Daily Notes & Observations is a 365-part series that follows a chronological daily Bible reading schedule and contains a short article based on something found in the text for each day. This material is also available in paperback.

September 25, 2012

"Be Courageous and Act" (9/25)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezra 7-10.

Many of the sons of Israel had married foreign wives – a practice that was forbidden under the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 7:3). In order to repent of their sin, those who had married foreign wives had to put them away. Ezra had the difficult task of pointing out their sin and instructing them to obey the Lord rather than keep their unlawful wives. However, Ezra received some encouragement from Shecaniah:

“Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act” (Ezra 10:4).

Shecaniah made two points to Ezra:
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September 24, 2012

"They Did Not Lay Their Hands on the Plunder" (9/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Esther 6-10.

After Esther revealed Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews to the king, letters were issued in the king’s name that would allow the Jews to defend themselves against those who would seek to do them harm.

“In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil” (Esther 8:11).

The provision that allowed them to defend themselves was understandable. But the decree went a step further and explicitly permitted the Jews to plunder the spoil of their enemies. However, while the Jews certainly defended themselves, they did not take the spoil.
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September 23, 2012

The Moral Influence of Those in Power (9/23)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Esther 1-5.

The morals (or lack thereof) of those in positions of power can have a great influence on society as a whole. When sinful conduct is seen as normal by those in the public eye, it will eventually be seen as normal by a host of others.

The advisors of King Ahasuerus understood this. When Queen Vashti disobeyed her husband (the King), this was the advice they gave:

“Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought into his presence, but she did not come.’ This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger.
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September 22, 2012

Just As You Were a Curse, You May Become a Blessing (9/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Zechariah 8-14.

“‘It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong’” (Zechariah 8:13).

Though God’s people had been punished by Him for their unfaithfulness – and it had been done in a manner that was very visible and obvious to the nations around them – God was going to bless them such that they would “become a blessing.” This refers to the promise made to Abraham: “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). God would keep His promise. But the people also needed to respond appropriately to the grace which God would show to them.
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September 21, 2012

"Return to Me, That I May Return to You" (9/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Zechariah 1-7.

The book of Zechariah opened with a call to repentance.

“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts’” (Zechariah 1:3).

The call to repentance was made in order to restore fellowship with God. If they returned to the Lord (repented), then the Lord would return to them (restore fellowship). God’s acceptance of them was conditioned upon an appropriate response to their sins.
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September 20, 2012

"Consider Your Ways!" (9/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Haggai 1-2.

The following passage about the neglected house of the Lord contains a good reminder for us to be sure we have our priorities in order.

“Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ‘Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?’ Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.’

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,’ says the Lord. ‘You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house’” (Haggai 1:3-9).

The point of this message was not to say that the people were wrong for having their own houses in which to live. Nor does this passage teach that it is immoral for one to be prosperous in life. In fact, the Scriptures teach that whatever prosperity we enjoy is a gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
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September 19, 2012

"You Have Nothing in Common with Us" (9/19)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezra 4-6; Psalm 137.

When the people returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, they received an offer of assistance from an unexpected source – the enemies of Judah and Benjamin.

“Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, ‘Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.’ But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, ‘You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us’” (Ezra 4:1-3).

Were the leaders of the people justified in rejecting this help? After all, these “enemies” did believe in God and offered sacrifices to Him. But just because they believed in the Lord and offered some kind of sacrifices, that did not make them brethren.
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