top of page
Search

April 20, 2023 - Ezra 3-6

And, so, “when the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem” (3:1). They reestablished the priests. They rebuilt the altar and sacrificed on it. And they began to rebuild the temple, but with the foundation laid, the people became discouraged. Also, enemies opposed the building. And the Persian king even issued a decree that the work cease. But God raised up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the people, and Darius instructed his governors, “Keep away. Let the work on this house of God alone" (6:7). Furthermore, Darius decreed, “And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail” (6:9). And by 516 B.C., the temple was completed. Wow! God not only provided the wherewithal, but also human players, and he turns kings to do his bidding. The people might well have sung something like:


Lord of hosts, To Thee we raise

Here a house of prayer and praise;

Thou Thy people’s hearts prepare

Here to meet for praise and prayer.


Let the living here be fed

With Thy Word, the heavenly bread;

Here reveal Thy mercy sure,

While the sun and moon endure.


Hallelujah!--earth and sky

To the joyful sound reply;

Hallelujah!--hence ascend

Prayer and praise till time shall end. -- James Montgomery (1830)

4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

There’s an important “pecking order,” here, that is important: The church at Ephesus receives the message, which is delivered by the angel, who speaks the words of “him who holds the seven stars in h

The letters to the seven churches. I’m thinking I might take one of these letter each day over the next week. First, though, several years ago, I did a recap of these letters so that I could have a

Wow, I’m into Revelation! John begins, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his se

bottom of page