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Q4. (Ezra 10:2-4) Do you think Shecaniah's solution to the people's sin of intermarriage was from God? Can you think of any other examples in the Bible of prophetic "words of wisdom" directing God's people at crisis points? How do the people respond to Schecaniah's radical solution? How does Ezra implement it? No. Since God is against divorce I doubt Shecaniah’s solution came from Him. However, at the time it was probably the only practical solution to their disobedience of inter marriage. About directing people at crisis points - two come to mind. Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14), where the Lord directed the people when escape seemed impossible. The Golden Calf (Exodus 32), where the compassion of God toward His people who needed punishment, and the power of one man’s intercession is shown. The people responded favourably, except for a few dissenters. To implement this drastic action, Ezra used an oath to hold the people to their commitment.

Q3. (Ezra 9:3-4) How does Ezra react when he hears of the sin of intermarriage? Does he react for show? Does he over-react? Why does he grieve over the sins of the people? What is wrong with us if we don't grieve over the sins of God's people? This is all about sin, different cultures, and different value systems. Ezra did not respond casually - he realized the severity of their sin, and he responded accordingly. He was appalled at the report of mixed marriages, for he knew the consequences this would have. God had forbidden such marriages as it would turn the Israelites away from following God (Deut 7:4). In fact, later we do read how intermarriage did lead to the loss of a pure relationship between the nation and God. I don’t think Ezra reacted for show or even that he had over-reacted. He was visibly expressing his feelings of grief. Later (9:6), we read that he prayed confessing the gravity of the nation’s sin, and that he was too ashamed to face our Lord. He also confessed the severity of their sins, and that their guilt had swept over them like a flood that reaches up to the heavens. The prophets had spoken clearly on the subject of mixed marriages, so they were without excuse. God abhors sin, and today we are not taking its consequences seriously enough – the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). It is the rebellion against the will of God and it separates us from having fellowship with our Lord. God will punish unforgiven sin.

Q2. (Ezra 8:24-30, 33-34) Why does Ezra weigh out the gold and silver vessels when he entrusts them to individuals, and weigh them again when they are delivered to the temple? Is this an act of distrust? If not, why are steps to prevent embezzlement good for Christian organizations? It is a sound and wise decision to establish systems of responsibility and accountability for the transportation of these valuables. This is not an act of distrust. The amount of gold and silver to be transported is huge. On top of this, the articles and offerings have been set apart for God, and special care is required to ensure their arrival in Jerusalem. Our God is a God of order, and I feel therefore, that there must be proper systems in place, and accountability demanded making embezzlement virtually impossible. This also helps to protect the people themselves from temptation. Our Christian organizations are not immune from the evil of greed.

Q1. (Ezra 8:21-23) Why does Ezra call the people to fast? Does fasting compel God to answer our prayers? What does fasting accomplish in us? Ezra needed God’s protection and guidance for the 4-month dangerous journey of about 1300 km. Accompanying the caravan would be women and children as well as vast amounts of precious metals. At the time, bandits were a serious problem on the more northerly route they had to take, but to request a military escort would be to denounce his faith in God (8:22). So he put his faith on the line, trusting in God who delights to save those who lean on Him. God is sovereign and no way can we compel Him to answer our prayers. At the time, fasting was seen as a sign of repentance and as an expression of faith and devotion to God. Their prayers and fasting prepared them spiritually for the journey. Also, by fasting they disciplined themselves and humbled themselves before the Lord, admitting their total reliance on God for their protection and help during the long and arduous journey.

Q4. (Zechariah 12-13) Paul was broken-hearted for his countrymen the Jews, who had rejected the Messiah. We should be too. When do you think the prophecy will be fulfilled that says, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn...?" (Zechariah 12:10). Concerning the fountain that cleanses from sin and impurity (Zechariah 13:1), has that been fulfilled, or will it be future? Why will it please God so much when all the Jews finally believe in Jesus? The prophecy has been partially fulfilled when our Lord and Saviour died on the Cross for our sins. It will be fully fulfilled with Jesus’ Second Coming when all people will realise that Jesus, the man who was pierced and killed, is the Messiah. Then Israel also will realise how mistaken they have been in not putting their trust in Jesus Christ. They will then partake in the fountain that cleanses from sin and impurity. They will experience spiritual renewal and restoration.

