Devotion 410
“God Always Has A Witness”
Reference: Ezra Chapter 7
God had decreed that the Temple be built. The Temple was a witness to the Mercy of God. The Mercy of God always precedes the judgement of God.
Noah was a witness of God. He brought to the people of his day the Mercy of God which preceded the judgement of God.
Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, the major and minor prophets were all witnesses of God who brought to the people the Mercy of God which preceded the judgement of God.
God does not bring judgement until He has presented Mercy to the people.
Then John the Baptist, and ultimately Jesus Christ, were witnesses of God, presenting the Mercy of God to the people before the coming judgement of God.
Today, men and women in Christ, who carry the gospel of Jesus Christ, are the temples of God, presenting the Mercy of God to the people before the coming judgement.
John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
The truth is, every one of the witnesses of the Mercy of God was rejected by the people.
Luke 11:47-51 “Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. [48] Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. [49] Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: [50] That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; [51] From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.”
God decrees His Mercy seat be built again.
Let’s read:
Ezra 7:1-17 “Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, [2] The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, [3] The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, [4] The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, [5] The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: [6] This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. [7] And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. [8] And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. [9] For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. [10] For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. [11] Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. [12] Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. [13] I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. [14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; [15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, [16] 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 in Jerusalem: [17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.”
God through king Artaxerxes made it possible for the people to come to His Mercy seat with their blood sacrifice.
Similarly, God has made it possible for this generation to come to His Mercy seat of the Cross, with Jesus Christ our Blood Sacrifice.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
This is the Mercy seat of God preceding the coming judgement of God.
John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
We reject the Mercy seat to our condemnation.
Mercy always means judgement is coming.
We continue our reading:
Ezra 7:18-27 “And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. [19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. [20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house. [21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, [22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. [23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? [24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. [25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set 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. [26] 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. [27] Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:”
Ezra, a witness of God, recognized the Marcy of God decreed through the heart of the king.
He recognized the rebuilding of the temple was an extension of the Mercy of God.
We conclude our reading:
Ezra 7:28 “And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.”
This Mercy (temple) of God was temporal until Jesus Christ the ultimate Mercy (Temple) of God be established.
He is here today in the Person of the Holy Spirit, extending the Mercy of God to men and women before the coming judgement.
Let the Word of God bring us to the Mercy seat of God. BELIEVE, and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. Mercy always precedes judgment, in Christ!
Reference: Ezra Chapter 7
God had decreed that the Temple be built. The Temple was a witness to the Mercy of God. The Mercy of God always precedes the judgement of God.
Noah was a witness of God. He brought to the people of his day the Mercy of God which preceded the judgement of God.
Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, the major and minor prophets were all witnesses of God who brought to the people the Mercy of God which preceded the judgement of God.
God does not bring judgement until He has presented Mercy to the people.
Then John the Baptist, and ultimately Jesus Christ, were witnesses of God, presenting the Mercy of God to the people before the coming judgement of God.
Today, men and women in Christ, who carry the gospel of Jesus Christ, are the temples of God, presenting the Mercy of God to the people before the coming judgement.
John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
The truth is, every one of the witnesses of the Mercy of God was rejected by the people.
Luke 11:47-51 “Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. [48] Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. [49] Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: [50] That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; [51] From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.”
God decrees His Mercy seat be built again.
Let’s read:
Ezra 7:1-17 “Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, [2] The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, [3] The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, [4] The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, [5] The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: [6] This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. [7] And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. [8] And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. [9] For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. [10] For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. [11] Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. [12] Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. [13] I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. [14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; [15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, [16] 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 in Jerusalem: [17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.”
God through king Artaxerxes made it possible for the people to come to His Mercy seat with their blood sacrifice.
Similarly, God has made it possible for this generation to come to His Mercy seat of the Cross, with Jesus Christ our Blood Sacrifice.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
This is the Mercy seat of God preceding the coming judgement of God.
John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
We reject the Mercy seat to our condemnation.
Mercy always means judgement is coming.
We continue our reading:
Ezra 7:18-27 “And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. [19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. [20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house. [21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, [22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. [23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? [24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. [25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set 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. [26] 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. [27] Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:”
Ezra, a witness of God, recognized the Marcy of God decreed through the heart of the king.
He recognized the rebuilding of the temple was an extension of the Mercy of God.
We conclude our reading:
Ezra 7:28 “And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.”
This Mercy (temple) of God was temporal until Jesus Christ the ultimate Mercy (Temple) of God be established.
He is here today in the Person of the Holy Spirit, extending the Mercy of God to men and women before the coming judgement.
Let the Word of God bring us to the Mercy seat of God. BELIEVE, and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. Mercy always precedes judgment, in Christ!
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