Fasting and Prayer
Day 46: Ezra
Ezra 7-9
Well I read about Ezra yesterday but I accidentally closed my browser while typing it up twice. So I just gave up. My three point summary is:
1. Ezra and some of the Levites are permitted by Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and restore the temple of the Lord. They are given money from the Babylonian treasury for this task and to make sacrifices to God.
2. One big point that stuck out was the fact that before setting off for their journey, they fasted and humbled themselves before God and asked for journey mercies. This was cool because I just finished doing the 30 hour famine and I also think that the next time I have a major decision, i'm going to fast and spend more time in prayer asking for God's guidance.
3. Ezra has this long prayer asking for God's mercy on all of them after many of them intermarry with people from surrounding nations, despite God's prohibitions in the Book of the Law.
Day 47: Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1-2
- Nehemiah finds out that Jerusalem is in ruins and it upsets him greatly. Walls have been destroyed and gates burned down with fire.
- he asks for mercy for all of them and then quotes God's promise saying:
"but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'"
- Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. From what I remember hearing, cupbearers are usually very close to the king. So one day, king Artaxerxes asked him why he was so sad and Nehemiah told him that he wished to return to Judah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. The king not only agreed but also sent an army of officers and cavalry to protect Nehemiah and all the timber he needed to make repairs. And so the rebuilding of Jerusalem began.
It's interesting that Nehemiah also fasted as he wept, mourned and prayed for Israel. I think it would be really great to take a whole day to fast and pray in a place of solitude. Maybe this summer sometime.
Ezra 7-9
Well I read about Ezra yesterday but I accidentally closed my browser while typing it up twice. So I just gave up. My three point summary is:
1. Ezra and some of the Levites are permitted by Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and restore the temple of the Lord. They are given money from the Babylonian treasury for this task and to make sacrifices to God.
2. One big point that stuck out was the fact that before setting off for their journey, they fasted and humbled themselves before God and asked for journey mercies. This was cool because I just finished doing the 30 hour famine and I also think that the next time I have a major decision, i'm going to fast and spend more time in prayer asking for God's guidance.
3. Ezra has this long prayer asking for God's mercy on all of them after many of them intermarry with people from surrounding nations, despite God's prohibitions in the Book of the Law.
Day 47: Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1-2
- Nehemiah finds out that Jerusalem is in ruins and it upsets him greatly. Walls have been destroyed and gates burned down with fire.
- he asks for mercy for all of them and then quotes God's promise saying:
"but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'"
- Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. From what I remember hearing, cupbearers are usually very close to the king. So one day, king Artaxerxes asked him why he was so sad and Nehemiah told him that he wished to return to Judah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. The king not only agreed but also sent an army of officers and cavalry to protect Nehemiah and all the timber he needed to make repairs. And so the rebuilding of Jerusalem began.
It's interesting that Nehemiah also fasted as he wept, mourned and prayed for Israel. I think it would be really great to take a whole day to fast and pray in a place of solitude. Maybe this summer sometime.
Labels: Bible Characters
posted by Matt at 9:14 PM
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