Advanced Level, Block 8—Remnant Standing Properly
Week 78
Ezra and the People Respond according to God’s Word
Point to Emphasize: Are we merely ones who are outwardly good but have not confessed our actions or words to our parents or God as we should?
Reference Reading: Ezra 7:1-10, footnote 11; 9:1-15, footnote 21; 10:1-12
Memory Verse: And Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One — God. (Mark 10:18)
Story Sample
The building of the temple took a long time. It began during the time of King Cyrus, who allowed the Jews to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. There was the need of a kingly leadership to do this, so Zerubbabel had been put in charge of the building at the beginning. The building continued during the time of King Darius and was finished during the time of King Artaxerxes.
The people who had left Babylon to return to Jerusalem had a heart to restore God’s building. This was a good thing, right? Yes, it was. But, on the other hand, something had changed about God’s people while they were in captivity. Remember, they had lived among the Babylonians for many years, so they had picked up the Babylonian way of life. This way of life did not always match the way of God’s commandments.
So, after Ezra had requested that the king send him, King Artaxerxes sent Ezra to Jerusalem. Ezra was a priest and a scribe, one who knew God’s word and God’s law in a very good way. Just as Zerubbabel was the right one to be sent to oversee the physical building of the temple and city, Ezra was the right one to be sent to help the people to know God’s word in more than a general way.
After Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, a report was given to him concerning the people. He was told how they were not following God’s commandments. Something in their living did not measure up to God’s word. They had sinned and broken a commandment. Ezra realized that this was not what God wanted and he was distressed. He was ashamed of the Israelites, even to the point that he felt he could not face God.
So, Ezra responded to this report by praying to God, asking for forgiveness in front of the people. He confessed their sins and cried out that they had forsaken God’s word. How do you think the people responded? They were probably very pleased with themselves for having given up so much to return to Jerusalem and build God’s house. But just because we do something good, that does not mean it makes up for something bad that we have done. The people had to claim responsibility for what they had done and confess to God.
I always thought I was a good girl when I was your age, memorizing the 10 commandments and trying to keep them. I didn’t steal, I went to the meetings on Sundays, I tried not to want what everyone else had, and I thought I obeyed my parents, until one day. That day I was very angry at my dad and did something very disrespectful to him. My mom could not believe I would do such a thing. She was ashamed of me, just like Ezra was ashamed of the children of Israel. I had disrespected my dad. So how do you think I should have responded? Did I say, “But Dad deserved it, and except for this time, I’m always a good girl, Mom!” No. Like the children of Israel, I realized I had broken God’s commandment. I responded by apologizing to my dad first, and then when I went to bed that night, I talked to God about it. [Storyteller, please add your personal story of being ashamed and admitting to doing something wrong.]
Are we merely ones who are outwardly good but have not confessed our actions or words to our parents or God as we should? Too often we respond in our own defense, thinking we are so good, but are not willing to admit that we have done something against God’s word. When we do or say something wrong, what will our response be? Will we be ashamed of ourselves and admit it or not? We should talk to our parents about it and then it would be best if we also talk to God about what we have done, said, or thought.