LET GOD DO IT. Ezra 6:13-22 There is a time for appropriate celebration when we see the hand of God working in ways that go beyond human ability. Who would have thought that a “roll” (scroll) in a large library of ancient writings would change and complete a work that had been paused for about sixteen years? The completion of such a special work should be celebrated. The will of God was clearly being fulfilled in ways exceeding human efforts. When man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty come together, that is a reason to celebrate. The celebration of restoration is for everyone who is faithful and committed to the Lord.
Work on the temple had stopped, not only because of opposition from those around but also because the spiritual condition of those who returned from Babylon was such that they became preoccupied with building their own homes and personal interests before God’s. God had even sent a famine to judge them, but when Haggai and Zechariah, “the Lord’s messengers with the Lord’s message,” arrived, they motivated the leaders, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and then the people to get their priorities right.
For three and a half years, they worked to rebuild the temple and completed it. It wasn’t as large or as magnificent as Solomon's temple, but it was the Lord's house and lasted much longer. The ark disappeared during the Babylonian conquest, but Josephus wrote in his book that on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would place his censer on a stone slab in the Most Holy Place where the ark would have been.
A table was placed in the Holy Place for the showbread, and one lampstand was where Solomon had put ten lampstands. When everything was finished and in its proper place, there was a “Hanukkah,” a dedication. A Jewish holiday called “Hanukkah,” which is celebrated today in December, commemorates the recapture of the temple from the Seleucids and its rededication. During this temple dedication in Ezra’s time, many animals were sacrificed, although not as many as when Solomon’s temple was first dedicated.
During that week of celebration, the priests and Levites were divided into twenty-four groups, each assigned to serve at the temple for one week. Afterwards, they were able to observe the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb, and the “Israelites” who returned, along with those people from all twelve tribes who had not turned to paganism living in the land, united as the people of God, separated from the surrounding idolatry.
This was not a repeat of Solomon's glory days because the Israelites were under a Gentile king's authority, but that did not hinder their faith. Faith in God is not limited by circumstances, surroundings, or culture. It empowers anyone to rise above life’s challenges and gives us the motivation and courage to pursue our high calling to serve our blessed Lord.
The dedication of this house of God with joy would not soon be forgotten. All the people were there for the "feast of dedication" and the renewal of everything written in the "book of Moses.' There was joy at the start of the building years before, and there was joy at its completion. It was sad that many years of failure, indifference, and sadness occurred in between. This time of dedication was different and less glorious than Solomon's temple, but it did not limit or diminish in any way the presence of God with His people.
Not every work of God is the same in every place. Some are very dramatic, and others are quiet and hardly noticed. But no matter what the outward appearance might be, God is honored and blesses
His people when they carry out His word. Ceremonies mark important events and are valuable for maintaining interest in spiritual things. Ordinances such as baptism and the Lord's Supper are not merely ceremonies but are commands from God. They remind us of important events, but differ in that we are not given the option to refuse them. Ceremonies bring joy to people, and obeying ordinances brings joy to God.
The order of the priests and Levites was established according to the word of God. The Lord's people were separated from the sinful activities of those around them. The returnees had come from captivity to freedom in the Lord. Their unique identity had been restored. Their worship was now in the right place at the right time. No more "hanging harps on the willows." It seems that even those who had been living there for seventy years became converts to God's truth. Their families would have grown up without a clear understanding of who they were and why they were a unique people.
Separation from the world, its ways, its religions, and its sins is only part of what separation involves. We are also separated unto the Lord, His truth, and His church. There should be no empty space between what we leave and where we go, where we make up our own minds about what we want. Our responsibility is to be where God wants us and do what He wants. We can't mix the world with the kingdom of God. Recovery, restoration, and revival bring joy to the Lord's people. The Lord worked on the heart of an unbelieving king to reveal His will, and then on another to bring about what was His will.
We are still engaged in building the church today. It is not right for us to dwell on our failures and faults or those of others. The work belongs to the Lord, and its purpose is to bring glory to God. While we may feel the need for recovery and restoration, that is no excuse for neglecting the work of God. "Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."
It might seem like we just need to stop and wait when evil forces oppose us. But if we take the time to clearly state in prayer the problem and the names of those who are trying to stop what God intends to do, He can change the heart and attitude of a king so that all opposition will be removed soon.
A change in attitude isn't a bad thing; I know that sometimes God has done it for me. When I was critical of what others did, I didn’t take the time to see that God was in control, and my attitude was wrong because He has His own plan. The way God does things often strengthens faith—He has reasons for what He allows. There are areas of work that God intends for me to take control of and do so with energy. The building of the house of God must be done carefully to ensure it matches what God desires when it is finished. Worship and rejoicing can come from our hearts, springing forth and bringing honor to God. But when Satan challenges us, and opposition begins, we must rely on the strength of the Lord.
When I have no answer to a dilemma, I must let God handle it. When the ways of the world try to enter, I can trust God to guide us through. When the king's heart seems to turn against us, and we've done all we can, we turn everything over to the God we trust — He is not limited by human strength.
When the Lord makes His people joyful, it is truly joy. It endures! For a whole week, God's people experienced genuine happiness. They were doing what God pleased and following His way. This shows joyful satisfaction because, as a people, they were involved in holy things. It is in these times that the Lord fills us with joy. Not only had the Lord given them joy, but He had also turned the king's heart from opposition to favor toward His people.
The heart of a king can be directed by the Lord, like “rivers of water.” How is a river moved? When floods occur and bad weather hits, the river is pushed out of its normal course. It follows the course of the Lord of the flood. During an earthquake, the flow of a river can be changed by earth falling into it. To people, rivers are not easy to direct or move. To God, there is no problem in changing it so it runs wherever He wants.
For the believer who is held secure in the hand of the Father and of the Son, there is no need to fear the king's edicts. There may be a time of waiting, but ultimately, the Lord's will becomes clear, and we will look back with wonder and joy at what God has done. Doing His will and experiencing Him by removing obstacles from our lives brings about joy.