The Kingdom Of God After The Return From Captivity

by Robertson, A. B. | Category: The Kingdom Of God | Apr 1957

"So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God" (Ezra 2.70 3.1, 2).

Here were Israelites, in the City of God, and in the courts of His House, offering at His altar burnt offerings! Only "some of the people "-a mere handful-but God had more pleasure that day than for nearly a hundred years. They had left Babylon and its distractions and were now beginning, after generations of incapacity because of the captivity which was the result of disobedience, to do the will of God. This was something that individuals down in Babylon could not do, but, having learned the law of God in their years of captivity, they had returned in heart and in fact to rebuild God's House. Many Israelites, from Daniel onwards, had been godly and separate in their individual lives among the Babylonians, but this was not the whole Law of God "as it is written in the Law of Moses."

Before it could have any real meaning they had to take two definite steps-(l) leave Babylon, and (2) return to Jerusalem. It has ever been necessary for sincere and godly men to leave the world's systems in order to join themselves to the divine movement. " Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters" (2 Corinthians 6.17, 18). This is true for all ages. Like greater men of earlier generations their mind was on building the House of God, and in the second year the foundation was laid. There were tears of sorrow that it was so small a thing, but also shouts of joy that the LORD was giving opportunities to serve Him in His own appointed way and place. They were humbled at the smallness of their efforts, but thrilled that they had a hand in building for Him. Others sought to build with these Jews, saying, "We seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon" (Ezra 4.2), but these were not part of the people of God, they had no history of salvation out of Egypt and baptism in the Red Sea, nor had they ever bowed to Sinai's Covenant. Rightly they were refused, for they would have corrupted the remnant and the House would certainly have shown their evil influence.

Undisciplined and self-willed Christians can have no more part in building God's House than men of the world, for all who would build must have true spiritual exercise to do the revealed Will of God. These were no doubt the Samaritans, to one of the least of whom the gracious Son of God spoke of worship by Sychar's well. It takes a personal experience of God to turn men from tradition to the truth, and these early Samaritans, unlike the woman by the well, had not had this. Those who had made friendly overtures, and been refused for their lack of right condition and qualifications, soon showed that they were enemies of the House and did all in their power to weaken the hands of the Jews in their labour. Their evil machinations succeeded, for by royal decree the work stopped and the Jews occupied themselves with their own affairs; too much so, for Haggai, "the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message," was sent to show the Jews that they were losing blessing "because of Mine House that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house" (Haggai 1. 9).

The hearts of all were stirred as the result of this message from God and "they came and did work in the House of the LORD of hosts, their God." There were objections and obstructions, of course, as builders in divine things always experience, but, fired by Zechariah's lofty phrases and prophecies, they worked with zeal. It was a small house and they were a small people, but graciously God showed them through Zechariah and Haggai that they were part of God's Kingdom. Two men were especially prominent at this period, the first, Zerubbabel of the tribe of Judah, who led the people in the work and is a type of the Lord Jesus as "Author (Chief Leader) of their Salvation," and the second Joshua, the High Priest, so obviously speaking of that other aspect of our Lord-" a merciful and faithful High Priest." Without these two men the Jews could not have effected anything, nor could the House of God today function without these two essential offices of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the House of God today we see Him in service as Great Priest and chief Shepherd and many other offices, and God's people must never lose sight of Him who so wondrously leads them.

"And this house was finished," and they "kept the dedication of this house of God with joy." "And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses." They kept the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread "seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful" (Ezra 6.15-22). They had gone to the Law of Moses to learn God's will and now they had found that there was joy in doing it. To gratify the heart of their God and bring peace to their own hearts from bowing to His will were the true joy and purpose of life for God's people. It was then and it is now.

News of the rebuilt House of God and its services was heard in Babylon, and Ezra, and others "minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem," decided to return to Canaan. It is worthy of note that Ezra left on the first day of the first month-a new life was beginning for him, as all who come to the House of God should find to their Joy. The new arrivals enriched and beautified the House, and Ezra (whose name appropriately means HELP) had real gift for use in God's service -to teach the Law of God in Israel. This was where his deep spiritual exercise had brought him, and here only were there room and ear for the Law of God. Here alone could it be carried out. Ezra had come to the House of God because he had learned his place was there, but if his chief motive had been to join the people he would have been sadly disillusioned, for his knowledge of God's Law and his own integrity were soon tested in the matter of the heathen wives of some of the people; but by applying divine "statutes and judgements" the trouble was resolved. It meant tears and deep personal sorrow for all, including Ezra who was not a transgressor, but the laws of God meet every case-His word alone is law and man must submit. This is the very essence of the Kingdom of God.

