August 10, 2014
Scripture:
Let’s look at Ephesians 5. We have been reminded of Mary’s act on the Lord and the way our worship brings forth a sweet smelling savour. Read v. 2. I think of the offerings in the Old Testament, and the fragrance of them; how God appreciated that. They were sweet smelling offerings. How precious that we give Him the same by worshipping Him for what He’s done. May there be a sweet-smelling savour as we offer our sacrifice of praise!
Hymn 355 – Safe in Christ, the weakest child
Prayer
Ezra is the man that took a group of people from Babylon to Jerusalem. This trip took four months. God had allowed the children of Israel to be taken captive into Babylon because of sin. Last time we read how Ezra asked the King for permission to go to Jerusalem. The King wrote a letter to Ezra telling him that he could go back. In addition to allowing him to go back, the king also provided provision for the journey and the needed material and money for sacrifices. The letter was to be given to the governor of that area. The letter also said that they didn’t need to pay taxes and that Ezra was to set up rulers.
Ezra 7:28-29, 8:13, 15 &18
Ezra thanked the Lord for the king’s decision to allow him to God back to Jerusalem. Ezra gathered together a group of people to go back to Jerusalem. When he got everyone together, he realized that there were no Levites. The Levites were the ones in charge of the affairs of the temple. Ezra thought they needed some Levites, so he sent men to find a few. However, no one was forced to come; everyone had to make the decision to go. Most of them were born in Babylon and familiar with that life style, so it would not have been an easy decision to make. In the end, about 2000 people decided to go back.
We normally travel on paved roads out in the open. However, Ezra and his group were going to travel on rough roads that were quite desolate and Ezra was worried about robbers. One place I read said the the vessels that they were taking back were worth $7 million. He didn’t want to go to the king and ask for protection, because he had told the king that God would protect them. We read in v. 31 that they arrived safely in Jerusalem through the Lord’s protection. In Hebrews we read “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We are all travelling the road called life, and Satan wants us to doubt the Lord’s love. May we trust in the Lord for spiritual protection.
God blessed Ezra for meditating on His word. Ezra also prayed for the Lord’s protection. Each morning we can commit ourselves to the Lord’s protection.
Acts 16:6-18
On this second missionary journey, Paul was retracing his steps to help the churches that had already been started. Verse 5 is a great commendation of his work: “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.” We need to be established in the faith.
As Paul traveled to different places, we notice that he was “forbidden” of the Lord to preach the gospel in Asia (v.6). “Forbidden” is strong language. When trying to go to Bithynia, though, the Spirit simply “suffered them not.” The language isn’t as strong—they simply didn’t feel open to go—but the Spirit (Darby uses “the Spirit of Jesus” in verse 7) was directing them.
In Troas, Paul had the vision of the man from Macedonia asking for help. The Scripture doesn’t say that this dream was from the Holy Spirit; it was left up to Paul and his fellow-travelers to decide if this was God’s hand of direction. They felt assured that it was, and left immediately. It’s good to see their obedience to clear guidance! These few verses show some of God’s different ways of directing us: forbidding, not suffering, and instructing to action.
In Acts 16:10, it’s precious to see that Luke switches over from using the word “they” to using the word “we”. He was now part of Paul’s group.
It’s also precious to see how in verse 10 Paul and his companions “assuredly” knew what the Lord’s will was. We don’t always have that confidence, but it’s valuable and thrilling when we do. We then know that the Lord will be with us, and that He will give us the needed resources. However, that doesn’t mean that things will always go well for us, as we’ll see later with Paul.
The disciples sailed to Macedonia, and made their way to the main city in the area. Apparently there was no synagogue—because Paul didn’t go there—but they went down by a river on the Sabbath, a place where prayer was wont to be made. It was a simple custom, and maybe the desire of these worshipers was part of the reason Paul was sent to Macedonia.
The light of God’s love had penetrated even this dark region, for we find Lydia—apparently one of the women that resorted to the riverside—one who worshiped God, possibly a Jewish proselyte. She heard Paul preach, and the Lord opened her heart to the things of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tells us that: “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” and Lydia is an example of that. God has shone his light into the heart of each saved person. We were in darkness in our sins, but God has now given us the glorious light of His Salvation.
Lydia respected God, and as she listened to Paul, God opened her heart and she drank in all that he said. She must have believed what was said, for she and her household got baptized. We’ll see other people get saved in this chapter, but it took an earthquake nearly driving them to suicide to reach them! The Lord uses different approaches for different people.
We might say that Lydia had open ears, then an open heart, then she opened her mouth and invited Paul into her open house! It’s precious to see.
Hymn 106 – Oh Christ, in Thee my soul hath found
Prayer