The Revival Of The House Of God

by J. J. THOMAS, JR., Brantford, Canada | Category: The Return From Babylon | Mar 1956

(Ezra 3. 8 - 4. 24).

"When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like unto them that dream," such were the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 126. With what joy and enthusiasm they had laboured and 3 sacrificed since their return to Jerusalem, when as "one man" they gathered together to offer their offerings unto the LORD! The altar had been set up, "but the foundation of the temple of the LORD. was not yet laid."

Their spirits had been stirred up by God and they had come with purpose of heart to build the house of God according to the will of God and according to His design. As they had resorted to the "Law of Moses" in regard to the offerings (Ezra 3.2) and to the order of David, king of Israel, as they praised the LORD (verse 10), 50 likewise they resorted to God's word regarding the building of His house and the place to build it. The Place of the Name could not be found in Babylon-it meant a coming out from Babylon and a coming unto Zion. There is much around us today that speaks of a spiritual Babylon-in church organizations-religious cults, etc.-hence the appeal, "Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate" (2 Corinthians 6.17). We have come out from those who do not submit to the authority and will of God and have come to the place where His will is carried out, and where as true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ we can show obedience to His will and commandments.

Having returned to Jerusalem, they found the place, set the altar upon its base and laid again the foundation of the Temple. Here as they laboured together, the songs of Zion could be heard. Here men worked together in unity, for they were building the house of God in the place of the Name. Here was the altar in the place where worship could be offered; for God was ever jealous over the place that He had chosen. They realized that the altar alone was not sufficient, for God desired a "Dwelling Place." Today this truth is lost sight of by many children of God, for the altar is ever associated with the house-His Dwelling Place,-not a dwelling place according to man's planning, but according to the design given by God, even as He spake, "Thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which hath been shewed thee in the mount" (Exodus 26.80), and to His people He said, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25.5). The design was of God, the building by His people.

In verses 8, 9 of Ezra 3 we read that the Levites were appointed to oversee the work with the priests, and when the foundation had been completed they were set to praise the LORD according to the "order of David, king of Israel" (verse 10). God is ever a God of order and not of confusion, and as in the temple that Solomon built, so with the house being erected by the remnant and so also today, there must be an order within God's house. It must be built according to His plan, of materials of His choosing, and there must be order in service and worship according to His will. It was a time of rejoicing; the songs they could not sing in Babyl6n could now be enjoyed together, and yet in their rejoicing it is recorded that, as the people shouted for joy, "The old men that had seen the first house ... wept with a loud voice."

We are in remnant times today and it is ours to rejoice in what God has done for us. The early days of Acts when so many were added were unique, but God in His mercy and goodness has revealed to His people today His will in connexion with His house. It has ever been God's desire to dwell amongst His people from whom He requires complete obedience; a gathered together and a separated people, such as we find in Acts 2.41, 42. Here we see a company of saved, baptized and added ones as a result of obedience to the commission of our Lord in Matthew 28.18-20, who are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the Chief Corner Stone (Ephesians 2.19). Here we have the sure Foundation, and the divine pattern of the only place where God's will can be carried out in a collective manner, and where He may dwell amongst His people, "Whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3.6).

As the people rejoiced and laboured in the work the adversary soon appeared on the scene, and through the people of the land endeavoured by guile to build with them. The test of separation had to be faced, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel answered, "Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God." Many instances are recorded of disastrous results as the outcome of God's people associating with other nations or peoples. The adversary is ever on the alert to undermine our separation and our unity.

