Ezra 5 TWO MEN Sometimes in a work for the Lord or even some long-term project we do for ourselves, we become weary in the work and decide to take a rest from it for awhile, fully intending to get back to it soon. But for some reason other things come in and crowd out the time and if the truth is told, give us an excuse to avoid going back at such a big job. That happened to those who had returned to build the house of God at Jerusalem. The pressures against them and the tensions that arose apparently got the best of them, and for quite a number of years the work of building the temple stopped. That is when leaders of God's people need to be aware of their own personal need of close fellowship with God. If the leadership gets cooled off and sidetracked, that will happen to the other people who follow them.
God had His men for the need of that time. Haggai and Zechariah, two prophets sent by God, came to get the work moving again. They prophesied in the name of God and spoke God's mind and will to the people. A prophet is a person who speaks to God for men, and to men for God. He is responsible to give God's assessment of a work and often give predictions of the consequences that will follow. They both minster the word of God to the people and work with their hands to meet needs where they see them. Personal involvement in a work in a physical way lends substance to the messages they give.
Preachers and teachers are not above other people in the sense of being excused from taking responsibility to act in fellowship with God and men in all aspects of a work. Often, we are the answer to our own prayer for laborers to go forth into the harvest. The separation of people into clergy and laity is not a biblical practice in a scripturally gathered New Testament assembly. One who works for the Lord in spreading the Gospel may be self-supporting some, or all, of the time. It is true that "they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel" but that does not mean we are doing wrong when we must labor with our hands to meet our needs and the needs of others. Paul is an example of one who preached the Gospel and taught the believers at Corinth. and at the same time made tents to pay expenses.
Haggai and Zechariah connected with Zerubbabel and Jeshua to strengthen, encourage and comfort them and others. That is the work of the prophet as far as speaking to the people for God. On the other hand, we who have been helped by their efforts for us, need to encourage those who speak the truth of God to us. It is not always an easy thing to preach and teach, and find little interest and/or results. The two books in the Bible bearing their names fills in a lot of background information about the people and their state of mind, and the work of the Lord that was happening in Jerusalem at that time. "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Both Haggai and Zechariah were used of God at the same time in Judah, and they were used together, and yet they were each different. Haggai seemed blunter, and so made it plain that the work on the temple didn't stop because of the opposition of the enemies. It stopped because of lack of interest on the part of the Jews. There will always be opposition to an active work of God of one sort or another. We can perceive a hindrance to the work to be the reason to stop what we are doing for God. Really though, the problem of self-interest and lack of spiritual desire is what is behind the complacency and apathy that stops the work. It is not to be expected that doing God's work in a godly way, and with a godly manner of life will happen. That is in opposition to all the world stands for. Pressure against divine things is to be expected.
Haggai's message was in relation to the work itself and the outward failure of the Lord's people to put their shoulder to the reason they were there in the first place. They were sent there to build a house for the Lord. That is what we are to be doing in our day. The Lord is building the church, and has commissioned us to carry on that work in His name, and by His power working in us and through us. Zechariah spoke to the hearts of the people. He wanted to awaken their consciences in order to make the work of God progress. Their inward need of holiness and fellowship with the Lord was the heart of his message. He was reaching to the hearts of the people to motivate them to devotion to the Lord. He spoke to Zerubbabel and said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord."
Both messages are needed in our day. Two different brethren, with two different styles of preaching, and two different areas of focus can be used by God to produce a revival of interest in the Lord's people. We need to be challenged inwardly to get right with God in our devotion to Him, in our thought life, in our personal fellowship with our Lord. We need to be on good speaking terms with Him so that we know His will through His word and are prepared to act upon it. We also need to be consistent in our outward lives, earnestly seeking to represent our Lord Jesus Christ in both our words and deeds. An impression is created that affects other people as they listen to the words of our vocabulary. "Let your 'Yes' be Yes, and you 'No' be No." Slang expressions that are suggestive or inappropriate must not be used. Even the kind of clothes we wear demonstrates either modesty or immodesty. We way we do our work is an evidence of what is important to us. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to man."
A work for God can be stopped when we allow ourselves to be intimidated by perceived obstacles. "The time is not right yet," or "There will be too much offense in the community if we are too aggressive," are common phrases used to excuse ourselves. When we find no interest in the Gospel and the word of God in a community after years of labor for the Lord, instead of moving on to another place, we excuse ourselves by saying, "This is our home now. We can't leave this. I intend to stay here until I die." That may be okay for one who is aged and infirm, but for those with youthful ambition, that is not okay. People will gladly move if there is a promotion to a better job. They will move even if they want better weather. But to move for the sake of the Lord? No, they want " to be faithful" even if no one listens to them or pays any attention to the word of the Lord. There is a tendency to do our own thing and provide for ourselves. We will get to the Lord's work when we have a good income and good retirement benefits.
