From Rubble to Revival Part One
Discovering God’s Purpose
Ezra-Nehemiah provides a vision of the good work of committing to God’s purpose for your life
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
Nehemiah 2:17-18 (NIV)
Before we can give our life to God’s purpose, we need to know what it is.
Two Ways To Discover Our Good Work:
Part 1.1: Sheshbazzar (Zerubbabel): Lead the Rebuilding of the Temple
Part 1.2: Ezra and Nehemiah, next week.
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. 3 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. Ezra 1:1-3 (NIV)
How do we become aware of God’s purpose? His voice
Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. Ezra 1:7-8 (NIV)
When God Gives a Word, He is Committed to Keeping It
