- Ezra 1
- Ezra 1:3 - Cyrus gave all the Jews an open opportunity to go back and rebuild the city.
- Ezra 1:4 - The plunder from Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of the temple would return with the exiles. This was a great blessing from God to help the operation get started.
- Nehemiah 2:5-9 - God blesses Nehemiah in his return to Jerusalem as well.
- Many times in the Old Testament, we have examples of God presenting people with big opportunities, but still requiring people to seize that opportunity.
- Noah, the Israelites taking the promised land, the fall of Jericho (Johua 6:2,16,3-4,20)
- If people do not seize the opportunities that God gives them, it is their own fault!
- Ezra 1:11 - God made it possible for the materials to go back to Jerusalem, but Sheshbazzar was the agent that actually carried it out.
- Haggai 1:12-15
- God’s plan of salvation works in a similar way. He gives us the opportunity, but we must seize it! (Acts 2:38-41 God calls us through His gospel, but we have to answer that call. God does not call us in some miraculous way - the call comes through hearing God’s word recorded in the Bible.
DW
July 04, 2012
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