The Books Of Return
The Book of Ezra: Station 1
The Jewish people, a nation chosen by God, have been repeatedly forced into exile throughout history. Therefore, the theme of “returning home” is a profound lesson for the entire nation. This lesson exists not only for the Jewish people but also in the daily lives of each and every one of us. When we are separated from the Lord because of sin, how can we be actively sought out and returned to Him in dire straits…
The Book of Ezra: Station 2
The Book of Ezra, chapters 1-3, describes King Cyrus allowing the Jewish people to return and rebuild the Temple. While it may seem like mere coincidences, a deeper reading reveals that the Lord was orchestrating everything. In this process, not every Jew was willing; those who were unwilling, not wanting to leave their comfortable lives, gave up the opportunity to return. This gives us pause for thought…
The Book of Ezra: Station 3
In life’s difficulties, the common question is, “Lord, where is Your protection?” Through the entire rebuilding process of the temple, we can see that as the temple’s foundation was laid, an overwhelming attack from the enemy followed. But in this helplessness and despair, we see the Lord’s guidance even more vividly. Perhaps when we try to escape such a situation on our own…
The Book of Ezra: Station 4
The omnipresence of sin was not eliminated by the physical construction of the temple. While God guided the temple project away from external attacks, a greater crisis arose from within. But the loving God did not allow the crisis to escalate; He raised up Ezra to save the Jews, whose corruption was seen even by the Gentiles, and to restore them to His holiness. Even now, we still struggle with many desires and values…
The Book of Nehemiah: Station 1
The Lord will answer. “God! Why don’t you hear my prayers?” This is a common feeling of helplessness we feel towards God. But through Nehemiah’s story, we can learn to trust God’s plans and responses again, and we can hope more that God will answer and prepare ourselves more for our own prayers.
The Book of Nehemiah: Station 2
Remembering Your Name: During the repair of the city wall, Nehemiah meticulously recorded the name of every participant, an act also recorded by God. This act of recording names represents respect and remembrance; even now, we participate in God’s great work. Let us also learn from Nehemiah and record the names of our brothers and sisters, remembering and valuing their offerings in the Lord’s work…
The Book of Nehemiah: Station 3
Relying on God to overcome despair: Facing external threats during the construction of the city walls and internal strife caused by inequality among the people, Nehemiah relied on prayer and faith in God. Not only did he not succumb to this vortex, but he also led the people to unite and overcome the difficulties, resolving issues that the existing social structure could not address. In our lives today, God still hears our prayers…
The Book of Nehemiah: Station 4
Be an example to the lost sheep. In our faith journey, we, like the Jews, repeatedly err, repent, break our covenant, err again, and repent again. Many times we feel unworthy and discouraged, but God’s love is not passive; it actively seeks us out, time and again. In this process, let the Holy Spirit help us, like Nehemiah, fixing our eyes on the Lord…
The Book of Esther: Station 1
What is eternal reliance? From the very beginning of the Book of Esther, we can see the temperament of King Jahasirus of Persia and the power struggles within the palace. In this book, which seemingly doesn’t mention any explicit divine intervention, it appears that human destiny is in our own hands. However, the events surrounding Queen Vashti show us that even in the highest positions, fortunes can still change…
The Book of Esther: Station 2
Contrary to our expectations, Esther’s rise from commoner to queen did not bring peace to the Jewish people. Instead, the power struggles within the royal court led to the imminent threat of extermination for her people. Even when we accept faith and follow the Lord, our lives will still have moments of despair and hardship…
The Book of Esther: Station 3
A preordained destiny, the courage to choose: Faced with Mordecai’s warning, Esther realized that her identity as queen was meant to save her people from annihilation, a choice that could mean death. It’s believed that Esther went through a painful struggle in making this decision. Do we believe that our current circumstances and lives are guided and ordained by God? …
The Book of Esther: Station 4
Returning to His Embrace: Throughout this journey of return, God has consistently guided Israel out of the snare of sin. In all events, He continually reveals His love to redeem. In our lives today, we too are constantly bound by sin. But we can be certain that, as this history shows, the Lord continues to guide and lead us back to our beautiful relationship with Him.