1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:06,240 The book of Ezra, chapter 6. You know this very well. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:11,960 I hope that the book of Ezra begins with a royal decree, but 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,440 it is not the only decree in this story. 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,880 As we approach this new chapter, we will be examining the edict 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,280 of yet another king by the name of Darius. 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,520 King Darius, who is the king of Persia at this time, will be 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,040 responding to a letter that he received from some of the 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:35,920 governors who are beyond the river and we're overseeing the 9 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,280 Judean province and reported on the rebuilding of the temple 10 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,040 that commenced yet again and had some concern about it. 11 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,680 And one of the main concerns when these governors approached 12 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,600 the Jews as they rebuilt the temple, were pursuing the 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:56,160 reconstruction of this dwelling place for God, was that Cyrus, a 14 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,200 former king, gave them permission to do so. 15 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:01,880 And they wanted to verify that claim. 16 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,640 And so they made a plea to Darius, asking him to do a 17 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:12,880 search to try to verify if this warrant is actually valid. 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,440 And what we're going to discover in this new chapter is that what 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:23,000 Darius has to say will not only affirm what Cyrus decreed, but 20 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,680 we'll also accelerate the rebuilding of the temple until 21 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,920 its completion. It's a fascinating chapter in 22 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,520 this story, and it truly serves as a reminder that the Lord is 23 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:39,280 not only sovereign over a king, he is sovereign over all kings. 24 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,760 That is the main take away from this chapter that has been 25 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,560 preserved for us in our Bibles. But there is a deeper message to 26 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:53,800 be conveyed, and I believe that we can see more glorious truths 27 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:59,000 in this new chapter if we begin by looking at the last verse of 28 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,640 this chapter. And so I want us to consider how 29 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:08,240 this section of Scripture ends. Look at verse 22 of Ezra chapter 30 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,600 6. And they kept the feast of 31 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,280 Unleavened bread 7 days with joy. 32 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:21,600 For the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart 33 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,320 of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the 34 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,480 work of the House of God, the God of Israel. 35 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:35,520 This verse captures the essence of this chapter. 36 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,200 The Lord made His people joyful because He did a powerful work 37 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,120 in the heart of the king of Assyria to aid them in bringing 38 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,280 this reconstruction to its completion. 39 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,640 Now, some might be troubled and some are troubled by the fact 40 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,640 that Darius is identified as the king of what in that verse? 41 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,000 Assyria. He's the king of Persia. 42 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,320 Is this a mistake on the author's part? 43 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,880 I want to tell you right away, absolutely not, and for two 44 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,200 reasons. Number one, it's likely that 45 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:16,200 Darius is labeled as the king of Assyria because he is currently 46 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,640 ruling over the territories that Assyria once governed. 47 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,640 Because you have to remember Assyria has been toppled as an 48 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:27,280 empire some for some time now. So for Assyria to be mentioned 49 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:31,240 here is a little bit concerning. But what Ezra seeks to do, I 50 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,080 believe, is that he wants to show that the government in this 51 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,280 account is a sort of continuation of the empire and 52 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,640 previous empires. In other words, since Darius is 53 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,200 essentially ruling over the same land that the Assyrians and 54 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,120 Babylonians once controlled, he can rightly say that he is, in a 55 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:56,800 sense, the king of Assyria. Plainly put, this is more of a 56 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,800 regional designation than a literal identification, if that 57 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,760 makes sense. But there is a second way and 58 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,840 another way of explaining this, and it's the following that 59 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,600 while Ezra is primarily referring to Darius in his 60 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:14,520 passage, he mentions Assyria in order to emphasize how God 61 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:20,160 sovereignly has been working in and through his people across 62 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,760 all empires, especially the ones that played a role in the 63 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:30,520 oppression of his people. The Assyrian Empire played a 64 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:36,840 major role in a new era for Israel, specifically in their 65 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:42,160 persecution and their exiles. It all started with Assyria, did 66 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,320 it not? And the Bible shows us that in 67 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:50,840 more than one way, how the Assyrians were a new starting 68 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:53,120 point for Israel's history. And I want to show you that in 69 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,360 another place. We're in Ezra, but flip over to 70 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,920 the next book in Nehemiah. Look at Nehemiah Chapter 9, 71 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:01,400 verse 32. And the reason why I'm doing 72 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,120 this right at the outset is because I, I want you and I to 73 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:09,200 be able to defend what some would use as contradictions or 74 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,840 historical errors in our Bibles. So look at Nehemiah Chapter 9 75 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:19,040 and verse 32. It says here, now therefore our 76 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,640 God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome, God who keeps 77 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,720 covenant and steadfast love, Let not all the hardships seem 78 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,760 little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our 79 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,200 Princess, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all 80 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:40,600 your people since the time of the kings of Assyria until this 81 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,120 day. So even Nehemiah recognizes that 82 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:48,640 the Assyrian Empire was a significant starting point in 83 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:50,960 the history of the people of Israel. 84 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,360 So you see, this may be why Ezra refers to Assyria rather than 85 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,960 Persia in his summary and that last verse of Ezra chapter 6. 86 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:03,160 He wants to remind us that the all powerful God of Israel was 87 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,880 always at work and always in control, even from the very 88 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:11,320 beginning of Israel's downfall. Hopefully that clarifies the 89 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,520 issue because what I really want to do is highlight a different 90 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,440 point from that last verse. If we really understand what 91 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,760 Ezra 622 is saying, we can understand from the beginning of 92 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:29,480 Ezra chapter 6 that all Darius is going to say and all Darius 93 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:35,600 is going to do is ultimately by the guidance and influence of 94 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,720 God Himself. Remember what that verse said, 95 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,600 that the people rejoice because they recognize that the Lord 96 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:48,760 worked in Darius's heart to aid them to rebuilding the temple. 