Chapter 21 - Rebuilding the Walls

Ezra 7
Nehemiah 1-2, 4, 6-8
Malachi 1-4

Introduction to the Reading: 

When I read this chapter, one word came to mind. It's not a word that most people probably would have thought of, but nonetheless, I find this chapter filled with references to it. What is the word? When I read this chapter, I think "Worship." 

Maybe it is because I've always been fascinated with the way we as Christians have worshiped over the centuries. Maybe it's simply because I had just gotten back from worship when I read this chapter. Either way, bear with me this week as I point out what I see as an interesting connection between the history of the Israelites in this chapter and the way we worship the Lord today.

Before You Read - Background of the Reading:

Ok, for those of you who aren't big into timelines, this is the last time with this timeline...

You will notice that the Jews living in captivity returned in waves. If you remember, the first group came back under Zerubbabel around 536 B.C. and rebuilt the temple. We will be reading about the 2nd and 3rd waves today. We begin with a reading from Ezra, a priest who returns to Jerusalem with the permission of Artaxerxes, the new Persian ruler. (And quite possibly the son of Vashti or Esther - either way he would have grown up around Esther as the queen which may explain his kindly disposition to Ezra.)

Breaks Along the Way - p. 294 :

It's interesting how the Lord provided for the exiles who returned home. This Persian ruler gives in abundance not only supplies for those returning, but even money for the offerings. As much as I could comment on this aspect, I don't want to overlook another amazing gift the Lord had given the people: Ezra himself!

It reminds me of all the spiritual leaders the Lord has blessed us with in our churches, and in particular the gift that God has given us in our pastors. While the Lord was with Ezra, his learning was acquired through many hours of long study. Remember how we read, "Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord." The pastors in our churches are not newbies to the faith. They have spent years studying the scripture in preparation for teaching them to us. Your pastors not only learned the scriptures from their parents and teachers as children, they continued their study through college and later at the seminary in order to grow in their understanding of God's Word. It's easy to take for granted the great blessing the Lord has given our church body in the educational system we have for our spiritual leaders in the public ministry. What a blessing!  

In addition, the Lord blessed his people with other church leaders; "Priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants and other workers at this house of God." The Lord has blessed us to with individuals from our congregation who serve in various capacities: from those who teach our children to those who play violin, flute, and French horn, from ushers to people who run audio and video - all blessings the Lord has provided us!

Thank the Lord that as we gather for worship and Bible study, like the Israelites we have Ministers of the Gospel who can share genuine insights into the scriptures and proclaim the scriptures in truth and purity!

Let us pray a prayer of thanks for the spiritual leaders God has given us!

Bottom of p 299:

"Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other..." Can you imagine? At Hope, if we were ever to build on or build in a new location, there would certainly be challenges, but we probably wouldn’t be hiring security guards to stand around us while we built.

Yet while we can be thankful, not all of our brothers and sisters have the same level of safety.  I could give you examples I've heard from distant places like China or instances from the past where our fellow Christians in Latvia had terrible experiences during communism, but there are even examples closer to home. A couple years ago, my friend lived in Flint, Michigan. If you've heard of Flint you probably know that that a couple years ago it was the most violent city in the nation. While the congregation he was a member of wasn't targeted per se, it was certainly impacted by the community around it. The large glass doors were shattered by a large rock one Sunday morning. The shed was broken into twice - in the same night. Just a couple of months ago the pastor's home was broken into. Safety is always a concern. The organists have to take special precautions when practicing late at night. When the pastor was at the church building late into the evening he would bring his dog along to keep watch. Like Nehemiah did when he heard the report from Jerusalem, we weep along with our fellow Christians in other places who face bodily danger in carrying out the task of spreading the Gospel. 

Yet, like the people of Jerusalem, the members of the congregation didn't let the circumstances deter them from spreading the Gospel. Like the Jews, they took precautions for their safety, but they also trusted the Lord. They joined the community watch in order to make a difference in the community. They didn't rebuild walls, but they did refurbish vacant lots to improve the neighborhood. In spite of the dangers, they walked door to door handing out fliers about the church.

Let us pray for all believers that the Lord be attentive to our prayer to keep his protective hand over our brothers and sisters who risk their physical safety for the sake of proclaiming the Gospel, and let us thank the Lord that we can worship him in safety and security.

