Scripture - Ezra 3:11-13 Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.
Observation - The church was completely destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar earlier. Totally taken down and the people taken to exile. No place to worship, no place to assemble, no place to be reminded of the greatness of God. Here we find the people coming back to Jerusalem and beginning to build the foundations of the church. Laying the ground work. Just bringing the materials to rebuild the temple and young and old are shouting and praising at the work that is going to be done. Old people because they remember what it was like and young people because of the progress and purpose. Both shouting and weeping at the work that is going to be done. Shouting so loud that it overshadows the weeping. Praising and singing "For HE is good, His mercy endures forever". Reminded of what God can do to restore and replenish. They were excited to have a place to worship again. Excited to have a place called God's House. What zeal for the house of God.
Application - Sometimes I think we take for granted the house of God. We get so critical of the things that are being done we miss the purpose they are being done. We are a generation that is looking for the flash and the show and don't really know what it would be like not to have a house to worship in. I get so excited about the building of God's house - not the physical structure - but the people of God that are being brought together. In our case the house has been being built for about 4 years now and it is just now that I see such progress that gets me shouting and praising and truly experiencing the "His Mercy Endures Forever" perspective. It seems as though we have been through many exile experiences and the house gets somewhat torn down, but God is faithful and brings those that want to build and want to see the erection of the great temple of God and begin to shout at the foundations being laid.
Prayer - Father keep us focused on the prize. The eternal prize. Building your church and rebuilding your temple. God I love you so much and am praising you today for building your house and while I live in a country with many choices in temples - thank you for building that eternal temple in me and bringing in the necessary materials to lay and eternal foundation.
Observation - The church was completely destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar earlier. Totally taken down and the people taken to exile. No place to worship, no place to assemble, no place to be reminded of the greatness of God. Here we find the people coming back to Jerusalem and beginning to build the foundations of the church. Laying the ground work. Just bringing the materials to rebuild the temple and young and old are shouting and praising at the work that is going to be done. Old people because they remember what it was like and young people because of the progress and purpose. Both shouting and weeping at the work that is going to be done. Shouting so loud that it overshadows the weeping. Praising and singing "For HE is good, His mercy endures forever". Reminded of what God can do to restore and replenish. They were excited to have a place to worship again. Excited to have a place called God's House. What zeal for the house of God.
Application - Sometimes I think we take for granted the house of God. We get so critical of the things that are being done we miss the purpose they are being done. We are a generation that is looking for the flash and the show and don't really know what it would be like not to have a house to worship in. I get so excited about the building of God's house - not the physical structure - but the people of God that are being brought together. In our case the house has been being built for about 4 years now and it is just now that I see such progress that gets me shouting and praising and truly experiencing the "His Mercy Endures Forever" perspective. It seems as though we have been through many exile experiences and the house gets somewhat torn down, but God is faithful and brings those that want to build and want to see the erection of the great temple of God and begin to shout at the foundations being laid.
Prayer - Father keep us focused on the prize. The eternal prize. Building your church and rebuilding your temple. God I love you so much and am praising you today for building your house and while I live in a country with many choices in temples - thank you for building that eternal temple in me and bringing in the necessary materials to lay and eternal foundation.
