Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Ezra 4-7
Ezra 6:15
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
Confusion. The letter writing campaign, the reigns of Artaxerxes, Cyrus, and Darius, the timeline of the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, it is all very confusing. A book could be, and should be, written about these three subjects, but to what avail? Who would read it? It would be so full of minute details of genealogies, world history, and overlapping stories that it would probably be a very boring read except to historians and serious Bible scholars.
But in all this confusion, there is a lesson. This is it. The Christian life, as we are to live it in this “church age,” is confusing. Questions are heaped upon questions, study demands more study, and meditation on the “deep things of God” can overwhelm the soul. Why does this happen, why did the Lord allow that, why, why, why? Humans want to know why. We seem to have it in us to nail down facts in a simple outline form and desire to make things black and white. But that is not the Christian reality. Just as an example, consider the prophecies of the end times. Confusing. There are those who say they have it all figured out, know everything about everything concerning the end times, yet their information contradicts the information of others that are just as sure that they are right. It could be that the prophecies are given to us so that when they take place we will recognize that God has been in control all along.
But this devotion is not about prophecies. It is about confusion. Now, we know that God is not the author of confusion. That is the enemy’s domain. Frankly, though, no matter what words or stories the Lord included in His Book, the enemy would find a way to confuse those words or stories. After all the enemy is not a novice; he has been sowing confusion in the world since the days of Adam and Eve.
The rebuilding of Jerusalem during the time of the restoration (516-400 B.C.) is a confusing tale. If not careful the confusion will become the story, but the real story is that God empowered, provided for, and directed the remnant that returned to do a great work. A work wherein there were many enemies, much perplexity, bewilderment, and delays. But the work was finished. On or about April 14 516 B.C. the second Temple was dedicated, and the Passover was held. The walls around Jerusalem would be rebuilt around 70 years later (444 B.C.) under the leadership of Nehemiah.
The greatest leaders for God somehow see around or through the confusion to keep a clear vision, a determined purpose, and sound Bible based action steps to accomplish great things for God. Things like building a family that honors Him, a marriage that lasts a lifetime, a church that carries out His commission, and a life that pleases him. After all, considering the confusion around building the Temple as we read about today, each believer is a temple. On this the New Testament is clear. The things of us building our temple will be confusing at times just like it was 500 years before Christ was born in Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s day. Sometimes all we can do is cut through all the confusion, grab a truth of God’s Word, and hold on! The Jews in the time of the restoration had written authority from the king to do that which they should do. So do we. We have the Word of our King, we have His Word, God’s Holy Bible, that is our authority.
Dr. William T. Howe
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