Ezra 1:1-4 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
The book of Ezra deals with the need of the people of Israel who had just returned from Babylon after seventy years of captivity. Ezra was a priest of God, although he could not fulfill his obligations during his captivity because there was no temple. It had been burned and destroyed. But even so, that was no reason for Ezra not to continue living and growing in God, since he dedicated himself to studying the Word of God. We are told in Ezra 7:6 that he was a scribe, a teacher learned in the law of Moses.
Ezra was also a great reformer. The renewal began with the reading of the Word of God through him. We see that in chapter 8 of the book of Nehemiah. He organized the synagogue. He was the founder of the scribal order. He helped establish the canon of Scripture and the order of the Psalms in order to bring a spiritual revival to the people of his day. Dwight L. Moody once said something like this: "The next revival has to be a renewal of Bible study." Those who have tried to stir up enthusiasm for renewal movements through various organizations and methods have failed.
Renewal will come as God's people experience a return to God's Word.
Ezra had only one job, and a very specific one, as he was among the first to return to Israel: to establish the spiritual foundation in the lives of God's people.
Everything that had happened to the people of Israel, their departure for seventy years, the defeats and sufferings, the walls destroyed and the house of God burned, was the result of NOT HAVING FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THE SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION IN THEIR LIVES.
• The problems of this world are foundational problems.
• The problems of the society are foundation problems
• Marriage problems are foundation problems.
• Man's problems are foundation problems.
• Women's problems are foundation problems.
• Home problems are foundation problems.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Many suffer greatly because their foundation is everything else but Jesus.
Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
How to Lay a Good Foundation in Your Life:
1. We need to examine ourselves and see if our foundation is Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Now, why is Paul telling the Corinthians, Examine yourselves, and prove yourselves? Because what they preached did not go with their testimony.
Lamentations 3:40-42 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
Jeremiah told the people to search their hearts, seek, and return to God since their deeds showed that they had left God.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
2. We need to surrender and submit to God.
When we talk about laying a firm foundation, we mean that we are:
• To make God the most important necessity for the well-being of our lives.
• Establishing Christ as our foundation means the following.
• Be willing to deny ourselves.
• Be willing to submit ourselves.
Mark 8:34-37 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
3. We need to stay on that foundation.
Although the Godly foundation is never destroyed, it can and does tend to weaken in the lives of many good children of God, because the foundation constantly needs to be strengthened. A firm and strong life in the things of God requires constancy and perseverance. As children of God, we do not persevere to be saved, but we persevere to remain holy. As children of God we do not persevere to earn heaven, but to stay faithful to God. When I talk about keeping our spiritual life firm and our foundation strong, I mean constantly building ourselves upon the foundation of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Peter 2:1-3 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
