EZRA 6
The effect of the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah was that Zerubbabel and Jeshua rose up and began to build the house of God, “and with them were the prophets of God, who helped them”. They did not wait for the sanction of Darius; they went on with the work as an obligation to which they were called by God, so that even onlookers could see that something was being done. It was reported to Darius the king that “the house of the great God” was “being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand”, Ezra 5: 8. There is a fairness in this report which does not appear in the letter written to Artaxerxes some years before. When faith moved in relation to the building of the house, God moved providentially to secure favourable conditions for His servants, and He also brought out His mind more fully, and in greater detail, as to the house and its service. The matter being referred to Darius brought to light the original decree of Cyrus when Jehovah charged him to build the house. This was the word of God for the time, for the commandment of [p. 230] the God of Israel and the commandment of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes are identified in chapter 6: 14. No doubt it has been written for our instruction that we may have definitely before us certain things which are to characterise the house of God in a day of recovery like the present.
“Let the house be built for a place where they offer sacrifices” (verse 3). It is well for the youngest believer to know that he is called to be built up along with his brethren as “a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ”, 1 Peter 2: 5. The apostle Peter would have even “newborn babes” to think of this. Does it not appeal to our hearts when we are assured that we can offer something to God, and that He will be pleased with it? We are part of the holy priesthood; we are not merely spectators of what others offer; each of us is privileged to have part in the offering service.
But this requires that “foundations be solidly laid” (verse 3); which means that Christ alone is to be before us as the One chosen of God and precious. If there were any admixture of self along with Christ nothing could be really solid. But “he that believes on him shall not be put to shame. To you therefore who believe is the preciousness”. All the preciousness of Christ is for us as the basis of all our relations with God in His house. We are there according to the value and adornment of the chief Corner-stone. The thought of the foundation and the chief Corner-stone are brought together in 1 Peter 2: 6, 7. He blends Isaiah 28: 16 and Psalm 118: 22. The solidity of what we rest upon is combined with the preciousness and attractiveness to God which are found in Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”, 1 Corinthians 3: 11. Paul had laid this foundation in his ministry at Corinth, and any solid building must be on that foundation. Whatever is built upon it must correspond with it or be found worthless. For responsible service in building is before us in the scripture which we are considering; it is what is done by means of the ministry of the word. The first essential for service in building is to be impressed by the fact that Jesus, God’s anointed Man, is the foundation. There is to be no thought of building anything on man after the order of Adam; there must be the introduction of Jesus Christ as a foundational matter in the souls of saints. Paul’s ministry left no uncertainty as to this.
[p. 231] Then God would impress us with the greatness of His house. “Its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits”. It is noticeable that this is twice the height of Solomon’s temple, and three times its breadth. The enlarged dimensions given in the decree of Cyrus suggest that in a day of recovery the Spirit of God will bring out in a special way the greatness of what is in the mind of God. The more it has been departed from, the greater the necessity for magnifying it. As one has said, nothing but the brightest light will do for the darkest day. The “height” speaks of the spirituality which marks the house, the elevated and heavenly character of what is known there, matters far above the level of this world and of the thoughts of men. The “breadth” indicates that every part of the truth must have its place; there must be no picking out of what suits a narrow position; and all the sectarianism must necessarily be narrower than the mind of God. The whole company of saints on earth must be taken account of if we wish to have a right estimate of the greatness of God’s house, but they must be viewed from the standpoint of what they are by the calling and work of God, and not according to what they have become through departing from the truth.
“Three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber” give, in a symbolical way, the materials of which the house is built. “Stones” have reference, I believe, to what the saints are by the calling of God. There is fixity and permanence about this, for it is wholly of God, and nothing can invalidate it. The truth of what saints are by divine calling is to be fully maintained in ministry so that God’s called ones may learn to regard themselves and their brethren in that light. When the Lord said to Simon, “thou shalt be called Cephas (which interpreted is stone)” (John 1: 42), He gave Simon permanently his place as called to be part of the divine building. It is given to us to love and pray for “all the saints”, but in doing so we think of them as subjects of divine calling. One of the evils of christendom is that certain persons are deemed to be worthy to be spoken of as ‘saints’, whereas the truth is that the whole company of God’s elect are saints by divine calling (see Romans 1: 7; 1 Corinthians 1: 2), and this is as addressed in responsibility here, so that now we are all to act “worthily of saints”. If we give up our calling as saints — and it is to be feared that many have done so — we shall give up the character [p. 232] of walk that is worthy of saints, and this is just what Satan would wish us to do.
