Reading Time: 4 minutes
The theme for Hosea might be, “Good News from a Troubled Home.” God’s love for his people was on display at Hosea’s house. This minor prophet had married Gomer, who was unfaithful to him. But Hosea had purchased her back as an object lesson for Israel. . . .
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Rebuilding walls can take people only so far. At some point a love for the Word of God must be restored for genuine revival to take place. . . .
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Post-exilic Israel had returned home. The people had learned their lesson about idolatry following their 70-year spanking in Babylon. But they had fallen prey to other nuances of selfishness and would need to learn again the benefit of self-denial.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he set right to work. . . . Nehemiah was willing to risk it all to ensure that Jerusalem would be rebuilt so that one day the good news would come out of Zion.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
A touched heart typically is what spurs a person to action. The devastating news of Jerusalem caused Nehemiah to weep and mourn in chapter 1, and God used Nehemiah’s sadness to get the king’s attention in chapter 2.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Upon his arrival in Jerusalem in chapter 7, Ezra sized things up rather quickly. The exiles were in danger of turning back to the sinful ways that had caused them to go into captivity in the first place. Ezra was committed to nip that mindset in the bud.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Once work on the temple altar and temple itself were completed, it was time to get the exiles’ lives in order. Ezra the great Bible teacher led the way in this through prayer and fasting.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
God’s people had returned from their exile in Babylon, had rebuilt the altar in the temple, and were laying the foundation of the temple when they ran into a buzz saw. “Enemies” reared their ugly heads (Ezra 4:1). . . .
Reading Time: 4 minutes
By this point in the book of Ezra, God’s people had their hope deferred. They came back from captivity with such high hopes . . . but then the wheels fell off. . . .