Good morning and welcome to our
continuing study of the book of Ezra. We're in the book of
Ezra chapter six and we'd like to spend our time looking at
verse 22 today. As most of you have noticed,
I have not spent much time in the past as we look through the
book of Ezra or through the book of Malachi of mentioning the
things that are going on in our world or in our country or in
our state or our community with this virus. This I do know about
it, that everything that happens falls out for the furtherance
of the gospel. And we're going to find that
here in the book of Ezra today in chapter 6 verse 22, but I
just wanted to mention a couple of things. The children of Israel,
or particularly, excuse me, the tribe of Judah and Benjamin were
taken into captivity for the furtherance of the gospel. We
read in the book of Daniel that there were three young men, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, that gave great testimony of the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, as did Daniel. And this whole thing
that took place was for the furtherance of the gospel. There was a famine
in the land of Israel in the days of the writings of the book
of Ruth and we find that that whole event took place for the
furtherance of the gospel. There was a lady who was a Moabitess
by the name of Ruth that God intended to hear the gospel and
she did as a result of a famine. The apostle Paul was in prison,
and he had some of the folks in his day and time that were
having a problem with him being there. If he hadn't committed
some crime or some sin, he probably wouldn't have been. But he writes
back to them and says, this has all fallen out for the furtherance
of the gospel. So whatever you think about what's
going on, remember this. It's happening for the furtherance
of the gospel. As we look here in the book of
Ezra, chapter 6, And verse 22, after the children of Israel,
the children of Judah and Benjamin, excuse me, this is their captivity,
after the children of the captivity kept the Passover, in verse 19,
and in verse 20 it says they killed the Passover, and that's
one of the things that we trace throughout every Passover that
was ever held, was that there was a lamb slain. this lamb slain
was a picture of the slain of the Lord Jesus Christ as a lamb
slain from the foundation of the world and It is just a picture
that continued it did not change from the time that it was Set
up in the book of Exodus until the time that we find that it
was In the days of the Lord Jesus Christ the last Passover It was
the one that he partook of and then he became the Passover lamb
so This Passover was very important and yet it was pictorial. There
was no efficacy in it. There was no salvation in it.
It pictured the one who would. In verse 21 of this chapter,
the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity
and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the
filthiness of the heathen, the land to seek the Lord God of
Israel did eat and We find that it is the Lord that separates
us there in the book of Revelation. It says he calls us out of out
of every kindred nation people and tongue We're no longer part. We live in the world, but we're
not part of the world and so these people are demonstrating
that and then in verse 22 it says they kept the feasts of
the Unleavened bread seven days and it's uses this comment that
was made with joy And then it gives us the reason that these
folks had joy for the Lord had made them joyful and Turned the
heart of the king of Assyria unto them to strengthen their
hands in the work of the house of God the God of Israel Let
us look at this verse in the three natural divisions that
are brought out by the writer. Number one, for the Lord had
made them joyful. Number two, the Lord had turned
the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, and to strengthen
their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. First of all, the Lord had made
them joyful. We notice in these words where
real joy comes from, the Lord. In fact, this thought is brought
out as a manifestation or a characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. We
notice over there in the book of Galatians chapter 5, would
you turn there with me in Galatians chapter 5, we have a list of
the fruit of the Spirit. We do not find the fruits of
