"Hope In The Midst Of Despair!” (Worship Service July 24, 2022)

All right. Now I got the mic on. As you know, we've been working our way through the Old Testament scriptures. I we're seeing how God put together those 39 books of the Old Testament, by which we have preserved for us in and kept Forest down to all of these years from the time that they were finished for being written until our time. Now over 2,400 years ago, that that took place at the ending of the Old Testament scriptures came into being but we've been looking at the nation of Israel and I we've seen how God allowed us to for judgment said. He gave the Solomon that would come up on the nation of Israel if they disobeyed him if they turn their back on him, he said this is what will happen. And then when Solomon sin against God there with his foreign wife by building temples and and buying down and worshipping their Idol Gods with them. We find that God Divided the nation. He he then said that Solomon's descendants with only rule over the tribe of Judah. And then we saw because of the sin of the people of the northern ten tribes in the southern One Tribe, how God then brought judgment upon them because they to rebuild and follow the idle Gods instead of following the true and living God in their their life. And I because of this God, allow the Assyrians to come in in the northern ten tribes and, and take them into captivity and disperse, the people of the northern ten tribes out into other areas and other countries that they were in control of and then following that another hundred years went by or so. And it tells us how because Judah also turn their back and especially through Manasseh, who turn the the hearts of the people of Israel away from God and especially the tribe of Yeah, I brought judgment upon them and allowed the Babylonians to come in and take captive, the southern tribe of Judah and destroyed Jerusalem, and juice bar, and the temple. And now, they also had a number of people that were dispersed throughout the all the other nations as seem to be a custom in those days. Those who survived the invasion and so forth, many times, they would take and disperse the people in other areas. So that there would not be any possibility of them trying to reunite and rebelled against the emperor and the Empire. So so that's where we left it off this last time and you don't think about that that God brought judgment upon the nation of Israel and Conquerors had other nations conquer them and put them in subjection to them and disperse them throughout. The you think that is God, then done with the nation of Israel. Does God want to have anything else to do with the nation of Israel? Because that was that judgment that he put up on them the end of it. All and of course as a bulletin said we would say no because God was not done with the nation of Israel and later, if I'll even talk a little bit about it. When we get in towards the New Testament time, when he destroyed Jerusalem again, under the Roman Empire was God finished with Israel at that time in 70 AD and we'll get into that at another time. But but here we have to say no, why do I say that? Because God gave some hope to these people of Israel who were in despair by being dispersed throughout all these other nations and still, he gave them hope that because of that and then in spite of that, he was still going to work for them. And if you turn with me in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 36,

I just wanted to give you read these verses for you. That just start us out and thinking about how there was the prophets of God that were speaking to the people of Israel and trying to help them and encourage them in their life that God was not done with them. And what they needed to do is they needed to, repent of their sins. They needed to turn back to God, and follow him in, obedience to his word. And so, in 2nd Chronicles chapter 36, starting with verse 15, it says and the Lord, the god of their father, sent word to them again and again, by his Messengers because he had compassion on his people on. And, on his Dwelling Place, why did he send the messengers? Because he loved the people of Israel. He called them, he chose them as His special people through. Who the Messiah, the Savior would come through One day and he had compassion on them even in the spite of their sin and the Rebellion against him, he still loved them and cared about what was going on in their lives. But in verse 16, it says but they continually mop the messengers of God despised his words and scoffed at his profits until the Wrath of the Lord arose against his people, until there was no remedy. That's kind of sad, you know? Once we have Jesus Christ, is our savior. Do we re Bell as a people of Israel did against the word of God? Do we despise it? I do we turn away from it. Do we say? Well, that's all right, for somebody else but not for me. I don't want to live that way. I want to live the way I want to live and and we just despise the word of God. We despise those who even talked about it and we have a lot of that going on in our world and then our country today, when when we speak about what the Bible teaches and people don't like it. You know, they get really upset with us because we are standing firm on the word of God. And some of these social issues that are going on in the world today and we need to make sure that no matter what the world says, no matter what man says, we