Nearly anytime God’s people inch forward, make progress … there will be opposition!

And the Book of Ezra has carefully recorded for us how a handful of Jews, returning from Babylon, built an altar to Almighty God. And how they immediately thereafter started to (re)build the Temple (so far just the foundation, but still advancing toward the goal). Progress indeed!

THEN … came the trouble!

“Now when the ADVERSARIES of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel ….” Ezra 4:1

The noun used here for “adversary” is “tzsar” in Hebrew. It is also translated “enemy” 37 different times in the King James Version of Scripture, to give you a synonym.

The root of “tzsar” is a verb meaning “to tighten one’s grip” on a person. “To bind, to make narrow,” thus “to cause pain!” In other words, “to besiege.” Maybe even including the idea of “applying pressure!”

So clearly the devil has begun to0 fight the work!

Yes, because of evil … good will be opposed.

Listen to Jesus on this subject.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

Let me stop right here this morning and try to encourage some saint who is facing such difficulty (or difficulties)!

If the devil is fighting … that might be a sign the work you are doing is significant!

Such manifold trials might mean that you have “hurt” him and his nefarious cause … in your recent advances for the Lord!

Jesus again in John 16:33 … “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation (pressure): but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Wow!

I either read or heard a Preacher say this once:

“You can often tell a man’s character not only by the friends he keeps, but by the enemies who fight him!”

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Jews’ Temple (the one history now calls “Zerubbabel’s Temple”) is not yet complete. Not by a long shot, as we will see in a few lessons.

BUT … the foundation has been laid! At least it had by the time Ezra 3:11-13 pronounces this new development: “And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And 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 chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, WEPT WITH A LOUD VOICE; and many SHOUTED ALOUD FOR JOY. So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”

Wow!

Once that foundation was complete … different reactions were recorded!

The old men loudly wept!

The other people rejoiced and shouted!

This is interesting.

I can see both points of view, I think.

This new temple would be so much less grand than the older one Nebuchadnezzar had virtually destroyed. And the “ancient” men, the elderly Jews, would have personally seen all that glory, majesty!

But the younger men would not have had that perspective, having been born in Babylon. They were just thankful for a place (on Jewish soil, in the Holy Land) where they could finally worship. They no longer had to hang their harps upon foreign willow trees! See Psalm 137:2.

Yet, I must add …

Such crying (so loudly, and almost as if this attitude prevailed: “We’ve seen greater things that you’ve ever seen!”) could have been detrimental to the general congregation!

Maybe crying in private would have been better, at least acceptable!

But not such crying that so bemoaned bygone days! Not in public!

“Things aren’t what they used to be” … that syndrome!

Why not thank God for what He is currently doing … present tense?

Instead of grieving over what (now missing) greater things He had done in the past?

Yes indeed … tell me about God’s great works of history! Think about them too. “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done.” Psalm 40:5a, likely they very words of Jesus, prophesied a thousand years in advance!

But do not use them to discourage those (in the present, right now) who are rejoicing over a victory (even if small) in their lives, a God-sent victory!

If you Church has a Revival and 1 soul is saved!

Don’t stand up in the testimony meeting and tell about the “old days” when 75 souls got saved!

Rejoice in God’s Goodness today!

I’ll close today with these verses from Lamentations. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are NEW EVERY MORNING: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Did you see it?

God’s MERCIES are NEW EVERY MORNING!

Not just new LAST YEAR!

Amen.

“GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, O LORD!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

A phrase in Ezra 3:8 has caught my attention … “ALL they that were come out of the captivity.”

Here are those words again, in their context, in their proper verse setting. “Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and ALL THAT WERE COME OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, TO SET FORWARD THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.” Look at the cooperation here!

“All,” in Hebrew “kol,” meaning “the whole” of a group, no exceptions!

This scenario reminds me of a situation in the Book of Nehemiah (chapter 3) … when 42 different work groups labored so harmoniously to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Just a few years later than our Text today, in fact.

“All that were come out of the captivity … set forward the work of the House of the Lord!”

Wow!

Wouldn’t it be great if our local Church families worked that well (in unity) next year, this fresh year I mean. (I am writing this particular lesson Monday morning, January 1st, 2018.)

And our families lived in such peace the next year as well?

That we would all (who believe in Jesus our Lord and Saviour) would seek to serve His Cause, without “murmurings and disputings?”

That the GOAL would be (in our hearts) GREATER than our lesser personal differences!!!