the Spirit, but we find the fruit of the Spirit. This is a manifestation
of the presence of the Holy Spirit in God's people of the new birth. Christ in us, the hope of glory
brought on by the indwelling of the Spirit. Here in Galatians
chapter 5, verses 22 and 23, we have that this joy that's
brought out in the book of Ezra chapter 6 and verse 22, the Lord
had given them joy, truly this is brought out here in the book
of Galatians chapter 5 and verse 22, but the fruit of the Spirit
is Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. Notice
that with me in verse 22, but the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, and so forth. Joy is truly a fruit of the Spirit
or a manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit as the Holy Spirit
indwells us. Joy as used or as the cause of
or occasion of joy. The Holy Spirit is the cause
of this joy. God gives us joy in Christ. God gives us a cause or an occasion
of joy. It's not something that we can
muster up. We don't go for a ride and become
joyful. We are given joy by the indwelling
of the Spirit. The book of Romans this is brought
out again Romans chapter 14 in Romans chapter 14 verse 17 as
The Apostle Paul is a secretary for the Holy Spirit and writes
this wonderful letter unto the Saints at Rome This verse in
Romans chapter 14 and verse 17 says for the kingdom of God is
not meat and drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost
in the Holy Spirit the kingdom of God is not material things
the kingdom of God is what the Holy Ghost gives to us and our
reaction to the very presence of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ which has brought this all about the kingdom of God
is Christ righteousness the kingdom of God is Christ peace and The
kingdom of God is Christ joy, and this is all brought about
in the Holy Ghost So as we look at that passage of scripture
over in the book of Ezra chapter 6 and verse 22 that the Lord
gave them joy We find that this is something that is brought
out throughout the Bible of It is brought out here in the New
Testament. We'd like to look at another verse of scripture
in the book of Romans as we think about this joy. It's not man-made. It's not man-created. Now we
might have some physical joy, but spiritual joy is something
that we cannot come up with on our own. is and must always be
considered a gift of the Spirit the gift of the presence of the
Spirit a relationship brought about by the new birth God gives
us joy in Christ Jesus in the book of Romans chapter 15 and
there in verse 13 we read this of what the Apostle Paul was
used to write to the Saints at Rome and Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound
in the hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. So we have
this joy, well all spiritual blessings are bound up in the
relationship that a person has with Christ Jesus. If we don't
have these, it's because we don't have Him. If we have these, it's
a result of having Christ. Having Christ as our Savior,
having Christ as our hope, having Christ as our joy, having Christ
as our peace, and this is brought about by the Holy Spirit. So
the people there in the Old Testament were witnesses to this. God had
brought them great joy. They had a great deal of consternation
when they were taken off into The Babylonian captivity that
spent their 70 years there tells us in the Scriptures how low
they were, but yet we find in the midst of all that, as we
find in the midst of all this today, there are those that are
joyful and realize that these things fall out for the furtherance
of the gospel. What would happen to a saint
that died of the coronavirus? That is what God would use to
bring them into his presence, signifying, as he shared with
Peter, by which means he would glorify God in his death. Well,
in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 12, we find a wonderful
verse with regard to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter
12, verses 1 and 2. Hebrews 12, verses 1 and 2, Wherefore,
seeing ye also our compassed about, was so great a cloud of
witness. We found in chapter 11 the wonderful
passages of scripture about our brothers and sisters in Christ
in the Old Testament and how they exercised faith and that
faith had been given to them. Faith is a gift of God. And here
we find we are compassed about with a great cloud of witness.