have to go by what the word of God says. And of God says that a sin is being socially accepted. We cannot follow with it. We have to talk out. Against it not that we despise people just like God was saying here, you know, even though the people of Israel turn against he still loved them, he still cared about them. His main emphasis to them, was I want you to repent, I want you to turn back to me. I want you to follow me because if you do that, that's when you're going to receive my blessing upon you and your life will talk a little bit more about that as we get towards the application of the message this morning. But hear this is what it tells us. They despised the word of God. They still those that were given to and we're giving the word of God as it should be. And now because of that, there was no remedy and he says, therefore in verse 17, he brought up against them. The king of caliph, the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with their sort of the of, in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin old man or infirm, he gave them into their hands. Kind of Situation war is never Pleasant and there's always destruction going on. There's there was that will be put to death even in the midst of that and then asses and all the articles of the house of God, great and small and the Treasures of the house of the Lord and the Treasures of the king of his officers, he brought them off to Babylon. Then they burn the house of God and wrote down the wall of Jerusalem and burn. It's 425 building with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. This was in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar came the third time against the the nation of Judah. And it tells us that he this time because of the rebellion of the king that he had put in charge of Judah, a rebelled against him And so, therefore he finally had enough and he destroyed the city, he destroyed the temple that Solomon had built. And now it tells us in verse 24, those who had escaped from The Sword, he carried away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and to his son's until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the words of the Lord, by the mouse. That Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed it. Sabes all the days of the it's desolation, it kept Sabbath until 70 years, were complete what to say in here is God also was saying through the prophecy of of Jeremiah and will turn over to, that just a moment here. But he says, one of the problems is that you have not kept the Sabbath. You have to go back into Leviticus chapter 25 and 26 to read about what to say. Was all about and how they were violated in it. Because God told the people is, or when you go into the land that I'm giving you, what you need to do is observe the Sabbath and what that was is that they would Harvest and they were plant there, a drain and everything for 6 years. And then in the seventh year that was to be the Sabbath. And what they were to do, they were to leave the crops from being planted and everything and Then they would go on for another six years and then Seth and it tells us that the people did not follow the God's guidance for that, in the keeping of the land. And then of course, wanted God to 49 years. There was a jubilee, a Year of Jubilee. So they had two years by which they were supposed to, observe the sabbath at that time and enduring that fifty years, they were also supposed to forgive all the deaths of the people of the Israel. And if they had bought somebody's land, they were to give the land back to him. And so that was a custom. And it says that, now, what I'm going to do for you because you haven't kept the Sabbath, I'm going to put you into a. Of 70 years, 7 Sabbath or 10 sad that you're going to do. And so now this came through the prophecy of Jeremiah. So when you turned over to Read out to Jeremiah chapter 29, Mi chapter 29.

Alyssa. Who starred with Bruce for that says, the Lord of hosts, the god of Israel to all the exiled who might have sent into Exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Build houses and live in them and plant Gardens and eat their produce to take their wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters and their wives for your sons and give them your daughters to husband's that they may not hear their sons and daughters and modify there and do not decrease and see if the welfare of the city where I have sent you into Exile and pray to the Lord on it for your net. Welfare will be will have their welfare for. This is the Lord of hosts. The god of Israel. Do not let your prophets who are in your midst, and your dividers deceive you. Those that's was given by a prophets who are not following the true and living God, about the intermarriage and so forth with those at how they were sent into Exile with. And he says, for this says, the Lord verse 10 when 70 years have been complete for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill my good word to you to bring you back to this house for. I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord plans for welfare and not for Calamity to give you a future. And a what A hope. In other words, even through their despair of being taken, captive, of being dispersed throughout all these other lands guide through the prophet of Jeremiah who is Ministry during this time by which one they went into captivity. Now is telling them that God has said that this will