Ted Murray, engineer, born in 1935 at Newcastle upon Tyne and rescued from the rubble of the blitz in 1941, still remembers his Granny’s text hanging on the wall of the bomb-damaged house: “Kept by the power of God”. Saved by faith at the age of 14, he found fellowship with a group of “Brethren” some three years later. Travel abroad during his working life gave Ted the opportunity to minister to God’s people in various parts of the world. Living in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, with his wife Rosemary, he continues to preach and minister in his local assembly and the surrounding area. His written ministry began in 2002, after his retirement from full time employment. This is his first book.
What relevance can the book of Ezra, dating from the 5th century BC, have to Christians today? It tells us world rulers carry out God’s will!It shows that God faithfully supplies whatever His people need. It encourages the response of obedience to God’s Word. It warns that whenever God is at work there will always be opposition to overcome. It encourages sharing in the work of God.
Perhaps the most important lesson is that the spiritual condition of the people of God deteriorates when there is compromise with the world around. Losing sight of their distinctiveness led to massive problems for the Jewish nation, and it is easy to see the analogy with the Church in our own day.
