Biblical Motivators

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“…Without prayer we probably won’t risk great things for God.”

-Don Fields

When we look throughout the Bible we can see a consistent theme when there are things to be done: Man needs motivation. Various men rose to the occasion to motivate their brethren and in each case we see great love come forth. Love can do many things. This paper will address three things that love has done and can do. Love can build a temple, love can build a wall, and love can spread the Gospel.

For us to have a firm grasp of the first two points, we must look at the events that happened that made a need to rebuild the temple and the wall. In the year 586 B.C., the Babylonians conquered Judah. Jerusalem was reduced to ruins. The Jews were carried away into captivity. A promised few were permitted to linger behind to live in these ruins. This remnant, throughout the following decades began to intermarry with non-Jews (including some of the Assyrians who had fled the destruction of their own nation). This racial integration produced the group known as the Samaritans.

During the period of the captivity there was still spiritual hope and Godly guidance from prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C. A series of less than “quality” leaders followed him. In 549 B.C., Cyrus (who had become king of the Persians a decade before) conquered the Median king and unified the Medes and the Persians. In 539 B.C., Cyrus defeated the city of Babylon. History recounts Cyrus as a benevolent ruler who allowed captured peoples (like the Jews) to return to their native lands and restore their places of worship and re-establish their rituals. In 538 B.C., Cyrus issued forth a declaration which permiteded Jews to return to their homeland (2 ...

... middle of paper ...

...ve can build a temple

Love can build a wall

Love can spread the Gospel

Works Cited

Fields, Dan. Nehemiah: The Courage to Face Oppression. Downers Grove, IL:

InterVarsity Press, 2002

Maxey, Al. The Minor Prophets: Haggai. Available from http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Proph9.htm.

Internet; accessed 9 June 2010.

Potts, J.H.. Our Thrones and Crowns Or the Golden Way to the Highest Attainments.

Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2003.

Stapleton, Robert. 66 Sermons from God's Word: Nehemiah. Bedford, Texas

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2008. Haggai. Available from

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Haggai.html. Internet; accessed 9 June

2010.

Zerr, E.M.. Bible Commentary: Volume 2. Bowling Green, Kentucky:

Guardian of Truth Publications, 1948.

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