97 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,440 And if we keep that in mind, I can tell you with absolute 98 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:57,640 certainty we will be blown away by what we read in this new text 99 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,640 as you recognize and understand what God is able to accomplish 100 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,520 on behalf of His people. So let's look at this mandate 101 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,040 slowly. Let's go back to Ezra chapter 6 102 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,720 in the 1st 2 verses. Remember Darius is responding to 103 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,000 the letters of some of his governors who are reporting on 104 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:15,880 the people rebuilding the House of God. 105 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,280 And this is what we read next in Ezra 6 verse one. 106 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,280 Then Darius the king made a decree and search was made in 107 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,240 Babylonia, in the House of the archives where the documents 108 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,280 were stored, and in Ekbatana, the citadel that is in the 109 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,440 province of Medea, a scroll was found on which was written a 110 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,120 record. Let's stop there. 111 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:44,560 Let's pray, Lord, we pray that You give us the Spirit of wisdom 112 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:49,600 and revelation to help us understand every portion of this 113 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:54,440 portrait of Your Word, and that we would not master it 114 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,520 intellectually, but it would master us. 115 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,960 It would do something in our hearts as we sang about so 116 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,000 frequently tonight. Lord, we pray that you would 117 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,760 breathe fresh life into our souls, that You would renew our 118 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,920 faith, that You would sharpen our discernment, that You would 119 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,120 chisel away anything in our character that is out of line 120 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,320 with Your desire for our lives. We submit this time to You, 121 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,480 believing that You will lead us. May the delivery of this Bible 122 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,400 study be filled with Your power and glory. 123 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,520 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 124 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:26,280 So right away we recognize something. 125 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,080 We recognize that Darius seems to be very diligent and finding 126 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,799 out if what Cyrus said about the Jews rebuilding the temple was 127 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:38,640 so, so much so that he doesn't give up so easily. 128 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,640 Evidently from the first verse we learned that Darius could not 129 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:46,040 find this scroll where you would expect to find it in this 130 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:50,160 archive of historical decrees and edicts. 131 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,960 It's not there, and you would think naturally that if you 132 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,840 wouldn't find it where it's supposed to be that you would do 133 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:56,440 what? Give up? 134 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,640 Why continue? Why waste my resources, my time, 135 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,400 the energy of my men to go on about this? 136 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,880 Why don't just end it here? Why don't we just cancel this 137 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,120 endeavor, Move on? What did the Jews have to do 138 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,560 with us anyway? But it's not what happens. 139 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:16,240 Instead of calling off the search, he charges his men to 140 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:21,040 continue this pursuit. And in verse 2, we realized that 141 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,760 as he pressed on, they finally found it in a different province 142 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,560 of all places, and a place called Ektabana. 143 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,000 And when they looked, they realized it was this in the 144 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,240 central city of this province. And all that they've been 145 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,360 searching for has been realized and uncovered. 146 00:09:38,680 --> 00:09:42,520 And here's the thing that I have to ask, why such determination 147 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,360 on Darius's part? He's not a Jew. 148 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,800 He has his own empire to rule. You can say it's part of his 149 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,080 empire. Maybe he's concerned. 150 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,320 OK. But there seems to be something 151 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,760 else at work here. And the only explanation that 152 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:00,800 we're given for why Darius put so much effort into this is that 153 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,680 last verse of this chapter, That God did something in his heart 154 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:11,240 that God was working deeply in this man for him not to give up, 155 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,360 not to quit until he saw it through. 156 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:19,280 And I want to let you know that we should expect the same sort 157 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,320 of commitment when God works in our hearts as well. 158 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,120 What do I mean? There is a type of devotion to 159 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:32,720 God and to people that is stimulated by divine conviction, 160 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,880 divine constraint. I'm speaking about a Holy Spirit 161 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:45,920 compulsion that moves you and keeps you in the will of God in 162 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,360 a certain way, regardless of the challenges that might arise 163 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,000 along the path of that commitment. 164 00:10:54,320 --> 00:11:00,920 Darius heart at this point is harnessed by an invisible force 165 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,960 which we know to be God, moving him in this direction and 166 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:08,400 keeping him in that direction. And he shows us that there is a 167 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:15,040 level of concrete certainty, immovability on our part as a 168 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,680 result of God working in us. This is good news for us at this 169 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:23,840 Bible study tonight. He didn't throw in the towel. 170 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:28,000 He didn't become selfish. He didn't get so lazy. 171 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:30,720 And I want to tell you and remind you today, dear 172 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,800 Christian, that we've been given heavenly resources to no even 173 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,120 greater resilience in our involvement for the cause of 174 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:38,920 Christ. Whatever your involvement looks 175 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:44,640 like, Paul highlights us in more than one way throughout the New 176 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,520 Testament. One of the my favorite things 177 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:53,040 that he says about why he was so committed, why he was willing to 178 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:57,960 endure so much suffering, why he was willing to stay pure, holy, 179 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,360 dependable. Do you remember these words when 180 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,240 he says the following in Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14? 181 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,520 For the love of Christ controls us. 182 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,720 For the love of Christ controls us. 183 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,440 And he goes on to say, because we have concluded this, that one 184 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:24,320 has died for all, therefore all have died, and he died for all, 185 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,760 that those who live I no longer live for themselves, but for him 186 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,000 who for their sake died and was raised. 187 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:35,920 So why was Paul willing to die to himself and live for Christ 188 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:41,440 completely wholeheartedly? Because he realized something 189 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:45,240 about the love of Christ. Notice he doesn't speak about 190 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,080 his love for Christ. He speaks about Christ's love 191 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,760 for him, and this is the profound truth of this 192 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,320 statement, that there is a way of comprehending Christ's love 193 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:03,680 for you that energizes you, then only energizes you, compels you, 194 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:10,520 controls you, constrains you believer. 195 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:15,320 If you go by your emotion on a daily basis to determine your 196 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,720 fidelity and your commitment to your ministry, your marriage, 197 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:26,080 your work, your sacrifice, you will not last very long. 198 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:31,720 But if you tap into the great affection of crisis set upon 199 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:36,360 you, oh, you will know something of longevity. 