First, What We Can

Have you ever messed up and weren’t sure where to start to fix it?

I sure have.

I remember in rehab my counsellors would say to us, “After a wrong choice, do the first next right thing.”

The Book of Ezra is a remarkable account of the end of Jewish exile in Babylon, but is also deeply profound as it teaches us to start with what we have, what we can, and when turned to God He does grow us towards spiritual wellness which in turn brings everything else.

Let’s paint some context first.

1 & 2 Chronicles should be compulsory study for everyone. It lists the consequences of good versus bad leadership. Eventually after hundreds of years taking God’s Mercy, Patience, and Goodness for granted, God allows Persia to conquer Israel putting the people into exile for constantly rejecting God by worshipping invented, but demonically inspired pagan gods. To quote, ‘Instead they (Jews) were surrounded by a myriad of pagan temples. About fifty temples are mentioned in Babylonian texts together with 180 open-air shrines for Ishtar, three hundred daises for the Igigi gods, and twelve hundred daises for the Anunnaki God’s. ”’- Yamauchi.

‘Encyclopedia Brittanica’ tells us of Cyrus, to quote, ‘Cyrus the Great, also called Cyrus II, (born 590–580 BCE, Media, or Persis [now in Iran]—died c. 529, Asia), conqueror who founded the Achaemenian empire, centred on Persia and comprising the Near East from the Aegean Sea eastward to the Indus River. He is also remembered in the Cyrus legend—first recorded by Xenophon, Greek soldier and author, in his Cyropaedia—as a tolerant and ideal monarch who was called the father of his people by the ancient Persians. In the Bible he is the liberator of the Jews who were captive in Babylonia.’ – https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cyrus-the-Great

Now that we have historical proof of the Biblical account of Cyrus, and proof of the highly superstitious driven polytheist mythology of the pagan Persians, we can dig into the lesson God’s Holy Spirit is teaching us in Ezra.

Ezra 1 shows the incredible power of God to fulfill His Plan of salvation despite our ignoring His warnings that disobeying Him will enslave us. Jeremiah’s prophecy of Jewish exile in Babylon was spoken hundreds of years before the event, even before Cyrus was even born.

Ezra 2 vs 64-67 has a stunning reminder that although the culture of that day discriminated against women, THEE ONLY LIVING GOD INTENDED for men and women to serve in His House.

So too, does Ezra 3 have goldmines of spiritual significance for us to grasp onto in our spiritual growth towards Christ-likeness.

Kidner points us in the direction we need to learn from, “This time there is no ark, no visible glory, indeed no Temple; only some beginnings, and small beginnings at that. But God is enthroned on the praises of Israel, and these could be as glorious as Solomon’s.”

‘Enduring Word’ fills in the central key found in the message of the altar in Ezra 3 vs 3&6, “The centrality of the altar, set upon its ancient foundations, was essential for them – as it is for us. We have an altar (Hebrews 13:10, the cross of Jesus Christ, set upon its ancient foundations. The altar was to them what the cross is to Christians under the new covenant.”- https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ezra-3/

When we first become Believers, most of us are an absolute mess. We say the wrong things, do the wrong things, and dress worldly. God is OK with that. Jesus tells us, “I came to call those who know they are sinners, not those who THINK they are righteous.” – Mark 2 vs 17

God wants us to freely come to the altar- the cross- to receive His forgiveness so that as we journey into the throne room He changes us from sin-robed to righteous-robed. As we walk out our salvation, it is easy for us to get side-tracked and stained by the world around us. Jesus wants us to wash our robes through repentence so that we don’t end up in “Babylon” by rejecting God and falling for pagan seduction all over again.

Yes, being a Christian is the hardest thing in the world because we are rejected by this world (thank goodness for that) because we are citizens of a Holy Nation with our names recorded in heaven.

But, Ezra 3 holds another MASSIVE lesson for us, reminding us that God’s Plan not only separates us from dead pagan nonsense, includes men and women, but always was inclusive of Gentiles. To quote, ‘Gentile money purchased the supplies (from Gentile Lebanon) to build the second temple. Solomon’s temple used Gentile supplies and laborers; God directed the building of the second temple to likewise be built with Gentile cooperation.’

A profound statement about how we got ourselves in this mess, also tells us that swallowing the bitter pill of humility to find God’s Truth by admitting our wrong is necessary to get out of Babylon.

It isn’t easy admitting we believe nonsense and need reschooling from God to teach us truth. The altar -the cross- remains an open invitation that we ARE WELCOME to come as we are, with our mess, knowing God loves us and wants to save us out of exile. This is a welcome relief because we can never be holy enough to deserve God. The fact that He wants to use His Power to redeem, renew and resurrect us into His Eternal Kingdom must have us at the altar sacrificing every ugly worldliness in us to gain eternity with our Magnificent Father.

It always starts, first what we can, then Jesus leads us into and through the rest.

AMEN