last for 70 years and when those 70 years, I'm going to bring you back into the land. And so even in the midst of their just fear, God gave them what they gave them hope and no matter what, we're going through, no matter what we're facing in our lives on a daily basis, if we know Jesus Christ. As our personal savior, my life is not build up on the things that are going on around this Earth. Life's our build up on our hope in Jesus Christ with one day. We know that no matter what we're facing here on this Earth is going to be over, and we're going to be in the presence of the Lord. That's the hope that we have. That's the how thankful we can be as Believers in Christ that it's so important for us. As we'll see you in a little bit that we follow and obey God in our lives. And so not only did he reveal this hope to the people of Israel through Jeremiah, through the, the closing books of the Old Testament. And we understand that there were the prophets that were given Jeremiah was one of them is Ezekiel with another one of them who went into Exile with the people of Israel and was one of the prophets of God to the people while they were in Exile, then you have Daniel, Daniel was taken captive and length of Babylon. When Babylon, first invaded Judah and took away some of the young men and people if you read Daniel chapter 1 about that how they were few and others were taken, and they were put into the schools of the Babylonians and How God didn't use Daniel and his three friends to raise them up into leadership in Babylon. But anyways, Daniel and then he died and then Zacharia those were prophets that were preaching and teaching during that because he is and how he encouraged the the workers there to build the temple that these two prophets were there. I doing that. And then of course, you have the last one of the Old Testament scriptures Malachi, who is believed to have been involved in the in Jerusalem there, after Nebuchadnezzar had, and built this, the walls, and then he departed for about 12 years that indicates. And then he came back. But during that period of time, Malachi was given the message to the people of Jerusalem and Judea there to follow the true and living God. and then, of course, we have the three closing history books in the Bible of after Ezra and Nehemiah in. So we'll see a little bit more about that as we go. But you know, the Hope was built in the messages and the things that God had not given up on the nation of Israel. He was still going to work on their behalf and now, if you look at the third point, there was hope when God brought about the fulfilling of the rebuilding of the temple, if you turn back to 2nd Chronicles chapter 36,

2nd Chronicles chapter 36.

Verse 22. It says now, in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord, by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up, the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom and all. So, put in writing saying that says, Cyrus King of Persia the Lord. The god of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people may the Lord, his God be with him and let him go up. Just think, you know, a guy here is using Cyrus, who is Cyrus? He's the king of the medes and Persians at this time because after the Babylonian Empire, we know that the medes and the Persians took over. And of course this would have been around 5:38 BC that they took over and then in the end 5:36, it tells us now Cyrus gives this here decree. Now, it's kind of interesting to hear Cyrus. You wonder, how did he come to know the true and living? God, how did he come to this point where God spoke to him and was going to bring that about? Well, we do have some prophets Ezekiel. Jeremiah. We have Daniel who was prominent in the leadership of Babylon and he was still there in Babylon, as a leader when the medes, and the Persians took over, and you wonder how much influence Daniel and these other prophets had in relationship to the King of Persia Cyrus. Well, anyways, the decree was made, however, it came about God brought it into place. He was again pointing out that he is not giving up on the nation of Israel. He still has his love and compassion for them. And now He wants them to go and rebuild the Temple in the land of Judah. And now you going to Ezra the next book of the Bible. It gives us how that process took place, how did? They get the group that would go back and in the first six or seven chapters of Ezra. We now have the information given to us because inverse one of Ezra chapter 10, most repetition of what took place in 2nd Chronicles. There's 36 it says now, in the first year, sires King of Persia in order to fulfill the word of the Lord, by the mouth of Jeremiah. There's a large stirred up, the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing saying that says, Cyrus King of Persia the Lord, the god of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And has he has appointed me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. And so from this, we find that drop a ball and about fifty thousand people. It tells you that in the next couple of chapters about the group that was put together in Chapter 2 and then it tells us how then he said that they were to go and build the Temple. And so this group of people that were in Exile, just think now some of these people that had taken into Exile and now almost another 50 years from the time Babylon, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. They