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IBS 71 - Ezra 3:3a; 6:22b

Ezra 3:3; 5:5a; 6:22b
“Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord.” “But they eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews…” “The Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.”

Why is it so easy to be more afraid of people than God? To obey the things people ask than what God asks. It should be the other way around. Shouldn’t I fear God more than man? I mean, after all He is the one who created me, this earth, and everything in it and outside of it. He is all powerful, all knowing, all present, all wonderful. He shows me that He is more reliable, faithful, and true than mere human beings. He is trustworthy, He brings rest to the weary, He restores strength to the weak, and He loves me more then anyone on earth could ever love me. Yet, at times I become more afraid of what people will think about me than what God will think about me. 
When I read this verse, I was convicted and I learned a couple of things. “Despite their fear of the peoples around them”, yes, the Israelites were afraid of the surrounding people, but they didn’t let their fear control them. They compared their fears and saw that fearing God is greater then fearing man. They didn’t hold on to their fear and let it hold them back, but they took their fear and pushed it to the side. Despite the fear they had, they still obeyed. 
It’s so much easier to not obey God when I’m afraid. I just let my fear creep in and take over and cloud my mind to where I don’t even realize that I’m disobeying God. But I don’t want to be like that. I want to be like one of these Israelites and push on despite the fear. I want to obey God even when I can feel the fear. I want to be confident in having more fear of God than man. I want to obey what the Lord says more than what humans say. 
As the book of Ezra continues, it shows how God was faithful to the Israelites. He had His eye watching. They obeyed, He looked after. He didn’t command them to do something and then turn His back on them. He watched them. That’s a promise, knowing that when God commands me to do something, and when I obey, I can trust He will be with me the whole way through. That He won’t leave me in the middle of whatever it is that He commanded of me. 
When God commands His people to do something, and when His people obey, He doesn’t just stay with them, He provides for them. No one wanted the Israelites to build the altar on its foundation. People were fighting them, and they were having a hard time, but God came through and provided for His people. He changed the attitude of the king of Assyria. God didn’t tell the Israelites, “Good luck with building, I’ll be over here. Let me know when you’re done!” No, He helped them. He changed the heart of this king so that the king would assist them. God thinks of literally everything. And He knows just what He is doing. 

Just like God provided for the Israelites, I know that God’ll provide for me. That’s another promise I can hold on too. I know that as He commands and as I obey, He goes with me making a way before me. Just like it says in Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you…” He’s making a way and He’ll provide as I go through that way. I don’t have to fear for I know He’s near.   

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