Recognizing blessings

In life we take a lot of things for granted, and often fail to recognize the blessings that God has placed in our lives. Most times we tend to only recognize our blessings when it is significant, or when we find someone in an unfortunate situation, then it is that moment that we are able to realize how blessed we are. Our ability to recognize certain life situations as a blessing, depends a lot on our level of spirituality.

Quite often when life has becomes a challenge, unknowing to us, it may be a blessing in the making. Conversely, not because something good and of great significance is happening in our lives, means that this is God’s blessings. This is something we must exercise caution about.

Obtaining wealth through dishonest means is sometimes mistaken as a blessing. This may be unknown to the individual receiving it. You might have been in a challenging economic situation for a while, and at last you are having this windfall. You are happy that your economic situation has taken a turn for the better.

An example could be someone presented with money or other valuables from a family member, who gained it by corrupt or fraudulent means. If the individual accepting it is unaware of this, it may not preclude him or her from criticisms or chastisement. If you honestly feel that something is not right, or it is too good to be true then do your due diligence to protect yourself.

Opportunities sometimes are not genuine as they are purported to be, and they are offered when we are in a serious need, or in a state of vulnerability. We accept these so called opportunities, thinking that God has finally delivered. We then end up in a worse situation than we were originally.

A typical example is paying money to someone in order to secure the kind of job you have been desperately hoping for, and then you realize it was a scam. This is why when we are faced with such situations, it is important to always dig deep into our spirituality, which will always guide us in making the right decisions.

God has a way to bless us in ways that we never expected. No matter how far we may be from him spiritually, he never ceases to shower us with his blessings even when we are not deserving of it. (Ephesians 3:20). When our blessings are of great proportions, it is quickly and easily recognized, and most times we do not hesitate to thank Him, and will go as far to thank Him publicly, through our testimonies or otherwise.

It could have been a situation where you almost lost your life, whether through illness or an accident, or it may be that you are now able to purchase your house, after a really difficult period of finding the down payment, and meeting the requirements.

Now let us look at the blessings that often go unrecognized. We are living our normal lives, and nothing of great significance is happening. Basically everything is fine, and as a result we take our living for granted; but the instant things begin to take a negative turn, it is then that we realize the blessings we were previously enjoying.
We must recognize and give thanks for life, good health, strength, our jobs, and our ability to take care of our daily obligations. Do we take time out to thank God for food and shelter, the fact that we are able to see, talk, walk, hear, able to sleep well, having supportive people around us, having nice neighbors, obedient children, fresh clean water and air around us, and nothing much to complain about? These are all blessings that are often taken for granted, until we discover persons who are just not enjoying one or many of these blessings.

When we are not able to enjoy one or many of these blessings, it may lead to a frustrating and unhappy life for us, especially if we do not find it necessary to give thanks despite our difficulties. But who knows if these challenges could have led to bigger and better situations in life. Often they do, and that is why it is always important to give God thanks no matter what our circumstances are in life, because it could be a test and preparation for an abundance of blessings or greater service.

A typical example could be someone who has lost his or her job. This can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. In this case the individual has the option of being overwhelmed by the situation in a negative way, or grasp the opportunity of starting his or her own business, which may turn out to be one of the best decisions. This could be God’s will and purpose for the individual, and when we are able to accomplish God’s will and purpose in our lives then what other blessings could we ask for.

If you are not employed, and therefore not earning, and you are able to take care of your bills and survive, then you should consider yourself even more blessed than someone who has to go out everyday to earn a living. God is providing, regardless, and he often blesses us through other persons.

We must recognize that life in itself is a blessing, even with the challenges it delivers each day. Most times it is these difficulties that are calling us for a deeper spirituality and a closer relationship with God, or to prepare us for the special calling He has for us (Ephesians 1:3).

How to explain salvation to non-believers

Salvation may be defined as freedom from the power of sin. In this way you are saved for eternal life. You are no longer lost to sin. Explaining salvation to a non-believer the main aim would be to assist such an individual to become a believer. It is therefore important to deal with the following:

What is salvation?
How was, and how is salvation received?
Why do you need salvation?

