u2019s humility.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ezra\u2019s genealogy is listed in verses 1-5.\u00a0\u00a0Ezra\u2019s genealogy shows that Ezra\u2019s story did not begin or end with him, but that Ezra was part of something bigger that God was doing.\u00a0\u00a0Ezra\u2019s genealogy also shows Ezra\u2019s priestly lineage, how he came from a long line of priests originating with Aaron the first high priest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6225"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6228,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6225\/revisions\/6228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}