Ezra: Disappointed 😢 by Leaders of Worship (Part 1)

By Pastor and Mrs Chifamba

THE TRIBE OF LEVI WAS KNOWN TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT AND THE CAUSE OF GOD, THEY WERE LEADERS IN WORSHIP BUT THEY DISAPPOINTED EZRA BIG TIME.

Exodus 32:26

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

Numbers 18:6

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Numbers 18:21

And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Ezra 8:15

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

Ezra had expected that a large number would return to Jerusalem, but the number who responded to the call was disappointingly small. Many who had acquired houses and lands had no desire to sacrifice these possessions. They loved ease and comfort and were well satisfied to remain. Their example proved a hindrance to others who otherwise might have chosen to cast in their lot with those who were advancing by faith. – {Prophets and Kings p. 612.2}

WE ARE TO FOLLOW OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERS ONLY AS THE FOLLOW CHRIST AND HIS WORD.

1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”‬

Acts 5:29

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Psalm 146:3-6

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever.

Psalm 62:5-8

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Ezra: A Sincere Teacher of the Word (Part 2)

By Pastor and Mrs Chifamba

THE TRAGEDY OF THE CHURCH TODAY IS INSINCERE TEACHERS, WHO CONFIDENTLY AND EXCITABLY PREACH HUMAN THEORIES AND PHILOSOPHIES NOT BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD! “IT IS WRITTEN, THUS SAYS THE LORD” IS LAMENTABLY MISSING FROM THEIR DISCOURSES. THEY ARE GIRDING ON STRANGE SWORDS AND LIGHTNING STRANGE FIRES 🔥

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭GNT‬‬

“They want to be teachers of God's law, but they do not understand their own words or the matters about which they speak with so much confidence.”

EZRA THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD TAUGHT PRIESTS AND PEOPLE TO LIVE HOLY LIVES

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Nehemiah 8:5-6

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Ezra‬ ‭10‬:‭4-5

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. 4Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

Ezra 8:28

And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.

Isaiah 52:11

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

Hebrews 12:14

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

1 Peter 1:14-19

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot

2 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭GNT‬‬

“If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in worse condition at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been much better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and then turn away from the sacred command that was given them. What happened to them shows that the proverbs are true: “A dog goes back to what it has vomited” and “A pig that has been washed goes back to roll in the mud.””

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1 Peter 2:9

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

Ezra: A Sincere Teacher of the Word (Part 1)

By Pastor and Mrs Chifamba

Acts 20:26-27

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Ezekiel 44:23

And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

Ezra 10:10-12

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

James‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NIV‬

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

Isaiah 26:10

Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:11

For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:21-22

I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

Matthew 23:1-3

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

Ezra 7:10

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭GNT‬‬

“Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity. Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching.”

Colossians 4:17

And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.