What is salvation?
A non-believer needs to be aware what this very familiar word is all about. Reiterating the definition – Salvation is freedom from the power of sin. One of the most common phrases or terms one often hear is that – only salvation lasts forever. This is implying that nothing else lasts forever. You can think as hard as you can, but you will not be able to think of anything else. Knowing this, what options do you have? What is your choice?

In reference to the definition, the word “sin” is involved. One may explain sin to be acting against what is good and moral. From the definition of salvation it speaks of the “power of sin,” which is saying that sin has power, meaning it has great influence over what is bad and immoral, which inevitably spells trouble. One also sees freedom in the definition. The opposite to all this is bondage, or being restricted. If one means well for him or her self, what would be the better option here? This is naturally a rhetorical question.

How was and how is salvation received?
One might be curious to find out how salvation came about. It came about after Jesus Christ gave His life through the shedding of His blood on the cross. This effectively saved you from all your sins, because He gave His life as a sacrifice for everyone. You therefore have no need to be troubled because the price for all sins has been paid for in this manner. The only thing left for you to do is to claim it.

How do you claim this great thing called salvation? It is claimed by accepting and believing that Christ died to save you from your sins. This requires repentance and baptism, which is participating in the death and resurrection of Christ and is a symbol of cleansing and purification. It is being born again. This involves making the decision to do away with the old and sinful life and take on a new life, which is holy and acceptable to God.

Why do you need salvation?
You may ask why it was necessary for Christ to go through all this suffering for you. It was necessary because you are just not capable of consistently upholding God’s command, in order to meet His requirements for eternal life. This provision was made for you through Christ, the risen one. You are able to seek His forgiveness, through confession, when you fail in obeying His word. This is so because no one is perfect, and you are all born as sinners.

Interesting inspirations as this one, and more from daily devotional – Devotions on the ROCK. The first edition available at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978141696 in print and kindle.

How do we practise hearing from God better?

As a Christian you want to experience spiritual growth, joy, happiness, and God’s blessings overall. All this may not be possible if you do not know how to practice hearing from God. The ability to hear from Him better depends on how much you are willing to take time to listen. There must be total surrender of your thoughts, will and purpose to Him. It also requires a deeper and closer relationship with God. You must diligently seek after His righteousness and lean on the scriptures for guidance.

Taking time to listen
In the same manner that Jesus took time to listen to God’s next plan for Him, and what God requires of Him, we can also follow this example. Generally, as Christians we tend to do a one way communication with God. We do all the talking and we do not give Him a chance to speak to us. We do not practise moments of silence in order to hear what His plan is for us. During our quiet time is an opportune time to restore the two way communication with God. Make your supplication known to him and wait for answers.

His answer may be yes, no or wait. In some of our situations He will answer within a short period, while in other cases you will have to wait on Him. Patience is therefore required in the process. We must always be willing to accept when the answer is not what we are expecting as God knows what is best for us. It is important to note that we sometimes hear from God through situations in our life and from other persons conveying a message to us. Therefore we must be attentive and recognize when this is happening.

Total surrender
Giving up our self-will and allowing God to take full control and direction of our lives, is one of the most difficult part of the Christian life. We always believe that we know what is best for us. The interesting thing about surrendering ourselves to Him is that He tends to take us through a journey combined with the bitter and the sweet. Not many persons are able to persevere in such circumstances. When the bitter part of this journey tests our true abilities and trust in God, some persons end up quitting in the process, and lose out on His blessings.

If we insist on holding on to what we want and not what is God’s will for us, then He will allow us to have our way; but we must accept whatever consequence may follow. It is only through surrendering every aspects of our lives to God that we are better able to hear from Him, and in hearing from Him, act on what He desires of us. We must demonstrate that we are willing, before God is able to use us for His Purpose. One way to help us in the surrendering process is fasting. Making this sacrifice of giving up something, intensifies your focus on Him, and shows that you are serious in allowing Him to fulfil His purpose in you.

Relationship with God
Establishing a growing relationship with God is essential in hearing from Him better. This principle is simple when we compare it with our own personal situation. In your relationship with persons you interact with on a regular basis, it is obvious that the person with whom you have a closer relationship, whether it is your spouse or best friend, this individual is the one you are better able to understand and would be willing to share any experience or information. So is the reciprocal relationship with God. The closer and deeper this relationship is the more you are able to maximize your returns.