200 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:42,600 You will have true fuel in that. And this is what Paul is saying, 201 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:46,880 for the love of Christ controls us. 202 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,000 You know what that word control action means in the original? 203 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:56,480 It's beautiful, holds us together as if they say the love 204 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:01,320 of Christ holds me in place. Another way of thinking about it 205 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,560 is the love of Christ is what keeps me in this course of 206 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,400 action. Doesn't let me go left and 207 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,640 right, doesn't let me backslide so easily. 208 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,600 It controls me. It contains me. 209 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:19,320 It keeps me and this is what you and I have to understand. 210 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,720 Paul's only giving one motivator. 211 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,040 He's only including here one factor actually in the same 212 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,880 context earlier, a few verses back, he speaks about the fear 213 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,880 of God knowing the terror of the Lord. 214 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,240 We persuade men, he says earlier, and that's not the only 215 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,760 place in our Bibles where we understand what God has granted 216 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:45,000 to us to know a longevity and serving Him, and we can consider 217 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,080 others, but we have to move on and read the next few verses in 218 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,400 our main text. So let's go back to Ezra chapter 219 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,080 6 and see what happens in verse 3 down to verse 5. 220 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:58,840 So they find the scroll, they discover it, and now it's quoted 221 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:03,480 to us in verse three. In the first year of Cyrus the 222 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:09,360 king, Cyrus the king issued A decree concerning the House of 223 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,560 God at Jerusalem. Let the house be rebuilt, the 224 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,480 place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations 225 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:20,040 be retained. Its height shall be 60 cubits, 226 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:25,800 and its breadth 60 cubits, with three layers of great stones and 227 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,040 one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the 228 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:33,920 royal treasury. One might wonder what purpose 229 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,240 there is in having Cyrus's decree repeated to us. 230 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:40,680 We've already seen it in the opening of this book. 231 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,560 It's referenced in part in Ezra chapter 5, verse 13 down to 232 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,680 verse 15. So why does it revisit us? 233 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,320 Why is it necessary? And here's yet another reminder 234 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:58,280 that when you encounter A paralleling Scripture in your 235 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:03,920 Bibles, it is never in vain. God doesn't waste real estate in 236 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,640 His Word. So when something seems to be 237 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,680 repetitive, the way to go about it is don't just skim over it, 238 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,920 don't glance over it, dig deeper. 239 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:16,280 And one of the ways that you dig is look for the differences, 240 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,680 compare it to the other places where it is found, and that's 241 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:22,880 where you're going to find answers. 242 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,840 And so a lot of things are similar here, but in this case, 243 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:32,240 something new is revealed about Cyrus's decree, namely, he 244 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,960 actually orders for the dimensions in detail and the 245 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:42,760 layout and the material of the temple, as well as the funding 246 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:45,280 for it. This is what stands out. 247 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,640 Looking at the end of verse 3 and 4, its height shall be 60 248 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:52,880 cubits and its breadth 60 cubits. 249 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,160 That equates to 90 feet with three layers of great stones and 250 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,720 one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the 251 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,320 royal treasury. Now, it's important to 252 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,800 understand that what's happening here, this version of Cyrus's 253 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,480 decree is not a newer one or different one. 254 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,319 Ezra is a historian. Ezra is led by the Holy Spirit. 255 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,000 Ezra knows when to include certain details and when to omit 256 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,359 others. And it all depends on his 257 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,800 purpose in the context that he is writing. 258 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,600 So it wasn't necessary to include these additional details 259 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,680 early on. Now it is important for him to 260 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,080 bring up and to under score these elements of Cyrus's 261 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,960 decree. And one reason for that is 262 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,640 because these are the very things that the governor's 263 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:46,600 targeted as a problem when they sent their report to Darius. 264 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,840 Do you remember this? If you don't go back to Ezra 5, 265 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,720 look at verse 8. This is part of the report that 266 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,120 these governors wrote and they said, be it known to the king 267 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,680 and Ezra 5/8 that we went to the province of Judah to the House 268 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,600 of the great God. It is being built with huge 269 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,440 stones and timber is laid in the walls. 270 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,360 This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. 271 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:17,840 Do you see? This is the historical and 272 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:22,360 political context which helps us make sense of why this version 273 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:25,280 of Cyrus's decree is brought to our attention. 274 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,080 But what does it reveal about God? 275 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,360 Have you wondered how does that help me in my worship? 276 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:40,320 Remember in Ezra 11, the very first verse of this whole book, 277 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:48,920 we learn that the Lord stirred the spirit of Cyrus to make this 278 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:54,480 proclamation, not just in a general sense, but with every 279 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,640 single detail. So ultimately, it was the Lord 280 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,960 through Cyrus who determined the dimensions of the temple. 281 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,360 It was the Lord through Cyrus who wanted these specific 282 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,600 materials to be used for the temple. 283 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:14,280 It was the Lord through Cyrus who wanted it to be paid for by 284 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,840 this government. It was a Lord. 285 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:24,640 And that means that the building and the work of God's house, God 286 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,560 is concerned with every element of it. 287 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:32,120 Every detail matters to the Lord, every feature. 288 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,040 In fact, when you read this decree carefully, you'll notice 289 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,600 that Cyrus's instructions are much more meticulous than 290 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,240 before. Look at Ezra 6, verse 5. 291 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:49,000 And also let the gold and silver vessels of the House of God, 292 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,680 which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem 293 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,800 and brought to Babylon be restored and brought back to the 294 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,160 temple that is in Jerusalem. Pause. 295 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,280 Have we seen that before? Have we seen in this book before 296 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,200 that the vessels that were once in the temple taken by 297 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,960 Nebuchadnezzar was to be restored into the temple? 298 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,400 We've seen this before, right? Here's a little difference. 299 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:15,080 Look at the next part. Each to its place. 