There Is Hope

Text:

Ezra 10:1-4:

1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept  very sore.

2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our  God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to  the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.

 

Theme:

There Is Hope

 

Introduction:

• The Book of Ezra was originally combined with the Book of Nehemiah as one volume.
  • The book thus contains memorabilia connected with the Jews, from the decree of Cyrus (B.C. 536) to the reformation by Ezra (B.C. 456), extending over a period of about eighty years with a gap of about 60 years from chapter 6 to chapter 7.
  • There is no quotation from this book in the New Testament
  • Ezra was probably the author of this book, at least of the greater part of it (comp. Ezr 7:27-28; 8:1, etc.), as he was also of the Books of Chronicles, the close of which forms the opening passage of Ezra.
• The text is found in the portion of scripture in the Book of Ezra where Ezra has returned to implore that the Jewish people return to God.
  • Ezra prayed!!!
    • The previous chapter documents the prayer of Ezra for the people of Israel.
      • Ezra 9:5, “And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,”
    • Ezra laid his all on the altar for the sins of Israel!
  • The people reacted to the Ezra’s cry concerning their sins
    • Ezra 10:2, “And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land:”
      • They ADMITTED their sin!
    • “yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.”
      • They are REALIZING the opportunity to make things right!
    • Ezra 10:3, “Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives….”
      • They are DOING what is needed to get back to God!
    • The turning point in the series of events is found in the second verse of the text:

“yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.”

• THERE IS HOPE!!!
  • We need to realize the same opportunity in our lives…
    • When we are out of relationship with God
    • When we cannot find our way
    • When darkness has befallen our lives
      • THERE IS HOPE!!!

 

Body:

• As long as we are living, there is hope!
  • Ecclesiastes 9:4, “For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
  • What is HOPE?
    • Romans 8:24-25, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
      • Hope is for what is NOT seen!
    • HOPE is part of the PROCESS!

1. The grave condition
   1. Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
2. Prayer (Hope)
   1. As the text said, ““yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.”
   2. 2Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways…”
3. Healed  (Made right)
   1. “…then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
4. Obedience (Do Right)
   1. 1 John 5:2, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.”
5. Reward (Heaven )
   1. 2 Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Yes, THERE IS HOPE!!!

 

Conclusion:

• Don’t ever doubt that there is HOPE!
  • Jeremiah 8:22, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”
• Just know that we can’t enjoy the hope without having come through the DOOR!
  • Romans 10:9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

THERE IS HOPE!!!!!!

 

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