They are witnesses of the faith, the trust and belief in the Lord
Jesus and what things happen to them for the furtherance of
the gospel. Let us also lay aside every weight
and the sin that doth so easily beset us. Let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. There's where our gaze will be
in regeneration. We'll be looking unto the Lord
Jesus for all our salvation, all our righteousness, all our
hope, all our peace, all our joy. As it goes on to say, He
is the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Those folks
in the book of Ezra chapter 6 are certainly an illustration of
what it is to have joy that comes from the Lord. They ate the Passover
with joy. They built the temple with joy,
joy that the Lord had given them. It was a joy that was manifestation
in the hearts of every believer. No doubt that some of those people
were just carrying on in a semblance of joy because other people had
it, but they didn't have real joy, just like today. There are
many that pretend to have joy, and then they really don't. They
have misery and despair and trouble and disappointment and gloom
Which sounds just like what natural man has joy comes from the Lord
in 1st Peter chapter 1 1st Peter chapter 1 and there in verse
8 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 8 and Whom, having not seen,
ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing,
ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. What the Apostle
Peter is sharing with us as he's a secretary for the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Spirit is giving us a message here, and he's saying
that you haven't seen the Lord physically. but he has given
you the belief to know that he is and he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him the book of hebrews chapter eleven
though now you see him not you don't see him physically you
see him in the scripture you see him in the writings of god
you see him as the word is preached you see him in the gospel you
see that that and this Believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory. Tremendous, overpowering, unspeakable
kinds of joy, and that is with every spiritual blessing that
God gives us, it is with unspeakable and full of glory. We cannot
describe it, we cannot completely understand it or discern it,
but we know that God has been gracious to us in our salvation
and has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. As
I mentioned, what's the opposite of joy? That's what natural man
has. misery and despair trouble gloom
and We find that that that often happens in the preaching of the
gospel. We have those that rejoice They acknowledge they delight
in they are thankful for the preaching of the gospel to hear
the gospel again, it's it's not a It's not harsh, it's not hard,
it's not something that we're concerned about to hear the same
thing repeated over and over and over from different passages
of scripture. We head for the same person,
the Lord Jesus, and we rejoice in all that he's done for us.
And we have joy unspeakable and full of glory. It's just beyond
measure that we rejoice in what he's done for us. It takes true
sinners to recognize the true Savior, and it takes great sinners
to recognize the greatness of our Savior and the greatness
of our salvation. I think, most likely, most of
those who never have any joy in hearing the gospel preached
are those who have never tasted that the Lord be gracious. Well,
as we go on, let's go to the Old Testament for the reading
of a few verses of scripture. And over here we find in Psalm
16, Psalm 16. Would you turn with me to Psalm
16? Now this passage of scripture
has to do with a wonderful passage about the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It's quoted over in the New Testament
in the book of Acts. I'll not leave my soul in hell,
for thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
thy Holy One to see corruption. And the apostle Peter brings
this passage of scripture to our attention in the Sermon on
the Mount and says, this David is speaking not of himself, but
he's speaking of the resurrection of Christ. Now notice verse 11,
thou will show me the path of life in thy presence is fullness
of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures forevermore. Now
truly, there is great joy and great pleasure in the presence
of God when the Lord Jesus Christ returned to sit down at the right
hand of the Father, but we also, God's people, get to enjoy the
joy of God, for it is in His presence is fullness of joy,
and at Thy right hand are pleasures forevermore. We have the true
blessings of God in Christ Jesus given to us by the successful
salvation that is imparted to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. In thy presence is fullness of
joy. There is no other place like
it. Every believer has the privilege
of being in that position. There is no place like it. There is no place like being
in the presence of the Lord. and in the presence of the Lord
is joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Isaiah
brings out some of the same truth over in the book of Isaiah chapter
56. Isaiah chapter 56, as we find the scriptures are filled
with these thoughts about the Lord giving joy. He's the only
one that can. It's not something that we are
going to spend a lot of time of trying to develop in ourselves
so that we pretend to have joy and we pretend to have joy around
God's people and we do the best we can. It's just something that
God creates in us and oozes out. That is the joy of the Lord.
Isaiah chapter 56, and there in verse 7, even then will I
bring to my holy mountain. to Zion, to the church, and make
them joyful in my house of prayer. I will make them joyful. I will
make them joyful in all that I have done for them. I will
make them joyful when I cause them to remember the work of
God before the foundation of the world. I will make them joyful
in the work of God in the creation of the heavens and the earth.
I will make them joyful in the creation of the first man and
the first woman. I will make them joyful in the
one who is the tree of life in the midst of the garden. I will
make them joyful in the day of their salvation. I will make
them joyful in the gospel. I will make them joyful in all
the offering and sacrifices of the Lord Jesus Christ that He
did on their behalf. For we go on in that same passage
of Scripture, it says their burnt offering and their sacrifices
shall be accepted unto mine altar." How in the world does that happen?
