A Right Way
Notes
Transcript
A Right Way
A Right Way
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
Ez. 8.21 - “...to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.”
1335 בָּקַשׁ (bā·qǎš): v.; ≡ Str 1245; TWOT 276—1. LN 27.34–27.47 (piel) seek, search, look for, i.e., try to learn information about an object, implying a diligence in the procurement of the information (1Sa 9:3); (pual) be sought, be investigated, be searched (Est 2:23; Jer 50:20; Eze 26:21+); 2. LN 56 (piel) hold responsible, call to account, i.e., be held accountable to a certain standard, often with sanctions for not meeting the standard (Ge 43:9); 3. LN 33.161–33.177 (piel) inquire about, ask for, i.e., make a verbal request (Ezr 8:21); 4. LN 68.58–68.62 (piel) try to do, attempt, i.e., try with a certain amount of intensity, often implying lack of success (Ex 2:15); 5. LN 39.34–39.41 (piel) conspire, i.e., to make plans of rebellion against an authority (Est 2:21); 6. LN 34.1–34.21 unit: (piel) בָּקַשׁ פָּנֶה (bā·qǎš pā·ně(h)) associate, be in association, formally, seek the face, i.e., be in relation to another as a figurative extension of seeking to be in the presence of that person (1Ch 16:11); note: further study may yield more domains
To Seek / to search
To Look / to learn
Information / investigation
Inquire / to conspire
to be in presence of - formally / figuratively/ face to face
To seek...
The inquiry, the investigation
the seeking and searching was with the intent of finding answers...
We play hide and seek with the kids - Deb had the grandkids over this past week and I was hearing about all the hiding places - Bella was playing hide and seek with Papa and Nana and it was amazing at how well all the kids did with their hiding spots...
Ezra, while in route to Jerusalem recognized a great need of the people...
This need was so great that he called for corporate prayer and fasting...
He knew that the people, the travelers, the servants - the Nethinims - the levites - the ministers… needed something desperately...
King James Version Chapter 8
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way
A Right Way
A Right Way
For Us
vs. 21 -
“…to seek of him a right way for us...”
We need to know the “right way”
It’s me, it’s me, it’s me o Lord - Standing in the need of prayer...
It’s me, it’s me, it’s me o Lord, Standing in the need of Prayer -
Not my sister, not my brother, but it’s me o Lord...
Not my mother, not my father -but it’s me o Lord...
We need to be diligently seeking for “A right Way” for us...
Do we sense our need of God?
not just going through the motions...
not just being active...
not just existing and doing things like we have always done them...
We need God to reveal “a right way for us”
A Right way...
A right way for us to Act
A right way for us to react
A right way for us to serve
A right way for us to strive
A right way for us to survive...
A Right way for us -
if we can not lead ourself, how will we be able to lead another?
Prayer to God for His guidance -
A RIGHT WAY - FOR US....
For Our Little Ones
“to seek of him a right way...”
for us
for our little ones
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.
2852 חָנַךְ (ḥā·nǎḵ): v.; ≡ Str 2596; TWOT 693—1. LN 53.44–53.52 (qal) dedicate, consecrate, i.e., a ritual and commitment to devote a structure to deity or special purpose (Dt 20:5; 1Ki 8:63; 2Ch 7:5+); 2. LN 36.10–36.11 (qal) train, disciple, i.e., broadly instruct in accordance with proper rules of conduct and behavior which would include both principles and teaching holy ritual
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
18 And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, And therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: For the Lord is a God of judgment: Blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: Thou shalt weep no more: He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; When he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, Yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, But thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, When ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Earlier this week I saw a tweet -
“do you remember the children you saw screaming and throwing themselves on the floor in the stores… you thought to yourself - God help us when they grow up… THEY GREW UP...
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR NATION...
We need to be a people like what Isaiah proclaimed -
This is the way...
Walk ye in it...
your toddler
your child
your teenager does know what is right - they may think they know..
they don’t know what is best...
Mama, Daddy - you better know and you better proclaim and require..
“THIS IS THE WAY… WALK YE IN IT”
We need A Right Way!!!!
For us
For our little ones
3. For All Our Substance
“to seek of him a right way...”
for us
for our little ones
for all our substance...
if there is a right way for our substance, there is a wrong way for our substance
If there is a right way for all our substance - then there is a wrong way for:
some of our substance
part of our substance
all of our substance
the devil knows that if he can get us caught up in “stuff” that he has us...
Ask - Annanias and Saphira
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Ask the Rich young ruler
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Ask the Hebrews when they were leaving Egypt
Exodus 10
Pharaoh was ok with them
going to worship
going to offer sacrifices
Pharaoh was not ok with them
taking their children
taking their substance
He wanted them left in Egypt
He wanted them vested in this world
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
The seeking
The fasting
was rewarded by God’s answer
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
He was intreated of us...
YE-Ay-Teer H6229
pray - make requests to God &
respond to prayer -
“Moved to answer...” “moved by an entreaty”