Thoughts on Ezra

I am reading the book of Ezra. Although I have read it before, I don’t remember every really looking closely at the book. While working my way through the first few chapters this week several things stood out to me.

God speaks to me, a piece here and a piece there. If I am faithful to spend time alone so I can reflect on what He is speaking to me through various mediums and people, through the circumstances of my life, there is a message or better yet a new chapter of my life to write. A narrative is created with theme, character, setting and all the things that make up good literature, all waiting for someone, me, to write them down.

On Monday I read that the people are given permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. They were in captivity in Babylon making the theme of Ezra the fulfillment of God’s promise for the restoration of Israel after 70 years. Chapter one begins with Cyrus the king of Persia having a change of heart as prophesied by Jeremiah. A decree is written and the people are given permission to return to rebuild the temple. Again God moves hearts, this time the hearts of the people to return to do the work. Then the hearts of their neighbors are moved to give to this endeavor with articles of gold, silver, goods and livestock, valuable gifts and freewill offerings. (Ezra 1:5-6)

My reaction to chapter one was WOW! That is so exciting. How easily I can relate to their joy. In the circumstances of my life I am in a period of restoration; a new job, with new friends and opportunities. I was recently honored when I won an art show. I have support of those around me. I am on the mend and my life has opened up in some exciting ways.

Where are you in your life; a time of exile or restoration? Can you remember a time like the Israelites experienced in Ezra?

In chapter two of Ezra on Tuesday I encountered a genealogy. In the early hours of the morning a genealogy can be mind numbing. I have learned to look for truth within them. What I found (with the help of a study Bible) was that 4,289 priest’s hearts were moved to return while only 74 Levites made that decision. The comment in the Ryrie Study Bible was that this was due to their inferior status because they were not ministering priests.

I pondered this. Do we do that? Say I am not a minister, on staff, part of a deacon body or head of a ministry, so I am not moved to go where the Spirit of God is leading? Maybe I am not upfront and center, acknowledge for what I do, so I decide to sit in the pew and sulk or worse, make a decision for comfort and a life of little risk. Do I stay at home in Babylon or return to Jerusalem where restoration and joy waits?

I pray my heart will be moved by God towards restoration.

Chapter three, day three was even more interesting. The Israelites settled in and began the work. First they rebuilt the foundation for the altar so that a sacrifice could be given. They celebrated the Feast of the Tabernacles then laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple. They did this with shouts of praise:

“He is good;
His love to Israel endures
Forever.” Ezra 2:11b

The day I received the offer for my new job I was able to go to a concert of prayer in an outdoor venue with thousands of people and shouts aloud to the Lord that He is good! This is the absolute best way to celebrate restoration. I am in awed of God’s timing of the events in my life.

In Ezra’s account, however, he noted:

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 3:12-13)

This was of interest to me because it so illustrated the emotions of my personal restoration which consist of both joy in the restoration and grief over the memories of the destruction of what is being restored. The sounds of my restoration are not subdued, the emotion is raw and loud and powerful. Seeing this passage helped me in that I know the grief of the older priests is over the fact that the new temple did not have the magnificence of the former grandeur of Solomon’s temple. This is a warning to me. Because I am sure that those who pleased God that day were those voices that lifted up shouts of joy. I am reminded of Isaiah 43:18-19:

Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

My prayer is to rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.

The first chapters of Ezra invite us to consider our lives as we walk in God’s restoration. First will our hearts be moved? As leadership will our hearts be moved? As the people will we be ready to walk in restoration? As those around people in need of restoration are we moved to support them? Will the foundation of our restoration be worship? Will we sit in the pews or join the task at hand? Can we say God is good? How will we react; with grief over the former things or joy and certainty that God is doing a new thing?