It appears that the work of the LORD had not progressed far in the years that elapsed until Nehemiah came "to seek the welfare of the children of Israel," for "Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire." He exhorted the people, " Come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach ... So they strengthened their hands for the good work" (Nehemiah 2.17, 18). Their enemies alternatively laughed them to scorn and accused them of rebellion, but Nehemiah 3 is a testimony to the courage of the builders. It witnesses that men and women of all classes-priests, goldsmiths, apothecaries, merchants-worked together at building the wall, but also, alas! that some, the nobles of the Tekoites, "put not their necks to the work of their Lord."

The work was difficult and exceedingly laborious, the builders having to "revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish," and, while many felt weak under the strain of constant labour, the conspirators tried hard to add to their weariness and prevent building. Cast upon their God, however, the Jews, under arms night and day to defend what had been done, managed to finish the rest of the wall. It had been hard, dangerous work, and even their enemies "perceived that this work was wrought of God." There were gates in the wall, of course, which were operated from within so that entrance and exit were strictly under control. They were in the charge of faithful men like Hanani, "who feared God above many." The importance of the wall is that it created at once an interior and an exterior. Between the things of God and the outside world there must always be a wall of separation which it is the work of God's people to build and maintain.

Knowledge of the Law of God was vital and God had clearly stated in the record that at set times all must meet for public instruction. This is the reason for the convocation at the water gate in Nehemiah 8 where "the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law." They were humbled to tears at hearing how far they had departed from God, but, taking heart from the promises of God's mercy, they responded to the Levites' exhortations and made the occasion festive and glad, discovering the joy of the LORD was their strength. Haying open ears and hearts for God's word and being ready to do it, they renewed the Covenant, both in respect of divine service and personal holiness, "and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and to do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His judgements and His statutes." ... Then they said, "we will not forsake the House of our God" (Nehemiah 10.29, 39).

In heart, mind and body they were now God's Covenant peoples much as their forefathers had been at Sinai with Moses, or in Jerusalem in Solomon's day. Here was the Kingdom of God restored a people separated from the world and consecrated to their God to do His will in the place of His choosing. Thus is the heart of God rejoiced.

This was only a beginning of their responsibilities in divine things and many difficulties necessarily lay in the future and some dreadful sins were committed by this people. Eliashib the priest was actually in league with Tobiah, their arch enemy, and had cast out holy things to make room for Tobiah's stuff. The Levites were not provided for as they should have been and had to forsake the House for the fields. The Sabbath was desecrated by all manner of work and commerce. But God's word had lost nothing of its authority and power over the years, and Nehemiah-praise God for him-was able to set all these and other matters right.

They failed God many times, alas, and the record of Israel is one of grievous and recurring failure. Malachi makes sad reading, for the Jews were losing their love for divine things, and God's heart was so grieved that He actually wished that the service of His House would cease. Their offerings were deficient and increasingly despicable, until they openly despised the things of God, and the priests and Levites were not faithful in teaching and applying the law of God. Their hearts were cold towards their God and their ways perverse, but still He did not reject them. He loved this people and longed to bless them above all the earth. They were still the people of His choice; they had the promises and the Law and all the advantages of being in His city worshipping in His House. They that "feared the LORD spake one with another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name" (Malachi 3.16). But the faithful became fewer as the years went by until, in New Testament times, we have Only a few people like Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, Simeon and Anna who were "looking for the consolation of Israel."

It would be a great tragedy if in the latter days of this dispensation we should be blind to the lessons of the Remnant and if those in the Kingdom of God were not the most eager watchers for the coming of the Lord. We must keep the word of God as given to the apostles neither adding to nor taking from it, and we must be zealous for God, and the House of God and its services. The wall must be maintained and the gates faithfully attended, "and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6.5). So shall God's Kingdom be maintained.

Robertson, A. B. | Apr 1957
The Kingdom Of God