The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength! The prophet Isaiah considered Cyrus the Persian king an anointed of the LORD (44:1) because after his conquest of Babylon, Cyrus decreed that the exiled children of Israel could go back home and resettle in, and rebuild their homeland (Ezra 1:1-4). Cyrus acted in fulfillment of Jeremiahs prophecy (Jer.29:10) that God will allow the Israelites to be exiled in Babylon for seventy years, but that he will after that period punish those he had used as a rod to punish the Israelites ((25:11-12). Seventy years of exile in Babylon was a trying time for the Israelites; such that they sat down by the Babylonian rivers and wept when they remembered Zion. Worse because their captives required them to sing for them. How could they sing the Lords song in a foriegn land? (Ps. 137). This morning we focus our attention on the returnees. After the settlemet, the people all gathered in one place and Ezra the priest and scribe was asked to bring out the book of the Law and read. He read from day break till noon to all who could understand. When the people digested the content of the book of the law, they started weeping, but Nehemaiah their governor, Ezra and the levites told them: Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Yes my friend, when we hear or read the word of God we may be remorseful, but like the Israelites let us be comforted that the joy of the Lord is our strength! Again I like the stress of sharing emphasised by the story: Go and enjoy choice food and drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy. (Neh. 8:1-12). So my friend, as you eat today (no matter how small it may be) give a morsel to the person who has nothing because this is what should happen when we have understood the words of the Law! Remain blessed!
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 03:45:40 +0000
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