DESPISE NOT SMALL THINGS Devotion 5 of 24 Around 521 BC, in the second year of the reign of Darius, "the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God" (Hag 1:14). This happened in the sixth month of the second year of Darius' reign (Hag 1:1). They first built the altar of burnt offerings, and then commenced the reconstruction of the Temple, which is reported to have been much inferior to the Temple built by Solomon. EZRA Ezra was raised up by God to initiate a return to Jerusalem nearly eighty years after Zerubbabel began his work. He was commissioned to return the vessels that had been removed from the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:6-11), appoint judges for the people (Ezra 7:25), and teach Israel the statutes of the Lord (Ezra 7:10). He also prepared the people who were returning to Jerusalem by restoring holiness among them, and beseeching the Lord to bless their work (Ezra 8:15-23). LESSONS TO BE LEARNED We can learn from this that recovery is a difficult task. Those who insist upon drifting from the Lord will eventually experience His chastening hand, even as Israel did. However, Israel's recovery was not instantaneous, and required encouraging words from holy prophets. God was faithful to send his prophets to Zerubbabel and those with him, and their hands were strengthened. – Tomorrow:
"Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." Zechariah 4:8-10, NKJV
ZERUBBABEL
Now, toward the end of that second year, about the eleventh month (1:1), discouragement had settled over the people. It did not look as though the work could be completed. There had been some small beginnings, but they had been interrupted. Perhaps the people thought they had misunderstood God's intention, and the Temple was not to be built at all. After all, it did not appear as though God was with them. Alas, the people needed to again be stirred to action. Work had stopped, and all appeared to be lost.
Ezra records the work previously done by Zerubbabel. He informs us that the work was completed with the help of prophets of God. "Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them" (Ezra 5:2). These prophets were Zechariah and Haggai. "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them" (Ezra 5:1).
The completion of the work was largely owing to the encouragement of these prophets. "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 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" (Ezra 6:14). This was accomplished in fulfillment of the first words of our text. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it."
This magnificent project started "small," which circumstance proved to be a discouragement. Yet, with the faithful prophecy of Zechariah ringing in their ears, the builders completed the challenging work. They had to be brought to the point where small beginnings were not despised. First the altar, then the foundation, then the Temple. Later Ezra would restore the vessels to the temple, and re-teach the people the statutes of the Lord, also restoring holiness to their ranks. Years later, Nehemiah would see to it that the wall was rebuilt and the gates restored around the entirety of the holy city. The whole project extended over ninety years – a circumstance that certainly required encouragement.
There is a need for such encouragement today. Those who have put their hand to recovering holy things that have been lost will find it to be a difficult work. Yet, if they will give heed to the word of the Lord, they will experience strength from above that will enable them to finish the work. However, they must not despise small beginnings, even though they are unimpressive at the first.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, send forth encouraging preachers and teachers among those who are working on Your house -- sowing and watering Your good seed.