were now having some people return to the land and it tells us in chapter 3 that this group, that went back to the land was able to, at least rebuild the foundation of it in 3:10. It says, now, when the builders had laid, the The Temple of the Lord, the priesthood up in their apparel with trumpets in the Levites, the sons of ass. So soft with symbols to praise the Lord, according to the directions of the King, David of Israel and they saying praising and giving thanks to the Lord saying for he is good for his lovingkindness is upon Israel forever, and all the people shouted. With a great Shout with, when they praise the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, And then it goes on and says yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of the father's house. Holds the old man and had seen the first temple wept with a loud voice. When they, when the foundation of the house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, that says, remember those, who, who remember what Solomon's Temple, someone were still alive at this time. And and saw the beauty is in the greatness of the temple and nowadays, they laid the foundation for the new Temple, it wasn't trying to beat it up to the standard of what they had solved before to Solomon's Temple. But anyways, the foundation was laid, but the sad part about it was that right after they lay the foundation, they rose up a lot of opposition from the people that were there in the land as well to stop the building of the Temple. And so, now for about another 20, Years, it tells us that the temple was not finished. It was left with just the foundation there, and then we find out in about 5:20. It tells us that The next king Darius of Persia. He Now set in place and then motion how the prophet haggai and Zachary, I also was there to help them with the finishing of the Temple. And so we find that it was started up again. And so, by 5:15 BC. It tells us that the second temple was now restored, it was now built and there was some praise and dedication of it as you move into chapter 6 and it tells us how that all took place and and so it was a rejoicing time because I'm verse 15 of chapter 6 verses and this Temple was completed on the third day of the month ayudar was the sixth year of the reign of King, the riots. And so the progress now is going God says I have not Pushed you away. I'm not ended my love and my compassion for you. Now, you have the temple rebuilt for you to come and worship me at and to follow me in obedience to my words. This was all Now set up for the people of Israel again. Re-establishing hope will be in the midst of Despair that they were going through with all the things that it happened to them. And so the I brought this all about, And now that the temple was put in place, the tells us that during this time after the temple was put in place, that they're also rose up a queen. After the Book of Esther comes in twice a day about this time in, and it tells us that during the hurt rain, again it just shows how God, protected the people of Israel to Mordecai. And Esther, we find the Esther Rose up to be the queen. Yeah, with her husband, Astra, and, and then with heyman's demise to try to destroy all the Jews in the Empire of the medes and Persians. God raised up Esther is Queen, and she had that position by which to her and Mordecai. They were able to save the Jews. Another way of God, demonstrated to the people of Israel. I have not forsaken you I have not pushed you off. I still have a plan for you. I still have a reason for your existence. I love you. And I and I know one day that through you, I'm going to send the Savior, the Messiah, the one, who's going to come, and make provide salvation for the world, For All Mankind to believe and to receive him. So he was still pointing this out, even through Esther and what was accomplished through them. Well from there you move into chapters seven and eight. And we find how God then sends the, the priest azra to the land. And as you move into Ezra 7 and 8, are we find in about 5:50 or 4:58 BC? He was sent there to the land and I believe the purpose of him coming to the land was to reinstate the, the ministry and the work of the word of God, in the life of the people that had already come back and built the temple and we're leaving there. And so now, he comes along, and as you go into a chapter 8, it tells us that Now these are the hands of their father's household and a genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King artaxerxes. This was the next king after the husband of Queen Esther. And so now, he's sending and letting Ezra along with as it kind of indicates here, maybe possibly up to 5,000. People come back with him to the land, to establish the word of God. Again, among the people because you moved down further into This chapter, it tells us more about Ezra and who he was and what he was there to do. And

Let's go down to verse 21 of chapter 8 of Ezra. This is then I proclaimed a fast there at the River. Ohio, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him, a safe journey for us, our little ones and all our possessions. And so he got the this group together and they wanted to let the king know that they didn't need an escort. And he said, we'll just put our hands into God and let him do that. And so he had the people fast with him and then God gave him that Journey to the land and gave them safety in their travels.

Well.