300 00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:21,720 Each to its place. You shall put them in the House 301 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,880 of God. So notice what's what's 302 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,560 mentioned here, what's highlighted as a difference. 303 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:34,280 Now only did the Lord through Cyrus want the vessels to return 304 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:36,920 to Jerusalem? No, no, no, I want them in the 305 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,280 House of God. And more than that, in Ezra 6, 306 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,760 we realized that God wanted each of those artifacts, every single 307 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,880 one of those furnishings, to be relocated in their designated 308 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:53,240 place within the House of God. This follows what God spoke to 309 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:56,040 Moses and later to David and Solomon. 310 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:01,440 I want every single thing in my house to be in a specific spot. 311 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:03,720 I want the table of showbread there. 312 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,720 I want the lamp over here. I want the brazen altar over 313 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,360 there. I want the Ark of the Covenant 314 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,160 in there. Everything was covered by the 315 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:18,360 Lord's will. And here's the thing, after 316 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:20,560 decades of exile, God's instructions haven't changed. 317 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,760 And although, listen, you and I are under the new covenant, 318 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,000 praise God and a greater covenant, a better covenant, a 319 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,000 covenant that's been prophesied by the prophets. 320 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,480 God's house is now the church in this covenant expressed in local 321 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,480 assemblies like this. But I want to make the case 322 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,800 tonight that God's heart for His house in this regard has not 323 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,400 changed. It hasn't changed. 324 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:54,000 He wants specific things to be in specific places in His house. 325 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,000 Here's proof of that. Let's go to the New Testament, 326 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,800 first Timothy, chapter 3. I want you to look at verse 14 327 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,680 and verse 15. First Timothy 3 verse 14 to 328 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:10,440 verse 15. Paul is writing to Timothy and 329 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,640 this book is primarily about giving this young pastor 330 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,880 instructions of how to govern the church. 331 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:18,600 And the church that he was pastoring at this time was a 332 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,200 church in Ephesus. And notice what he says in First 333 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:26,040 Timothy 3 verse 14. I hope to come to you soon, but 334 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:31,400 I am writing these things to you so that if I delay, you may know 335 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:37,680 how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the 336 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:42,360 Church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the 337 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:45,800 truth. Listen, in the New Covenant, God 338 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,440 is no longer concerned with the dimensions of a sacred building. 339 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:55,120 He's not preoccupied with the positions of again, the lamp or 340 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:58,400 the table of showbread or the altar of incense. 341 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,720 That is not in his mind anymore. He's concerned with different 342 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:06,320 vessels. We are called vessels in the New 343 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:12,120 Testament, and he wants his vessels to be in the right place 344 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:18,000 in his house. Or in the words of Paul, how one 345 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,200 ought to behave in the household of God. 346 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,320 What is Paul's desire in conveying this? 347 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:28,880 What's the context? What kind of behavior does he 348 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:30,680 have in mind? Let's ask it that way. 349 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,800 Well, immediately before this, Paul speaks about the 350 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,920 qualifications of deacons and elders. 351 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,960 He also speaks about the role you ready for this one of woman 352 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,280 in the church. Not just the role you ready for 353 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,720 this one their appearance in the church. 354 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,840 He also speaks about who should be leading the worship services 355 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:01,480 in the church. And after giving these various 356 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:05,320 types of commands and exhortations, though he is not 357 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:09,400 finished, he tells Timothy, look, put these things in order 358 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:13,320 in case I delay. Because you ought to know not 359 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,320 just the Church of Ephesus, but Maranatha Bible Church and every 360 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,880 Bible believing church, how one ought to behave in the household 361 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:25,560 of God, where the vessels of God should be placed in his house, 362 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,280 their function, their responsibility, their roles. 363 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:32,880 And you know what breaks my heart? 364 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,920 We are living in an age where more and more people take 365 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:39,720 liberties and ignoring or misinterpreting God's rules for 366 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:44,200 his own house. Yeah, yeah. 367 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,880 Let me ask you something. How would you react if this is 368 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:53,800 not in this text, but if we were to read of a Jew in Ezra's time 369 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,000 who received the clear instructions from Cyrus's decree 370 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,840 about how each of these instruments in the temple should 371 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:04,640 be in the rightful place, and that Jew, presumably a leader, 372 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,680 totally ignores it. And he says, you know what 373 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,480 actually I want, I want the table show right over there and 374 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:16,400 I want the lamp back there. What would your reaction be? 375 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:18,920 You, You would say this is offensive. 376 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,920 You would say this is careless or many cases this is blatant 377 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:28,440 rebellion. We would be disturbed by such a 378 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,680 response to such instructions. And yet for some reason, when it 379 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,560 comes to the positions and practices within the church, the 380 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,440 household of God today, we are far more willing to accept 381 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,240 personal interpretation based on emotion rather than biblical 382 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:46,000 fact. And one of the common 383 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:53,400 justifications for different ideas of roles restricted to men 384 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,800 and how women should flourish in the church is, well, is it 385 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:01,920 really a big deal anyway? Is it really a big deal? 386 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,880 Let me ask you this. Is it a big deal for the temple 387 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,040 to have the furnishings in its rightful place, as God decreed? 388 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,680 If you fear God, you would say, yeah, it is a big deal. 389 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:15,440 So why is that a big deal and not this? 390 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,760 Why is that important? Why does that seem more holy and 391 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,640 sacred than the vessels of God being where they're supposed to 392 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:31,560 be in the House of God in 2026? We have to ask these questions. 393 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,480 And more than that, we have to humble, humble ourselves to the 394 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,960 truths that are presented to us in this regard and remember that 395 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:39,680 it's about what God wants from his house. 396 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:44,040 Now, what you feel like it's fashionable or effective? 397 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,240 What does God want? That's all that's asked of me. 398 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,440 That's all that's asked of you. What does the Lord want? 399 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:54,560 This is not my church. This is not your church. 