Pursue God’s righteousness
It is seeking after God’s righteousness that He will increase His favour towards you; and scripture supports this (Matthew 6:33). We may fall out of grace sometimes, therefore we need to confess our sins regularly and ask for His forgiveness to improve or restore the communication link. He will hear and grant your requests, according to His will for you. The law of living is simple, what you put in is what you get. The more you give the more you get. The more you do His will and seek Him the more He will hear you, and the more He will extend His blessings to you.

Studying His scriptures
The only way we are able to know and understand what He requires of us, and to know how to better hear from Him is through His scriptures. They serve as guidance in your daily living. His words provide wisdom and insight. Familiarity with the scriptures provides a means of meditation and draws us closer to Him

Apostle John

John is the author of the fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John; the three epistles, John 1, 2, and 3; and the Book of Revelation. In total John the apostle is the author of five books in the Bible. The gospel of John is not regarded as one of the synoptic gospels (Synoptic is a Greek word meaning “seeing together”). The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the synoptic gospels, which means that they are very similar, while the Gospel of John differs.

John was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Galilee and Salome who is said to be the sister of Jesus’ mother, Mary. The apostle John along with his brother, James were two of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Prior to their call into ministry with Jesus, both men and their father Zebedee and apostles Peter and Andrew were all partners in a fishing business. They were on their boat in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called them to be fishers of men.

Jesus defined John, James and Peter as an inner circle of disciples (13:23-24). Added to this, John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved (20:2). John and his brother James were given the nickname Boanerges, meaning ‘sons of thunder’, by Jesus because of their rash and aggressive personality. This is evident in Mark 9 when they forbid a man from casting out demons because he was not one of the twelve disciples; and in Luke 9 the brothers calling down fire from heaven to wipe out the Samaritans when they did not welcome Jesus. In both instances they were gently rebuked by Jesus.
Their passion and love for Jesus caused a temporary rift between both brothers and the other disciples due to their ambitions and youthful exuberance to be seated on the right and left hand of Jesus in the kingdom (Matthew 20).

John’s account of his time spent in ministry with Jesus takes a different outlook from the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. One could say that John may have been satisfied that the synoptic accounts were sufficient and so it is best to provide another point of view. Is it not fair for us to get another account and thus a fulsome report of Jesus’ ministry? We appreciate the fact that John took a different approach. We may also take the view that he was inspired by God to give his account in the way he did. Written in 100 CE after the synoptic gospels, the introduction of his book is based on what was taking place in the society at the time. There were the gnostics at the time whose view was that Jesus’ appearance in the flesh was not real; they did not believe in the deity of Jesus, thus John begins: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…” John was responding to the controversy, and what some people believed and probably still believe about Jesus. John placed emphasis on the deity of Jesus while the synoptic gospels emphasized Jesus’ humanity.

Additionally, the diversity of first-century Christians – those of the world who chose darkness over light; the Jews in the synagogue who excluded the Johannine Christians; and the Baptists who were John followers and who viewed Jesus as less superior to John, motivated Apostle John’s writing as he did. It was a community struggling to find self, so John’s ultimate responsibility was to declare the truth.

Again, John gave his report on Jesus’ ministry predominantly in Judea as opposed to the synoptic gospels, which mainly covered Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. It therefore argues that most of the events recorded in John’s gospel would be the events of Jesus’ ministry in Judea. Some important facts to note are that only John’s gospel records Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-16) – Jesus’ simple act of servanthood; and the casting out of demons, a major part of Jesus’ ministry in synoptic gospels were never mentioned in John’s gospel. John included the resurrection of Lazarus, the synoptics did not. The Lord’s prayer, Jesus’ sermon on the mount and the parables were not included in John’s gospel.

John’s loyalty to Jesus saw him as the only one of the 12 apostles present at the cross (John 19:26-27). John played an influential role in the early church after Jesus’ resurrection. Paul referred to John James and Peter as the pillars of the church in Jerusalem (Gal 2:9). John is found with Peter going to the temple when Peter healed the crippled man. John suffered beatings when he joined Peter in preaching the gospel in Jerusalem (Acts 5:40-42). John passionately proclaimed the truth; Jesus as the light of the world; and he emphasized Love, and thus called the “Apostle of Love”.

