Don’t Settle For Second Best
But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy. Ezra 3:12
The Book of Ezra tells the story of the return of the Jews from Babylon to the Promised Land. Those who returned to Judah found a desolate land. Thorns and thistles choked once-fertile fields, while Jerusalem was a heap of ruins. Yet as soon as the people settled in their towns, they reassembled at Jerusalem. There they rebuilt the altar and established the foundations for the new temple. When the foundation of the house of God was finally laid, it was a moment of euphoria. All the people—especially the youth—shouted with a great shout of joy (Ezra 3:11).
However, the old men remembered Solomon’s temple and were heartbroken that this temple was less than half as large as the former one. More than that, they had experienced the glory of God that was in that first temple. This new one was nothing close to it. They remembered how, at one time, 120 priests couldn’t even stand to minister because the Lord’s glory had filled the temple (2 Chr. 5:13-14). They remembered how when the queen of Sheba saw the house of God, she was so awestruck that there was no more spirit in her (9:3-4). The old men in the days of Ezra had tasted the “good wine,” how could they now settle for anything less? As much as the youth were shouting for joy about the new temple, the old men couldn’t help but to weep with a loud voice (Ezra 3:12). They missed the glory of God.
Herein lies a contemporary truth for us all: having received such an anointed heritage from the Early Church as recorded in the book of Acts, we should never be complacent with our present spiritual experiences. The Early Church had such powerful revivals of healing, miracles and tremendous church growth. They turned the whole world upside down. There were heavenly visitations; saints were supernaturally translated from one location to another within an instant; entire cities would come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Without a doubt, the Early Church lived under an open heaven. Wow!
Like those old men who had walked with God and experienced His glory, we must never get easily satisfied with what we have today. We need to cry out to God for another Holy Spirit visitation; the likes of those as recorded in the Bible. A move that brings with it a presence and power that is pure, tangible and life transforming. In our quest for the good, let us not miss out on the best. Oh Lord, visit us in Your glory again!
The awesome Christ church in jurong west has set a bench mark in Singapore,it is now for all the little Christ to close up the gap.
Good reminder not to take God’s Glory for granted but continue to seek and thank God for new breakthroughs.
thank God for new breakthroughs and thanksgiving