Q3. (Zechariah 11:4-17) Why is God so condemnatory towards shepherds or leaders who take advantage of their office and exploit the people? What is Jesus' standard for leaders (Mark 10:42-45)? What would it look like in government if we followed Jesus' standard? What would it look like in your workplace? In your church? In your home? The shepherds or leaders were not only negligent, but evil as well. In high positions they showed no compassion towards their people. Seeking only to full their pockets, and feed off the gravy train. After all the plundering they still have the audacity to “Praise the Lord, I am rich” – what hypocrites! Instead of being protectors they become oppressors by exploiting the people. An example is the dispossession of the land. There is absolutely no moral or spiritual obedience; they are a god unto themselves. Jesus’ servanthood is His standard for leaders. He rejects the world’s standards of rank, power, and money. Without rank, power, or money He gives up His life as “a ransom for many.”! Ultimate good rules. In the world today, we see power and money as the standard of greatness. Those in power want to protect their position, and those without power strive for it. Those who have money want more and are never satisfied. It is not about need but all about greed. Under these standards we see ambition rule and jealousy reign.

Q2. (Zechariah 7:9-10; 8:16-17) What does it look like to operate from a policy of mercy and compassion? God commands justice for the poor and oppressed in our culture. How can we be sure that the poor are treated justly in our courts? How do you treat aliens in your country, sojourners from another land? Why is speaking truthfully with others so important to God? A society functioning under a policy of mercy and compassion will display attributes of justice, love and compassion. It will see that justice is done and kindness and mercy shown to one another. True justice will be administered by sound judgment in the courts of law. No lies told under oath. Widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor will not be mistreated. There will be no evil plans made to hurt each other. These attributes, if shown, will prove the genuineness of our commitment to God. Neglect of these duties will lead to a society that has gone dead towards God. In such an insensitive society there is no fair and just administration of justice, no demonstration of mercy and compassion for weak and hurting individuals, no looking out for widows, orphans, or the poor, and no end of conjuring up ways of doing evil. Unfortunately, this is what has happened to my beautiful country. Our state has been captured by a core of utterly corrupt politicians who have plundered our state resources. So-called justice has been perverted and twisted by the influence of those in power. The courts are manipulated to suit them. There is no concern for genuine truth. There is no justice or concern for the poor. There is no border control. Our country is full of illegal aliens, putting pressure on our limited structures. We are the murder capital of the world (49 murders every day). We are the rape capital of the world (One rape every 13 minutes). A truly sad state of affairs.

Q1. (Zechariah 7:4-6) In what ways have we Christians tended to make worship about us, rather than about God? How should we evaluate our churches and our worship patterns? What can we do to make our personal worship a matter of the heart, and not just rote readings and prayer? I’m very old fashioned and feel we need to humbly and reverently come before the Lord before the start of our worship – Be still, and know I am God (Ps 46:10). I remember visiting a small church that started the service 10 minutes before the time with the playing of hymns while everybody got seated. This set the mood, and allowed time for meditation. This contrasts with some of the bigger churches, in my area, that seem to be more concentrated on entertainment. I feel that acts of worship can easily become nothing more than empty formalities that serve only our own selfish interests. Much of our music, seems to me, to be nothing more than this preoccupation with self and have nothing to do with glorifying God. But then again as I mentioned earlier, I’m old fashioned, and definitely prefer the earlier hymns we used to sing. Our churches and their worship patterns should be Scripture based. The Bible guides us, and gives us a detailed foundation for how God’s Word should be taught, what practices congregations should observe, and how churches should be led. Our acts of worship must flow out of a genuine response of faith and obedience to God. It’s all about our Lord, and we must be careful not to become merely self-serving and self-glorifying.