The calling wherewith we have been called includes the truth of “being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone, in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit”, Ephesians 2: 20 - 22. This links directly with what we are considering in Ezra. It is not a voluntary or optional matter; it is a calling of which we are to walk worthily. Spiritual building goes on as we seek to enter into the understanding of this, so that we walk with our fellow-saints in the truth of it. God would have all His saints formed in the truth of it, so that they might be fitted to take their places as constituent parts of His house. It is well to ponder all that lies in the region of divine calling. As we spiritually apprehend the great realities into which we are brought by divine calling we shall be far removed in our spirits and in our walk from those very limited and human associations which hold many true saints in spiritual bondage. We shall become “great stones” in God’s spiritual house.
Then “a row of new timber” suggests what the saints are morally by God’s work of grace in them. We know from chapter 3: 7 that the timber was “cedar-trees from Lebanon”. Each tree had its own history and growth, and had to undergo many operations and processes before it came into the condition when it could be placed as “new timber” in the house of God. There is a work of grace, beginning with new birth — which would, perhaps, answer to the planting of the tree — and followed by God giving increase until mature growth is secured. Paul could say, “by the grace of God I am what I am”, and we can well understand that every moral feature which made up what Paul was by grace was ‘new’. How different it was from everything that marked Saul the persecutor of saints! The “new timber” is what saints have become morally as “under grace”, and as taught by grace. It has come to pass that they have taken on, as the result of moral exercises under the reign of grace, a ‘new’ character which is suitable to adorn the house of God. So, if the ‘stones’ refer to what God’s elect are according to calling and purpose, the “new timber” typifies what they become morally under the sway and teaching of grace. The purpose line and the moral line combine to [p. 233] furnish building material for the house. Of course both are the work of God, but viewed from different standpoints.
“And let the expenses be given out of the king’s house”. Nothing in this work of building is at our own charges. As faith and love take on the work it will be found that what is needed is supplied without fail. The golden and silver vessels are restored also. We should look for this, that suitable vessels for holy service should be furnished. The house is not complete without “vessels to honour” being there. To know the truth of the house is not sufficient; we may know much, in a certain way, without being suitable vessels for holy service. But such vessels are essential to the service. So we must pray that they may become available. I have no doubt the gold and silver vessels are in being; they are there potentially, though they may not yet be found actually in the house and in service in a practical sense. It is well that they should know that they are claimed for holy service in the house. Many of them are, alas! still in Babylon, but they cannot render there the service to which they are appointed. Being a “vessel to honour” is conditional upon separating from vessels of dishonour; 2 Timothy 2: 21.
Then all the requirements for sacrificial and offering service were to be given “day by day without fail”. In the service of God’s house the materials for offering are all divinely furnished. In a certain sense they are furnished in the Scriptures, for the preciousness of Christ Godward is unfolded there to be sought out and known by those who take pleasure in it. Perhaps one of the most wonderful things in the providential ordering of God has been the invention of printing, which has made it possible for every person, in this country at least, to have “the oracles of God”. I believe God had in mind in this, not only that men should be saved, but that they should come to the knowledge of the truth connected with His house and service. Men need not be misled; they need not be unfurnished. Then God has also given in these days a spiritual ministry of the truth, which as received into the affections of His people has furnished them with material for offering. If persons are interested immense supplies are available. All that pertains to the service of the house is being supplied “of the king’s goods” today. It is being presented in ministry, and is there for the holy priesthood to take up in spiritual grace and power so as to use it in offering service Godward in His house.
The work was brought to completion, and the house finished,
[p. 234] in the sixth year of Darius. I think we have seen what corresponds with this in our own times. No one who has been intelligently observant of God’s ways in recovering the truth can doubt that the house of God and its service has been very largely brought before the minds and hearts of saints for many years past. The great principles of the house and its service have been brought out in spiritual ministry over against all the departure and corruptions that characterise the religious world. And there have been those who, humbly and prayerfully, have sought to take up what has been ministered, and who have desired to have the joy of serving God in His house according to the truth of what He has set up. The truth itself is found amongst the saints now in something like spiritual completeness. There is, perhaps, a good deal to be added yet to fill out the great thought of God, and to “beautify” the house, as we read in the next chapter, but as to the great outstanding features of the house they are present to the faith and love of many hearts in something like completeness. This is not anything to the credit of men; it is purely of God’s sovereign mercy, and is to be thankfully acknowledged as such.
