Friday: Further Thought ~ Making Sense of History: Zerubbabel and Ezra

Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “Ezra, the Priest and Scribe”, pages 607–617, in Prophets and Kings.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Consider Ezra’s diligent work: “Ezra became a mouthpiece for God, educating those about him in the principles that govern heaven. During the remaining years of his life, whether near the court of the king of Medo-Persia or at Jerusalem, his principal work was that of a teacher. As he communicated to others the truths he learned, his capacity for labor increased. He became a man of piety and zeal. He was the Lord’s witness to the world of the power of Bible truth to ennoble the daily life” – Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 609.

“In the work of reform to be carried forward today, there is need of men who, like Ezra and Nehemiah, will not palliate or excuse sin, nor shrink from vindicating the honor of God. Those upon whom rests the burden of this work will not hold their peace when wrong is done, neither will they cover evil with a cloak of false charity. They will remember that God is no respecter of persons, and that severity to a few may prove mercy to many. They will remember also that in the one who rebukes evil the spirit of Christ should ever be revealed” – Page 675.

Discussion Questions:

Yes, we have many wonderful promises from the Lord. At the same time, however, God does not force Himself upon us. What choices might we be making in our own lives that could hinder the fulfillment of His promises to us?
Read the prayer of Daniel 9:1-23. What are the principles you see there that could be applied in a personal way to your own experience? That is, what was Daniel doing, what was his attitude, and what was he asking for? What else do you see there that could be applicable to us today?
In Thursday’s lesson we read where Ellen G. White wrote about how central the Word of God was to the ministry of Ezra and about how diligently he worked to spread it among the people. What is the obvious and important lesson here for us today regarding the centrality that God’s Word should have in our lives and church?

Amen!