Old Testament reading: Ezra 3-5
Doing right is always right, but it’s not always easy. Upon their return to Judea, the first order of business for Judah and Benjamin was to rebuild the temple and restore the true worship of God. Note the joy mixed with weeping among God’s people. The joy emanated from those to whom this was all fresh and new, while the weeping came from those who remembered the former glory of the first temple. Haggai consoles the weeping ones in chapter 2 of his book with the encouraging message that the glory is not in the building, but in the God who occupies the building. They did not know that the temple they were building would be the temple known to their Savior and Redeemer. Consider also their courage despite their fear and the opposition of the surrounding nations. Courage is not a lack of fear or apprehension, it is doing what is right when these are present! Work on the temple was brought to a forced, but temporary halt during the days of Ahasuerus, but restored during the reign of Darius. What caused Darius to restart this rebuilding? He searched for and found the decree of Cyrus that was written and recorded in Ezra 1:1.
New Testament reading: Revelation 1-3
Today begins the final book in our second reading of the New Testament! I hope you are as excited as I am! I love this book! Written to the seven churches of Asia, there are two churches who receive no rebuke (Smyrna & Philadelphia) and one that receives no praise (Laodicea). The four other churches are both commended and rebuked. Most of us would like to consider ourselves as members of one of those two unrebuked churches, but the odds aren’t in our favor. But I am thankful I have twice the odds to be among them as being among the one unpraiseworthy church. Some believe these churches represent in some way every type of congregation that might be found. I am not certain that this is the case, although many problems facing the church continue as they have since the earliest days. Human nature and problem remain the same since the Garden of Eden, thus we are not surprised to see the problems enumerated among the seven churches of Asia are the same as those plaguing the church today.
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