How can we offer burnt offerings and sacrifices that are accepted? Well, all of the Old Testament
burnt offerings and sacrifices were pictures and types and shadows
of the one, the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ and Him crucified and
that is the only burnt offering and the only sacrifice that is
ever accepted by God for the redemption of His people and
we rejoice in that very burnt offering and in that sacrifice
and as a result of that we're accepted. He is all the burnt
offerings and sacrifices compiled into one body offered on the
behalf of his people. And then he goes on to say, for
my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people. This is where God has allowed
us to communicate with him in the deep prayer of our soul,
thanking him for all that he's done on our behalf. He is the
one that brings us to the holy mountain. He's the one that has
made us joyful in the house of prayer, in the church, realizing
all that the Lord God Almighty had done on our behalf. The plan
went as ordained. It was carried out according
to purpose. The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. for our sins. He was buried according
to the Scriptures. He came forth from the tomb the
third day according to the Scriptures and on the behalf of His people.
And this true joy is spiritual blessing and we should be very
thankful when we realize that it is a result of God and not
our work. He is the fountain whence all
streams of joy flow. It is God that makes his children
rejoice. And as we go back there to the
book of Ezra, chapter 6, Ezra chapter 6, it tells us in that
wonderful verse of scripture, the last verse of that chapter,
it was the Lord had made them joyful. Ezra chapter 6, verse
22, the Lord, for the Lord had made them joyful. Now, there
are some reasons for joy, as brought out in the very next
phrase of this verse, and that's what we'd like to look at now.
The Lord turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them.
We look at that, we find out that God moved in Cyrus to let
these folks go back to Jerusalem and build a temple, and eventually
to build the walls of Jerusalem again. It was the Lord that moved
upon him, as it tells us here in this verse, and turned the
heart of the king of Assyria unto them. You know there's joy
when we realize that all the things that take place, take
place for the fervence of the gospel, that God is not making
a mistake by any of the circumstances that take place in this world.
The God of Israel, who has the hearts of all men in his hands,
and so the hearts of the kings, and can truly turn them at his
pleasure, God inclined his heart to do them good. We've read this verse of scripture
a number of times recently, but we can't help but go there again
in the book of Proverbs. In the book of Proverbs, it tells
us there in the book of Proverbs chapter 21, Verse 1, Proverbs
chapter 21 and verse 1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord.
As the rivers of water, he turneth it, whethersoever he will. Isn't
it delight? Isn't it joy to come to the conclusion
that God has the hearts of all people in his hands? and that
he is in charge, that he is sovereign, that he rules over all things,
that there's no mistakes going on, that things are falling out
for the furtherance of the gospel and on purpose, that God is in
control of all things, that he is the creator of all things.
That brings joy to the hearts of God's people to know that
he is the sovereign king, that he rules and reigns, and that
things are not rampant. that things are not out of control. They appear to be to us. We do
not understand the whys and the ways of God. In fact, it mentions
in the book of Isaiah, to whom will you compare me? To whom
will you compare me so that I might be like unto you? That's a misnomer. We cannot compare God to anyone. He is God and beside Him there
is none else. And He has such control over
all things not only of just the kings, but of all men. God, the
God of Israel, who has the hearts of all men in His hands, and
the king's hearts. I make no confession that I understand
these verses, but I do confess, by the grace of God, I believe
these verses. Turn with me to the book of Proverbs
16. A man's heart diviseth his way. but the Lord directeth his steps. Do I understand how he does that?
And do I understand why he does that? All I know is he does it,
and I believe it. Now, I do realize, just as we
find in so many examples throughout the scriptures, that these things
fall out for the furtherance of the gospel. He is moving someone
somewhere so they can hear the gospel, or he is moving someone
who knows the gospel someplace so that they can present the
gospel to someone God intended to hear it. Why does he send
people to foreign countries as missionaries? Because he has
some sheep there. Why does he have a church here
and a church there and not in this place or that place? Because
he has sheep there. If there's no church somewhere,
it's a good indication that there's no sheep there. If there is a
church somewhere, it's a great indication and we take great
confidence that there are some sheep there. So we are thankful
that there is not one extra nor one too few. There's not one
extra church or there's one church too few. There's not one extra
pastor or one pastor too few. God has worked that out according
to his own purpose of grace. In Proverbs chapter 20, Proverbs
chapter 20, we read this passage of scripture, Proverbs chapter
20 and verse 24. Man's goings are of the Lord.