400 00:26:55,400 --> 00:27:01,760 This is the temple of God. And so let's tremble again and 401 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,800 remove from our vocabulary things like, well, I just think, 402 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:09,760 what does God say? Well, it's offensive. 403 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,280 We'll let him deal with it with God. 404 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,720 It's his house. And you and I are called to 405 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:20,120 steward what he has asked us to steward in his house. 406 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,080 And so we see here that even God says, I, I want these things 407 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,200 exactly where I've asked them to be. 408 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,640 Maybe be the same in our response of obedience in the 409 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:37,320 House of God today. Well, let's come back now to our 410 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,480 main text. This is the summary of Cyrus's 411 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,560 decree that was uncovered. But as we read on now, there's a 412 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,360 transition. Now Darius is going to give his 413 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:56,320 own decree to Tatanai and the other governors, in addition to 414 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:00,560 what Cyrus asked. So let's read from verse 6. 415 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:04,320 Now. Therefore, Tatanai, governor of 416 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:08,320 the province beyond the river Sithar Bazani and your 417 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,480 associates, the governors who are in the province beyond the 418 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:16,600 river, keep away. Let the work on this House of 419 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,120 God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and 420 00:28:19,120 --> 00:28:23,200 the elders of the Jews rebuild this House of God on its site. 421 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,760 Pause. I love this. 422 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:32,560 Keep away, Stay back, Don't harass, don't intimidate, don't 423 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,600 inquire, don't investigate. The matter is finished. 424 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,080 You have nothing to do with this. 425 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,000 It's been settled and he's not done yet. 426 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:45,200 But I just want to show how he confirms what Cyrus says. 427 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,880 But if you actually look more carefully as we read on, there 428 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:53,800 are two official decrees that Darius is going to make. 429 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,680 This is just a confirmation. But after after this, between 430 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:02,560 verses 8 and 10, we have the first decree that Darius is 431 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,960 going to make. And the second one is issued in 432 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,640 verse 11 down to verse 12. And so I want us to look at the 433 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:13,400 first decree, the first decree that Darius makes from verse 8 434 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,040 down to verse 10. So he tells them to back off, 435 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:17,680 but that's all he all he has in mind. 436 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,760 Moreover, verse 8, I make a decree regarding what you shall 437 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:26,440 do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of the House 438 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,080 of God. The cost is to be paid to these 439 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,960 men in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the 440 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,320 tribute of the province from beyond the river, and whatever 441 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:42,400 is needed, bulls, Rams or sheep for burnt offerings to the God 442 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,880 of heaven. Wheat, salt, wine or oil, as the 443 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:49,040 priest at Jerusalem require. Let that be given to them day by 444 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:53,160 day, without fail, that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the 445 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:58,560 God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 446 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:05,000 The script has been flipped, the tables have been turned. 447 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,640 Tatani and his friends thought that they could potentially put 448 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,240 a stop to the rebuilding of the House of God. 449 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,760 And now, after reporting it, Darius says, actually, I'm going 450 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:20,360 to ask you to help them. And this is a marvelous example 451 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,840 of how you and I should remain patient through trials and 452 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:29,760 challenges and roadblocks in obedience to the Lord. 453 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,520 Who would have thought that Tatani's investigation would 454 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:37,200 have led to this? You know, there's a pattern in 455 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:43,280 Scripture that when persecution or inconveniences arise, though 456 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:47,640 frustrating in the moment, they often lead to God's people 457 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,200 knowing greater freedom and fruitfulness. 458 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,720 Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens enough for us to see 459 00:30:54,720 --> 00:31:01,040 in our Bibles that it's possible in our own lives for harassment 460 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:03,880 and persecution to come our way as we're seeking to obey God and 461 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,560 thinking that it's only going to get more dreadful and difficult 462 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:13,080 from here is not always so. God is a master at changing the 463 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:16,920 story and this is what we find here. 464 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,280 It's testimonies like this in Ezra chapter 6 that we have to 465 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:24,360 remind ourselves that I, I can endure this. 466 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:28,000 I can, I can remain faithful and Worshipful because God can 467 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,560 change things in our favor. God can change things in our 468 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:35,160 favor for His glory in a moment. In a moment. 469 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,480 I have testimonies of that in my own life. 470 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:40,880 I'm convinced. I want you to be convinced. 471 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,560 It's in the Bible. But with that being said, 472 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:48,360 there's another remarkable element to this first decree 473 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,640 that Darius makes, and it's in the last part. 474 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:51,920 Remember what he says in verse 10. 475 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:53,880 Look again. He wants the House of God to be 476 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:54,680 rebuilt. Why? 477 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:58,960 Well, yes, Cyrus decreed it, but notice this, that they may offer 478 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,480 pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life 479 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:10,520 of the king and his sons. To a certain extent, Darius, a 480 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:19,320 Gentile king, believe in the power of prayer when it was 481 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,320 prayed by God's people. Or else why request it? 482 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,680 Whether he was superstitious, because you can be superstitious 483 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:33,240 about prayer or he he genuinely understood and was convinced of 484 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:37,280 the effectiveness of the intercession of those who belong 485 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:41,920 to God does not matter. Darius reminds us that there is 486 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,480 great benefit in having people pray for us. 487 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,320 Read the epistles that Paul wrote and you will not be able 488 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,920 to deny that he believed that wholeheartedly for himself. 489 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:02,360 And Paul not only asks for prayers as a footnote, no, they 490 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,280 were passionate. Please pray for me, seek God on 491 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,600 my behalf, strive in your prayers for me. 492 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,160 And you know what I learned about Paul? 493 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,960 I mean, this man was absolutely consumed with his ministry. 494 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,920 Anything that he prayed for, even when he was in prison was 495 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:21,800 not about being free. It was give me the boldness to 496 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:23,320 preach while I'm in here. Things like that. 497 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:25,040 You know, that's how Paul thought. 498 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:28,560 That's how he lived. But, but I I believe that Paul 499 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:32,320 believed that he didn't think prayer was just about big things 500 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:36,960 like missionary opportunities or, or preaching effectiveness, 501 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:42,360 even small things. One of my favorite examples of 502 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,960 this is in that little letter to Philemon or Philemon. 