Sat.’s Devo - God’s Promise Fulfilled

Read: Ezra 1:1-2:70; 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 20:22-23 God’s people had been in exile for seventy years and the time had come to return home. Isaiah had prophecied 200 years before this that a man named Cyrus would be His shepherd to say to Jerusalem, “Thou shalt be built: and to the temple, Thy foundations shall be laid.” Isaiah 44:28. *** Cyrus had come to the throne in Persia and declared these very words. He was the leader of the whole world and he knew that God wanted him to send the exiles back to Jerusalem to build a Temple to their God. He asked that their neighbors give them silver and gold and supplies for their journey including livestock as well as an offering for the Temple. Amazing! *** God put it on the hearts of priests and Levites to give up their comfort of Babylon and return to a barren torn-down land and rebuild its cities and the Temple. He put it on the hearts of the neighbors to give just as Cyrus had asked. King Cyrus gave the ones returning all 5,4400 of the articles from the Temple that they had taken when they overthrew Jerusalem. *** Over 43,000 people responded and returned. The priests, Levites, singers gatekeepers and Temple servants all settled in villages near Jerusalem. Other people went back to the towns they came from. *** Isaiah said that God would frustrate the omens of the liars and make the magic of the diviners foolishness. (Isaiah 44:25) *** Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14 which says that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent. The Kingdom of God can not be obtained through human wisdom. To the intelligent the gospel of Christ is foolish but to those called by God Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. God’s plan was so much higher that what man could have come up with. God chose people who were not esteemed highly in the world to shame those who think they are wise. God called us to be right with him - to be pure and holy and freed us from sin. *** Paul used himself as an example. He had come to them timid and weak with a very simple message. He relied totally on the Holy Spirit trusting the power of God. That is our assurance also. We are nothing special but God in us is super special. We can do all things through Him. *** Lord, we trust in your perfect plan for our lives and our nation. We know that you are doing something great and we trust your plan. Thank you that you never forget a promise.