Let the Work of this House Alone … by Wesley Clayton

Today’s Reading – Ezra 3 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Romans 13 – 16Psalms 131 – 135Proverbs 28)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17

Read the “0528 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from today’s passage – “Leave Them Alone” and “Stop Living in the Past

With so many parallels to what is going on today in these chapters it is hard not to mention anything political and I will do my best not to, and let you draw your own conclusions.  We start out in chapter 3 with a very serious problem; the children of Israel do not have a temple. We find out later what happened to the temple: 

 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.”  (Ezra 5:12)

They continue doing everything they can to worship, keeping the feast, doing offerings, “but still the foundation of the temple of the Lord was no yet laid.”  No matter the circumstances we may find ourselves in, keep doing what you can. If nothing else, you have the word of God in your heart (at least you should). Share it.  Finally, they decided to start building in chapter 3:9; people started rejoicing, praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, and some wept. Now I am not entirely sure why some wept with a loud voice in verse 12. It could have been for joy, but it also could have been because they did not like it.  Can we all agree on something, even as Christians we are all different, and we all have different preferences. Let us not be the ones who are bashing or talking bad about our Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Song Leader, whoever it may be, just because they are doing something that does not match our preferences (yes I am talking specifically to myself).  We need to be the ones holding up the arms of those making decisions, praying for them, and trusting that they are getting their directions from God to make those decisions.  

In Chapter 4, we are introduced to some adversaries who try slithering their way into the building party, no doubt to cause destruction.  Without hesitation or reservation, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers kicked them out.  We are in very trying times as a church, the devil and his fallen followers are working harder than ever, and when you try to do something for the Lord, they will attack just as we see here.  The Bible tells us repeatedly, do not be afraid, do not fear, be strong and of good courage, we must not forget the gates of hell will not prevail against the church:

   Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”  (Romans 16:17 – 18)

Of course the adversaries did not like that so they went further in their plan to “weaken the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building.”  They wrote a letter to Artaxerxes describing how the building of the temple would hinder his kingdom and it worked for a little while. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells us there is a time for everything and we must trust in God’s timing, so many times we mess things up trying to go on our timeline when God already has it planned out perfectly.  They begin to build again, and again the trouble began, only this time there was a new king, Darius.  The Governor wrote another nasty letter, but this time the children of Israel reminded the new king about a decree that king Cyrus had made saying to not only build the temple but that the king was actually going to help them get it built.  Not only did Darius honor this decree, but also made another decree saying, the people who were hindering were now going to pay the builders and anyone who tried to stop the building of the temple would hang.  I know they suffered, I know there hearts were broke, but by following God and allowing God to control things, I think we would all agree that it worked out way better.  

Wes, Melissa, Amelia, and Barrett

 


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Phil Erickson
Admin
3 years ago

Say “Ahhhh”

Debbie Leatherman
Debbie Leatherman
3 years ago

Good post son.

Cindy Erickson
Cindy Erickson
3 years ago

Great reminder of how we should be and how we should trust him.

Doug berry
Doug berry
3 years ago

Well said my homie. Well said

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