The Goal of magnifying Christ!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Forty-two thousand Jews, nearly forty-three thousand have returned home from Babylon, a land by then ruled by Persia. (Others will follow, this is the first returning “wave” of Israelites under the leadership of Sheshbazzar, a little known hero.)

And their first order of business … building an altar where God can be worshipped, sacrifice made in His name, atoning for sin!

Then, and only then, they attempted to build (rebuild really) the Temple of God!

That’s where today’s Verse, today’s Bible Study “thought” comes in …

“Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, BEGAN Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.” Ezra 3:8, I have purposely capitalized one verb in the verse.

Do you see that verb?

“Began,” in Hebrew spelled “chalal,” is translated just that, “began,” 52 different times in the King James Version of the Bible. (One other time it is translated “men began.“)

Just getting started.

This new work of rebuilding such a holy Structure will meet many obstacles.

Delays even!

But at least now it is begun!

What this is, to Judah, is an exciting “new beginning!”

And today I am writing you on December 30, 2017, the next-to-last day of the year. I’ll be preaching, Lord willing tomorrow (several times in Revival, it being Sunday) on the 31st. (Not writing here on the Website … so I need to say this to you all right now.)

Look at 2018 (the Lord willing) as a “beginning,” rather a “new beginning,” for you in your walk with the Lord!

Serve Him the next 52 weeks with fresh energy!

With all your heart … like a runner who was just handed a cool glass of water on a hot day! A second burst of enthusiasm!

Furthermore, BEGIN some new this coming year for your (our) Lord.

A new Bible Study project.

Fresh resolve to read through your whole Bible, all 1189 chapters.

Determination to pray for that missionary every day the sun rises!

(Right now I am trying to obey Hebrews 10:24 … “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” Wow!)

A new habit … not missing a single Church Service all year long … unless sick … in other words, not missing due to some lame excuse!

I need write no more.

Surely the Holy Spirit has “taken over” in your heart by now, offering His Own (though similar, I suspect) suggestions as well.

They (in Ezra’s day) BEGAN to set forward the work of the House of the Lord.

We (in our day) should also BEGIN some great things for the Glory of the very same God!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Temple area which the returning (from captivity) Jews located was essentially the remains of the Temple of Solomon, built hundreds of years earlier (500 years, in round numbers).

Ezra 3:1-7 has already told us about the rebuilding of the altar. (Thereby establishing a place for worship, for atoning bloodshed, in accordance to God’s Word, Instructions.)

Now comes the rebuilding of the Temple proper.

Ezra 3:8 relates the timeline: “Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, IN THE SECOND MONTH, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, TO SET FORWARD THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.”

Verse 10 gives the “spirit” of this great construction (re-construction) process! “And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with TRUMPETS, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with CYMBALS, to PRAISE the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.” Ezra 3:10

Victory, exaltation of the dear Lord!

Both the verses I have just used have “hints” in them about that first building of the Temple, long ago!

Notice which month the construction began. “In the second month” of the year. Note now which month marked the beginning of building Solomon’s grand Temple. 1 Kings 6:1 … “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is THE SECOND MONTH, that he began to build the house of the LORD.”

A match!

Further note that Ezra 3:10 (just quoted above) refers to King David, his great spirit of praise, “the sweet Psalmist of Israel.” See 2 Samuel 23:1 where David is given that title!

My “point” today …

Everything Zerubbabel and his helpers did was based on precedent! They built during those pivotal days … with an eye to the past! One writer said, “continuity with the past was continually being established.”

Doing today’s WORK with the pattern of God’s PAST ACTS in mind!

Still, in other words, walking in the “old paths!”

What a thought for us who serve the Lord in these last days.

I should preach night after night (verse after verse, too) with old Alexander Maclaren and W. A. Criswell and Matthew Henry (and a host of others expositors) in my “rear view mirror!”

Preach with the spirit and fervor of Dr. Oliver Greene and Dwight Moody and Billy Sunday!

Serving God remembering those of yesteryear who did so faithfully and without compromise!

“Continuity with the past!”

By the way, this introduces the idea of reading the biographies of those great men and women, some of whom gave their lives serving Jesus.

Proverbs 13:20 does clearly say: “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise.” Yes, read their life stories. Learn how they thought and acted and worshipped! Is this not “walking with them,” via literature? This is surely the very essence of Hebrews 11:4, “they being dead yet speak.” Then … let us listen!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell