Seize the Moment – Day 988
The Hand of God is Upon Me!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, November 30.
What does it mean that the hand of God is upon a person? The Bible teaches us that God is spirit (John 4:24), so when the Bible states that the hand of God is upon someone it is not talking about a literal body part. Rather, it is using anthropomorphic imagery to illustrate God being on the side of His people to guide them and to bring about success in their work.
The following three verses emphasize how the hand of God was upon Ezra as he led the second wave of exiles back to Jerusalem:
- Ezra 7:6, “This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.”
- Ezra 7:9, “For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.”
- Ezra 7:28b, “Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.”
Ezra was essential to the plans of God, but apart from God’s hand being upon him no amount of support from King Artaxerxes (11-25) or his family lineage as a priest (1-5) would have brought about such success. The key to Ezra’s success was his faith, as emphasized in Ezra 7:10, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra walked hand in hand with God so it’s no wonder that God’s hand was upon him!
Seize the moment and put your hand into the hand of God almighty (Isaiah 41:13; 42:6).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
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