Q4. (Zechariah 4:1-10) Why do we so easily fall into the trap of trying to do God's work with our own strength? What does it mean, "Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit"? How might you apply this truth to your life? Perhaps it’s because the world is so real, and to achieve anything, we must be tough, strong, and ruthless. We rely solely on our human resources, human wisdom, and human strength to accomplish our goals. We only see the mighty and powerful forces available to us, and this blinds us to the fact that as Christians we walk by faith, not by sight. When in fact behind all this visible world, there is a great Spiritual Power available to us. God says "Not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit." It is only through God's Spirit that anything of lasting value is accomplished. As we live for God, we must depend on God and work in the power of His Spirit, and not to trust in our own strength or abilities. Trust Him and acknowledge Him in everything we do!

Q3. (Zechariah 3:1-7) What do Joshua's filthy clothes represent? How does God deal with this? What message is this prophecy intended to convey to Joshua the High Priest? How might this message apply to Christian leaders who have sinned? Joshua’s filthy clothes represent his sin. God deals with this by removing his sin (filthy clothes) and re-clothing him with clean garments. The message our Lord conveys to both Joshua and Christian leaders, as well us, is that we must repent. Rid ourselves of all evil deeds and immorality, and recommit ourselves to Jesus, by putting on the new nature given by Christ. Be grateful for the Lord’s mercy and grace!

Q2. (Zechariah 2:13) Why, in this passage, do you think the prophet calls all mankind to be still before Him? In the context of God aroused to protect His people from attack, why is silence appropriate? For the enemy of God, what does silence represent? For the believer, what does silence before God represent? In this passage, mankind is to be silent and wait in reverence and submission, in awe, and astonishment, at the wonderful work of God that is coming. Coming will be the destruction of the antichrist; the conversion of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. No one is to dare say one word against any of it. For the unbeliever there is a fear of the consequences of His action – this is not a reverent fear. Unlike as with believers, there is no righteousness and peace, no judgment and mercy, no holiness and love. With us there is a blessedness of being silent and at the same time a waiting upon the Lord. Our thoughts are away from ourselves, our needs, and our desires, it is focused upon our Heavenly Father. We worship Him in His glory and His love. There is complete trust and obedience – not leaning on our own understanding.

Q1. (Zechariah 1:3) Why is a message of repentance from sin such an important part of the Gospel? What happens when we remove repentance from the core message of Jesus? Why do you think God wants you to repent of all known sin? Without repentance there can be no salvation. It is therefore an integral part of the Gospel. If we have accepted Christ as Saviour, the Holy Spirit at some point regenerates us imparting new spiritual life within us. This changes our thinking about our sin, our relationship to God, and about the work of Jesus for salvation. We now feel a sincere sorrow for the sins we have done and now commit ourselves to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ. In repentance we, as sinners, come to a true intellectual realisation of our sinful condition – that we are dead spiritually and have an urgent need for forgiveness. We also realise that our sinful condition is offensive to the Lord. We then make a decision to turn away from both our lifestyle of sin and our individual acts of sin. Our Heavenly Father desires to have a relationship with us, but all unconfessed known sin keeps us separated from Him. In order to be eligible to enter the kingdom, we have to do an about-face regarding sin, and believe the good news concerning the Lord Jesus. We, therefore, need to lead a life of repentance for He has promised that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). He is just to forgive our daily sins, because Jesus has borne the penalty for all our sin, past, present, and future.

