We may fail to this would have been Ezra notice it…but an unusual sight…for was a was also an official of the Persian priest…he king’s court…such dignitaries did not normally act like this… mentioned last time and recorded 3 times in chapter hand of But…the God…as in just in unexpected physical manifestations 8…moves mysterious ways…not of power…but…in spirit… our he moves our heart His hand…moves hearts…before hands…and Ezra’s was moved for himself and as he resonated with his people… And he praying and confessing and throwing himself down on the wept…while as he did in to the extent that a large crowd ground…and so…others joined gathered… Perhaps there is something relevant there for the we expect church today…if to move in our need to allow Him to move our God’s Hand times…we the plank in our own to confess our is a hearts…to see eyes…and sins…which fundamental tenet of the by Christian faith…as taught Jesus… Slide - 4 A new covenant… response of the people is of all they identified However…the interesting…first their the taking of foreign then they thought that they sins…in wives…and should make a new covenant with they had broken the original God…since one… Their response is admirable but perhaps does not go deep enough because the catalogue of sins leading to the exile…was much more extensive…
We may fail to notice it…but this would have been an unusual sight…for Ezra was a priest…he was also an official of the Persian king’s court…such dignitaries did not normally act like this… But…the hand of God…as mentioned last time and recorded 3 times in chapter 8…moves in mysterious ways…not just in unexpected physical manifestations of power…but…in spirit… His hand…moves our hearts…before he moves our hands…and Ezra’s heart was moved for himself and as he resonated with his people… And he wept…while praying and confessing and throwing himself down on the ground…and as he did so…others joined in to the extent that a large crowd gathered… Perhaps there is something relevant there for the church today…if we expect God’s Hand to move in our times…we need to allow Him to move our hearts…to see the plank in our own eyes…and to confess our sins…which is a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith…as taught by Jesus… Slide - 4 A new covenant… However…the response of the people is interesting…first of all they identified their sins…in the taking of foreign wives…and then they thought that they should make a new covenant with God…since they had broken the original one… Their response is admirable but perhaps does not go deep enough because the catalogue of sins leading to the exile…was much more extensive…