Ezra Chapter 1
We are starting a new book today where we once again re-examine how the Israelites were restored, revived and refreshed in their faith and belief in the Lord, their God.
While the chapters may be familiar, let us take the time to reflect on ourselves and see where we are in the building of God’s kingdom and His temple.
While reading today’s chapter, this song kept on coming to my mind…
I think you will know that I will say this is another of my favourite Christian songs 🙂 But let’s take a look at the lyrics inspired by Philippians 1:6:
He who began a good work in you
He who began a good work in you
Will be faithful to complete it
He’ll be faithful to complete it
He who started the work
Will be faithful to complete it in you
Paul said he was confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Now the Isarelites have been exiled for 70 long years. And suddenly, well not suddenly but “that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled” (Ezra 1:1), the heart of king Cyrus was stirred to call out to the Israelites to rise up and go back to build a house for God in Jerusalem!
Not only did Cyrus allow those who wanted to return to Judah to rebuild the temple, he also encouraged others to help with offerings of silver, gold, livestock etc! Something totally unimaginable when you have been taken captive into the land of your conquerers.
But God is faithful.
He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
Sometimes in our lives it seems as if God is not there. This is especially so when things are difficult and we struggle to keep afloat.
But God is always there – even when we cannot see or feel Him. He is working and working very hard…
The people of God had time and time again disobeyed God and worshipped other gods. Despite the many warnings, admonishments, forgiveness etc, the people of the Lord still abandoned God. And then God allowed for them to be taken and exiled.
But God’s plan is always to have His people in the land that He has promised worshipping Him in the temple built for Him.
And because He is faithful, He is now bringing the people back to His land to rebuild their relationship with Him. And He did so in a most incredible way – by stirring up the heart of a gentile king.
This tells me of the love that God has for His people. Not just love but faithfulness.
So whatever situation we may be in, God will be there to complete this good work in us.
But we should respond like “Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. ” (Ezra 1:5).
Then we can work with God to complete the good work.
Encouraging by the side with offerings (vs 6) is good. But if our God is so faithful, should we not be faithful too?