However, because for fifteen years the work was stopped at Jerusalem, didn't mean they weren't in the right place. That was where the Lord had placed His name. That was where the people were supposed to build. The work had already been started but stopped because of indifference. But in a short time, probably within a month from the time of Haggai's message, the work of building recommenced. Zerubbabel and Jeshua who had been as discouraged and slack as any of the other people, faced themselves before the Lord and reasserted their leadership. They became examples again for others to follow. With Haggai and Zechariah working along with Zerbbabel and Jeshua, there was a certain impetus to the work again, and their enthusiasm for the work of building God's house spread to others, and the work began again.
Weariness and slowness in a work, especially at the beginning when there is not a whole lot to see as the foundation is laid, can bring lethargy towards a work. Lethargy in turn brings absence and lack of interest. Lack of interest slows down the work until it comes to a standstill. In order for a revival of a work to take place, we need a return to the word of God, not just for study purposes and information, but for heart searching and the awakening of one's conscience. Then new interest in divine things begins to happen in a real way. The Bible has been given to us to live by, not just to read for interest as in reading a literature book. Apathy and procrastination will go away when our consciences are awakened and we admit our lethargy is sin that needs to be confessed and forsaken. The sin of omission is as sinful as the sin of commission.
When we listen to the word of God as the voice of God, not just a book to be studied, then the Spirit of God has fertile soil to produce new life and growth in His people. Years earlier in Babylon the Lord had "stirred up the spirit" of Cyrus, an unbeliever, to take action in the building of the house of God. Then the spirits of the people of God were "raised" to go to Jerusalem and rebuild that which was lost. That is involved in the principle of revival. Revival begins when I draw a circle around myself and pray that revival will begin in this circle. When that happens to me then is can spread to others. I need to look at unsaved people who "are wanting more" but don't know what it is they want nor how to get it. I need to be able to clearly tell what happened to me and what it means now, even after many years, to be a child of God, a "Christian."
It is important to us not to allow opposition to stop us when they question our right to further the Gospel. It is not uncommon to be faced with angry people who oppose God and who try to intimidate us in order to make us stop evangelizing. Intimidation only works if we let it. Proceed with confidence in the work to which we have been called. When there is a legal reason to stop a work, then we need to find a way to continue in a legal way unless the law of man is in conflict with the law of God. Then it is clear, "We ought to obey God rather than man." Don't get bothered by threats, slander or intrigue because "the eye of God" is upon the work of God and will not be turned away by mere, puny, mortal men. The work is the Lord's and He will lead and protect it.
The new activity at the temple site created a stir among those around who had become used to a half-built structure sitting there abandoned. The appointed governor of the area may have thought this project was under his jurisdiction and so inquired as to who gave them the right to do what they were doing in conquered territory. The letter to Darius did state the facts more or less correctly, but it seems that Tattenai was uncertain as to whether his authority included Jerusalem. He wrote what the Jews had told him and then added, "From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished." The implication was that the failure to complete the work was not his responsibility.
God has His plans which He will see accomplished. When we fail in our responsibility there are consequences we have to accept, but we need to know that God's work will be done through whatever means is need according to His will. Finally, the Jews who had been inactive in the work for so long were back at the work have been prompted by the prophets at act as God intended. There are times when we must speak up plainly and give reasons for what we do in spite of criticism, hostility and intimidation. But it is important that we be honest. In the reply to those who "ask the reason of the hope that lieth in you," we need to state plainly the motivation behind our actions.
The whole story was clearly presented as to what led up to the captivity in the first place, and then the authority given to come again and build the house of God. The fifteen years of inactivity in the work was noteworthy to those around. There are certain expectations people have of us that are reasonable and legitimate. If we fail to speak up for what we believe and do what we should be doing, then people have a right to doubt our changed attitude. By stating clearly, the faith we have in God and our failure to carry out His commission to us, we have to swallow our pride and admit our failure to them - and then start again and do what is right.
We will not please everyone, but it is important that we please God. What He wants, is what we must do. If we have let go what should have been done, admit it as sin, confess and forsake it, and start again. Actions and words go together. It was true in the time of the Jews rebuilding, and it is true in the days in which we live. We thank God for those who come among us and stir our hearts and our actions to start again in the work to which we have been called with enthusiasm and vigor.