The Temple’s Official Endorsement Ezra 6:1-12 God works through all people, whether they know Him or not. God worked through the hearts of 2 kings of the pagan world. In Acts 17 there is Paul’s sermon to a pagan world about God. Paul pointed out that according to Greek thought there was and ‘unknown’ God who created things that were beyond the comprehension of man: 22 Paul stood up in the middle of the council on Mars Hill and said, “People of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. 23 As I was walking through town and carefully observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown God.’ What you worship as unknown, I now proclaim to you. 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in temples made with human hands. 25 Nor is God served by human hands, as though he needed something, since he is the one who gives life, breath, and everything else. 26 From one person God created every human nation to live on the whole earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God made the nations so they would seek him, perhaps even reach out to him and find him. In fact, God isn’t far away from any of us. 28 In God we live, move, and exist. As some of your own poets said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Darius responds –God works upon all mankind whether they recognize Him or not. Ezra 6 1. Then King Darius made a decree, and they searched the archives where the documents were stored in Babylon. 2 But a scroll was found in Ecbatana, the capital of the province of Media, on which was written the following: *The records were searched and the word about the rebuilding of the temple was discovered. A memorandum— 3 In the first year of his rule, King Cyrus made a decree: Concerning God’s house in Jerusalem: Let the house at the place where they offered sacrifices be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained. Its height will be ninety feet and its width ninety feet, 4 with three layers of dressed stones and oneo layer of timber. The cost will be paid from the royal treasury. 5 In addition, the gold and silver equipment from God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, is to be restored, that is, brought back to Jerusalem and put in their proper place in God’s house. *The exact measurements were also written down. This would prevent anyone from building it out of accordance with God’s instruction. 6 Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and you, their colleagues, the officials in the province Beyond the River, keep away! 7 Leave the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site. *God’s Word was followed and those who stand against it do not prosper. 8 I also issue a decree about what you should do to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this house of God: The total cost is to be paid to these people, and without delay, from the royal revenue that is made up of the tribute of the province Beyond the River. 9 And whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, or sheep for entirely burned offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—let that be given to them day by day without fail 10 so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the lives of the king and his sons. *The order was also given for the one who wanted the building to stop to help in building. No plan of God will be thwarted. 11 I also decree that if anyone disobeys this edict, a beam is to be pulled out of the house of the guilty party, and the guilty party will then be impaled upon it. The house will be turned into a trash heap. 12 May the God who has established his name there overthrow any king or people who try to change this order or to destroy God’s house in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have decreed it; let it be done with all diligence. *God’s Word prevails-even in the heart of a pagan king. Many people study the genealogy of their family. My sister began a study of our family several years ago. Each family history reveals a lot of information about who you are. It reveals why you look and act the way you do. We also learn the family’s history and about the documents that held the family together –birth certificates, marriage certificates, baptism records, property contracts, etc. Christians belong to a family as well. The record that we have in the Bible is our Christian family history. The denomination to which we belong to also has record of its history. In our Christian history we share in the building of the temple in Jerusalem as a symbol and focus of God’s love for His creation. The temple is a place where people gather to worship in one accord. There is the record of God’s dealing with man. When people meet difficulty or disagreements, the House of God is a place where the record of God’s plan for mankind is taught and discussed. Misunderstandings about God are settled within the church through searching God’s Word together. *Matthew 18 is a statement from Jesus about how to settle disputes like the one about the decree King Cyrus signed to rebuild the temple. When there was opposition, King Darius made a decree to search the archives to find the information about the rebuilding of the temple. *When a member of the congregation did not follow the code of conduct required by God, Jesus gave people of God the procedure for addressing the problem: Matthew 18 15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and correct them when you are alone together. If they listen to you, then you’ve won over your brother or sister. 16 But if they won’t listen, take with you one or two others so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. 17 But if they still won’t pay attention, report it to the church. If they won’t pay attention even to the church, treat them as you would a Gentile and tax collector. 18 I assure you that whatever you fasten on earth will be fastened in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will be loosened in heaven. 19 Again I assure you that if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, then my Father who is in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them. ” *Just as King Darius and King Cyrus decreed that the temple of God’s people be restored, God has decreed that God’s people will worship together in one accord. When they gather together, God is there in the midst of them. He is with us as we learn to live according to his promises. In Him, we find answers to life’s issues that are beyond our comprehension. *In Job we have a record of God’s creation and the fact that God has provided a connection to Him. In the reference to the stars in Matthew, there is a message about loosening and binding. Job reveals that God ‘bound’ the universe together. The stars signify earth’s changes of seasons. Job 38 31 Can you bind Pleiades’ chains or loosen the reins of Orion? 32 Can you guide the stars at their proper times, lead the Bear with her cubs? 33 Do you know heaven’s laws, or can you impose its rule on earth? 34 Can you issue an order to the clouds so their abundant waters cover you? 35 Can you send lightning so that it goes and then says to you, “ I’m here ” ? 36 Who put wisdom in remote places, The Word of God reveals God’s binding and loosening of His creation. The Lord binds us in family, worship and through His Word. John 1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being 4 through the Word was life,a and the life was the light for all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. My prayer for you today is that you see in God’s Word His love and His vision for His people in the written word. When we gather together each of us has a story to share about how that Word has worked in our lives. It brought the children of Israel back home and it worked upon the heart of those who did not know Him. The vision of God for His people will come to pass. Love in Christ, Pat youtube/watch?v=_4FFZ2KEB24 Be Thou My Vision-Selah
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 18:11:28 +0000
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