Bible Study

Just for your thoughts.

Book of Ezra
Bible Lesson 10
What Is Essential for the Revival and Renewal of the Church?

Scripture Portions for Meditation:
Ezra 4:24; 5:1–2
Haggai 1:1–16

After the temple built by Solomon was destroyed, the people of Israel were taken captive to Babylon. After seventy years, during the reign of King Cyrus, they were permitted to return to their land and rebuild the temple.

However, many oppositions arose against the temple construction. During the reign of King Darius, who succeeded Cyrus, the work was stopped (Ezra 4:24).

There were two main reasons for this:
External opposition
Internal discouragement and selfishness among the people
The people who returned from Babylon showed greater interest in building their own houses than in rebuilding the house of God (Haggai 1:4–9).

As a result, the work of God was halted for about fifteen years.
The Two Prophets Raised by God
To restart the halted temple work, God raised up two prophets:
Haggai
Zechariah

Through their prophetic ministry, the people were stirred up (Ezra 5:1–2).

The word of the Lord spoken through Haggai touched the hearts of the people. When we read Haggai 1:1–16, we see that within 23 days the people resumed the temple construction work.

A ministry that had been stopped for fifteen years was revived in just 23 days — by the power of God’s Word!

This is the miraculous power of the Word of God.
A Warning to Today’s Churches
Today, many churches fail to recognize the power of God’s Word and neglect it. In worship services, proper importance is not given to Scripture. Often, only the last 20 or 30 minutes are allotted to preaching.

Sharing the Word when people are already tired and exhausted is a painful reality.
The day the church began neglecting the rightful honor, value, and central place of God’s Word was the day its decline began.
When the Word is not preached properly:
People lose genuine devotion.
They become drawn to emotional excitement and outward attractions.
The importance of praising the Lord should never be underestimated. However, nothing can replace the rightful place of God’s Word. Even in worship, the Word must be central.
A Historical Testimony
Historians note that the Wesleyan Revival in England played a significant role in preserving the nation from the kind of bloody revolution that took place in France.
The central force behind that revival was the preaching of God’s Word.
The Present Need
Today, God is looking for:
Preachers who teach the Bible with balance
Believers who love the Word
Churches freed from false prophecies, fabricated stories, and deceptive promises
Any ministry not built upon the Word of God will eventually be washed away by time. It will not endure to the next generation.
Biblical Examples
Moses and Joshua achieved spiritual success because they meditated on God’s Word and obeyed it.
A church pastor’s depth is revealed by:
How much time he gives to the Word
How deeply he meditates on it
How responsibly he preaches it
A shallow, unprepared message cannot revive a church.
Only a message born out of deep meditation can bring life.
When the Apostle Paul preached through the night, the people listened eagerly. Today, in many places, people grow weary because of the lack of depth in preaching.
Conclusion
If churches in Tamil Nadu are to experience revival:
Pastors and believers who love the Word must arise
Preachers and believers who meditate on Scripture must arise
Teachers who preach with balance must arise
Churches that give first place to God’s Word must be established
The Word of God is the life of the Church.
The Word of God is the source of revival.