Unity was vital to the remnant, for their progress depended upon their continuing to be united" together as one man." It was a united front that was presented to the adversaries, and the leaders with the rest of the heads of the fathers' houses answered and said, "We ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel" (4.3). The leaders, those who had been given the responsibility to oversee the building of the house, were united as one and were able to speak and act in unity. Tragedy might have resulted if the adversaries had been able to sow discord amongst them, but in this matter there was no divergent individualism amongst the leaders, they were as one, and so the answer was, "We ourselves together will build." Here were only a few as compared with the Israel of old, only 42,860, but they had been numbered and appointed to their respective places, and we read, "They gathered themselves together as one man" (Ezra 3.2). So we have a united people with united leaders, who said, "We ourselves together." This is more than union, it is the" Unity "that God

desired, as described in Psalm 133.1, that brings pleasure to Him and which in turn brings blessing to His people. Where dissension and discord are found, blessing is not to be expected.

We have already thought of those few in Acts, I and 2 who were gathered together (Acts 1.15) with one accord and in one place, in obedience to the word of the Lord, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, but to these were added many thousands as the Lord blessed them (Acts 2.41-47). Once more we are in remnant times, only a few, but we may still manifest the same unity the early disciples and those of Israel displayed when they returned to Jerusalem. We shall need this unity of mind and purpose if we are to be successful builders, and furthermore God looks for this characteristic to be found in His people who desire to build for Him.

This unity, pleasant to the LORD, is that which the adversary seeks with all his subtlety to mar and destroy. How he longs to have recorded against any Church of God today what was sadly true of the Church of God in Corinth, "that there are contentions among you" (1 Corinthians 1.11), even though they be small t It is the "little foxes that spoil the vineyards" (Song of Songs 2.15). The apostle Paul appeals to the Corinthians, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you" (1 Corinthians 1.10). Dissensions and divisions will wreck any work for the Lord, and Satan will attempt to put leaders against leaders, and saints against saints in an effort to produce disunity. Let us therefore seek humbly before our God to "be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others" (Philippians 2.2-4). With a united mind and heart, and with such unity as was seen in remnant days, let us together build unto our God. Satan was frustrated in his attempt to overthrow God's people in this attack, but he had other ways and other plans.

What the adversaries had been unable to do from "within" they now attempted to do from " without." It is recorded (Ezra 4.4) that "the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah,". which presents still another method used by our adversary the devil, in causing " difficulties," "doubts and fears," and many other things to undermine our faith in God. Still the adversaries of the remnant persisted, with false accusations, and they were successful in persuading king Artaxerxes to take steps to stop the building of the house (verse 21).

Satan has never rested from seeking to overthrow anything that is of the Lord, and immediately there is a movement to build for God the adversary seeks to break down and wreck the work. Yet we are reminded that God is stronger than His foes; so we must take courage, as the victory can only be ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we have the opportunity and privilege to build according to the divine pattern, even as the people had in Ezra's time. Some availed themselves of the opportunity and with stirred hearts, moved by God, came to Jerusalem to build. Others decided to remain in Babylon; their voices were not heard in the song, their eyes saw not the foundation laid; it was an opportunity missed. So likewise today, there are believers who are in the religious systems of spiritual Babylon, who. because of reasons of their own, perchance have chosen to stay where they are, rather than to come out, to build, to be separated as God's people. Opportunities lost! God's word through Haggai (1.8) to these people was, "Build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified."

True we are in remnant days, but God has not changed, and we are neither downcast nor discouraged by what the "peoples of the land" disparage as a small thing. God still desires a people for Himself, that they may serve Him, and with whom He may dwell, a people together, even as our Lord prayed in John 17.11, "That they may be one." A people gathered together into one thing, with one accord, with one mind, steadfastly holding the one faith and with humility acknowledging and obeying the one Lord, such would God have us be, whom in grace He has called into the Fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord (1 Corinthians 1.9). How wonderful, in our time that we are able to be found in God's house, building according to the divine pattern! Let us arise with a mind to work, remembering the words spoken by God to His remnant people through Haggai, "I am with you, saith the LORD" (Haggai 1.18) and the words of our Lord in Matthew 28.20, "Lo, I am with you always."

J. J. THOMAS, JR., Brantford, Canada | Mar 1956
The Return From Babylon