503 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,760 Do you remember what he said to his friend near the end of his 504 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,280 letter? Let me remind you in verse 22, 505 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:58,240 no chapters Philemon 22 listen to these words that Paul wrote 506 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,560 to a great friend, a ministry partner, yes, but a friend he 507 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:05,800 says in Philemon 22 at the same time, prepare a guest room for 508 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:10,120 me for I'm hoping that through your prayers I will be 509 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:15,600 graciously given to you. So seems as though Paul 510 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,400 anticipated to be set free from prison. 511 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:19,280 Philemon is one of his prison epistles. 512 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,800 He's writing this from jail, but he expects to be liberated at 513 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:25,159 some point, maybe in the near future. 514 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:27,920 Because he says, hey, Philemon, can you prepare a guest room for 515 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:30,360 me? Planning to come over soon. 516 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,120 But Paul also understands that there may be unforeseen 517 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,440 obstacles that may hinder him from actually being reunited 518 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,800 with Philemon. So what does he say? 519 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:47,440 Brother, pray, Pray that God would allow me to be graciously 520 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:54,320 given to you. Isn't that beautiful that God 521 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,960 would even hear our prayers when we want to be reunited with a 522 00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:58,800 brother or sister that we haven't seen in a while? 523 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:04,680 That He can open doors? That He can put favor in your 524 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:06,680 boss's eyes because you have packed schedule. 525 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:10,720 That he can clear the weather. That the tickets for that flight 526 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:16,200 would be cheaper So that you can find encouragement and give 527 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:20,600 encouragement to another brother in Christ, another sister in the 528 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,680 Lord. Paul believed that. 529 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,520 Paul believed that God would answer Philemon's prayer for 530 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,680 this request. In my books, that that doesn't 531 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,200 seem like an emergency. That just seems like a gift. 532 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,920 That's why Paul says that I would be graciously. 533 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,440 It would be a manifestation of God's grace that you and I can 534 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,840 sit face to face across from one another and drink from one 535 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:52,000 another's faith and be built up like these men, Darius and Paul. 536 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:57,520 I wonder if you believe that God would honor that act of faith 537 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:01,920 and humility by you asking for someone else to pray for you. 538 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:07,280 Let me ask you a question. When was the last time, not as a 539 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:11,120 Christian reflex, not as a knee jerk reaction, but genuinely 540 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:17,200 with your faith, with your heart thought out, asked somebody else 541 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:23,000 to pray for you, believing that God would honor that prayer, 542 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:27,440 believing that God would somehow work through the prayers of both 543 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,080 you and that friend or friends as you combine your faith 544 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:35,040 together for a specific request, listen, in 2026, some of us in 545 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,640 here might need to ask the Lord to help us in our prayer lives, 546 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:41,280 which is wonderful. But others it may be to help us 547 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:45,480 believe in the prayers of other people for us and to be like 548 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:51,400 Paul and actually vocalize our neediness to send a little bit 549 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:52,840 more texts to others that you trust. 550 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,720 Have a walk with God and say, brother, I need you to pray for 551 00:36:54,720 --> 00:37:01,480 me about this. These men believed, even Darius 552 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:06,520 with all his limited knowledge, that when God's people pray, 553 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:10,120 things can happen. But Darius's humble request also 554 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:11,960 teaches us another thing. It reminds us that one of the 555 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:14,120 best things that we can do for others is pray for them. 556 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:18,880 He believed this. He believed that the prayers of 557 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:20,960 God's people not only bless him, but his sons. 558 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:23,880 It can have generational consequences. 559 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,560 So don't just pray for me. Pray for my descendants. 560 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,640 You know, according to First Timothy 2, you and I have been 561 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:34,360 commanded, not suggested, commanded as a church to pray 562 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:37,480 for kings and to pray for those who are in high positions. 563 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,280 Why? Just so that we can do something 564 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:43,320 else on a Wednesday night because we're not busy enough. 565 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:48,600 No, because clearly our prayers in that same context can make an 566 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:54,040 impact on what society, those who have the ability and the 567 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,640 prerogative to actually do things in culture. 568 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:58,920 Our prayers can do something in their hearts. 569 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:03,240 And what they do from that place can impact the city, the nation, 570 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,200 and, and more than that, Paul says, pray for these rulers so 571 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:12,880 that the church can exercise its ministries with freedom and then 572 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:18,360 peaceableness. Pray, Pray for those who are not 573 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:21,760 asking for it and pray for those who asked for it, because prayer 574 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:27,360 actually changes things. And so Darius makes that request 575 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:29,280 in this first decree. But that's not the only decree 576 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:31,120 he makes. There's a second and last one. 577 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:34,080 Come back to Ezra 6. Look at verse 11 and verse 12. 578 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:45,800 Also, I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam 579 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:50,520 shall be pulled out of his house and he shall be impaled on it, 580 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:54,160 and his house shall be made at Dunkhill. 581 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:58,120 Do you know what that means? It's not a pretty image. 582 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:00,760 Some translations like the King James, the new King James say to 583 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:04,160 be hung on it. The Hebrew word has some 584 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:10,320 flexibility, I guess. So if anybody edits Darius's 585 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,320 first decree, here's the punishment. 586 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:18,160 Take a beam out of their house, put it into the ground, and let 587 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:22,160 it Pierce somebody through their flesh from the inside out. 588 00:39:23,240 --> 00:39:25,560 That was the punishment, emphasizing the severity of such 589 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:28,960 a crime. Don't you dare touch the order 590 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:30,640 that I made concerning this house. 591 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:36,440 If that wasn't clear enough, that wasn't a deterrent. 592 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:39,480 He adds something else. Look at verse 12. 593 00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:44,840 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow 594 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:52,000 any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this or to 595 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,640 destroy this House of God that is in Jerusalem. 596 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:59,720 I, Darius, make a decree. Let it be done with all 597 00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:03,200 diligence. So not only does the Darius say 598 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:06,800 I'm going to do something about this in my lifetime if anybody 599 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:10,680 dares to change what I said. They'll be severely punished. 