The day-to-day reality for the vast majority of God’s people does not include supernatural events. This is where the books of Ezra-Nehemiah (presented as one book in the oldest manuscripts) and Esther can actually provide tremendous help and encouragement. One of the things that distinguishes them from most other Old Testament narratives is the lack of clearly miraculous events, even though God’s activity in them is no less powerful or effective.
Two previous posts looked at challenges for understanding Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther related to historical background and biblical theology. This post will begin addressing the challenge of preaching from these books. All too often preachers resort to using these books in an allegorical way or as illustrations of leadership principles derived from nonbiblical sources, instead of coming to grips with the theological teaching communicated through the narratives. Here we will consider two important concepts that can help us preach faithfully from these books: how the natural relates to the supernatural, and how the situation of Christians today differs from the situation of ancient Israel.
How the Natural Relates to the Supernatural
One of the most attractive features of biblical narratives is the frequent reports of miracles—divine intervention producing supernatural events. The Pentateuch provides numerous examples of God’s miraculous works as he delivers Israel from slavery in Egypt and initiates his covenant relationship with them at Mount Sinai. Throughout the Former Prophets and Chronicles, there are many instances of God giving miraculous military victories to Israel and confirming his word through the prophets by the miracles he enables them to perform. Of course, the Gospels record the signs of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God given by Christ, including his resurrection from the dead, and Acts bears witness to the continued ministry of the Holy Spirit through the disciples, partly by describing the miracles they performed.
These stories clearly teach that God is sovereign and all-powerful, and it is enormously comforting to know that the Almighty has promised to care and provide for those who seek his kingdom and righteousness. Believers know that God may allow them to suffer at times in the present age but their destiny is an existence without death, mourning, or pain. There is even the possibility that God may intervene miraculously in our present lives, doing a miracle like those we read of in the Bible. But the day-to-day reality for the vast majority of God’s people does not include supernatural events.
This is where the books of Ezra-Nehemiah (presented as one book in the oldest manuscripts) and Esther can actually provide tremendous help and encouragement. One of the things that distinguishes them from most other Old Testament narratives is the lack of clearly miraculous events, even though God’s activity in them is no less powerful or effective. Thus, they are actually easier in some ways for most people to relate to.
God’s involvement is made explicit from the very first verse of Ezra-Nehemiah as he prompts King Cyrus of Persia to issue an edict permitting exiled Israelites to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple there. To observers in sixth century BC Persia, it would not be clearly apparent that these events were due to the intervening hand of God.
