Ezra 1:1 - Take heart, our lives are is in God's hand.

History is about His story, God’s story. He is the Sovereign LORD who controls history. He controls everything past, present, and future. Whether we are believers or not, this is an undeniable truth. He has a hand in everything that happens in our world and to us. The Bible is the record of His activities in the lives of His chosen people of which we are one through our rebirth in Christ Jesus.

Ezra and Nehemiah are two books about the events that happened after their exile in Babylon for 70 years.  And as we turn to Ezra, instantly we see a new world power in control. It was the Kingdom of Persia. World power changes all the time but God is forever on the throne.  While it was King Cyrus of Persia who initiated the return, he did it under the influence of God. Yes, he was the one who decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem, it was God who masterminded the event. Being an orderly  God,  He had a plan for how it should be done. He wanted to set the stage right. In the first half of the book of Ezra, the record is about the return of the first group under the leadership of Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple. The second half of the book would record the return of another group under Ezra to bring about spiritual cleansing and reform.  Ezra’s return would spark a spiritual revival. Then under the supervision of Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem would then be rebuilt.  

Ezra 1:1 is clear that God’s people's return from exile was in fulfillment of the Word of the Lord through Jeremiah. This prophet in Jeremiah 29:10 foretold the return. God promised to His people: “For thus says the LORD, ‘when seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.’” This verse also tells us that it was God who had stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus. He not only proclaimed it orally but also had it put in writing. This would make the decree indisputable. 

Do you know that long before Cyrus was born and came to the scene, God had chosen him to be his vessel to trigger the return? Two hundred years before Cyrus came to the scene, God through the Prophet Isaiah prophesied saying, “It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.’ And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’ And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” Yes, the return to rebuild the temple was God's idea and plan. 

What a marvelous God! And this is the LORD we worship. Seen in the light of all that happened to God’s covenant people, we now can fully appreciate Romans8:28. We take heart for in all things God works w together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose.” There is no circumstance that we are going  God does not know or does not understand. We are governed by His providence. Life may be smooth sailing for us now, but in Christ, we are guaranteed a safe landing. So take heart!