September 15th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Our God Reigns

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Opening Prayer

Reigning Lord, I pray today that You can restore me and make me whole again each and every day.

Read Ezra 6:13-22

[13] Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence. [14] So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. [15] The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. [16] Then the people of Israel-the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles-celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. [17] For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. [18] And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses. [19] On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover. [20] The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. [21] So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. [22] For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“God’s power comes into action at the very place where our actions fail” (Evelyn Underhill, 1875-1941).

Think Further

Today’s passage is a reminder that our God presides over all things. Whatever the posturing and machinations of humankind, our Heavenly Father is in control and will bring his purposes to pass. Here, it is clearly shown that the purposes of God are not thwarted by kings and rulers, but God sometimes chooses to work with them and through them (13,14). The “…command of the God of Israel…” is accomplished through the “….decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes” so that the rebuilding of the Temple was completed (16).  It is comforting for us to know, as God’s children, that when life does not turn out as we had hoped, we are not caught in the grip of circumstances but secure in the loving arms of God.

When the temple rebuilding was complete, there was a joyous dedication (16).  It showed the enormous relief and rejoicing that the repatriated Jews experienced as they returned from Babylon and saw their beloved place of worship restored. You can really get a sense of their exultation in the opening words of Psalm 126, “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion (Jerusalem), we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy” (1,2). The dedication of the temple is not described, but presumably followed the pattern of Solomon’s that we read this past week (2 Chron. 7).

It is fitting that, following the dedication of the temple, the first worship service is that of the Passover. This was at the very heart of the nation’s life and a reminder of the covenant mercies of God. Because we have been redeemed through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can build, and be built into, the new Temple of God, the dwelling place of Christ through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:13,20-22).

Apply

Do you know someone who has experienced a loss (loved one, marriage, home, job)? Seek opportunity to share the comfort and hope of this passage with them.

Closing prayer

Father, I easily give in to despair when things don’t work out as I had hoped. Assure me that in and through all things, You are still in charge.

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