Article 7

A Persian king decrees that the way home is open to the exiles. Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Priest go with the first group, and the foundation for the Temple is laid so that the house of God may be rebuilt. At an assembly of celebration, there were shouts of praise, but also tears of sorrow among those who remembered what was lost. Enter the prophets Haggai and Zechariah who help keep the people focused on the rebuilding, and Haggai has a message particular who remember the glory days: God will again appear in the Temple. This connects us to the larger story of our salvation when God will indeed suddenly appear.

Daniel is among the exiles in Babylon who were chosen as advisers to the king. Like his ancestor, Joseph, he stands out for the wisdom and insight God gives to him. Through Daniel and three of his fellow exiles, the kings who sit on the throne in Babylon come to understand who is real ruler who has given them their authority. God's power is shown time and time again until the day appointed for the exile approaches and the kingdom changes hands. Daniel shows the king the writing on the wall. Through Daniel, we also may come to know and trust the God who rules over all.

At the end of the podcast, stay tuned for bonus music from "Created to Worship" (C2W), the instrumental "Just A Closer Walk with Thee".

"By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion" – Psalm 139:1

"Son of man, can these bones live?" – Ezekiel 37:3

In chapter 17 of "The Story", the scenes shift between the prophet Jeremiah who bears witness to the last days of Jerusalem from within the city walls, and the prophet Ezekiel who is among the exiles in Babylon. Both prophets faithfully rebuke the sins of the people that brought these events about, but they also give the people hope. Ezekiel is taken to a desolate valley where bones are the only thing left of the human lives that once animated them. Can these bones live? God sends a powerful message to His people of life and hope even in the midst of death and devastation.

The Eighth Century B.C. closes with the destruction of the northern tribes at the hands of the Assyrians. The southern tribes need faithful leadership and a clear Word from God to avoid the same destruction. Who will God send? Enter one of the greatest of the writing prophets, whose message of power and comfort to the people of Judah gave them hope for a future. And the Word that Isaiah saw is not just for that immediate future because God gives the prophet foresight to the time when God Himself will enter "The Story."

The northern tribes have turned away from The Lord, led by a series of kings who "did evil" and aroused God's anger. God raises two messengers, Elijah and Elisha. Through the ministry of these two prophets, God wants to turn the hearts of His people back to Him. Elijah is first, and after his time is through, he is succeeded by Elisha, who asks for a "double portion" of Elijah's spirit.

That happens when Elisha sees a "chariot of fire and horses of fire" as they bear his mentor away. Those chariots of fire appear again, when Elisha prays for the eyes of his servant to be opened so that servant can see how God was active and working to guide His people. Can Elisha show us how God is at work in this world, opening our eyes and revealing His presence to us?

We have read about prophets in the previous chapters of "The Story," but going forward, they begin to play a far more central role. When the nation of Abraham's ancestors splits in two, the northern tribes are led into idolatry by their king. God answers by sending someone "by the Word of the Lord." Will the Word bring people back to faith or will they drift further away from God?

After the sermon, keep listening for a musical bonus from Created 2 Worship playing "Poor, Wayfaring Stranger".

"The Lord appeared to Solomon." That phrase is repeated a few times through chapter 13 of "The Story". God appears to give Solomon wisdom, and then the glory of the Lord appears when the Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated. And then there is one last time as God speaks after Solomon "turns his heart" away from The Lord. As we prepare to celebrate the revealing of God's glory in Jesus through the festival of Epiphany, we'll look at the life of Solomon and see how wisdom and worship point our hearts to see God's glory in our lives.

There is also an Epiphany musical bonus in this podcast! The Bethany Singers present a nice arrangement of "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright".

In chapter 12 of "The Story" a king covets, and that leads to adultery and murder. Is this still the an that is after God's own heart? Or will God turn away from David like He did King Saul? In this chapter, we discover one of the greatest gifts that we receive from God: FORGIVENESS.

God finds a new king by looking into the heart of the youngest son of Jesse, who was tending the sheep when God sent Samuel to anoint the one God would choose. This is the story of the first kings of Israel and it foreshadows God's great plan of salvation. Last week, we read about a king who turned his heart away from God. This week, we see that God's intention for His people is to have a king with the heart of a shepherd.

"Give us a king." the people say. This points the way to the time when God would send the ultimate King to save His people once and for all. It begins well with the new king able to assemble the whole nation to repel their enemies. Like some servants before, God calls the person from the smallest and least to do His will. But once this person is given the power and authority, will humble service be his story, or will insecurity and greed get the better of him? Can we learn something for our lives about God's definition of power?