Title: Those who kneel (Ezra 09:1-6)
Content A person's means, methods, efforts and initiatives are not bad. However, it is necessary to confess that we should not have them alone. The Bible teaches us.
Those who knelt down and raised their hands and looked to the Lord were successful, blessed, and solved their problems.
Today we are going to talk about the kneeling problem.
The background of this text consists of what happened after the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of Babylonian captivity came to an end.
Jerusalem, the city that had been abandoned for 70 years, was in devastating ruins. Thoughtful leaders were spurring the rebuilding of the city and the temple, it was not an easy task. The reasons are as follows.
Internally, opinions were divided and opinions were different because national opinions were not unified. On the other hand, there were also financial difficulties. Those who returned from captivity had no money. There was.
Externally, alienation and disorganization of neighboring countries were increasing, fearing the revival of the Jewish people. There was also a religious problem.
Verse 9:1 says, “They did the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Egyptians.”
This was the name of the neighboring countries at that time. The Gentiles tainted the Jewish people's faith with idolatry and threatened the Jewish people with their political scheming.
In the face of these political threats, economic trials, and religious crises, the national leader Ezra “kneeled and raised his hands” in prayer because he believed that it was the key to solving the problem. We must find a spiritual lesson in it.
1. What does it mean to kneel 1) It means worship.
Western people greet each other with their backs straight, shaking hands, hugging, or kissing. However, in the East, they bow down to greet each other. Countries where people bow a lot to greet each other are prosperous and have stable politics. .Kneeling means worship. In Korea, there are traditionally three times. Kneeling down to a respected parent or adult is three times.
The highest worship is kneeling.
2) It means surrender.
There is no way for the victor to bow to the loser. The loser will kneel. So the kneeling prayer does not strike the neck of the fighter. When he humbles himself and surrenders, he kneels.
3) It means self-denial.
Standing and sitting are common postures that anyone can take, but kneeling is not done by anyone. Because if the muscles in that area are stiff, it will cause pain. And it puts strain on the joints. To bow down is a battle against oneself, that is, to become self-denial.
In particular, do not do yoga or practice while lying down or standing around. Be sure to kneel or sit in a sitting position.
4) It means an attitude of supplication.
In 1 Kings 18:42 in the Old Testament, it is said that Elijah prayed “with his face on the ground and his face between his knees”.
The fact that he fell on his knees and prayed with his face between his knees explains how desperately he longed for rain on the ground that had been dry for 3 years and 6 months.
Kneeling is not a simple gesture. Kneeling toward God is to show God absolute worship, absolute longing, absolute surrender, and thorough self-denial.
2. Kneeling People
Let's look for those who knelt in the Bible.1) Solomon
In 1 Kings 8:54, there is a scene where Solomon knelt and prayed to God. King Solomon also knelt down to God.
2) Elijah
In 1 Kings 19:18, it is said that instead of bowing to Baal, he bowed his knees to God.
3) Daniel
In Daniel 6:10 we find Daniel's prayer.
First, I prayed knowing that if I prayed, I would die.
Envying Daniel's success, his enemies took advantage of Daniel's regular prayer life as an excuse to make a law that would be executed if he prayed or bowed to a god other than the god of Babylon, and plotted to force the king to sign the law. He prayed knowingly. He prayed “knowingly.”
Second, we did what we were doing before.
Because God is King and Almighty, we worshiped, supplicated, and surrendered to God.
Third, I got down on my knees and prayed.
He was close to death, but he was thankful. So he did not die and was alive. If he had resented his situation at that time and complained, his faith would have fallen. And he would have been ruined.
We should pay attention to the fact that if we give thanks, things to be thankful for, and if we resent, things to be resentful will happen.
Daniel, who worked hard to kneel before God, eventually became the prime minister of Babylon. And he became a great man respected by all.
4) Jesus
In Matthew 26:39, when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed “on his face”. However, in Luke 22:41, he “kneeled and prayed”. It reveals.
5) Peter
In Acts 9:40, there is an account of Peter raising Tabitha from the dead in Joppa.
Big accidents and big problems are all solved with the knee. The knee symbolizes the great power of prayer.
3. Let's think about our knees.
Psalm 95:6 says, “Come, let us bow down and worship; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
And in verse 7, it says, “For this is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep of his hand; we want you to hear his voice today.”
Here how and why and how to kneel is stated.
First, it's called Oh.
The person who needs to kneel must come. The person to bow down comes to visit, not the person to receive it.
The Bible tells us to come. Come worship, come and find rest, and come to receive grace. Those who come are welcome, but those who go are disappointing.
God is pleased with those who come, those who stand near, and those who kneel.
Let's come to the temple diligently. Let's come to the prayer room with zeal and pray.
Second bend down and worship...
It means to bow down and worship. As mentioned above, to get down on your knees means to worship. But just as important is bending.
To bow down means to break one's own will to God, to break one's pride, and to obey like David, like Solomon.
Third, we are the people of his pasture… The sheep of that hand...
This is why we have to kneel. The people must kneel to the king. Moreover, it is difficult for sheep to sustain life without a shepherd.
It is said that the absolute ruler has two sins that the people must not commit.
It is the crime of treason and treason. The crime of treason commanded three people, and treason caused dismissal or demotion.
Even believers who were much better, more capable, and stronger than us fell on their knees. Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Peter, and even Jesus fell on their knees.
Needless to say, in our case, how should we pray?
First, let's get down on our knees as far as possible for all prayers.
Modern living spaces and places of worship do not have many opportunities to kneel because chairs are seated. However, whenever possible, kneel in prayer. Let's kneel often at home and in church.
Let's pray that people with neuralgia or joint disease will be healed by kneeling on their knees on purpose.
Second, let's set the time.
Just as Daniel set a time to kneel and pray, let us set a time. Those who have already set a time, let's keep that time.
Third, let's do our best to go to the temple and get down on our knees.
The temple is the heart of our faith. We need to come out and pray, get down on our knees, and raise our hands and look to the Lord.
There is a picture of the Lord praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. What do you see in that figure, kneeling on the ground and praying?
Jesus knelt on the ground, not a cushion or a rug.
Whoever kneels this year will be victorious and blessed.
The number of kneelings and blessings and answers will be proportional.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, said:
"Whenever it is difficult, I get down on my knees and pray. I don't have enough wisdom, but after praying, I have special wisdom."
John Knox, who prayed for Scotland, said, “A person who prays is stronger than a nation that does not pray.”
Billy Sunday, an American evangelist, said, “No devil can take a child away from a mother who prays.”
Ambrose Camdoc of Milan said, “Prayer is a wing.”
You will receive answers as much as you pray.
Those who pray will be able to fly.
Those who pray will be able to keep what they have.
Everyone
“Kneel and raise your hands
Let us look to the Lord.”
This year, and until the day of being heard-.