We have been reading through the book of Ezra as a family and I was struck by the remarkable scenes of the children of Israel returning to Jerusalem at the command of King Cyrus to rebuild the temple. People were not commanded to go up by heritage alone or lot but according to their willingness. The LORD stirred the hearts of people to leave the land of their captivity and return to the ruins of Jerusalem to re-establish the worship of God who was their Inheritance. They were greatly blessed and provided for by God. It was God and faith in Him which enabled them to overcome their fears.
See what Ezra 3:1-3 says: "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. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening burnt offerings." The first order of business was to build an altar unto the LORD according to the Law of Moses, even before the foundations of the new house were laid. Take note the people were in fear "because of the people of those countries" but they did it anyway. Their attitude was not careless or cavalier but boldly united in the faith of God.
I appreciated the transparent insight into the feelings of the people and how faith in God enabled them to overcome and prevail. The scene from the Lord of the Rings movie Return of the King with Gothmog comes to mind as they approached Minas Tirith. It was a city ruled by a cowering steward unfit to reign and the warriors and people trembled alike at the sight of the evil horde which came to besiege them. Gothmog sniffed and exclaimed: "Fear! The city is rank with it!" Jesus told His followers to not fear or worry but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things--all our needs for this life and for eternity--will be added to us. We know we shouldn't be afraid, but fear is subtle and insidious. Before long it becomes a plague which infests our motives, decisions, and actions. The fear of man is a snare, yet the fear of God frees us from all sinful worries and cares.
With a global pandemic, a sharp economic downturn, and with a bleak outlook of swift recovery as drastic steps are taken by government and individuals for damage control and self-preservation, it is easy for us to give fear a place to bed down. The future has always been uncertain and our lives perilous--and humans have always been susceptible to fear. There is no possible way to alleviate our fears by giving into them or vainly attempting they exist. It is a change of heart and mind we require to take our eyes off the howling storm and look beyond it to our loving Saviour. God forbid our hearts should be rank with fear of anything when Jesus is our KING, for the love of God drives out all fear. Though the people were afraid of the nations around them who opposed what they were doing, they arose and offered sacrifices to God. May we praise the name of God in all seasons of life! There is a purity in worship where faith in the God we know (Who knows and loves us) trumps fear of all unknowns.
See what Ezra 3:1-3 says: "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. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening burnt offerings." The first order of business was to build an altar unto the LORD according to the Law of Moses, even before the foundations of the new house were laid. Take note the people were in fear "because of the people of those countries" but they did it anyway. Their attitude was not careless or cavalier but boldly united in the faith of God.
I appreciated the transparent insight into the feelings of the people and how faith in God enabled them to overcome and prevail. The scene from the Lord of the Rings movie Return of the King with Gothmog comes to mind as they approached Minas Tirith. It was a city ruled by a cowering steward unfit to reign and the warriors and people trembled alike at the sight of the evil horde which came to besiege them. Gothmog sniffed and exclaimed: "Fear! The city is rank with it!" Jesus told His followers to not fear or worry but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things--all our needs for this life and for eternity--will be added to us. We know we shouldn't be afraid, but fear is subtle and insidious. Before long it becomes a plague which infests our motives, decisions, and actions. The fear of man is a snare, yet the fear of God frees us from all sinful worries and cares.
With a global pandemic, a sharp economic downturn, and with a bleak outlook of swift recovery as drastic steps are taken by government and individuals for damage control and self-preservation, it is easy for us to give fear a place to bed down. The future has always been uncertain and our lives perilous--and humans have always been susceptible to fear. There is no possible way to alleviate our fears by giving into them or vainly attempting they exist. It is a change of heart and mind we require to take our eyes off the howling storm and look beyond it to our loving Saviour. God forbid our hearts should be rank with fear of anything when Jesus is our KING, for the love of God drives out all fear. Though the people were afraid of the nations around them who opposed what they were doing, they arose and offered sacrifices to God. May we praise the name of God in all seasons of life! There is a purity in worship where faith in the God we know (Who knows and loves us) trumps fear of all unknowns.
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