Doing it Speedily

O. T. #1,021  "Doing it Speedily"
July 12, 2017
Ezra 6-Part 2


LET IT GLOW

You know, it is easy for us to read about the difficulties Israel had and wonder why they had such a hard time remaining faithful to God. Of course, we can read how it all turns out, too. They were living through those hard times. Twenty years to rebuild the Temple. Isn't it that way with us? If only we knew our problem was going to turn out all right. But without faith it is impossible to please God. so let's look at how their situation turned out.

Prophet Ezra, the author of this book, pointed out that rebuilding the Temple was commanded first by God and then by the kings. It's it ironic that God's work was carried on by the discovery of a lost paragraph in a pagan library? All the powerful opposition to the rebuilding was stopped by a clause in a legal document. To that we can say that God's will is supreme over all rulers, all historical events, and all hostile forces. He can certainly deliver us in ways we can't imagine. If we trust in His power and love, no opposition can stop us. (Life Application Study Bible)

This reassurance came to Israel and Judah from God: Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. Don't be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple. Zechariah 8:13

The Temple was finally finished, as commanded by God and decreed by the kings of Persia-Cyrus Darius, and Artaxerxes. It was completed during Darius' sixth year reigning as king. (verse 14)

The Temple of God was hen dedicated with great joy by the people of Judah, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile.

McGee explained that the children of Israel were not only the children of Judah and Benjamin, but folk from the ten tribes of Israel. There ere no ten lost tribes. They were here with their brethren as they dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem.

What a joyful time! The Jews prospered physically and spiritually during the construction.
In all the events of the rebuilding, God was at work. Verse 17 tells us the great sacrifices made to their merciful and loving God.

The priests and Levites were organized according to their responsibilities,  and a schedule was established for the continuing worship of God. They followed the book of Moses.

God is in control. I don't know about you, but I need to be reminded about it daily.

LET IT GLOW

No, I didn't skip verses 11-13. Not only did King Darius make a decree for the support of rebuilding the Temple and all of Jerusalem, he made more:

• Violators of his decree would be punished by having a beam pull down their house.
• They would be tied and flogged, with their house reduced to a pile of rubble.
• May the God who has chosen the city of Jerusalem as the place to honor His name destroy any king or nation that violates this command and destroys this Temple.

So those guys who sent the false letters to the king, complied a once to the command of  king. The Jewish elders continued their work and were greatly encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. (New Living Translation Bible) The Temple was completed.

They did it speedily-the compliance. (verse 13)

Who doesn't want some answers to a situation given speedily? Maybe we need to speedily obey God's commands.

Zechariah 8:21b says, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.


LET IT GO

Keep waiting on the Lord Jesus; keep trusting Him; keep obeying what we know we should be doing.

Be speedily in obeying His instructions.