Q5. (Haggai 2:20-23) In what way is Haggai's image of Zerubbabel being God's signet intended to encourage Zerubbabel? What is the power of a leader's signet? How does listening to God's Spirit make you effective as His agent? In what ways are you authorized to speak and act for Jesus? Zerubbabel must have been tremendously encouraged knowing that he was carrying out God’s orders with God’s own authority. This must have motivated the others as well, knowing that their leader had God’s approval and authorisation. The signet ring is a symbol of empowering the person to act on behalf of the leader – giving that person the authority to do so. The Holy Spirit speaks to us mainly through the Word. To be effective we have to listen and obey. We need to do what He has gifted us to do – by doing His will we bring our Lord honour and blessings to ourselves. As believers we are Jesus’ ambassadors and are authorised to act on His behalf. We are to function as the salt of the earth and to reflect His light. To shine in the world for our Lord Jesus bringing Him glory.

Q4. (Haggai 2:10-14) What kinds of things defile a disciple today? What is the danger of acting as if doing church work somehow makes us holy by association? How does a believer deal with spiritual defilement and sin? We must be careful not to think that doing church work or doing any good deeds for the Lord will make us holy. Holy acts have no power to make us holy – only a Holy God can do this. Whereas contact with holiness does not make us holy, contact with evil and defilement does – it is contagious. Sin is easily transmitted by association in the same way as contagious diseases. The only way we can deal with spiritual defilement and sin is by turning away from sin to Christ. The turning from sin is called repentance and the turning to Christ is called faith. After repenting we put our trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God.

Q3. (Haggai 2:1-5) Discouragement is a common experience. What command does God give Joshua the high priest? What assurance does He give? To deal with your own times of discouragement, what would God's command and assurance be for you? How would you implement them? The message given to Joshua and the others, was a call to reject despair and a feeling of hopelessness. God tells them to be strong and courageous and then to do the necessary work. At the same time giving them the assurance that He will be with them. I think God would give me the same command and assurance if I was in a situation of despair. God would be telling me to be strong and of good courage, and that I must not be downhearted because He will never leave me nor forsake me. At the same time, I am not to fear because as promised the Holy Spirit will be there as well, guiding me and giving me the power to get things done. Knowing that God will be with me is the only motivation anyone needs. I would be able to move mountains!

Q2. (Haggai 1:6, 9-11) God sometimes disciplines us through hardships and circumstances (Hebrews 12:7-11). Sometimes through us not having all that we need. What is such discipline intended to do in our lives? Are you experiencing hardship? What is God trying to say to you in the midst of it? God’s intention is to mould us into the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus. He disciplines His children always in love and for our benefit – unlike our earthly fathers, who might try their best, but being human will err now and then. At the same time God’s discipline is always perfect, since His love is infinite and His wisdom infallible. I have not been experiencing any hardships lately and can only thank my Heavenly Father for all His Blessings He has showered on me and my wife. I am most grateful. Thank You Lord Jesus!

Q1. (Haggai 1:8) God wishes to "take pleasure" in the temple, but the people have stopped working on the project. When is God displeased with you? When does He "take pleasure" in you? What is keeping you from serving Him deliberately and joyfully? Without faith it is impossible to please God. If we reject God’s testimony about His Son Jesus, we are accusing Him of dishonesty – it is the same as calling God a liar. Anyway, the mind-set of the sinner is enmity against God. They are actively hostile to our Lord and want to be in control of their life, and will not bow down to His rule – they are too self-centred for this. There is nothing an unsaved person can do to please God – no good works, no religious ceremonies, no sacrificial activities, absolutely nothing. Nothing can compensate for the lack of faith. All who call upon the name of Christ for salvation, should have as their goal to please and glorify their Heavenly Father. This entails seeking God by faith, walking in the Spirit, and submitting in obedience to His will. On our own it would be impossible to do. However, God wants us to please Him, and has therefore made this possible to achieve with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts. It is when we live by His commandments that we show our love for Jesus. Jesus Himself said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments” John 14:15.

