Tues.’s Devo - God’s Proclamation

Read: Ezra 1:1-2:70; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 20:22-23 Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel would be put of their land for 70 years, then return. It had been 70 years and Cyrus sent out a written proclamation that God had appointed him to build a Temple to the God of Israel in Jerusalem. He invited any of God’s people to go home and build it. He encouraged his people to give toward it. He gave all the vessels that he had in his treasury that his army had taken from Jerusalem when they destroyed it. *** The people of Judah responded and over 39,000 volunteered to return to Judah. They left with gifts from Cyrus and with gifts from their neighbors. When they arrived they gave offerings toward the rebuilding of the Temple. The priests and Levites stayed in Jerusalem and the rest of the people went back to their hometowns which were scattered throughout Israel. *** In Corinthians, we learn that what we know through the Holy Spirit about Jesus and salvation, but it sounds silly to the unbelievers. In Isaiah 29:14 God promised to destroy the wisdom of the wise and throw away the intelligence of the intelligent. He did it through the simplicity of the Gospel. The Jews looked for signs and the Greeks for human understanding, but none of those things can save a person. Instead, God chose the things that the world looks at as foolish to shame the wise, and the weak to shame the powerful. He chose the things the world thought were useless to be important. So, none of us have any room to boast in our selves, but every reason to boast about the Lord. Through Jesus we are made right with God and we have been united with Christ who is wisdom, itself. We cannot rely on our human resources but in the power of God. *** Lord, we do put all our trust and faith in you. Through your wisdom and strength we will defeat all your enemies. Thank you that you are faithful to your promises.