March 20, 2022 Celebrating Victory In this week’s lesson we see God’s hand at work in unfolding His divine plan for mankind. Through the prophets, God had given His prophecy that the children of Israel would go into captivity for seventy years because of their sin (see Jeremiah 25:4-11). In our lesson, we see God having moved on the hearts of pagan rulers as well as His own people to get them out of captivity and back to the Promised Land. Once back home, the Israelites were to rebuild the temple and re-establish the prescribed worship at Jerusalem. Out of the chaos of defeat and captivity, God was restoring worship and great joy to His people.
I. THE TEMPLE IS FINISHED (Ezra 6:13-15)
When God wants His plans for His people to move forward, He can cause even our enemies to obey them (Ezra 6:13).
II. THE TEMPLE IS DEDICATED (Ezra 6:16-18)
It might take some time, but what God starts He will see it to completion (Ezra 6:14-17).
God does not do anything haphazardly; everything He does lines up according to His Word (Ezra 6:18)
III. THE PASSOVER IS OBSERVED (Ezra 6:19-22)
The captivity of God’s people may hinder the keeping of His laws, but sooner or later they will be free to continue to keep those laws (Ezra 6:19-22; Exodus 12:14)
There’s not very much joy in simply going through the motions of what we might call worship. If joyful worship is to be restored, it must begin with the restoration of God’s people to a right relationship and fellowship with Him. This involves the confessing and forsaking of our sins. It also means that we have to seek Him in order to know the true worship of owning Him as our Creator and Sustainer. We must seek Him because He is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, the supreme Judge of all the earth. We must seek Him because He alone is worthy of praise and obedience. We must also leave the joy and blessings up to Him since He knows us and how best to manage our lives.

Ronald Jasmin Assistant Pastor of Corona Baptist Church in Mt Juliet, TN and Cornelius Hill Pastor of Ephesian Primitive Baptist Church Nashville, TN Christian Business Connection
#RonaldJasmin #SundaySchool #CorneliusHill #Praise #GoodNews #ChristianBusinessConnection #SundaySchoolLesson #faith #standardLesson #Commentary #JusticeJudgesandPriests #KingdomAgenda #internationalsundayschoollesson #Ezra6 #Freedtocelebrate #Ezra