As we continue looking at this, here we are again, just see some of the things that Ezra was all about. Let's turn go back to the chapter 7. I skipped over a few things that I think are very important about Ezra

as you get down, 2 verse 10. It tells us a little bit more about Ezra, it's his for Ezra and look at the relationship that he had with God. It says for Ezra had said what? He is hard to study the law of the Lord. What is the law of the Lord? The first five books of the Old Testament? Scriptures, would have been those books today, which he was going to study in, which he did study, and not only to study the law to get to know what it has to say, but what it is next thing that it says about Ezra He? Practiced them. In other words, not only did he want to know what the law was. He also wanted to put it into practice in his life. Is that your goal and studying the word of God? For your life.

You studying so that you know what it says and then you put it into practice in your life, that's what he did. That's what he wanted the people to do. That's the reason why he wanted to return to Israel because of the next thing. It says that he wanted to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel. His statues in order, not as Rose, but the true and living God, he wanted to teach them to the people. He wanted them to know the truth of God's word. He wanted them to know how to put it into practice in their lives. That's worth of the Christian life is all about as well, right? We not only want to know what the word of God says. We want to practice it in our life, at least. I hope that your purpose. I hope and trust that you had that desire in your life. Not only to know what the word of God says, what you want to put it into practice in your life? There's a lot of things going on in the world today that are contrary to the word of God. And it tells us in the scriptures that we are not to love the world. Neither the things that are in the world. The last of the flash of lust of the eyes and the pride of life are all against the will of God. And what we need to do is we need to look at what the word of God says and not only to know it, but to put it into practice as Jason, you know, to know the word and not put it into practice, we deceive ourselves as it says be, ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own cell. If you think And you can have a strong relationship with God and disobey his word of God, you got another thing coming. He had the discipline the nation of Israel for 70 years before he brought them back to build the temple and later to build the walls around the city of Jerusalem to put his Blessing back upon them by them. Turning back to him, that was the only way that he was going to pour his Blessing out upon them. And and yet, you know, we think today that it doesn't matter as long as I have Christ as my savior, doesn't matter how I live my life where in the the age of drapes we can do what we want to do. He found that the process. If you know, if if that's the way it is, I ought to send more so Grace going to buy lawn mower. And then of course, he always says God forbid. You know, that's not the way it goes. That's not what God wants for us in our life. He wants us to be walking in obedience to him and Ezra said. And it says this about as that is hard was to study the word of God as a believer in Christ is our heart band on the studying. God's word, I would band on wanting to know the word of God, so that we can put it into practice in our lives. That we know how to put it into practice in her life. So that as we obey him that we bring his blessings down upon our life on a daily basis. It doesn't mean we won't have problems won't have troubles. Even when we are following the Lord and obedience and doing what the word of God says, what he's there with us to go through And help us through it. And so it has ra, is hard words to study the word of God to practice it and then to teach it to others. You know, he wants us not only to know it but he wants us to tell others. Now teaching can be in a very relaxed situation whether you know it or not, you are teaching with your actions, with your words, with your attitude, all these things reflect upon, what do you really believe about Jesus Christ? What do you really believe about? How are you living? What kind of a testimony? Are you giving to others about Jesus Christ through your actions, through your word, you know, it's because those things affect it. And so how are we teaching others about Christ and, you know, as you point your finger at somebody else you always got three of them pointing back at you. You know, when I say that when I when I encouraged you to walk in obedience to the word of God, I also have to make sure that I'm walking in obedience to the Lord to And making sure that what I'm doing my attitude. I have you know, the way I live on a daily basis to react to other people in my life. You know, I know it reflects Upon Jesus Christ in the sad part about it. I think there's too many Believers in Christ who are not following the word of God that are giving a bad idea to others about who Christ is and how we really should be living our lives for the Lord. And so what else or want to do that? He wanted to practice that he wanted to teach it what a great thing and God. Now sends azra back to the people of Israel to be there for them to encourage them to help them and to challenge them in their lives. If they've been disobeying God's, they need to get rid of it and then you need to get back in obedience and following the true and living