Title: Our True Power
Contents
history of loss
Finding what was lost is fun for everyone. Some people just give up when they lose something, while others do their best to get back what they lost. Of course, this reaction may vary depending on what the lost object is. But there is something we have lost but must find. That is our belief. God's love. Grace. This is not the nature of giving up and living with loss. These are things that must be retrieved.
When Korea was also under the oppression of Japan, everything was lost. Liberation is the finding of what was lost. Israel is a nation that has lost its country for 2000 years. However, they are a people who did not give up and lived centered on God. As a result, we cannot deny that Jews still occupy important positions in the world's economy.
The Israelites were held captive by Babylon for 70 years as a result of their sins. Being a prisoner is a bondage, and it is a state in which you cannot enjoy freedom by itself. However, at the end of that time period, God finally restored freedom by proclaiming the decree of the release of the captives of Cyrus king of Persia. For the Israelites, this 70-year period of captivity was a time for them to repent of their sins and earnestly long for God's grace. God was strengthening their solidarity through the return of captivity from Babylon three times. The first return centered on Zerubbabel, the second return centered on Ezra, and the third return centered on Nehemiah.
After the third return, centered on the last Nehemiah, the Israelites make every effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Regardless of the age, a common phenomenon is the fact that there are Satan's forces that try to hinder God's work. When Nehemiah tries to rebuild the wall, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab interfere. Nevertheless, despite such disturbances and ridicule, they did their best to rebuild the wall.
Reading the Law of Ezra
In today's text, after the list of those who returned from Babylon first was recorded, Ezra the bachelor is in charge of a great job in the square in front of the floodgates. It is the reading of the Book of the Law. Ezra and Nehemiah, who completed the historic task of rebuilding the temple, joined hands and started a full-scale religious revival movement, leading to the reading of the law. Look at the Israelites in the square in front of the floodgates. Verses 5-6 record the situation at that time. “5) Ezra the bachelor stood over all the people, and opened the book before their eyes, and when the book was opened, all the people stood up. 6) Ezra blessed the Lord God, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, Amen, Amen, and bowed their faces. to the ground and worshiped the LORD." How touching is this moment? Shouldn't the attitude of listening to the Word be like this?
our true strength
After the reading of the law of Ezra, the people wept when interpreting the meaning of the law and making the people understand the reading (verse 9). It is evidence of longing for the Word. It is also an expression of longing for the Word. On the other hand, it is also an expression of repentance for not living according to the Word. If this is not the grace of God, then what is it? There can be neither tears nor repentance for those who do not understand. The privilege given to those who realize and enjoy it is grace and tears of gratitude.
And then look at the proclamation of the next leaders. Let's read verses 9-10 together. “9) And when the people heard the word of the law, all wept, and Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Do not mourn or weep, for today is holy to the Lord your God. And say, Go ye, eat the fat, and drink sweet, but give ye to those who have not prepared; this day is holy to our Lord; do not be troubled, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Hallelujah!
Let's look at the words that really please us in these proclamations. “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” That's right. Our true strength does not come from fame or power or wealth or health. Please believe that pleasing God is the joy, joy, and praise of all of us.
Those who have heard and realized this book of the law now are in a festive mood. throw a feast. Eat fat and drink sweets. Fat refers to the best part of an animal to eat, and to drink sweet refers to a drink made by mixing wine with water. Should the feast house run out of food? That's why he tells us to give to those who haven't prepared in advance. It is similar to the appearance of the early church in Acts 2.
Share the joy. share food. share the favor. Share the joy. To share means to share. It does not mean that I have it alone, but that I have it together so that we can all enjoy and enjoy it. This is the image of those who have received grace through the Word. The important thing is that rejoicing and rejoicing toward God in this way is our true strength. Therefore everyone! Don't worry. Don't be afraid. If he pleases Jehovah God, it will be more than enough for all of us. Hallelujah!
Reclaiming a lost country is clearly important and valuable historically. But more importantly, we need to restore our lost faith. It is about restoring lost joy. Christians living today need to know what kind of strength they need to live in this world, and who the source of that strength and power that Christians have is who they are. Because the Christian life does not live by the power and power of the world, but by the power received through Christ. Please remember that the source of that strength comes from pleasing God.