June 10, 2024

God had released and set the captives free from Babylon, but some chose to stay. After gathering the people together and numbering them, Ezra found no Levites. He needed them for the temple services, to take possession of the silver, gold, and copper, and to bring them safely to Jerusalem, keeping an accounting of them. Ezra asked Iddo to send Levites who were of the understanding, and many came to him for different jobs in the temple. They weighed all the precious metals before leaving and would weigh them again at the temple after the journey. Once the Levites joined them, they could journey to Jerusalem, which would take about four months. Their journey was long and treacherous, with evil people waiting to overtake them. However, because Ezra boasted of God to the king, he didn’t want to ask him to help. So, as a congregation, they prayed together for God to send the protecting angels to secure them in their travels. If you boast in God, you had better show that you trust him! Ezra expected God’s intervention in their protection, and they made it to Jerusalem unscathed.

How can you expect protection in this harsh society we now live in if you are not in a congregation of believers working together as The Church? If you do not attend a Bible-believing church, please begin your search before living in society gets worse. We need one another so when there are areas of weakness, our numbers can strengthen us. That’s how the body of Christ works. Ezra knew this and made sure he had everyone needed to fulfill the temple's needs, including the Levites he was missing. There is a church that’s missing your talents and gifts. Ask God to help you, and He will guide you in the right direction. Internet church is not going to help you when things get worse. 

Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. Ezra 8:31

Richard and I belong to Brandon Baptist Tabernacle, a church for seasoned believers, new believers, and those who’ve been saved for a while but haven’t received a healthy diet of satiating spiritual food. If you live in the Tampa, Brandon, or Plant City area, I would love for you to come sit with us in church.