Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.
When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:
“He is good; His love toward Israel endures forever.”
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
Ezra 3:7-13
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The people of Israel had rebuilt the altar in Jerusalem and reestablished the foundation of worship in their hearts. Now they turned their attention to rebuilding the temple.
First, they had to get the materials and line up the labor to do the job. Scripture tells us they “gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia”.
Then the Israelites, “Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work” in the “second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem.” The second month in the Hebrew calendar was called Ziv.
As the building started, the people of Israel “appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord” and “Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God”. We read where “the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord” while “the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel.”
Notice where the people of Israel included rejoicing and worship as they build the house of the Lord. Scripture tells us that “with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord” singing, “He is good; His love toward Israel endures forever.” All the people “gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.” Many of the “older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.” Indeed, we read where “no one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.”
The people of Israel had so much to be thankful for. God had delivered them from exile and returned them to Jerusalem. Now they could rebuild His temple and in doing so, reestablish their place of worship. It’s little wonder they lifted their hearts and sang with praise and thanksgiving, proclaiming the Lord’s goodness and love toward them.
We can certainly learn a great deal from the people of Israel when it comes to our life attitude. Just as God delivered His chosen people from hardship in the Old Testament days, He delivers His children, you and I, today. And we, just like the Israelites, should respond with nothing short of praise and thanksgiving to our Maker, Redeemer and Friend. We should ever take into account how richly blessed we are despite the trials we may be going through or have gone through in the past.
For when we live as people who remember God’s blessings, we live as people who can better endure the challenges of life when they come, knowing that our circumstances will only last for the moment but God’s love for us endures forever.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to ourchristianwalk@aol.com
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