Ezra 1:1 "In the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia, God prodded Cyrus King of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom." God stirred up Cyrus to permit any willing Israelite to return HOME after 70 years of Babylonian captivity. I just wept as I read names of clans of over 50,000 people who had been held captive. There's something in me that is moved when I hear of captives like my friend Cyd who may have been murdered in Afghanistan or she's still captive there. These 50,000 plus stable people of substance (remember how they didn't take the very poor captive but allowed them to work the land) are on their way home. Oh my! Restored physically. But there already has been a spiritual restoration or they wouldn't come home to praise God like they have! Ezra 3:11 "God is good; He will never quit loving us."
As we close the book of 2 Chronicles, we find a restored people in the book of Ezra longing for holiness, His Presence. Something happened to them in captivity---"suffering is necessary until evil is finally banished...suffering opens the holy space in your soul that will be filled only when you're dancing with Me..." 66 LL. And I'm reminded of Crabb's quote that ended the chapter: "Don't look for experts to coach you in how to make your life work before you follow elders who will lead you into My Presence." What are we really looking for in life? "I want My people to know this: if even in small ways you live to 'fix your life,' to arrange for your own pleasure in ways that violate holiness, your love for a better life now will eventually corrupt your love for Me." 66 LL. The question Jesus will ask in about 400 years comes to mind: John 1:38 - "What do you seek?" What do I seek this day?
As we close the book of 2 Chronicles, we find a restored people in the book of Ezra longing for holiness, His Presence. Something happened to them in captivity---"suffering is necessary until evil is finally banished...suffering opens the holy space in your soul that will be filled only when you're dancing with Me..." 66 LL. And I'm reminded of Crabb's quote that ended the chapter: "Don't look for experts to coach you in how to make your life work before you follow elders who will lead you into My Presence." What are we really looking for in life? "I want My people to know this: if even in small ways you live to 'fix your life,' to arrange for your own pleasure in ways that violate holiness, your love for a better life now will eventually corrupt your love for Me." 66 LL. The question Jesus will ask in about 400 years comes to mind: John 1:38 - "What do you seek?" What do I seek this day?
I am thankful this morning that God will never quit loving us!
ReplyDeleteOn Returning Home and Giving
ReplyDeleteThey gave in fear: Ezra 3:3 “Even though they were afraid of what their non-Israelite neighbors might do, they went ahead anyway”
They gave in faith: Ezra 3:6 “They began offering Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God from the very first day of the seventh month, even though The Temple of God's foundation had not yet been laid.”
They gave generously: “They gave money to hire masons and carpenters. They gave food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians in exchange for the cedar lumber they had brought by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, a shipment authorized by Cyrus the king of Persia.”
They gave joyfully: Ezra 3:11-13 “All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly for joy. People couldn't distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.”
Such a tender moment as the older ones remembered the First Love, and lived to see the Temple rebuilt.
Oh, how I need to read this! The tide has turned. Celebrations! The last books have been so hard to digest.
ReplyDeleteJoy.
That word is like a resurrection word. Where all was death and fighting and disobedience towards God...we now see promise, hope and brotherhood with hearts turned back to God.
Sad it takes suffering to work this in our lives.
I picture in my mind the verses below and just weep for Joy. It is beautiful in the Message Bible.
Ezra 3:
10-11 When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the priests in their robes stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of David king of Israel. They sang antiphonally praise and thanksgiving to God:
Yes! God is good! Oh yes—he'll never quit loving Israel!
11-13 All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly for joy. People couldn't distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.
I want this in my life, too! I pray that we would all feel the JOY of the LORD in our lives this week. May we be more giving, more loving and more grateful to worship Him as a family of believers.
Shalom!
I, too, noticed their desire and attitude in giving. Just so grateful to be back HOME.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing they wanted to do was rebuild the altar. Crabb says in 66LL: "The altar of sacrifice symbolizes 'yieldedness' to me."
I loved what Bev said about something happening to them in captivity. Something always does...and it isn't always pretty. I can vouch for that. It's not the way I want to respond now! Yieldedness! May I learn to yield.
I don't want to be "God-prodded" in a painful way. (I loved that phrase in ch.1.)
He will never quit loving us!
God remembered us when we were down'
His love never quits.
Rescued us from the trampling boot,
His love never quits.
Takes care of everyone in time of need,
His love never quits.
Thank God, who did it all. (Psalm 136:23-26)
We're cleaning out my childhood home this weekend. I'd appreciate your prayers as this will be the last time I'll be there. So many memories. Aren't we always going back home?
Love and blessings to all of you!
FG Forever Grateful