December 8, Reading 1 – Ezra 3, 4

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The returnees began well, but stopped building the new smaller temple because political opposition led to the government of the day banning any further work for seventeen years. We too should expect opposition from both individuals and governments to the building of that spiritual temple the Church. The message is: don’t give up! Keep on!

SJA Notes

* God in Heaven, You by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding You established the heavens.

“Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

How the frustrations of the evil one can bear us down!

Bad men, adversaries, conspired against the exiles, playing politics of the worst kind.

The new king ordered work to stop.

And the people stopped.

Yet God does not stop working good for His people.

We see that while the physical work of rebuilding the bricks-and-mortar temple stopped for a time, the work of God in His people did not.

God was not thwarted!

This is a wonderful truth for us to wrestle with when life gets tough, as we are worn down or even sometimes hard-stopped.

God is not rendered powerless by man’s design or the spiritual workings of demons and lying spirits. God is not broken by the machinations of the devil.

No.

Satan was crushed! Jesus won the victory! Death and hell defeated.

This is our king. Praise God, Hallelujah!

* Gracious God,

Please help us to see Your work in us, building Your church in us, Your Spirit at work refining us toward You.

Please remind us of Your sovereignty, Your power without equal, Your good and absolute intent.

Thank You for the hope we have in You, Lord God.

Amen.

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