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Week 40 Day 2: Return from Exile
Question
How did God fulfill the promise to return the Israelites to Jerusalem from exile the first time?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- To fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia. He made a proclamation to let the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.
- God moved the heart of fifty thousand Israelites to return to Jerusalem in company with Zerubbabel. They prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.
- King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Nearly fifty thousand Israelites (most of them likely were the next generation born in Babylon) were moved and obeyed God, to leave the familiar land, to leave their livelihood, to accompany Zerubbabel, trekking a long way, through all difficulties, to go back to the unfamiliar homeland to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Do I know that I am of the people of God, even though the journey of life is filled with struggles and the world is full of temptations, I still am aiming wholeheartedly to go through the narrow door which leads to the promises of God?
- Integrity - God accomplished His plan according to His timetable. Seventy years after the Israelites’ exile, God fulfilled His word spoken through Jeremiah, to move the heart of Cyrus king of Persia, and by his hands contributed to the return. Do I believe God has a great plan for me and would accomplish it according to His time table? Pray to God to give me faith in Him and wait for His timing.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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