Q5. (Ezra 6:20-21) What do repentance and separation from the sins of our culture look like for a disciple today? How should we prepare ourselves to worship Jesus in the Lord's Supper? How should we prepare to serve Him with purity day by day? Jesus reminds us that we are to pray daily for the forgiveness of our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. We need to do this so that we remain in fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Before we partake in the Lord's Supper, our sins should have been confessed and forsaken. Restitution should also have been made, and apologies should be offered to those we have offended. As we serve Him daily we get to know Him better and we start to experience a sense of oneness with Him. He is no longer a distant deity but our very close friend. There is a joy and satisfaction to be found in His presence. We are also, to separate ourselves from all the sinful desires and evil actions of the world. We grow spiritually when we glorify Him and obey His commands. This reminds me of Psalm 119:11 – we are told to hide His Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him. On a daily basis we are to humbly declare and be thankful for His grace, mercy and loving-kindness, and all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. We acknowledge Him in everything we do – constantly communicating with Him. We increase our spiritual strength when we seek the Lord by prayer.

Q4. (Ezra 6:1-12) When faced with "insurmountable odds," why do we give up so easily? What are the characteristics of a disciple who retains a robust faith in the God of amazing breakthroughs and impossible solutions? For most of my life my anchor in life has been Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths”. Whenever I have faced difficulties or have had to make important decisions, I always turn to Him for guidance and assurance. I bring it all to the Lord in prayer, acknowledging Him and trusting Him fully for a breakthrough and for the correct solution to any problem. The bottom line for getting through life’s difficulties and impossible solutions is to trust and obey. It is an eternal combination that always makes us a winner. We must also admit our inadequacy - leaning not on our own understanding. Of course, as far as my limited understanding goes, any answer or decision has been well researched. It is then for us to wait upon the Lord. To wait on the Lord is vital, and is a very blessed time for serious introspection. We know that whenever we ask in accordance with His will, He hears us, and if He hears us whatever we ask, He will answer us. We can thus with certainty say we will receive divine guidance and/or help. We must never under estimate the power of prayer. His wisdom is given to those who look to Him, lean on Him, rely on Him. The more we depend on our Father for instruction, strength, hope, and guidance, the more abundantly He confers on us His divine wisdom. We cannot receive wisdom from God apart from a relationship with Him.

Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? I would question their motivation – as an uncommitted believer it can only be for self-gain. Be it money, power, a hidden agenda, or even one of Satan’s plans to weaken the church’s influence in the community it serves. Perhaps the ultimate goal is to spread false teachings. The only way to be effective is to preach the true Word and not messages that “tickle the ears”. I know this will not lead to a very popular church. I sometimes wonder if people are not more interested in being entertained than receiving the Word.

Q2. (Ezra 3) Rebuilding the temple in order to restore worship is the point of all this work. Is your personal worship what it should be? What foundations do you need to lay again in your personal restoration and revival of faith? At present I feel very satisfied with my relationship with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I base my faith, with the help of the Holy Spirit, on Jesus and the Word. As believers we must be constantly on guard against false teachers who corrupt and distort the truth. It is easy for us to be unsuspectingly swept off our feet and lose our spiritual balance. The continual focus on divine things is a great protection against the peril of false teachers. We are to grow in grace by the increasing likeness to the Lord Jesus, and in knowledge through the study of the Word. I know I must be careful and not become too complacent. Satan does not give up on us even when we accept Jesus as our Saviour. He has a very subtle and far-reaching strategy to lead believers astray. He will try and keep us away from the Word of God. Encouraging us to ignore the Word and accept false teachings, hoping this will get us to revert to our former lifestyle. That our focus will then be on money, success, social life, pleasure, and/or sex for example. Mature believers know that our true happiness is not derived from these things, but other Christians might be vulnerable. Another area Satan is active in is that of the sins of fear, worry, bitterness, pride, hatred, and so forth. We have the Armour of our Lord protecting us and helping us to stand against the wiles of the devil. The weapons at our disposal are stronger than those of Satan, enabling us to take our stand in the Lord Jesus.

