Once again we as Christians are warned about keeping separate from the world.

Ezra 9:1
After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.

And once again the leaders have led the way.
Ezra 9:2b
They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."

Shecaniah offered a very drastic way of correcting (or more like overcorrecting) the situation of intermarriage. His correction was to send away the foreign wives and their children. Most of the men agreed - only a few opposed the plan.

Wouldn’t it have been easier to have just obeyed God in the first place? How often in our lives as Christians have we made things much harder on ourselves because we didn’t listen and obey - the first time???

Ezra has a pure genealogical line all the way back to Aaron, brother of Moses, giving him much credibility!

Ezra 7:6
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.
Interesting that the king gave Ezra everything he asked for – why? – because the hand of the Lord was on him. And why was the hand of God on him? – because he allowed God to guide his thinking. If we would allow God to guide our thinking we would wind up asking God for the very things He wants to give us anyway!

Ezra 7:18
You and your brother Jews may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.
As a companion to giving in accordance with the will of God is also using in accordance with the will of God, something of which leaders of churches should be very conscious.

King Artaxerxes certainly made a bold statement concerning the temple in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:23
Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and of his sons?

Do we do whatever is prescribed by God and do we do it with diligence?

Buried in the writings of Ezra (page 1292 or Ezra 7 and 8) is a seldom used “apparently insignificant” verse but is monumental in importance. It has to do with determining the travel time from Babylon to Jerusalem which in turn gives us a clue to the travel time of the wise men who came to honor the birth of Jesus. More details will follow on later blog entries.

The words of Malachi speak volumes to us today. Malachi rebuked the people and the priests for neglecting and watering down the worship of God and failing to bring the best of their sacrifices. Do we neglect or water down the worship of God in our church services? Do we always give Him our best?

Malachi also gives us a prophecy concerning the Day of the Lord.

Malachi 4:1-3
"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.

We can scarcely imagine what the earth will be like when that day comes during the firestorm when the sun scorches the land. There will certainly be plenty of ashes in which to leap. The word for leap also means to frisk; those who are saved from the fire will leap about joyfully in the knowledge that they have witnessed the triumph of God over Satan, the consummate battle of good vs. evil. God will have cleansed the whole earth with the fire in preparation for the new life that will spring from the ashes. The believers will know they have been saved by the grace of God to live into the Millennium to build the world anew.

Mal 4:5
See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

Just as John the Baptist was sent before Jesus to prepare His way, so will another "Elijah" be sent to prepare the way. Seems as if most of the prophets have already been preparing the way. Are we listening???

Even though the holiday of Purim is not one of the God-ordained holy days as commanded by God to Moses, it is observed by Jews today on the 14th day of Adar, which is usually in March. The 13th of Adar is the day that Haman chose for the extermination of the Jews, and the day that the Jews battled their enemies for their lives. On the day afterwards, the 14th, they celebrated their survival. In cities that were walled in the time of Joshua, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, because the book of Esther says that in Shushan (a walled city), deliverance from the massacre was not complete until the next day, the 15th

The Purim holiday is preceded by a minor fast, the Fast of Esther, which commemorates Esther's three days of fasting in preparation for her meeting with the king.

Those who celebrate Purim send out gifts of food or drink, and make gifts to charity. The sending of gifts of food and drink is referred to as shalach manos (lit. sending out portions).

It is customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim, to perform plays and parodies, and to hold beauty contests.

For some additional insights into the customs of the day in Esther’s time we would recommend this book, The Gilded Chamber: A Novel of Queen Esther by Rebecca Kohn.

According to many scholars, the book of Esther was written possibly by Mordecai or Ezra or Nehemiah around 470 B.C. Esther is one of only two women for whom books of the Bible are named. Her name means star. Interestingly, the name of God appears nowhere in this book.

There are many lessons to be learned from the book of Esther.

Here’s a lesson I (Patti) learned.
Esth 4:14b
And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Several years ago, this verse was brought to my attention and a thought was planted in my mind. No matter where we are or what the circumstances are, we must believe that God has placed us exactly where He wants us to be. And, we must be ever watchful for opportunities to make a difference. How about you, have you been placed in a position “for such a time as this?"

Oh, my…where to begin? Zechariah’s futuristic prophecies – again – so much to say and so little time to say it! At the risk of sounding repetitive, redundant, recurring, frequent, habitual, persistent, etc, etc, etc…Read These Last Days!

Zech 12:3
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
Think, “Armageddon”.

Zech 14:4
On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
Think, “Jesus’ returns!”

Zech 14:6-7
On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-- a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.
Think, “Conditions in the Millennium”.

Zech 14:20
On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.
Think, “Worship in the Millennial Kingdom”.

Why think about these things? Paul answers very well in 2Ti 2:7.
Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you to understand all these things.

Today’s reading just reminds us again of the sovereignty and omnipotence of God.

Ps 147:4
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Isa 40:26
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

This great God who knows the number of stars and calls them by name, also keeps an accounting of us.
Matt 10:30
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Just as He brings out the starry host and calls them each by name, He summons us by name
Isa 43:1
But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Isa 45:3
I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

John 10:3
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

What an amazing God! He knows our name! He calls us His own! WOW!