600 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,240 I mean, it's a gruesome death penalty. 601 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:17,200 But he also invokes the name of God, and he asked that God would 602 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,320 intervene if anybody were to not just change or alter this edict, 603 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:26,320 but in the future touch the House of God and seek to destroy 604 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:29,280 it or defile it in any way. May God do something about it 605 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:36,720 himself. Remember verse 22 of this 606 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:39,440 chapter? It was the Lord who was working 607 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:43,320 in Darius's heart to aid the people. 608 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,320 Ultimately, this is God and it shows just how precious His 609 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:53,360 house is to him. Now we know that Jesus Christ, 610 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:57,800 our Lord and Savior, the promised Messiah, prophesied the 611 00:40:57,800 --> 00:40:59,840 destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. 612 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:05,280 It was an act of God. He used natural means. 613 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:09,280 The Roman Empire, yes, but it was an indictment against His 614 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,120 people for rejecting the Messiah. 615 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:14,680 And now we are in the New Covenant as the same Christ 616 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:17,240 inaugurated it. And in the New covenant, as I 617 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:21,120 said earlier, the House of God is His church. 618 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:25,920 And just like what I said earlier about how God is 619 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:29,400 concerned about where His vessels are situated and how 620 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,320 they function within His, within his house, God is equally 621 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:37,640 concerned as we see here, about the destruction of His house in 622 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:41,520 the New Testament. His house is different. 623 00:41:41,520 --> 00:41:46,440 God's heart to protect it, to preserve it from danger, hasn't 624 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:51,040 changed. In our final passage tonight, 625 00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:52,880 turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 3. 626 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:58,080 I want you to consider 2 verses as we seek to close First 627 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:07,600 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 16. Darius's warning, moved by the 628 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:10,240 Lord to issue it, reminds us of what the Holy Spirit said 629 00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:12,880 through the apostle Paul about what would happen to anyone who 630 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:14,760 would seek to destroy God's house today. 631 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:17,800 Do you know it's possible to destroy God's house today? 632 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:20,440 Do you know what God's house is today? 633 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:24,320 Paul reminds US First Corinthians chapter 3, verse 16. 634 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:29,400 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's 635 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:34,120 Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, 636 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:42,200 God will destroy him, for God's temple is holy, and you are that 637 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:43,800 temple. Now he's speaking in the plural. 638 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:49,400 He's addressing the local church in Corinth and labels them as 639 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:54,480 the temple of God. Do you understand the the 640 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:56,080 implications of this are enormous. 641 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:01,400 And one of the things that it signifies is how much the church 642 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:07,920 manifested in local bodies like this is sacred in God's eyes. 643 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:16,960 The church is holy to our Lord. It's it's a treasure to him. 644 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:26,480 It's pure, it's meaningful. It's his heart. 645 00:43:28,440 --> 00:43:34,800 And Paul here says that you are the temple, and God so values 646 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:40,920 his temple that he promises to punish anyone who attempts to 647 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:46,440 destroy the temple of God. Now, how does one attempt to 648 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,360 destroy God's temple in this age, in this covenant? 649 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,280 How does that work? Is Paul referring to vandalizing 650 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,880 the church building? Is he talking about taking an 651 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:59,960 instrument and damaging pews or bricks? 652 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:04,280 Paul is not concerned about any physical sanctuary. 653 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:06,560 He's concerned about the sanctification of God's people, 654 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:11,280 the spiritual condition of his church. 655 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:16,280 So that helps us understand that there is a spiritual destruction 656 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:18,120 that can take place in the church. 657 00:44:20,680 --> 00:44:24,400 But still, OK, now that that's made known, what does that 658 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:28,280 actually look like? And I believe Paul gives us at 659 00:44:28,280 --> 00:44:29,920 least one reason in the immediate context. 660 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:31,680 There are many reasons to destroy God's house. 661 00:44:32,680 --> 00:44:36,040 But what's this chapter about in First Corinthians 3, if you read 662 00:44:36,040 --> 00:44:41,360 earlier, Paul laments and he rebukes this church for one main 663 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:45,880 thing, at least this at this point, divisions, divisions. 664 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:49,880 You have some of you here saying I'm of Paul, I like Pastor Paul, 665 00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:53,880 another you saying I like Pastor Peter, another you saying I like 666 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:57,080 Apollo's his preaching the most. And and now there's, there's 667 00:44:57,080 --> 00:44:58,920 friction, there's tension, there's division. 668 00:45:02,160 --> 00:45:04,520 And in that same train of thought, he says, hey, do you 669 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:08,120 not realize that you are God's temple, that if anyone destroys 670 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:09,600 God's house, God will destroy him. 671 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:17,560 So one way a person can destroy God's house is by being the 672 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:25,360 cause for the disintegration of unity, of having believers turn 673 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:33,920 on one another, factions, distractions to the point of 674 00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:38,040 destruction, where people are now looking at one another 675 00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,320 instead of Christ. We're not missional anymore, but 676 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:44,680 are now petty and are now harming one of those reputations 677 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:50,240 and their names. And you're eroding the harmony 678 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:56,680 of God's church, his house, and you are ripping that community 679 00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:01,680 apart because of your mouth, because of your decisions, 680 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:04,240 because of your attitude in the House of God. 681 00:46:06,360 --> 00:46:10,720 And Paul warns them you're treading on dangerous territory. 682 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:17,480 The lesson is clear. Harming the spiritual life, 683 00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:22,640 disturbing the loving bond of God's people is dangerous. 684 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:29,560 And my prayer, looking at this warning from Darius and the 685 00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:35,760 warnings of the New Testament, is that may none of us ever be 686 00:46:36,240 --> 00:46:39,600 the cause for defiling the House of God ever. 687 00:46:40,920 --> 00:46:45,480 You know, sometimes people, especially the leaders, will 688 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:50,880 express concern about the potential work of troublemakers, 689 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:56,000 people who sow discord in the assembly and all these 690 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:59,000 different, you know, nightmarish scenarios that that happens 691 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:04,400 sometimes. And sometimes people ask, 692 00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:10,000 brother, are you ever worried? But who can emerge from within 693 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,640 or come from the outside in and cause havoc? 694 00:47:15,480 --> 00:47:19,640 And you know, I can say with a clear conscience, I'm not, I'm 695 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:23,720 not afraid of troublemakers. Based on what I find in my 696 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:26,840 Bible, I've determined that I'm afraid for troublemakers. 697 00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:31,040 You know why? Let me say it again. 698 00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:35,120 This isn't my church. This isn't my church. 699 00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:38,520 It's not your church. It's God's. 700 00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:41,800 This is God's church. This is his temple. 