Prospering Amidst Opposition So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. Ezra 6:14 NLT…
Restoring the Foundations With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. Ezra 3:11 NLT The book of Ezra begins with…
The Change of Our Destiny He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy….
Messengers of Hope So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate. Esther 4:6 NLT The story of Esther shows us a time of deep crisis for God’s people. Mordecai was in the city square, dressed in mourning clothes and weeping bitterly because of the decree of destruction against…
Narcissists When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. Esther 3:5 NLT In this world, we will always encounter people who present narcissistic traits and toxic attitudes, but the good news is that the power of God can transform hearts. In the book of Esther,…
Responsibility Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it. Daniel 8:27 NLT Throughout our lives, we often face situations that overwhelm us, exhaust us, or even make us…
You did not honor the God who gives you the breath of life For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze,…
It is better with friends Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:17-18…
The importance of being trained The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. Daniel 1:5 NLT The Babylonian empire had conquered Jerusalem, and King Nebuchadnezzar decided to take the brightest and most…
He brought me Then the man brought me back to the east gateway in the outer wall of the Temple area, but it was closed. Then the man brought me through the north gateway to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw that the glory of the Lord filled the Temple of the…