"They feared the Lord, and served their own gods" .A priest was sent into their midst to teach them how they should fear the Lord: but this was done alongside the existing idolatry in the land. Earlier we read how, when professing to follow the Lord, the children of Israel secretly did those things against ... Read more
"the noise was heard afar off" .Praises of God are joyful and deserve to be loud too so that others may hear. The crowd in the sports stadium can be heard outside, why not the people of God when enough of them meet together to make that joyous sound? The noise referred to in Ezra ... Read more
"they wondered what the outcome would be" .Not just the high priest and captain of the temple but all who oppose the gospel have cause to wonder. The infidel who sought to burn every Bible, the persecutor who put the followers of Jesus on the stake and the atheist who would close all churches, all ... Read more