After serving the church in Jerusalem for many years John moved to the church in Ephesus (modern day Turkey) and became the pastor there. While living in Ephesus it is said that Mary the mother of Jesus was with him for a few years. This may be based on Jesus committing the care of his mother, Mary to John.
John is believed to have written his epistles while in Ephesus, where he spent the last twenty five years of his life. The first epistle has no personal references and indicates that it was written in sermonic style to Christians all over Asia Minor. Speculation is that it was a circular letter, similar to the Ephesians. The letter expressed, “I write unto you, little children,” which indicates that, it was an epistle.
The second epistle is written to a lady, an elect lady, who has a Christian household which is threatened by the invasion of false teachers, and she is warned against them.

The third epistle is written to Gaius, a loyal friend of John’s; Gaius is warned not to yield to the false instructions of a certain Diotrephes, who seems to be a pastor or elder of the church who has disobeyed the commands of the apostle and snubbed certain evangelists whom he had sent to minister in that neighborhood.

In Ephesus John developed a special relationship with the other churches in the area based on his letter to the Seven Churches in Asia, in the Book of Revelation. John was exiled to an island called Patmos by order of the Roman emperor Domitian. There is unsubstantiated report that during a persecution in Rome John was thrown into boiling oil but emerged unhurt. In the cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos Jesus presented the text of the sacred Book of Revelation in visions to John, where he recorded the contents in Revelation. After his release from exile in Rome John returned to Ephesus.

John is the last of the apostles to die; his brother James was the first. All the other disciples died violently, while John died peacefully in Ephesus at an advanced age between either in 98 or 100 AD.
http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/1jnintro.html
http://www.biblepath.com/john1.html
http://www.biblestudytools.com/classics/strong-popular-lectures-on-the-books-of-the-new-testament/the-epistles-of-john.html
https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/intros/john.cfm
http://www.gotquestions.org/life-John-Apostle.html#ixzz3gIACXVU9
https://bible.org/seriespage/2-major-differences-between-john-and-synoptic-gospels

Interesting inspirations as this one, and more from daily devotional – Devotions on the ROCK. The first edition available at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978141696 in print and kindle.

Historical religious events in July

On July 2, 1849 the Roman republic falls to the French forces. Consequently, Pope Pius IX was restored to his papal throne.

Philanthropist William Wilberforce died on July 28, 1833 in London at the age of 74.

William Wilberforce was born in 1759. He was an English politician who became the voice of the abolition movement in Parliament. He was a slightly built man, about five foot three in height, and suffered from bouts of bad health.

He was born in Hull, into a rich merchant family. As a child, whilst living with his uncle in London, he was taken to hear John Newton preach. It made a great impression on him but he returned home and soon became part of fashionable society, attending the theatre and races, where he watched his own horse run.
He enrolled at Cambridge University and became friends with William Pitt. At the age of 21, Wilberforce was elected to Parliament. He was well suited to politics, as he was an extremely eloquent speaker and very witty. In 1783, he met James Ramsay and, for the first time, discussed slavery. Around 1784-86, he underwent a gradual but ‘intense religious conversion’ whilst travelling with a friend. He considered leaving Parliament but his friend and mentor, John Newton, advised him againt this; so, instead, he decided to serve God in public life.

From 1789, Wilberforce regularly introduced bills in Parliament to ban the Slave Trade. He was fiercely opposed by those making fortunes from the trade, who used all kinds of delaying tactics. The first time a bill was introduced, Wilberforce lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up.

In his late 30’s, Wilberforce married Barbara Spooner (also an evangelical Christian). He remained devoted to her throughout his life. Finally on 25th March, 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act abolished the Slave Trade in the British colonies. It was carried by 267 votes. The house rose to its feet and cheered wildly.

