Scripture says, But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, so why did the renowned King Artaxerxes listen so attentively to the priest Ezra? And what was the secret to Ezra's success in all his undertakings? Today, let us learn about the esteemed image of the priesthood.
Questions for Reflection:
How does Ezra 7:6 introduce Ezra's identity? Did King Artaxerxes value the priest Ezra?
In Ezra 7:11-26, did King Artaxerxes cooperate with Ezra in the work of building the temple? What support did King Artaxerxes provide for the temple construction?
Ezra offered thanks for the marvelous and almighty things God accomplished. Have you had similar experiences in your life?
God Will Surely Make the Priest's Name Great
Brothers and sisters, never forget the promise God gave to Abraham: I will make your name great. In Genesis, we see Abraham as a mighty prince, a prince of the everlasting God, and the local people greatly honored Abraham. Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not underestimate yourselves. I have encountered some particularly corrupting theological beliefs, where people say, That was Abraham! What they mean to express is that there is only one Abraham. However, the Bible is written thus:
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)
The meaning of this passage is that whoever imitates Abraham will receive the same promise as Abraham. The promise is not only for Abraham alone, but also for all who imitate Abraham afterward, and therefore also for those who imitate Ezra after him. Then, after Ezra, those who imitate Ezra are priests of the Almighty God. If you obey God's word, you will receive great honor. Today, God wants to greatly manifest His power in our midst, and when this power is in our hands, nothing is impossible! Problems that money and power cannot solve, the priests of the Almighty God can solve all problems. So, is the priest greater or is King Artaxerxes greater? The answer is the priest is greater. Therefore, God makes your name great, and this day will come upon us, God will make our name great, and we will obtain the honor of the priests of the everlasting God.
If in the future a cancer patient comes to our church, and you pray for them and they are healed, your name will spread throughout the land. There is no need to travel great distances to treat a cancer. For example, little HJ, how much hardship she endured, with people donating to her, she ran to Beijing for treatment, and before long the money was spent, and then she had to return home from Beijing. But our online church can overcome the limitations of time and space. Although the church is in Singapore, as long as the other party prepares a telephone, we can lead them in prayer, how wonderful! Things become much simpler, and the healing effect is much better.
Where Does the Honor of the Priest Lie?
King Artaxerxes was actually very helpless. He realized a truth, which is that he needed God, and then he needed a priest who could represent the king in offering sacrifices to God. This is where the honor of the priest lies. However, many of our brothers and sisters do not know that priests have honor, especially some who preach corrupting messages. I once met someone with a traditional church background, and he said to me, That was Jesus! I said, We must also do what Jesus did. He said, We cannot do it. If that were indeed the case, our faith in God would be in vain. But the scripture says:
At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (John 14:20)
Our relationship with Jesus is one of unity. Jesus is in me, and I am in Jesus. When I do things, I represent Jesus. I command the spirit of cancer to leave in the name of Jesus, and the spirit of cancer has no choice but to leave, because it is Jesus who is doing it, it is Jesus doing it through me, and I am the priest of the everlasting God. Because I am a priest, I can bring the power of God's throne to this world. The Bible records that God did not let any of Moses' words fall to the ground; God did not let any of Samuel's words fall to the ground, God accomplished them all. (1 Samuel 13:19) Perhaps God would not have healed this person, but because you are on this earth, you are God's priest (1 Peter 2:9), God honors you, and you say in the name of Jesus to command the spirit of cancer to leave, and this person is healed. So don't have such a concept: I am me, God is God, I am far from God, I am just an ordinary Christian. This wrong concept must be changed. We represent Jesus Christ, exercising the authority that Jesus has given us in this world, we are the priests of the Almighty God.
The honor of the priest can be seen throughout the ages. For example, when Paul went to that island, it happened that the father of the chief official of the island was seriously ill. He went over and touched him, and the illness was healed. As a result, the chief official prepared all the resources and food for Paul. (Acts 28:7-10) Why? Because Paul was a priest of the everlasting God. You and I are priests of the everlasting God, wherever you go, you can exercise the honor of the priesthood that the everlasting God has given you. If you do not have such honor in your heart, and you feel that you are just a small soldier, this is false humility, it is the spirit of religion, because you and God are not unified. Today you are God's priest, and God honors you, let alone people? King Artaxerxes, a famous king in history, believed that he needed God, but today many people are very foolish and feel that they do not need God, they need money. When they get sick, their first thought is to see a doctor, they think this is very scientific, but it is actually very foolish.
Four Aspects of the Priest's Honor
The honor of the priest has four aspects, as stated in King Artaxerxes' decree to the priest Ezra:
Preparing Manpower for Him
King Artaxerxes decreed that whoever is willing and willing to go with you, I will allow them to go. So manpower is not a problem at all, because God honors the priest through King Artaxerxes. Never think that we need people, but rather that people need us. The king needs us, the rich need us, and the poor need us, because we are priests. God will surely prepare manpower. When building a church, never have such a thought: I need people to fill these seats. All who are willing and willing to come are those who seek God. Because people need God, people need the church, people need the altar. It is not that the church needs people, don't get this relationship wrong, this concept is very important.
It is Not the Church That Needs Money
Everyone should not have such an idea: This person is rich, pastor, you must serve him well. Wrong! I serve the rich? NO! The rich serve me! Then I can bring God's power down from heaven to bless them. It is they who need me, not I who need them. Remember, in our church, brothers and sisters must maintain an honorable image, money is not a problem. If you say, Building a church requires money! then you are worshiping the god of wealth, not the everlasting God! The everlasting God does not need money at all, because He will bring gold and silver treasures. So King Artaxerxes gave money to Ezra, and God will prepare gold and silver treasures for the priests of the everlasting God.
And carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is at Jerusalem (Ezra 7:15-16)
Today God has done a miraculous thing in our midst. Don't look at the church as if it is not very prosperous, not crowded with thousands or tens of thousands of people. But God has done very miraculous things among us, money is not a problem at all. The church really does not lack, although we have invested a lot in remote equipment, God's supply far exceeds our investment. If there is anything else needed for the expenses of your temple, you can take it from the king's treasury. (Ezra 7:20) The king's treasury is there, and the priest is like signing a check, going to the bank to withdraw money at will. So everyone must change a concept, if we do not have an honorable concept, people will look down on you, God will also look down on you, and God will not be able to work through you. If the Weibo you post conveys this honorable mentality, those who see it will marvel at what kind of person this is!
Yesterday, a fan of Sister LN came. She swiped LN's Weibo and felt that she had gained a lot of positive energy! In fact, this is an honorable mentality. Everyone should not think that reading this passage today seems to be something from 458 BC, more than two thousand five hundred years ago, but it will happen today. If you are an honorable priest, a priest who understands the law of the God of Israel, many people will need you. The other day I received a message from a rich person: Pastor Liu, can you pray for me, my cervical spine has been compressing nerves recently. I replied: Come to church. Today everyone must establish the mindset that the priest of God does not lack money.
Carefully Manage the Temple of the God of Heaven
King Artaxerxes instructed Ezra to handle all matters in detail, and must not be sloppy. Today we are building God's glorious church, and this church is beyond what we can imagine. The church is no longer an entity, but in any corner of the world, on the Internet, a telephone can become part of the church. So I think this is something particularly wonderful that God wants to do in this generation. We must handle all things in detail, this is not someone else's instructions, this is our God instructing Ezra through King Artaxerxes, to carefully observe and follow all His statutes, ordinances and commandments. So our text ministry, Weibo ministry, WeChat ministry, and all kinds of ministries must be handled carefully and in detail, because that is part of the church full of God's glory.
Everyone who adds me on QQ, I treat them seriously. Among the hundred fans of Brother JW, even if only one fan later becomes a brother or sister in the church, the other ninety-nine will not be missed. It is absolutely necessary to handle things in detail, without the mindset of handling things in detail, sloppiness is not allowed. I once met a pastor who was very interesting, he preached the gospel to people, and went to the swimming pool to swim together, soaked in the water for several hours, and when he came up, the person said: This pastor is so loving, he soaked with me in the swimming pool for several hours, Pastor Liu, you must get to know him. So I called that person six times, but none of them were answered, and he never replied. Later, one time he answered, but it was accidentally touched in his pocket, and then I heard the sound of children coaxing inside. I was so surprised, didn't you soak in the swimming pool for nothing? Did you really handle God's work in detail? So I challenge our brothers and sisters to start learning to handle work in detail, do things well, and do their best according to their ability. If people do things not carefully and rigorously enough, God will not be able to entrust you with work, even if there is manpower and financial resources, but if many errors occur in management, serious problems will occur. Just like building a house without a toilet, or without installing doors.
The Authority to Judge the People According to the Wisdom God Has Given
The honor of the priest: first is people; second is property; third is handling things in detail; and fourth is the authority to judge the people. When you do these things, what will happen next?
And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, appoint magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. (Ezra 7:25-26)
Do not underestimate yourself, you have the authority given to you by God in your hand, which is the authority to govern. If you are a group leader, govern your group well, do not govern casually, never acquit the guilty, and problems must be dealt with. This is the honor that the priest honored by the everlasting God deserves! If you are a brother or a sister, you must learn to honor your authority, because this is the temple of the everlasting God, the priest of the everlasting God, even the king honored Ezra, let alone the people below! Brothers and sisters must know how honorable it is to be a priest of the everlasting God, and I especially want to mention:
First, building a church is not about needing people, it is about needing honor;
Second, building a church is not about needing money, it is about needing honor;
Third, building a church is not about being casual, it is about handling things in detail. When you do everything well, God's presence will naturally come upon you;
Fourth, building a church, very, very important is authority, and under authority is obedience.
These four points are the foundation of building a church!
Summary: God's Presence is Manifestly Evident
When God's presence descends upon us, even the king, ministers, and those in authority will know that God is among us. You are a priest of the living God, so are there problems in your home or family? None whatsoever! Because you can reach out and pray for them, and their problems will be resolved. For you are the conduit of God's power, a priest of the living God, capable of bringing God's power down from heaven.
Ezra said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:27-28)
You must begin to understand this office, begin to take up this office, and then receive honour. God will surely magnify your name and mine! This is the promise God gave to Abraham. We must utterly reject those religious notions, for they are separate from Jesus. We, however, are united with Jesus Christ. Because we are one with Jesus Christ, our glory is also Jesus' glory, and Jesus' glory is also our glory. We are priests of the Almighty God, representing the Almighty God to exercise His authority on earth.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, we are not insignificant priests. Regardless of the size of the church, our title is that of a royal priesthood, more noble than a king, even kings must honour us. God will also put in the king's heart the desire to build the house of God. So if we have such a mindset, the resources needed to build the church, God will bestow from heaven!