Bottom of p 301:

Alright, this is where the parallels to worship are so evident to me: We gather around to hear the Word of the Lord read. Then, like the Levites who "instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there," Pastors through their sermons helps us understand the context and helps us apply it to our lives. (I also noticed that the people were not only nourished spiritually, but they also had physical nourishment. I smiled as I read this thinking about the wonderful spread of food that the volunteers prepare every Sunday or at fellowship gatherings) Finally, notice how the Word produced an effect. While we aren't commanded to celebrate special festivals like the Feast of Tabernacles like the Israelites had to, we too naturally want to celebrate when we hear about what the Lord has done for us. The Feast of Tabernacles which is described here was a remembrance of how the Lord was with them as they lived in tents in the wilderness and how he delivered them from the slavery in Egypt. We celebrate Christmas as we remember how God came to live with us and Easter when we remember how we have been set free from our slavery to sin, death and the Devil.

Let us pray that the Lord continues to work through his Word to move our hearts to celebrate what wonderful things he has done for us!

Bottom of p 303-

What does the Lord have to say about our offerings? Well to sum it up, he wants first-fruits that come from a heart of faith. In fact, he wants our whole lives as a living offering! You will notice that Malachi writes in a very unique pattern: 

·                     The Lord makes a statement. 

·                     The people deny it questioningly. 

·                     The Lord answers their question briefly. 

·                     The people have a follow-up question. 

·                     The Lord gives a detailed response.

In this first section, the Lord says that he is not pleased with their offerings because they are what you might call "leftovers" - blind, lame and diseased animals for sacrifice. Yet I know exactly how tempting it is to give the leftovers: sometimes when we sit down to pay the bills our first thought usually isn't, "What can we give to the Lord." Our first thought is usually, "Do we have enough money to pay for these things we wanted to buy." Can you see the parallel?

Then, when the people ask why the Lord doesn't accept their offerings, he goes even deeper: because he wants their whole life to be an offering. Have you ever had someone give you a birthday gift or Christmas gift who you knew didn't like you and may have even been bad mouthing you behind your back? The gift doesn't mean much if it's not given in love, and it especially doesn't mean much if you act disrespectfully right after you give it! If we don't seek to live lives according to God's will, then our offerings don't mean much, do they? God wants us not only to offer our treasures, but our lives as well!

In the final part of this section, we are reminded to trust the Lord with regards to our ability to give offerings. This passage is a favorite of mine when I'm trying to budget. I'm not saying we go hungry in our household just so that we have offerings to give. Yet as I try to figure out how everything will work out in the long run, it's often easiest to start the cutting in the budget in the donations column. It's easy to think, "Well at least if I cut offerings, this will have a minimal impact." But what is the impact really? "Test me in this," says the Lord almighty," and see if I will not throw open the flood gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." 

Let us pray that the Lord move our hearts to worship him not only by bringing the best of our treasures, but also by offering our very lives as a living sacrifice to him.

When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:

So what does the Lord do for us in worship? He turns our hearts! Malachi prophesied that "Elijah" would come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. The prophet he was speaking of was John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. John preached a message of repentance that the people would turn from sin and trust in Jesus the Lamb of God.

Through the prophets of our day - those who proclaim God's word to us - the Lord turns our hearts as well as we await the day of the Lord and Jesus appearing. As we walked through the history of the Old Testament, we've seen how time and time again the Lord called his people to repentance through his Word. We've seen how important it was that the people be reminded over and over of God's promises and his upper story. We too, as we await the coming of Jesus, gather regularly to be reminded of God's promises and how our lower story is connected to that even greater upper story.

Let us pray, "Come, Lord Jesus! Come!"

Prayer/Hymn:

by James Montgomery

To your temple I draw near;
Lord, I love to worship here.
Here are sacrament and Word;
Here believers meet their Lord.

I through Christ am reconciled;
I through Christ become your child.
Abba, Father, give me grace
In your courts to seek your face.

While your glorious praise is sung.
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless
Christ the Lord, my righteousness.

While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend.
Hear me, for your Spirit pleads;
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.

While I listen to your law,
Fill my soul with holy awe
Till your gospel brings to me
Life and immortality.

While your ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in your name
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear you speaking from the sky.

From your house, when I return,
May my heart within me burn,
And at evening let me say,
"I have walked with God today."