Ezra 9:3-9,13-15

How do you know if you are a part of the remnant?

1)    Most were not and found it useless to serve God  3:13-15

• Luke 17:7-10
• Sin is:

i)     Active rebellion  Gal. 5:19-21

ii)    Passive indifference  Jam. 4:17

iii)   Acting independent  Rom. 14:23

2)    The remnant will fear the Lord    3:16-18

• Jer. 29:13
• Lam. 3:21-24

3)    The Lord will preserve the remnant    4:1-3

• Burning was a common picture of judgment Ps. 21;9-10; Zeph. 1:18

The Lord will always keep His Word!

The remnant will always fear the Lord!

• There is no sacred remnant, but of Israel.   2 Pet. 1:16-21
• Let Jesus rise up in your heart.
• If Jesus is arisen in your heart, you will fear the Lord.

Message Based Discussion Questions

1)    Can you think of a movie where it seemed the good people were mistreated, but were delivered in the end?

a)    The Hiding Place with Corrie TenBoom

b)    What a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart

Digging Deeper: 

2)    Whom does the Lord not spare (Is. 9:18-19)? _the wicked__  What happens when wickedness arises (cf. Prov. 14:34)?

a)    It is a reproach to any nation. (Pro. 14:34)

b)    The righteous are influenced away from God (Ps. 1:1)

c)    They become fuel for the Lord’s judgment (Is. 9:18-19)

3)    For what else does God have concern (Ezek. 36:21)?  _His_ _Name_______  What does He promise He will do (Ezek. 36:21-24)?

a)    He will sanctify (set apart) His name

b)    So the nations will know He is God

c)    Israel will hallow (reverence) the Lord

d)    God will draw Israel out of the nations

e)    The Lord will return Israel to the land.

4)    How long does God punish the wicked (cf. Matt. 25:46; 2 Thes. 1:7-9)?  _forever____ What should our attitude be toward the wicked (cf. Matt. 28:19-20)?

a)    We should have compassion for we were lost once Eph. 2:1-3

b)    God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezek. 33:11

c)    We need to go out with the good news Rom. 1:16

d)    We need to reach people and then disciple as many as will respond Matt. 28:19-20

e)    We need to prioritize our lives for His name’s sake Phil. 1:21

f)     We need to multiply disciples so they will go and reach others.  Heb. 6:14

Making the message practical to life:

5)    What kind of joy will there be in the future Millennium (Is. 65:17-25; Amos 9:13-15; Zeph. 3:19-20)? _eternal, forever joy__ How should that help your perspective?

a)    One day I will have forever joy rejoicing with God

b)    A new day is coming, the old will be past

c)    God will answer the cries of His people.

d)    The mountains will drip sweet wine

e)    Gardens will overflow with produce

f)     God will deal with those who afflict Israel

g)    God will lift Israel up again among the nations

6)    Why does it seem like the wicked get away with it and are actually rewarded?  Why do they seem to increase on earth?

a)    It only seems like they get away with things.

b)    We don’t see the trouble the wicked go through in life

c)    We look at the tangible things rather than the spiritual misery of the wicked. We look at their smiles, rather than their broken heart.

d)    They increase on the earth, because wickedness increases.

e)    All people eventually fall away from God, unless there is a fresh start or new opportunity to begin a fresh ministry of God’s people.

7)    When it seems like there is no justice for good works, how would you encourage another disciple to press ahead?

a)    The wicked will get away with nothing Mal. 4:1

b)    God sees all things Heb. 4:13

c)    God is the Rewarder of those who seek Him Heb. 11:6

d)    Faith is trusting God’s future rewards, rather than the earth’s present rewards  Matt. 4:8,9