God. These are some of the ways by which God was showing to the, the nation of Israel, that, you know, you have hope in the midst of despair. And now the last one I want to just talk about in relationship to how God encourage the people of Israel withdrew Nehemiah. Because when you to turn to the book of Nehemiah, we find how that God remember the temple has been rebuilt and some people came to Nehemiah. He was he was a cupbearer for artaxerxes and about 4:45 BC. It tells us that he had heard the reports of how Jerusalem was doing because he found out that Jerusalem, you know, was still in distress because the walls of Jerusalem had not been rebuilt and it tells us one day as he went in to carry out his duty as a cupbearer to the king. He had kind of a sad look on his face and deserts, he's noticed that and he asked him, what's wrong? Is thankful that he just asked him that because he could have you known to have a sad face in front of the king could have been very dangerous. Might even cause your life because you're not helping to build up the the character of The King, by doing so. But anyways, there must have been a good relationship between Liam Ian, artaxerxes, because he asked them, and then me and Maya talked about this. What was going on in Jerusalem, would you allow me to go back to Jerusalem and to help build the walls of Jerusalem? And we find out how he gave him a provable to do that. And and so Nehemiah was able to, to return to to Jerusalem. And of course, says he saw the walls and of Jerusalem. When he got there. He saw how bad it really was, and then he called together the leaders and mention to them, about his purpose, for coming, and how he wanted to rebuild the wall and it tells Is that in? 52 days after we ride even though there was again, opposition raised by some of the people, the land that didn't want him to do that and yet, Nehemiah was able to accomplish with got it laid upon his heart and he was there and he finished it. And so we we find that the walls were built and in response to this are we have Nehemiah drawing the people together and they read the word of God to them in chapter 8 at talks all about this. And all the people gathered as one man at the square, which was in front of the war Watergate and are they a Sandra the Scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. And the, as Than Ezra the priests brought the law before the Assembly of the men and women and all. Listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month to the reading of the word and it goes down in. And a lot of those people that came back with Ezra where Levites Around those 5,000 people that came with him wear, Levi sneeze were the ones that God had chosen by which they were to teach the word of God to the people. And so here's our number these at that Heather kept track of their ancestors even in their dispersement. We're Levites that came back with him and they were there helping to explain the word of God to the people. And then as it says, when after the reading of the word of God, that tells them that they said do not be grieved for why the joy of the Lord is your strength of, maybe some of your heard that verse said, before, at least, that part of it, the joy of the Lord is your strength. And so he wanted, the people not to be grieved because of the day, because today was a good day, Not only was a temple rebuilt, not only where the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. But now we can praise God through the reading of his word and understanding that we have accomplished this by coming to him and following through with what he has caused us to do. And so they lifted up their heart. And then you go over to chapter 10 of me and Maya. And it tells us the response of the people, they're kind of like a Sevenfold response that was given there in chapter 1 verses 28 through the end of the chapter. Let me just give you my summary of them in. Verse want to talked about that to walk in God's law. What does that mean? You know we talked about walk in the spirit I'm about to walk in obedience and this is what I was talking about when I said you know the law walk in the law, do with the law says, that's what it's talking about. What do you do in word or deed? Do all the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, it tells us in Colossians, 3:17 in Denver going on down in to say Bruce, we said that they said to keep and to observe all the Commandments of God, our Lord and the ordinances and his statutes. In other words, they said we're going to walk in obedience. That isn't what they did before God to had to chase. Judge them had to send them into captivity in exile for 70 years and more, and now they're bringing them back to enjoy the land, and enjoyed the rebuilding of the Temple of the wall. And then verse 3, it says, and I, we will not give our daughters to the people, the land, or their daughters, for our sons. They were going to segregate themselves from her marriage with the other nations and the other people of the land. And then on in verse 31, at tells us how they were going to re-establish, the Sabbath day too. And on the Sabbath day, they would not buy or sell anything that went on, on that day, and we will forgive forgo, the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. And so they were going to go back to keeping of the Sabbath of the land and so forth, six years to harvest. And then the lave at idle, One year and then also went and got to the time of forgiving the debts they would do that. Number six was they Place themselves under obligation to