How can a man then understand his own way? People used to ask me, what are
you going to do today? And I said, I don't know, the phone hasn't
rang. Well, you know, God moves in his ways, and his ways are
past finding out, and he's doing it according to his eternal purpose,
and he's carrying it out on purpose. We can't stress that enough.
And the children of Judah and Benjamin realized how thankful
they were that the Lord had turned the king of Assyria in favor
to them. Now there are times he turned
certain kings against his people. Would you turn with me over here
in the Psalms? Let's go back to the book of
the Psalms. It's an interesting verse of scripture. You don't
hear it preached on very much. You don't hear it read very much.
But it's right here in the Psalms. Psalm 105 and verse 25. When
we think on these things. The Lord has turned the hearts
of people. What's it say? He turned their
heart to hate His people. to deal subtly with his servants. He turned their heart to hate
his people. Why would God do that? Because
he is sovereign. He has a purpose in it. And we're
not going to figure it all out. God has a purpose in all things. He has a purpose in what happened
to Israel. He had a purpose in what happened
to Judah and Benjamin. He had a purpose in what happened
when there was droughts. He has a purpose in what happens
when there's too much rain. He has a purpose in what happens
when everything takes place, tornadoes, hurricanes, tempests
at sea. He has a purpose in all that's
going on in this world right now. And may you, as God's people,
rejoice in it, because it is for the furtherance of the gospel.
In the book of Acts chapter 7, in Acts chapter 7 we have a dear
brother here rehearsing the history of Israel for Israelites. But we get to overhear it. We
get to listen in. We get to have this said about
a brother down in Egypt. His name was Joseph. Now Joseph
is going to bring out in the book of Genesis to his brothers,
you meant it for evil. God meant it for good. God purposed
that this take place so I could be down here and it would be
meant for good. Stephen brings out in Acts chapter
7 and verse 10, and delivered him out of all his afflictions,
and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king
of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. God gave favor in the eyes of
Pharaoh, Joseph and made him governor over Egypt and all his
house This could only happen because of God Pharaoh We don't
know the name. I don't know the name Probably
some scholar has come up with the name of this Pharaoh that
it's Pharaoh is kind of like saying president or king but
this Pharaoh this king this president of Egypt proud haughty Very important
in his own eyes, God moved on him to show favor to a believer
by the name of Joseph and used him in a mighty way for the deliverance
of Israel. how thankful we are, and how
much joy that creates in our soul to realize this. My goodness,
we would just be sick if we didn't have the knowledge that God Almighty
has purposed all things for His glory, for the glory of His church
in all their salvation. So, as we read over there in
the book of Ezra chapter 6 and verse 22, that verse of scripture
comes to mind. Ezra chapter 6 and verse 22,
as we think about that, says, and the children of Judah and
Benjamin, those who returned to Jerusalem, those who God gave
an interest in going back to Jerusalem, They kept the feast
of unleavened bread. They just had the Passover They're
having the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy for
the Lord had made them joyful and Part of that joy spills over
because the Lord had turned the heart of the king of Assyria
unto them What a joy it was that they could witness this very
thing and This proud, haughty king of Assyria, he didn't have
much mercy to anyone, but he had mercy to the ones God had
purposed that he have mercy upon. And the king of Assyria showed
favor, turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them to
strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the
God of Israel. Now, let's look at this last
part. To strengthen their hands in the work. Strengthen their
hands in the work. I Am drawn to a passage of scripture
over in the book of Matthew in the book of Matthew chapter 8
We read about There was some sorrow in the household of Peter Matthew chapter 8 verse 14. I Matthew chapter 8 verse 14, And
when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother
laid and sick of a fever. Now there's some trouble in Peter's
house. There's some trouble in Peter's wife's house. There's
some trouble. Peter's wife's mother lay sick
of a fever. Notice the next verse with me
though. And he touched her. hand, he touched her hand. This
is the Lord God Almighty coming into the home of Peter. Now he's
the only one that can take care of the problem. No doubt other
things had taken place, but he's the only one. He recognizes the
problem, he moves on the problem, and he takes care of the problem.