The house was not only “built and completed”, but it was dedicated “with joy” (verses 16 - 18). The service of offering, which had been long discontinued, was resumed; burnt-offerings were numerous, “and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel”. It is beautiful to see the blending of exercises which are set forth here in type in connection with the dedication of the house. There is approach to God with joy in the acceptance of Christ, and at the same time a link preserved with all the people of God. It has been, and continues to be, a time of great departure, so that the glory of God can only be connected with His people generally on the ground of the sin-offering. Thousands of believers do not realise that their position and their associations, and even the character of their worship, are so contrary to the will of God, that, as measured by divine holiness, they require a sin-offering. But infinite grace has placed “all Israel” on the ground of the sin-offering, so that God does not bring in judgment on many things which displease Him. He goes on in forbearance because Christ has glorified Him in bearing the judgment due to what He disapproves. We do not forget the departure, but we hold all saints in our affections as identified with the value of the sin [p. 235] offering. The whole purpose of God in regard to them will be carried out eventually on that ground. The service of God can only go on in its full scope as we take all saints into account as being in the mind of God for blessing in Christ. So that all true “spiritual sacrifices” have, in the mind of the offerers, some relation to all God’s elect as blessed in Christ. The whole scope of grace and of divine purpose enters into the matter, and God is glorified in the vast range of His actings in love. On this ground priestly and levitical service is carried on.
“And the children of the captivity held the passover upon the fourteenth of the first month” (verse 19). The passover was held now in entirely new conditions, for it was as “the children of the captivity” that they held it. The whole history of departure and recovering mercy gave a touch to this passover which it had never had before. The house had been built and dedicated in a remnant time and in infinite mercy. No passover before had ever been quite like it. We cannot be intelligent as to God’s present ways if we do not realise that assembly privileges and service are taken up now in the light of return from captivity and recovery in mercy. Things cannot be taken up now as if the church was in its original state. We must, like the men of Issachar, have “understanding of the times”. It might be said that believers broke bread and enjoyed assembly privileges at the beginning, and we can do the same now. But we need to bear in mind that God has called us at a particular time in assembly history. We have to take things up now as having come out of captivity; we take them up on the ground of what God has restored in sovereign mercy.
We cannot ignore the fact that there has been great departure, and that the principles of the world have corrupted the church, but God has brought a remnant back, and given a precious ministry of His own thoughts as to the assembly and its service. We are not simply going on with the original order, but we take up things now in the light of the great recovery which God has granted. So that a special kind of purity and unity is called for. “The priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one man: they were all pure” (verse 20). The compassions of God which have granted such wondrous recovery become a mighty influence in the direction of purity and unity. No assembly privileges can be rightly taken up today save as in the sense of God’s special movements in the last days. It is not now simply what God did at Pentecost and in apostolic [p. 236] days, but what He is doing today after eighteen centuries of church failure. The children of the captivity had a sense of the immediateness of God’s actings for them, and of His present support. It was not that they had got back to Solomon’s temple, but they were in the presence of God’s wondrous actings in their own day. It is not uncommon to find people taken up with what they speak of as ‘pentecostal’, speaking with tongues and the like, who are profoundly ignorant of what God is doing today. But when God’s present movements of recovery are discerned, they lead to purity and unity, and assembly privileges can then be taken up in view of the house of God being the assembly of the living God. That is, it is God as in movement today that is before us, as we get it here, “And the children of Israel that were come back out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah the God of Israel, did eat” (verse 21).
It was Jehovah as known in recovery, and as having a house in remnant times amongst the children of the captivity, that they sought. And they found Him, for “they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for Jehovah had made them joyful” (verse 22). They had experience that God was with them in the work of His house, and they were pure and separate, as a people must be who have to do with the living God. The feast of unleavened bread required the purging out of all leaven; not a grain of anything left that would inflate, or give importance to, the flesh. Then we can be truly ‘joyful’ for God is before us in His wondrous actings of recovery, and we are true to the unleavened character of His assembly. The truth of the house of God as restored to a faithful remnant must work out in this way. It leads to the spiritual privileges of the assembly being taken up in purity and unity and spiritual joy. For the death of Christ is preserved in our view continually from week to week in His supper, and we must, in consistency with that death, disavow all that is of the flesh.