Despite the groundswell of public opinion, Parliament still refused to ban slavery, until parliamentary reform removed many of its supporters. Despite this, it was still not clear that Parliament would act. Wilberforce wrote a last petition. The Parliamentary debate lasted three months. On the 26th July, 1833, the Abolition of Slavery bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. A messenger rushed to Wilberforce’s house. They told him that slavery in British colonies would finally be abolished. Just three days later, on 29th July, William Wilberforce died. Adapted from: http://abolition.e2bn.org/people_24.html#

Nine hundred convents in Spain were suppressed on July 29…

Some significant milestone in Christian history in July:
1015 Death of Vladimir the prince of Russia who made Orthodox Christianity the national religion. (1000th anniversary)
1115 Death of Peter the Hermit, one of the most famous names associated with the first crusade. (900th anniversary)
1415 The Council of Constance has reformer Jan Hus burned to death as a heretic. (600th anniversary)
1865 William Booth founds the organization that becomes the Salvation Army. (150th anniversary)
https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/anniversaries/

Same sex marriage in the US

Same-sex marriage now legalized across all States in the U. S. Full story below courtesy of the Huffington Post.
Imminent fall of a world power? What victory?… when the truth is that: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Sodom and Gomorrah rings a bell?…
Now hear this: “Extending the right to marry protects families and “without the recognition, stability, and predictability marriage offers, children suffer the stigma of knowing their families are somehow lesser,” the justices wrote.” … and this…”Changed understandings of marriage are characteristic of a Nation where new dimensions of freedom become apparent to new generations,” the majority wrote. Hmmmm…Freedom!

Re-affirming this truth:”Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Words of wisdom – Proverbs 14:34.

The Huffington Post writes:

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Friday [26/6/2015] that it is legal for all Americans, no matter their gender or sexual orientation, to marry the people they love.

The decision is a historic victory for gay rights activists who have fought for years in the lower courts. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia already recognize marriage equality. The remaining 13 states ban these unions, even as public support has reached record levels nationwide.

The justices found that, under the 14th Amendment, states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize same-sex unions that have been legally performed in other states. Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. In a rare move, the four dissenting justices each wrote an opinion.
The lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges is Ohio resident Jim Obergefell, who wanted to be listed as the surviving spouse on his husband’s death certificate. In 2013, Obergefell married his partner of two decades, John Arthur, who suffered from ALS. Arthur passed away in October of that year, three months after the couple filed their lawsuit.

Obergefell was joined by several dozen other gay plaintiffs from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee who were fighting to be able to marry and to have their marriage recognized in every state in the country.
In the majority opinion, the justices outlined several reasons same-sex marriage should be allowed. They wrote that the right to marriage is an inherent aspect of individual autonomy, since “decisions about marriage are among the most intimate that an individual can make.” They also said gay Americans have a right to “intimate association” beyond merely freedom from laws that ban homosexuality.

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy. These five justices were in the majority in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

Extending the right to marry protects families and “without the recognition, stability, and predictability marriage offers, children suffer the stigma of knowing their families are somehow lesser,” the justices wrote.

The majority concluded that the right for same-sex couples to marry is protected under the 14th Amendment, citing the clauses that guarantee equal protection and due process.

In his dissent, Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, argued that same-sex marriage is not endorsed by the Constitution. “Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits,” they wrote. “But do not celebrate the Constitution.”

Scalia, in his own scathing dissent, complained that the majority opinion lacked “even a thin veneer of law.” He quipped, “Who ever thought that intimacy and spirituality [whatever that means] were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged rather than expanded by marriage. Ask the nearest hippie.”

The country’s views of same-sex marriage have transformed since 2004, when Massachusetts became the first state to allow gay couples to wed. In 2013, the Supreme Court began chipping away at the country’s legacy of discrimination against same-sex couples when it struck down part of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prevented same-sex couples whose marriages were recognized by their home state from receiving the hundreds of benefits available to other married couples under federal law.

In its opinion, the majority recognized the profound cultural shifts in marriage views, citing both the Chinese educator Confucius and the Roman philosopher Cicero. The justices noted how marriage has been transformed from a union arranged by a couple’s parents for financial reasons to a voluntary contract, and from a male-dominated relationship to an agreement where women have “equal dignity.” These changes, the majority wrote, have strengthened the institution of marriage.

