03/31/2021 – Day 318 – Ezra – 1 – 5 // God’s Divine Providence: To Return the Captives to Jerusalem for the Purpose of Restoring the Temple Resumed.
Amazing, it could only be by divine providence that Cyrus, the king of Persia, would issue the proclamation that would set the wheels in motion. What a remnant roll call is listed in Chapter two. In verse 64, we are told that: “The whole assembly together ws forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty.
And what resistance they faced over the years of rebuilding! I thought the word “one” was really telling in 3:1: “And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.”
As I have noted not too long ago: We have a God driven sublime paradox that we should take time to stand back in awe. The remnant children are going to all efforts to rebuild a physical temple, that still is going to fall far short of the grandeur of Solomon’s temple. But what is the new temple of God here? Let’s look at my footnote to 4: 3-5: “The believer has become the temple of God (1 Cor 3: 16,17). The adversary wants to discourage us and frustrate our purposes, so we must pray that God strengthens our hands and encourages our evangelistic efforts. When the enemies of the Lord are quick to give you lessons on what you should and shouldn’t talk about when sharing your faith, show them love and kindness, and ignore their counsel. (see Psalm 1:1)”
Soli Deo Gloria!
Love,
Jimmy