How to Get There
(1 Esdras 8:50-53, 61, Ezra 8:21-23)
👰🏿♀️Have you ever wondered how you would reach a particular goal such as planning a big celebration, or purchasing a large-ticket item like a car, or maybe moving to another city?
Esdras had to move many very valuable things from one location to another and the journey was known to be extremely dangerous due to vicious robbers and murderers. He was too embarrassed to ask the king for the help of soldiers since he’d already proclaimed God would take care of them.
He didn’t want to seem lacking in confidence about God’s care and power and may also have been concerned about how God might be perceived in the eyes of the king, therefore he sought God’s guidance.
He didn’t want to seem lacking in confidence about God’s care and power and may also have been concerned about how God might be perceived in the eyes of the king, therefore he sought God’s guidance.
🔑 For God’s people, finding God's will is the most important thing. In whatever goals we may pursue, we are to seek God’s direction first.
When Moses was leading the children of Israel from harsh enslavement in Egypt, he was in constant communication with God. He continuously asked God or heard from God about the next steps. While at the Red Sea, Moses depended on God in leading the people safely to a new place (Exodus 14). Esdras proclaimed a fast that he might know what God would have him do.
(1 Esdras 8:50-53, Ezra 8:21-23)
Jesus, though he knew the dreadful future for himself, relied on God’s instruction for his next action:
Matthew 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless NOT AS I WILL, but as thou wilt.
Mark 14:35, 36
And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless NOT WHAT I WILL, but what thou wilt.
Luke 22:41, 42
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless NOT MY WILL, but thine, be done.
Matthew 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless NOT AS I WILL, but as thou wilt.
Mark 14:35, 36
And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless NOT WHAT I WILL, but what thou wilt.
Luke 22:41, 42
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless NOT MY WILL, but thine, be done.
How was Esdras’ Moving Mission Accomplished?
“…by the mighty hand of our Lord…” Esdras said the Lord had been with them from the very beginning and had delivered them from “every enemy…”
AWESOME!
1 Esdras 8:61
“…and came to Jerusalem by the mighty hand of our Lord, which was with us: and from the beginning of our journey the Lord delivered us from every enemy, and so we came to Jerusalem.”
These are accounts of what happened THEN. They are also examples for followers of the same Lord TODAY. Those people of God all had different situations and goals and were all in different times in history, yet they were all found fasting, praying, trusting, and obeying. That’s how to get there.
1 Esdras 8:50-53
50 And there I vowed a fast unto the young men before our Lord, to desire of him a prosperous journey both for us and them that were with us, for our children, and for the cattle:
51 For I was ashamed to ask the king footmen, and horsemen, and conduct for safeguard against our adversaries.
52 For we had said unto the king, that the power of the Lord our God should be with them that seek him, to support them in all ways.
53 And again we besought our Lord as touching these things, and found him favourable unto us.
50 And there I vowed a fast unto the young men before our Lord, to desire of him a prosperous journey both for us and them that were with us, for our children, and for the cattle:
51 For I was ashamed to ask the king footmen, and horsemen, and conduct for safeguard against our adversaries.
52 For we had said unto the king, that the power of the Lord our God should be with them that seek him, to support them in all ways.
53 And again we besought our Lord as touching these things, and found him favourable unto us.
Ezra 8:21-23
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
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