contribute. One, third of a shekel for the service of the House of the of God, and that was the buying of the showbread and so forth that they put in the temple on a regular basis. For the worship of the true and living God, the burning of incense and so forth. All this was taking place and they said we're going to get back to this. We're going to start doing this and then in verse 34 down to the end it talks about also how they were going to take care of the Levites through their ties and offering though they were going to follow through with it. So we had that recommitment They're back in the land. Now, to Ezra Nehemiah and the prophets, and, and so forth. They are now committing themselves. Said, yes, we are going to follow the true and living God. We're going to do what you've told us to do in in the seams. like, lot of times, we forget that that the closer we walk with the Lord, the more, the blessing of God can be upon our lives and he can help us do that. But you know chastisement is not fun. Anna. And you know, when we think about our life, how are we walking with the Lord? How are we doing? Are we living our lives for him, are their struggles and difficulties. That's come into our lives because of the way we're living, you know, a lot of times when I talk to people about struggles and things that they have going on in their life, you know I I asked him or how is your relationship with the Lord. Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying? Are you going to church? Are you doing those things? That would be pleasing to God, you know, in a lot of times I find out they're not doing that. Others on some of those areas that their slack on they're not doing it in specially. When they're not walking in obedience to the word of God. I just don't you understand the reason you're having these difficulties and problems is because you have turned your back. I got it now. God has chased in you to try to get your attention. That's what he had to do. The nation of Israel to get their attention and when they came back and see these men that got it set up for them. It seems like they now it's a much stronger than it was in their relationship to God than it was before they went into Exile because they have been worshipping Idol gods and there's no sense of that seeming to come in during this period of time of these different people working in the life of the people of Israel. Turnover as we're going to close our morning with Hebrews chapter 12 cuz I want to just talk to you a little bit about What is the chase name of the Lord all about? When we sin, we disobeyed God and we start having difficulties because we're practicing that now I know that, you know, we are tempted on a daily basis. I know that many times we do sin against God, but you know what, sometimes we dwell in those sins, we continue in them, but God says we can restore that very quickly. We can get back into fellowship with me very quickly and that it first John chapter one tells us about that. How we break our fellowship, when we sin against God we could get it back. Restore very quickly. If we should just confess our sins to acknowledge forgot to God that we will you know if sin and he will forgive us of that City will bring us right back into fellowship with. So it doesn't have to be a long thing in our lives. If we do said, if we do fall into that Temptation that comes into our life. We can get that restoration of our fellowship with God. but if we can linger in our sin, Then you are opening your own self up for the chaste mean, chaste, meaning of the Lord and in Hebrews chapter 12, at talks about this. And in these verses I've written down five things about the chastening of the Lord. First of all, in verse five, it says my son do not regard lightly, the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are approved by him, In other words, if it is because of of sin. And God is chasing you in this. Don't. Despise it, don't turn against it. The Lord wants to get you back and fellowship. Why? Because it says, in the verse 6, the second thing For Those whom the Lord loves he, what? Disciplines. Any scourgeth every son whom he receives for and then he talks about an Earthly father would discipline his Earthly children. You know discipline of children is very important in the scriptures, not abuse. And so forth. Along that line, that a lot of people in lot of parents get into we need to make sure we never get to that point in our life but there is a discipline of children given to us in scripture and how to follow through with that in helping that because the reason why we do that is not because we're have a love for them, we want to see them have an enjoyable life in the Lord and we want them to follow him in obedience in. And so, there is some discipline sometimes that we have to place upon our children to bring them back into relationship with God. Because the third thing, it tells us about discipline, but he disciplines us for what Are good that we may share his Holiness. Why does God discipline is, why did he Chase in the nation of Israel? Because he wanted them to come back to him? If they would only done that before he had to discipline them, he would have been much better for them, but they did, they didn't listen to The Prophet, they didn't listen to the ones that he sent to warn them about it. They just turn their backs on them. They went their own way, they did their own thing and they sinned against God and God said, okay I had enough any discipline them but the purpose of discipline. And what we see when Ezra Nehemiah these others came back to