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September 29th
Our bible reading today is in Psalm 126 and Nehemiah 11-13.
The Babylonian captives from Judah, after 70+ years, have come home. Jeremiah prophesied it and it came true.
They are a small number compared to the millions exiled by King Nebechadnezer, but they followed Zerubabbel, Ezra, and Nehemiah back to their ruined cities to rebuild their promised land way of life. They worked on the Temple in Jerusalem. But they were soon intimidated by Tobiah and other godless neighbors so they slowed the Temple work down to a crawl.
Ezra came to set a spiritual tone and set a fire of desire in their hearts to get back to work. To finish (to a measure) the House of God’s Presence. But the wall around Jerusalem was another matter. It was still torn down beyond recognition.
So God raised up a man for the job. His name was Nehemiah. Was he in the construction business? No. But the Bible says God’s hand was upon him...that would be more than enough. Nehemiah inspired 50,000 people to work with him and God on the wall. And the job was finished in record time...52 days.
It is thought by some that Psalm 126 was written by Ezra for the workers on the Temple and the wall. Let’s read the 6 verses...“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” (We could hardly believe it. We were home and it was beginning to look like home. It was like we were “in” a dream.)
“Then our mouth was filled with laughter” (the kind of laughter that’s good like a medicine...we became like Isaac, children of laughter. Spurgeon said to his congregation: “sometimes the loftiest, holiest expression of all is laughter”...” and our mouths were full of it...” said Nehemiah.
"and our tongues were enlivened with shouts of joy"...singing. When our tongues were set free, speaking was not enough to declare our gratitude to God. Our hearts were filled with the joy that is our strength.
Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things....The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
And to end the song Ezra wrote to the workers...“Those who sow in tears “shall reap” with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”
You have sown seeds of faith in our Savior God...not just when your circumstances were happy ones. You have sown seeds of trust in God even when suffering brought tears. ”You sowed in tears” when you were exiled in Babylon and now on the wall, and what God promised He has done. He brought you home for rejoicing and He will do much more for your joy in the days ahead.
Wow, what a promise keeper our Savior God Jesus is.
Have a great day