701 00:47:42,920 --> 00:47:45,960 And if anybody seeks to destroy it, God will deal with them. 702 00:47:48,240 --> 00:47:52,720 So my duty and yours is to maintain a clear conscience, to 703 00:47:52,720 --> 00:47:58,640 live a holy life, to walk in integrity, to walk in obedience. 704 00:47:59,920 --> 00:48:03,800 Because Jesus promised to not only build his church, which is 705 00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:08,560 a relief for me and I'm sure to you, but also to protect it. 706 00:48:09,520 --> 00:48:14,400 He'll protect His church because it is precious in His sight. 707 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:19,840 You are precious in His sight. And this is what we learned so 708 00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:22,160 far in Ezra chapter 6. But it's not over yet. 709 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:26,000 But we'll have to come again next week to see what else the 710 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,480 Word of God has to say to us. For now, let's respond to the 711 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:55,230 Lord in prayer. Father, you have reminded us of 712 00:48:55,230 --> 00:49:01,550 how much you care about your house, and Lord, we admit that 713 00:49:01,550 --> 00:49:06,790 it is difficult to grasp and fully comprehend how we, because 714 00:49:06,790 --> 00:49:11,230 of Christ, because of this new covenant, are your house. 715 00:49:14,950 --> 00:49:20,720 We thank you for these lessons from the past with that physical 716 00:49:20,720 --> 00:49:23,120 building known as a temple in Jerusalem and how we can apply 717 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:27,480 them today. We thank you and we ask that 718 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:33,080 Lord we would not forget them. So much was said tonight. 719 00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:40,080 Help us retain it. And Lord, where conviction needs 720 00:49:40,080 --> 00:49:45,560 to be felt, let it be felt. And where comfort is needed, let 721 00:49:45,560 --> 00:49:50,760 it overflow. We pray that you would protect 722 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:53,480 this house. We pray that you would protect 723 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:57,040 every church that's represented here, every ministry that is 724 00:49:57,040 --> 00:50:02,360 represented here. We pray that we would not be any 725 00:50:02,360 --> 00:50:07,680 cause for harm to your assembly, but that we would be a blessing 726 00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:12,520 to any church that we are a part of as we honor the place that 727 00:50:12,520 --> 00:50:16,840 you have positioned us. For, that we would trust Your 728 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:19,040 word with every command, with every blueprint that you have 729 00:50:19,040 --> 00:50:22,440 set, no matter the tides of the culture, no matter the pressures 730 00:50:22,640 --> 00:50:27,600 of other churches that are bending the knee to modern day 731 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:32,360 philosophies. Help us honor your word no 732 00:50:32,360 --> 00:50:36,800 matter what, Lord. There are so many other things 733 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:40,880 that we can ask for, but for now we say thank you Lord, and we 734 00:50:40,880 --> 00:50:45,720 pray that as we sing this song and as we reflect it, you would 735 00:50:45,720 --> 00:50:49,200 pull on our hearts even more and draw us closer to you. 736 00:50:50,080 --> 00:50:52,080 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 737 00:50:52,440 --> 00:50:54,520 Amen. If you want to stay seated and 738 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:58,800 reflect and pray and just offer more words to the Lord, you can 739 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:00,480 do that. If you want to stand and worship 740 00:51:00,480 --> 00:51:02,200 with the rest of us, you can do that as well. 741 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:04,720 But let's just commune with Christ before we conclude this 742 00:51:04,720 --> 00:51:28,800 Bible study. You've heard me speak about the 743 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:32,280 Puritans before. The Puritans were a group of 744 00:51:32,280 --> 00:51:39,520 Christians who felt the need to see the Anglican Church reformed 745 00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:42,960 further purified because it had divorced from the Catholic 746 00:51:42,960 --> 00:51:46,160 Church, and it still brought a lot of their practices into 747 00:51:46,160 --> 00:51:52,640 their own ideas and polity. And so the Puritans felt as 748 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,760 though, no, there's needs to be more purification here. 749 00:51:55,680 --> 00:51:58,120 And some were separatists. They said, it's a lost cause. 750 00:51:58,120 --> 00:51:59,640 We're going this way, you guys deal with it. 751 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:02,360 Others said, no, no, we're going to preach and we're going to 752 00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:05,400 pray and we're going to believe that God can, can still do some 753 00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:09,440 more purifying. And out of that came a lot of 754 00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:11,720 literature, sermons, yes, but even books that have been 755 00:52:11,720 --> 00:52:14,560 preserved over the years from their, from their talks and 756 00:52:14,560 --> 00:52:18,120 their, their messages. And if you've ever read the 757 00:52:18,120 --> 00:52:21,720 Puritans and you would know that they are very precise. 758 00:52:21,720 --> 00:52:25,000 They're they're, they're very methodical and how they explain 759 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:27,520 things and break open certain verses and chapters of the 760 00:52:27,520 --> 00:52:30,920 Bible. And one time a modern theologian 761 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:36,200 was asked by a curious Christian who was just being introduced to 762 00:52:36,200 --> 00:52:42,800 the Puritans brother, why are the Puritans so precise? 763 00:52:44,120 --> 00:52:47,640 And the response of this theologian was because we serve 764 00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:51,160 a precise God. And there's a lot of truth to 765 00:52:51,160 --> 00:52:54,680 that. God does give us liberties. 766 00:52:54,800 --> 00:52:56,520 He's a God of grace when it comes to the church. 767 00:52:56,520 --> 00:52:58,640 We know that we're supposed to sing, but does he tell us to 768 00:52:58,640 --> 00:53:01,040 sing 3 songs before the message and two songs after? 769 00:53:01,240 --> 00:53:03,480 No, he doesn't. I believe that's his grace. 770 00:53:03,720 --> 00:53:05,480 He gives us freedom to determine that. 771 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:09,240 Each local assembly, seeing what's the best fit for their 772 00:53:09,240 --> 00:53:11,080 church. He tells us to preach the word, 773 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:13,080 but does he give you a curriculum, preach these books 774 00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:15,000 and this time of the year? No, He doesn't just preach the 775 00:53:15,000 --> 00:53:20,200 word, handle it rightly. And so it really, really 776 00:53:20,200 --> 00:53:24,080 disturbs me in the day and age that we live in, where the clear 777 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:27,440 things that are in the Word of God are being interpreted 778 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:30,880 differently or being massaged to me means something else. 779 00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:32,720 I mean, God has only given us so many things. 780 00:53:32,720 --> 00:53:35,400 He's gave us 2 ordinances, 2, not 22. 781 00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:39,120 He gave us all these instructions about men and women 782 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:40,920 and pastors and members and all these things. 783 00:53:41,240 --> 00:53:44,680 And even those things, though not many are being dishonored. 784 00:53:45,640 --> 00:53:48,400 So what God has revealed clearly, what is black and 785 00:53:48,400 --> 00:53:52,560 white, may we stand with conviction upon and fight for 786 00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:56,120 because we know that our God is a precise God. 787 00:53:56,520 --> 00:53:59,480 There's no confusion with him. May we not be confused. 788 00:53:59,920 --> 00:54:04,360 In 2026, keep your face in the Bible more than ever. 789 00:54:05,160 --> 00:54:08,680 Mark my words. We're going to see more and more 790 00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:11,800 tests coming to the local churches, to the church at large 791 00:54:12,680 --> 00:54:14,800 that's going to test us on different things. 792 00:54:15,800 --> 00:54:17,680 And you need to be able to know your Bible to be able to 793 00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:21,680 withstand what's coming our way. It's already happened and many 794 00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:25,000 different doctrines are being challenged and revisited, and 795 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:26,560 that's not going to stop anytime soon. 796 00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:30,520 So brother, sister, get your roots deep in the Bible. 797 00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:35,000 If you want to be able to stand firm with the deceptions that 798 00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:38,200 will come like a tidal wave. The only hope you have is the 799 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,960 Word of God. Stay there. 800 00:54:42,680 --> 00:54:44,120 Lo, we ask that you help us stay there. 801 00:54:45,360 --> 00:54:48,600 Help us be mighty in the scriptures on Friday, mighty in 802 00:54:48,600 --> 00:54:51,360 the scriptures on Sundays. Help us know the old and the 803 00:54:51,360 --> 00:54:55,800 new, not so that we can boast in our knowledge, so that we can 804 00:54:55,800 --> 00:54:58,840 prove ourselves right, that we can be self-righteous. 805 00:54:58,840 --> 00:55:01,560 No Lord, so that we can honor you, please you, love you, and 806 00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:05,880 worship You the way you deserve. Give us right understanding. 807 00:55:06,360 --> 00:55:08,800 May the anointing that resides with and according to First John 808 00:55:08,800 --> 00:55:13,200 2 be more real to us in 2026 than ever before to teach us 809 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:15,120 these things that need to be taught. 810 00:55:15,800 --> 00:55:17,720 We give you thanks Lord. Thank you for this night. 811 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:21,400 In Jesus name we pray, Amen, Amen and Amen. 812 00:55:21,840 --> 00:55:23,920 Finish Ezra chapter 6 for next week. 813 00:55:24,760 --> 00:55:26,560 Look forward to that time together fellowship with one 814 00:55:26,560 --> 00:55:27,320 another. God bless you. 815 00:55:27,320 --> 00:55:29,480 We'll see you should the Lord tarry next week. 816 00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:29,960 Bye, bye now.