The Prevailing Kingdom
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This morning we return to our study of Ezra. As we have seen previously, the book of Ezra records the beginning of the return of the exiles and them undertaking the task of rebuilding the temple. They immediately build the altar and begin offering sacrifices to YHWH and then started on the temple itself. In Chapter 4 we see that the Persian king, Artexerxes, finds out that Jerusalem has a history of rebellion and powerful kings once ruled there. So, he orders them to stop rebuilding the temple. And that’s what Chapter 4 ends on. They stop building the temple until Darius becomes king.
Chapter 5 picks up in the time of Darius, and we find that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah have come to Jerusalem to encourage and remind the people of their purpose there. They were to rebuild the temple. So they start building again. As they begin again, the governor of that province asks them who commanded them to build and asked them their names. But God was with His people and His will prevailed. The governors sent a letter to Darius informing him of the construction restarting and that the people asked him to search for the decree of Cyrus.
What we see in this chapter is that the people of God are resolved to worship God and do what has been commanded of them by God. They are encouraged and reminded of God’s will by Haggai and Zechariah and begin working on the temple. Verse 5 says, “But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they [the government officials] did not stop them until the report should reach Darius .” We see that God continuously had His eye on His people and His favor was before them.
We see the people’s commitment by pledging allegiance to God in verse 11, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago.”
We see the resolve and commitment of the people of God. We see God’s faithfulness to His people. But today I want to focus on this morning is an overarching theme that we see touch the book of Ezra, including this chapter, and throughout the bible as a whole. This theme is :
God’s Kingdom will Prevail.
God’s Kingdom will Prevail.
How does Ezra 5 show us that God’s Kingdom will prevail? After all, the Jews in Jerusalem are but a remnant of the pre-exile nation. Jerusalem is in ruins. How has the kingdom of God prevailed? It has prevailed because God was with them and delivered them from exile. God did not let Artexerxes had the last word in regards to the temple. Artexerxes tried to snuff out the return of Israel. He demanded them to stop building the temple, and for a period of time, he succeeded. But Artexerxes did not prevail, God sent his prophets to encourage His people and strengthen them to continue building the temple.
This pushed them to build the temple regardless of decree or whether they had permission or not. The Temple of God, the heart of the nation and kingdom of Israel will be built.
Artexerxes was used by Satan to try to stop God’s plan of redemption, but he did not prevail. We see in this chapter that the schemes of the enemy can not and will not prevail against the will of God and His people.
God is actively moving and working within the world to fulfill his purposes. Daniel 6:26–27 “ for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.” God’s kingdom cannot be destroyed. This is true for His Heavenly Kingdom, and the kingdom being built today.
Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is here. His kingdom is established by his blood and the confession of who He is. Matthew 16:13-18
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Church is the Kingdom of Christ and has been established on the rock of our confession.
The Church of Christ will prevail against all attacks from the enemy. It has prevailed through 2,000 years of persecution. It has prevailed through the martyrdom of our brothers and sisters. It has prevailed through the worst moments in human history and will continue to prevail through the rest of time.
The Church spans across the whole world and continues to cross boarders and reach people in far away places. The Kingdom of God is not fade away and will not die out. This is good news for you and I. This should give us hope. Hope because the Church is established and founded on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That he bled and died for us, and conquered the grave. He has rendered the enemy powerless and when we gather as one body and proclaim that He is risen, the gates of Hell will not prevail. We can storm the gates of Hell by proclaiming the Gospel and rescue the captives. We can withstand all attacks knowing that Christ is the Victor and we are more than conquerors.
No matter how much pressure the global church faces to conform or change our convictions, we can stand firm knowing that we are standing on the promises of God and the Gospel of Christ. As I have said before, the Gospel is our identity, it is our life and our security. That is true for the individual Christian, and it is true for the Church as a whole.
It is also true for New Hope Baptist Church. The gates of hell and the schemes of the enemy to divide and sow despair amongst us will not prevail as long as we keep our eyes on Christ. We can remain strong, united, and healthy as long as we commit ourselves to the confession of our faith and the love for each other.
A few weeks ago I was asked my opinions on a whole lot of spiritual issues, including spiritual warfare and the occult. I was specifically asked how we as a church go about protecting against and waging spiritual warfare. We do so by prayer and proclaiming the Gospel. Matthew 16 doesn’t say “the gates of hell will not prevail against speaking in tongues,” or singing good songs, or pouring grape juice around the perimeter of the building. No, it says that on the rock of Peter’s Confession, that Jesus is the Christ, the Church is built and the enemy cannot prevail against it. It is only through the Gospel that we are defended and have our victory.
Jesus has conquered. Jesus died and rose again. Jesus set us free. Jesus established the Church. It is in Jesus that we live and move and have our being. And when we preach that we will prevail! When we preach that to each other we will grow in sanctification and be ready for battle.
We can not forget what gives us victory and ensures that we prevail. Hebrews 2:1-4 provides us a warning that we must remember.
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
If we forget this Gospel, if we forget this confession, what hope does New Hope Baptist Church have? What hope do I have? What hope do you have in your walk with God? What hope does the American Church have if we neglect such a great salvation that has been declared by Jesus Himself, for trivial politics? What hope does the global church have if we are fixated on the election of a new pope and not the Gospel?
On the rock of the Gospel is the Church established. And with that rock the flood of disaster may come but it will not prevail. Darkness can surround the bastion and fortress of the Church but it will not prevail because the Church is founded on the Gospel and built by the blood of Christ.
Application
Application
Repent and Believe the Gospel
Remind Your Brothers and Sisters of the Gospel
Benediction
Benediction
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
