Rebuilding Begins Anew

 

 Ezra 5:1-5

 

March 1, 2021

 

 

Rebuilding Begins Anew

“Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.   Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

At the same time, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”   They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?”   But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.”

 

What did Haggai and Zechariah understand that many who go by the name Christian have little understanding of true authority.  We find the answer in Romans 13:1,  “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

 

One might believe that Haggai and Zechariah were false prophets and that Zerubbabel and Jeshua were rebels, in today's Church, those who listen to civil authority and ignore the commands of God.  But, stop for a minute and give some thought to who put into the heart of Cyrus king of Persia you will find that in 2 Chronicles 36:23, “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”  (Note: Cyrus was not a Jew, he was a pagan king)  But God, it was God that was in charge then and it is God who is in charge now.  These men were acting like they had a full understanding of who was in charge and it was not king Artaxerxes, it was God, the ruler of heaven and earth, the Creator of all that has been or will be.

 

The answer was they were not in rebellion in fact these men had a clear understanding of who leadership they were following.  Many of you who go by the name of Christian will bow your knee to the government no matter what ungodly laws they pass, but as far as me and my house we will serve the LORD, no matter the cost.  And let me be clear,  “The Equality Act” is the most against God action ever taken in the history of the USA and as a follower of Jesus I will stand with the word of God and proclaim it to be of the devil and anyone who supports to be antiChrist.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice