THE SERMON - Confidence Renews: A Tale of Two Letters | Ezra 5:6-17

In [last week’s] text, we saw the glorious transformation, the fruit of the people’s repentance and faith in God expressed in Ezra 5:2- “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them” (Ezra 5:2). This spirit of confidence and unification, between Israel’s prophets, priests, and civil leaders is what pervades the rest of chapter 5 through the conclusion of Ezra chapter 6. We would be remiss if we failed to recognize that this reality of a unified prophet, priest, and king (if you will) foreshadowed a day in which these offices would be unified in a singular person: namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a reality is truly glorious and awe-inspiring, and it would be impossible to deny the working of God’s Spirit on the hearts of his people, leading them back to faithful obedience and action.