EZRA CHAPTER 1 – HELP FROM UNEXPECTED SOURCES
Unlike the story of Moses who was sent to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt and the thirteen individuals in the book of Judges that delivered Israel out of the hand of various oppressors, this time God does things differently. The seventy years of captivity that was prophesied to Judah has ended, and now it is time for Israel to return home.
Chapter one opens introducing Cyrus Cylinder the pagan king of Medio-Persia who conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and the person whom Isaiah prophesied about in Isaiah 44:28-45:13. During his first year of reign in Babylon, King Cyrus was stirred by God, and he made a proclamation that was heralded throughout the land. In this proclamation Cyrus acknowledged that the Lord God of heaven enabled him to conquer the kingdoms of the earth, that he was charged with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem by repatriating the captive Jews, and he informed those Jews and other residents that choose to stay in Babylon that they were to support this venture with tangible donations and freewill offerings.
Further in the chapter, the spirit of God moved on the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin, priest, and Levites to respond to the proclamation. These individuals along with Sheshbazzar (Zerubbabel) who Cyrus appointed to take the people back to Jerusalem and to be the governor of Jerusalem received the donations and freewill offerings from the people. Plus, King Cyrus gave them the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem to Babylon.
I believe chapter one displays that God uses who he chooses to accomplish His Word. God used a pagan king to bless His people who confirm the words of Solomon in Proverbs 21:1 that says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Historians believed Cyrus’s motive for restoring the religious practices and autonomy to the nations that he conquered was political for he hoped to secure the respect and loyalty of these subjects by his actions. Whatever may have been his reason, God was in control. Also, He used the king to instruct others to support the building project. So, the Jews were not only freed from their captivity, but they returned home laden with provisions to meet their needs and rebuild the temple.
Often we look for help from the household of faith when God has outsiders in the wings waiting to assist us. Therefore, the lesson to be learned from this chapter is not to limit your resources but rather expect help from unexpected sources.
The Teacher's Pick 
Hi there, just wanted to say, I enjoyed this post. It was helpful.
Keep on posting!
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it is time to
be happy. I have read this post and if I
could I want to suggest you few interesting things or advice.
Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article.
I want to read more things about it!
Keep this going please, great job!
Very good article. I definitely appreciate this website.
Keep it up!
Appreciating the persistence you put into your site and detailed information you provide.
It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while
that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Great read!
I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
I think the admin of this site is really working hard for his web page, as here every
information is quality based material.
I do agree with all of the ideas you have offered
in your post. They are very convincing and can definitely work.
Nonetheless, the posts are too short for starters. Could you please lengthen them
a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
Great blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any user
discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed here?
I’d really love to be a part of community where I can get suggestions from other experienced people
that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
Kudos!
Greetings! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
Wow, awesome blog structure! How lengthy have you ever been blogging for?
you make running a blog look easy. The total look of your site is great, as well as the content!
Tremendous things here. I am very satisfied to see your post.
Thank you so much and I’m having a look ahead to contact you.
Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web page who has shared this wonderful piece of writing
at at this place.
Having read this I believed it was rather enlightening.
I appreciate you spending some time and energy to put this content
together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time both reading and posting comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Terrific work! This is the kind of information that are supposed to be shared around the internet.
Shame on the seek engines for not positioning this post higher!
Come on over and consult with my web site . Thank you =)
Hi, i feel that i noticed you visited my web site thus i got here to go back
the desire?.I’m attempting to to find things to enhance my website!I assume its good enough to use a
few of your ideas!!
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve visited this site before but after looking at a few of the articles
I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m certainly pleased I stumbled upon it and
I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!
Asking questions are truly good thing if you are
not understanding something totally, but this article provides good understanding yet.
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and
wanted to say that I have really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon!
Wow, this article is fastidious, my younger sister is analyzing such
things, thus I am going to let know her.
I think this is one of the most significant info for me.
And i am glad reading your article. But want to remark on few general things, The site style is wonderful, the articles is really great : D.
Good job, cheers
Your means of explaining everything in this post is truly pleasant,
all can simply be aware of it, Thanks a lot.
I was curious if you ever considered changing the page layout of your site?
Its very well written; I love what youve got to say.
But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people
could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one
or 2 pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every
day. It’s always helpful to read through articles from other authors and practice something from other web sites.
My family always say that I am killing my time here at web, except I know I am getting
experience all the time by reading such fastidious posts.
Awesome! Its in fact amazing post, I have
got much clear idea regarding from this paragraph.
I was suggested this web site by way of my cousin. I am now not positive whether this publish is written by
him as nobody else recognise such targeted approximately my trouble.
You’re amazing! Thanks!
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day.
It’s always interesting to read articles from other writers
and practice something from their sites.
Excellent blog right here! Additionally your site quite a bit up very fast!
What web host are you using? Can I get your associate link on your host?
I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
wonderful publish, very informative. I’m wondering why the other experts
of this sector don’t notice this. You should proceed your writing.
I am confident, you have a huge readers’ base already!
Hey would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing?
I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot
quicker then most. Can you suggest a good internet hosting provider at a honest price?
Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
I have read several excellent stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting.
I wonder how so much effort you set to make the sort of magnificent informative site.
I all the time emailed this weblog post page to all my friends, for the
reason that if like to read it afterward my friends will too.
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your website by chance,
and I’m shocked why this twist of fate did not took place
earlier! I bookmarked it.
Hi there colleagues, its enormous article concerning tutoringand entirely defined, keep it up all the time.
Whoa! This blog looks exactly like my old one!
It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same
layout and design. Superb choice of colors!
Having read this I believed it was really enlightening.
I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this article together.
I once again find myself personally spending
a lot of time both reading and leaving comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading
it, you happen to be a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will
come back in the future. I want to encourage you continue your great writing, have a nice morning!
Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted
to mention that I’ve really loved surfing around your weblog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing for your rss feed and I’m hoping you write again soon!
It’s perfect time to make a few plans for the future and it is time to be happy.
I have read this submit and if I could I desire to suggest you
some interesting things or suggestions. Perhaps you could write subsequent
articles relating to this article. I desire to learn even more things about
it!
Great post. I am going through some of these issues as
well..
I was able to find good advice from your blog posts.
What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this
I have found It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads.
I’m hoping to contribute & aid different customers like its helped me.
Good job.
Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after
checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyways, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and
checking back often!
My brother recommended I would possibly like this web site.
He used to be entirely right. This submit truly made
my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this info!
Thanks!
When someone writes an piece of writing he/she keeps the image of a user in his/her
brain that how a user can be aware of it. So that’s why this post
is perfect. Thanks!
I just could not leave your site before suggesting that I really loved the standard information a person provide on your guests?
Is going to be back steadily to investigate cross-check new posts
I enjoy reading through an article that will make men and women think.
Also, thanks for allowing for me to comment!
Quality posts is the key to interest the users to pay a quick
visit the website, that’s what this website is providing.
Hey, I think your website might be having browser
compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks fine but when opening
in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Other then that, great blog!
Heya! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone
3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and
look forward to all your posts! Keep up the outstanding
work!