Ezra 1 - 05.15.25

SCRIPTURE: Ezra 1:1-4 NIV

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,

in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,

the LORD—MOVED the heart of Cyrus—king of Persia—to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and

HE has appointed me to build a temple for HIM at Jerusalem in Judah.

Any of his people among you may GO up to Jerusalem in Judah

and BUILD the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.

And in any locality where survivors may now be living,

the people are to provide them with silver and gold,

with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings

for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’ ””‭‭

OBSERVATION

After 70 years in exile, the people of Israel were finally coming back home.

The new Persian emperor Cyrus had decreed that the Israelites

could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of their God.

God is using an unbelieving King to accomplish HIS Perfect Will-

something we see even Today.

If GOD does this…Imagine how much MORE HE Will Work THROUGH those who are HIS willing servants.

And not only are they released to GO…they are being sent with ALL the gold and silver that had been taken from the Temple along with goodwill offerings.

When the Israelites return to their homeland they don’t just see a place that needs rebuilding—they see complete and utter devastation.

Where once Solomon’s Temple stood as a glorious Monument onto The LORD—

in all its stunning grandeur—now—all that can be seen is—heaps of rubble—desolation—and overgrown weeds.

Can these dry bones live?

From this, God would rebuild—The Foundation—HIS Temple, The Walls, His People.

From this…God would bring a—rebirth.

APPLICATION

Set your Life on—CHRIST—The Cornerstone

God is in the Business of RE-BIRTH.

It seemed an impossible task when the Israelites returned after 70 years in exile.

How could the Temple be rebuilt? How could the walls and City be rebuilt?

How could the people come together and be rebuilt?

There was despair, the task alone seemed overwhelming, not including the opposition they encountered.

Sin and unwillingness to Repent had brought this punishment upon them.

In God’s unfailing love, HE had disciplined His children through the chastisement in Babylon. “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” (Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

God disciplines us for our good, “that we may share His holiness”.

By nature, we’re all so wed to this world and the things of this world

that the Lord has to bring us to the place where we find no rest in Babylon.

The dry times make us thirst after the living God,

who is the ONLY ONE who can satisfy.

AND—God is Now Setting His Rebirth in Action.

The Temple WILL BE Rebuilt. The Wall WILL be Rebuilt, AND Most Important-

The People WILL be Rebuilt—

It is IMPORTANT to Note—This ALL has been preceded by many prayers.

You can read two of these Intercessor prayers (Daniel 9:3-19, Nehemiah 9:2-37).

If you are wondering what can one person accomplish in praying???

Read Daniel 9:23 to see God’s response from HIS Messenger Gabriel —to Daniel,

“As SOON as you BEGAN to pray I received [God’s] command to give you an answer”.

Christ IS the Cornerstone-in the Business of REBIRTH.

The Cornerstone is the Setting Stone-the First Foundation Stone set in the construction of a building.

“Therefore, if anyone is IN Christ, he is a NEW creation. The old has passed away; behold, the NEW has come.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

There is not any situation too desolate, too damaged, too devastated—that Christ isn’t ABLE to COME IN and Rebuild.

Can these dry bones live?

“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them,

‘Dry bones, HEAR the word of the Lord!

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones:

I will MAKE breath ENTER you,

and you WILL —come— to—life.”

‭‭(Ezekiel‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Give me a heart to be one who will pray and fast like Daniel. Who will cry out to YOU in mourning over my sins, and the sins of this country. Give me YOUR heart to break.

Forgive my apathy and lack of urgency. Thank YOU for Your patience and mercy.

You are Sovereign and Powerful above ALL, worthy of our Fear. Able to DO infinitely MORE than I can DARE to HOPE or IMAGINE. Open my ears to HEAR the WORD of The LORD…Make Your Breath enter our Dry Bones to Come to LIFE that we May Prophesy to the Dry Bones in this Valley. May there BE a GREAT AWAKENING. In JESUS Name. And for Your Glory. Amen.

Tina L Kudelka