Testimony in Troublous Times

by Ian McKee (Northern Ireland)

Paper 7 — Foundations and Feelings (Ezra 3.8-13)

Having re-established the centrality of the altar, the leaders of those returned from Babylon unite to authorise the rebuilding of the house of the Lord. This was in "the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month," Ezra.3.8.

While seven months have passed between verse 7 and 8 of Ezra ch.3, they were not marked by inactivity. Cedars had to be obtained from Lebanon and masons and carpenters would be engaged in vital preparatory work. During this period the major grain harvests would be gathered in and those feasts, appropriate to the commencement of the Jewish year, observed. However it is perhaps more significant that when Solomon built the house of the Lord some 480 years earlier, he commenced the work in the second month, 1Kgs.6.1. Again, this suggests a continuing exercise to observe Scriptural precedent.

As noted in Ezra 2.40, only 74 working Levites returned from Babylon. Now, in Ezra 3.8, we are informed that "the Levites, from twenty years old and upward" were appointed to take forward the work of temple construction. While twenty-five was the commencement age for Levites serving at the tabernacle, Num.8.24, this reduction to twenty years is not the result of an arbitrary decision prompted by necessity. It is again consistent with precedent in relation to service at Solomon's temple, "For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above," 1Chron.23.27. While it is unlikely that all of the 74 Levites superintending this task were as young as twenty years of age, nevertheless Scripture envisages that some could be.

This raised two important matters of relevance for assembly life today. First of all leaders amongst the companies of the Lord's people must be able to delegate responsibility for precise tasks to younger brethren, provided they have personal and spiritual qualities of an exemplary character. Examples from both the Old and New Testaments stipulate that such should be "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness," Ex.18.21, or "men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom," Acts 6.3. If leaders do not have the foresight to develop the abilities and employ the talents of younger brethren they will incur an unhealthy overburden on themselves to the detriment of the well being of the whole assembly. In addition, it will mean that the rising generation may not be best prepared to meet the onerous responsibilities of leading the Lord's people when older brethren are taken home to heaven.

The second point to underline is that the younger generation should have an active and prayerful interest in preparing for whatever responsibility the Lord, in His sovereignty, may purpose for them. Personal spiritual development will not occur if they have a disinterested attitude or consider that responsibility is only incurred in later life. "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth," Lam.3.27. "This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop (overseer), he desireth a good work," 1Tim.3.1.

In setting forward the work of temple reconstruction we note the willingness of the workmen, Ezra 3.9. They worked "together" denoting that all of those named, without exception, were united in this exercise. Soon "the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord" and Zerubbabel and Jeshua "set the priests in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David King of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord," Ezra 3.9,10. These expressions of praise were entirely appropriate then. However, the pattern now is to "be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," Eph.5.18-20. While the word "melody" in that verse conveys the thought "to play on a stringed instrument" it is made clear that that music is "within the heart." Keeping the instrumental music in that realm will keep the soul sweet and the position Scriptural.

But alongside the expressions of unalloyed joy ancient men wept with a loud voice when they compared the commencement of the present work with the glory of the former. In one sense it was appropriate that they should feel humiliation, but care has to be taken by older brethren not to discourage the exercise of the younger. After all it was the sins of previous generations, as well as their own, that caused the destruction of Solomon's temple. "Good old days," that so often are gilded with romantic retrospect, are seldom as glorious. Seventy years sojourn by the rivers of Babylon testified to that.

Nevertheless while it is true that older saints may be given overly to pessimism and a dwelling in the past, the aspiration and potential of younger saints may often be tainted with overconfidence and foolhardiness. That is why, even today, it is necessary for older and younger believers to engage in the things of God together. Segregation on the basis of age or gender is neither helpful nor Scriptural. We need balance between experience and enthusiasm, between wisdom and willingness.

Perhaps the mingling of the expressions of joy and the sound of weeping, Ezra 3.13, were equally acceptable to God. However, what is clear is that it had an impact on the whole vicinity as "the noise was heard afar off." The reconstruction, therefore, had a good start but can this exercise be maintained? Is it not true with us all that oftentimes exercise that commences with spiritual freshness can quickly degenerate?

—to be continued (D.V.)