“Changed understandings of marriage are characteristic of a Nation where new dimensions of freedom become apparent to new generations,” the majority wrote.

President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to support marriage equality when he came out in favor of it in 2012, the same year that the Democratic Party made it part of its platform for the first time. On Friday, Obama called the ruling “a victory for America.”

The Republican Party and its slate of 2016 presidential aspirants, however, remain opposed to same-sex marriage. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) support a constitutional amendment protecting states that want to ban marriage equality.

Some conservatives have advocated for a civil disobedience effort against a Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage. However, officials in red states told The Huffington Post recently that they are prepared to implement the decision, going so far as to ready gender-neutral marriage licenses and set later office hours. Gerard Rickhoff, who oversees marriage licenses in Bexar County, Texas, said that if same-sex couples are discriminated against elsewhere in the state, “Just get in your car and come on down the highway. You’ll be embraced here.”

As the majority wrote in its opinion, the petitioners’ “hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the
eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/26/supreme-court-gay-marriage_n_7470036.html#

Ezra – Scribe and scholar

The name Ezra is from the Greek word Esdras. Ezra is a shortened version for the name Azariah, which means ‘Yahweh has helped’ (Constable notes, 2015). Ezra was a scribe and scholar who wrote his own book, and is said to have written first and second Chronicles. Some persons believe that he may have also written Psalm 119, the longest psalm, and there is speculation that he wrote the Book of Nehemiah. A first-person reference points to Ezra’s authorship of his Book. In the Hebrew Canon the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were combined as one Book, but were separated in the English translations. Being a direct descendant of Aaron the chief priest, Ezra is a priest and scribe in his own right.

Ezra was also a teacher well-versed in the Law of Moses (7:6). The word “teacher” when translates to soper, gives a wide meaning – a “recorder, scribe, secretary, or writer (Lambert Dolphin, ldolphin.org/daniel/ezra02.html).” Ezra obtained the favour and blessings of God and king Artaxerxes who granted him all he asked. Ezra studied the law diligently, applied it to his life and taught the statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Ezra recorded the events of the Israelites while they were exiled in Babylon for seventy years and while they were led out of exile under the reign of the Persian Empire, which replaced the Babylonian Empire. The Book accounts for two separate time periods following the Israelites captivity in Babylon.

In the first phase of the Jews return to Jerusalem as mentioned in Ezra 1-6, the Lord stirred the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to release his people based on a proclamation and allowed them to return to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the temple of God. Zerubbabel took the charge for twenty three years in leading the Jews out of captivity and to start the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. This took place between 538 and 515 BC.

Under the decree of king Artaxerxes, Ezra assumed the leadership role during the second phase of the Israelites return from captivity (Ezra 7-10) fifty seven years after. Ezra received gifts of gold and silver from the king on his return to Jerusalem, a portion of which he would contribute towards the service of the temple of the Lord. King Artaxerxes in his letter to Ezra gave him the authority to appoint magistrates and judges whose role would be to judge the people and to administer punishment where necessary. In acknowledging Ezra’s God-given wisdom the king instructed Ezra to teach the laws of God to all the people, those who do not know them. Ezra, in accepting the king’s decree sought to recognize God as the one who had extended his steadfast love and blessing to him through the king.

In Ezra’s effort to bring back the people into temple worship and teaching them the laws of the Torah he became distressed over the problem of mixed marriages, which saw Jews marrying Gentiles – the other natives of the land (Ezra 10). This was a breach of the Israelites covenantal relationship with God that previously opened the door to idolatry, and thus led their ancestors into a broken relationship with God and subsequent captivity in Babylon. This situation brought Ezra into a prayer of confession and repentance on behalf of the Israelites. With the cooperation of the leaders of Israel and the people, Ezra held a general assembly which allowed the Israelites who were in an unlawful marriage to divorce within three months (Constable notes, 2015). This process ultimately brought them back in line with the Mosaic law.

In a nutshell, Ezra was instrumental in God’s chosen people being educated about the covenant, which existed between them and God and providing a spiritual renewal through temple worship, which was essential to their fellowship with God. Additionally he played a pivotal role through his prayer of intercession to God, restoring the Israelites to a life of obedience to God, thus re-establishing a relationship with him.