The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ezra 9:8, “But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.”

This small verse in the book of Ezra speaks quite loudly to our Western Civilization.

Ezra was indeed a man of prayer. The Jewish people of his day had sinned grossly, and Ezra was faithfully praying for them. In the midst of his spiritual solicitation of the LORD’s mercy, he voiced the words of our verse for today.

The LORD is faithful and gracious; despite the sins of His people, He loves them. In the midst of Ezra’s prayer, he sees a brief moment wherein the LORD extends grace to His people. He then further notes that the LORD has given “us a peg in His holy place.” What does that mean?

In a previous Letter, we learned that the vowel points beneath the Hebrew letters could change the meaning of the word. Now, we learn that a single Hebrew word can have various meanings. “Peg,” for instance, can mean a nail, a pin, a spade, or a paddle. In metaphorical terms, it can mean a “prince” or “head of state,” seeing that the government is “pinned” to him. Interestingly, too, is the fact that the prince is often described in Scripture as “the corner stone,” a designation applied exclusively to Jesus.

The teaching, therefore, is that God enables the eyes of His people to be enlightened, when they trust in Him, and He grants them “a little reviving in the midst of their bondage.” It would seem that this is precisely what our entire Western Civilization needs as this pandemic swirls madly about us.

In Ezra’s day, the LORD’s people were the Jews. They are still in His focus, as is evident from His reestablishment of the nation of Israel in 1948. Subsequent to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, His people are comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, each of whom has personally trusted in Him as their LORD and Savior. It is, thus, for us as Christians to pray for His grace and share His Good News with all who do not know Him. Stay in the Word! Don’t neglect to pray! And God will bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”