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Joy
Saturday, November 2, 2019 14:00:59
Posted By Nan

Ezra 6:22

This verse follows on from the previous blog. The people who returned from exile, those who had set themselves apart form their non Israelite neighbours, and the priests who had consecrated themselves to God and made themselves ceremonially clean, took part in sacrifices to consecrate the temple and the people. It had been 70 years since they were able to do that. The only reason they were now able to do that was because God had softened the hearts of the Babylonian rulers. Their joy was great as they celebrated God’s forgiveness and restoration. In this moment, their faith was strong and their commitment to live lives dedicated to God was firm.
In Jeremiah 29:11 God tells the people of the plans He has for them. These were a people facing disaster, yet God was telling them His plan were for them to prosper, not fail. How it must have seemed for decades afterwards that this was not God’s plan. Yet the people of Ezra were finding out that God’s plan to prosper the people of Jerusalem, the children of Israel, were achievable because God made them happen. Quite a humbling realisation for the people. Once humbled, the people were able to feel great joy in all that God had made happen. In the fact that God made the impossible happen. The return of the exiles and the restoration of the temple paid for by Babylon. Something no human would have achieved.
They people felt great joy in what God had done. We can feel that joy too. We can feel it in the promise that God has plans to prosper, not harm, us. We can feel it in the comfort God gives us. We can feel it when we see God’s plans being fulfilled.
There is great joy to be experienced in loving and trusting God.
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Nan
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