He touched her hand and the fever left her. Now notice what she
did. That's like the children of Israel
when they're set free of the bondage of Babylon by the decree
of God through a pagan king by the name of Cyrus and later by
other kings of Assyria who took over after Babylon. there was
a head turned towards Israel and they had great joy there
as they built the walls of the temple and completed it as they
performed the great service of the Passover and as they had
unleavened bread the Lord had given them joy and as a result
of that their joy was found in what the king of Assyria had
done and the had joy in the work that God had given them. Notice
here what Peter's wife's mother did when the Lord touched her
and the fever abated. When the Lord touches you and
sin is abated, taken care of by the sacrifice of himself,
it says here, she arose and ministered unto them. She arose and ministered
unto them. It's interesting that this word
minister is mentioned a number of times in the New Testament
and many times it is the word minister. But twice in the New
Testament this word is translated deacon. In the book of 1 Timothy
chapter 3 verses 10 and 13. Often times there's much ado
about deacons. But When we find out what they
really are, they are the children of God that serve Him. And He gives us joy in serving. It says in 1 Timothy 3 and verse
10, and let these also first be proved, then let them use
the office of a deacon. The word deacon is servant. Now the word office is brought
in by the translators. A deacon, what is a deacon? That's
every child of God that serves God with gladness. And they will. They will do that. We have deacons. They are the servants of the
Lord. They're the ones that build the wall. They're the ones that
build the temple. They're the ones that have the
gospel. They serve the Lord. and being found blameless. My
friends, the only blameless people in this world are those that
Christ has raised from the spiritual dead because of his all-powerful
sacrifice on the cross. There is the only place we can
be blameless. We're not blameless in ourselves,
we're not blameless in our own righteousness, we're only blameless
in Christ. And this deacon, this servant,
minister to minister into the house of God, to minister unto
the Lord. In verse 13, that same word is
found, Have used the office of a deacon well purchased to themselves
a good decree and great boldness in the faith Which is in Christ
Jesus? Where's the faith in Christ Jesus?
Where what do we have a good degree? It's in Christ Jesus,
and it's the servant It's those who rejoice in Christ those who
serve him with gladness when God saves his lost sheep they
are giving a ministry heart and So those three things that are
brought out in Ezra, book of Ezra, chapter six, as we go through
this, we look at these thoughts, we find there in Ezra, chapter
six, verse 22, the conclusion of this chapter, after all has
been said and done in here, and they kept the feasts of unleavened
bread seven days with joy. for the Lord had made them joyful,
and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen
their hearts in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."
We looked at that today in those three parts. He gives us joy. He's the only one that can. He
gives us a recognition We realize that all those in authority and
all of us that are just minions are in the hands of the Lord
and He turns us whithersoever He wills. Everything falls out
for the furtherance of the gospel. He's in charge of that. He's
in charge of this world. It's running exactly as He has
determined it to run. Many people will say it's because
of the devil. No. If it is the devil, it's
the God's devil. It's God's devil, not some rampant
being. And then he gives us strength
to serve the Lord with gladness. When God raises us, we become
deacons. We become servants. We become
servants of the Most High God. We become bond servants. We become
bond slaves. And it's our delight to serve
Him with gladness. Our prayer is with you and for
you, and may God's blessing be upon you. In Jesus' name, amen.