Q2. (Ezra 3) Rebuilding the temple in order to restore worship is the point of all this work. Is your personal worship what it should be? What foundations do you need to lay again in your personal restoration and revival of faith? At present I feel very satisfied with my relationship with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I base my faith, with the help of the Holy Spirit, on Jesus and the Word. As believers we must be constantly on guard against false teachers who corrupt and distort the truth. It is easy for us to be unsuspectingly swept off our feet and lose our spiritual balance. The continual focus on divine things is a great protection against the peril of false teachers. We are to grow in grace by the increasing likeness to the Lord Jesus, and in knowledge through the study of the Word. I know I must be careful and not become too complacent. Satan does not give up on us when we accept Jesus as our Saviour. He has a very subtle and far-reaching strategy to lead believers astray. He will try and keep us away from the Word of God. Encouraging us to ignore the Word and accept false teachings, hoping this will get us to revert to our former lifestyle. That our focus will now be on money, success, social life, pleasure, and/or sex for example. Mature believers know our true happiness is not derived from these things, but other Christians might be vulnerable. Another area Satan is active in is that of the sins of fear, worry, bitterness, pride, hatred, and so forth. We have the Armour of our Lord protecting us and helping us stand against the wiles of the devil. The weapons at our disposal are stronger than those of Satan enabling us to take our stand in the Lord Jesus.

Q1. (Ezra 1:5-6) Why did only some return to Jerusalem when given the opportunity? What are the likely characteristics of those who return vs. those who stay behind in Babylon? Why does only some answer Jesus' call to follow Him on His journey to a radically different kind of lifestyle and mission? What are the characteristics of true disciples? God moved the hearts of some to return to Jerusalem. The same way He motivated Cyrus to free the Jewish exiles; even helping them financially to rebuild the temple. Those that remained had settled over the years and must have been living a comfortable life – not really interested in the hardships that might await them and their family in Jerusalem. In contrast, those that God motivated to go were responding in obedience to our Lord. Their attitudes had been changed to one of desiring to please God. It is God who puts within us the desire to do His will. He also gives us the power and means to carry this out. The true disciple is the one who loves the Lord with all his heart and earnestly tries to be obedient at all times. They willingly have Jesus reign over their lives and they thirst for His righteousness. The true disciple is not focused on earthly matters but rather his thoughts are on eternal values. They do not love the world and realise that they are only passing through and have their sights set on eternity.

Q4. (5:10-11) Which promises in verses 10 and 11 are most meaningful to you at this point in your life? Why? Most meaningful to me is the fact that our God is the ‘God of all grace’. This lovely title of our God reminds me that His dealings with me are not based on what I deserve, but on His thoughts of love for me. He will Himself restore me, in other words make me perfect (KJV). I understand that He wants to restore and mend what sin has broken. That is to make me complete so that I may grow to become more and more like Jesus Christ. He truly is a God of Grace. Then there is the promise of eternal glory – the thought that I shall be with the Saviour and be like Him forever! Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Q3. (5:8-9) What instructions does Peter give us to guide us in spiritual warfare? Extra credit: How are these instructions similar or different than Paul's instructions in Ephesians 6:10-17? As a guide in spiritual warfare we are to be self-controlled taking a realistic approach to life, and to be intelligent concerning the evils of the devil. We must be vigilant, alert, in other words prepared to meet every attack. We are not to surrender to his tricks and lies, but to resist through prayer and God’s Word. On our own we do not have the strength to oppose him, but as we are firm in our faith, dependant on the Lord, we can resist him. There must also be a willingness to suffer. We must know our sufferings are not unique – the devil makes us believe this, hoping this will deceive us. These instructions are similar to Paul’s instructions we read in Ephesians; only Paul’s are more symbolic. For example, we are to be self-controlled is depicted as strong in the Lord and perhaps the breastplate of righteousness. Alert would be feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Resist is the full armour. Keeping our faith would be the shield of faith, sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and the belt of truth. Willingness to suffer could be the helmet of salvation.