the nation of Israel. We find that there was a, maybe a stronger relationship with the true and living God and with the word of God than it was before they went in. And that's the whole purpose of God's discipline of us is that he is for our good. Is to bring us back into that fellowship with him so that we can be close to him and we can have his Blessing them be $4 to find us and then the four thing it says, all discipline for the moment seems not to be what joyful but sorrowful I never known any time of discipline that is Pleasant. For the one who has to do the disciplining and the one who is being disciplined, right? As parents if you know what that's like to discipline. Your children is not always fun and and I know there's some some Safeway you know this is going to hurt me more than you. What do you mean Dad? How's it going to hurt you more than me? And it's because your love and compassion for them you want them to be doing what is right in the sight of God in their life and they helping them with it with the decisions and things that they making her life to be walking in. Obedience is not fun for the one who is doing the discipline or the one. Who is receiving the discipline? Glad we trust that because of that discipline. However, there will be afterwards a yields a peaceful fruit of what Righteousness. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable For What doctrine, the teachings of God's word for reproof. Hey, that's not the right thing to be doing. God, this is what God's word says about that. You know, I always I always tried when I discipline my children is to make sure that the reason why I was talking to them that, that wasn't the right thing to do is buy, backin it up with versus a scripture to show them, you know, this is what God's word says about this. And then it says, reproved for correction, always giving us away. How can we correct our sins? The main thing isn't the best way of doing it. When you send is to confess that seem right then. Tell God, I know I've sinned. I know I've disobeyed you and he says, he'll forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness that fellowship with him will be restored. And then the 4:00 thing that says about the word of God, is that it will give us Direction in righteous. He has word tells us what the right thing is to do, and when we follow God's word, we don't have to be concerned about the discipline of God, because we are walking in obedience there for because we walked in obedience. He told the people of this, or if you obey my word and do what I say, I will bless you, but if you don't, I'm going to bring judgment upon you, I'm going to Chasing You by which he did during that time by which they were in. Exile, but now dad's bringing them back by 400 BC, all the Old Testament scriptures, we're already written or already. We believe that Ezra probably was the one who compiled the candidacy of the Old Testament. Scriptures, put them in some kind of a form to buy when the statues and came and in a little bit later that These books were already compiled and already in place, so that the people of Israel would know God's word and what they needed to do in obedience to it. And we have God's word here today. The 66 books in the Bible that tells us about the relationship that we can have with God, and he wants to have with us if we just follow it, and I'll bet he then will bless our lives. He will, he will use us for his honoured, for his glory. He will let the people this world know who Jesus Christ is through the, Our Lives because they said study the word practice it and then teach it to others and that's what God has called me to do. And I trust encourage you through the word today about your walk with the Lord and how important it is, so that you don't have to face the chase name of the Lord upon your life, but just receive his Blessing as you walk in obedience to him. Let's pray father. Again, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for what it says to us. We're thankful for how if we just understand it and put it into practice in her life, what a blessing it would be for us because we know there's no better life than the life of Living as a Christian Living or obedience to your word. It keeps us from all kinds of pitfalls that the world offers for us to fall into until father. I know that by living our lives for him and all day in your word. If such a better life to have been to live until father, I pray for each one that's here this morning and that you'll just encourage them in their life and their relationship with you. If there's one here that hasn't put their faith and trust in Christ as their savior that that even talk to myself or one of the other leaders of our church as to how that can happen and those who do know, you are a savior maybe are struggling in their walk with you. I just prayed for them that you would help them to get back in their proper relationship with you through the confession of their sins or opinion. Other, since turning away from it and then file, Can you Faithfully from this moment on it? So father for your encouragement in their license. If they need to talk to someone, I be glad to talk to you with them and just encourage them in their walk with you. And for us who do know you, we just pray that we'll be able to be used of you. As we go through the rest of today, and this week honoring you and glorified you through the things we say, it's at the things we do the attitudes we have. So the Jesus Christ will be praised and honored in our lives. For I pray all these things now in Jesus name, amen,