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Sep 19, 2021

Rebuilding From Rubble

Passage: Ezra 1:1-3

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Ezra/Nehemiah - Rebuilding from Rubble

Category: Grace Brevard

God's people were overcome, enslaved and exiled from the Promised Land by the Babylonians. Ezra and Nehemiah (along with Haggai) tell the rocky story of how God brought His people back home to rebuild the temple, rediscover His Law and restore the Wall. It is easy to see how "exiled" we are today, and so we hold onto God's eternal promise to renew His people (though this renewal may not look exactly like we want).

CENTRAL TEXT: Ezra 1:1-3

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

CALL TO WORSHIP:                   

Ezra 3:11
And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
 “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
 

CORPORATE READING:

Joel 2:25
I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.

“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.

27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.