6 Hallmarks of a Move of God – Ezra 6
EZRA 6 – A DECREE AND A DEDICATION – Part 2
In Ezra 5 we found the Jews attempting to build the temple again after the building had stopped by the powers of Babylon. The resumption of the build of course gained attention from the enemy. But we then saw what happens when a king or government recognises something of the power and greatness of God – there was a new freedom to build! – and we drew parallels with the temple the Jews built back then and the temple God is building today – his church. We prayed for our government to recognise the power of the Church to heal and help in society today.
Now we will complete this chapter and discover what it looks like when God is on the move.
6 HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD in EZRA 6
You may be familiar with the quotation in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
“They say Aslan is on the move.”
It was a cold and depressing time in Narnia. But Mr Beaver, who had never even seen Aslan in his life, was full of hope and expectation. The very mention of Aslan’s name seemed to have a marked effect on those present.
Today I want to talk about what it would looks like when God is on the move.
Ezra 6:13-22
The Temple’s Dedication
13 Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. 14 So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. 15 The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign.
16 The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile. 17 During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel. 18 Then the priests and Levites were divided into their various divisions to serve at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.
Celebration of Passover
19 On April 21 the returned exiles celebrated Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel.
HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD
- Everything falls into place
In verse 13 The king’s governors ‘complied at once’ with everything to do with the rebuild of the temple. There was suddenly great provision and compliance to enable the temple to be built. Those who had opposed the build were now helping out!
Sometimes things just fall into place. I was speaking to a friend recently who was sensing that after some time in another role, God was calling him back to school teaching. He then got a message from a past pupil who was now at Oxford as a postgraduate and had credited him in her dissertation because of the help and influence he had had on her life. Days later he was offered a teaching job in a local school with no need to apply. “We know who you are and the job is yours if you want it.”
Sometimes things just fall into place and the enemy does not stand a chance. That’s how Andrea and I met, it’s how we were directed to move to Brixham, and it’s how many things are being engineered by the scenes to ensure that
…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
I want you to notice the contrast in the attitude of the local governors in Ezra’s story. They had previously stopped the build by force. They had opposed the build ever since. One letter from a higher power and they turned like the full tide. When God is on the move, nothing can stop him, and everything will fall into place for his purposes to be fulfilled.
- There is great joy and encouragement
In verse 14 we read that the people were encouraged by preaching; in verse 16 the temple was dedicated with ‘great joy;’ and in verse 22 we see that there was ‘Great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king to be favourable to them’.
There are times in our Christian walk when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. There are seasons of great disappointment, but this is not meant to be the default.
David wrote, I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
Galatians 5 tells us that joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
Even in the Old Testament, under the Law, there was great joy written into their ritual:
Deuteronomy 16:14:
Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.
There is great joy when God is at work! He’s a healer, deliverer, hope-bringer, saviour and redeemer! And this is what is happening in our story. This is joy upon joy, for there was already great joy upon their return:
Psalm 126:1-3:
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of[ Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
In Nehemiah 8:10 some time after the temple is rebuilt, the people are told,
“Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
I hope this whets your appetite for a move of God – 1: everything falling into place and 2: great joy and encouragement!
- Repentance is for real
In verse 17 we read,
During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Perhaps such a great offering was a way of acknowledging the reason the temple had been destroyed in the first place. They wanted to have all their past iniquity taken away and heal the pain of their recent troubles.
Perhaps without this it is sense of absolute repentance and the receiving of God’s forgiveness they would not be able to fully embrace the freedom they had found. Commentator Matthew Henry says, “Thus, by getting iniquity taken away, they would free themselves from that which had been the sting of their late troubles, and which, if not removed, would be a worm at the root of their present comforts.” If you don’t deal with something fully before God, it will eat away with you.
But when God moves on hearts there is complete repentance, moving on entirely, leaving all idols and past sins behind, RECEIVING full forgiveness so that the enemy cannot come back at you with past sins.
All the stories of revival that I have read are accompanied with stories of deep repentance, starting within the church and radiating outward.
An apparently spontaneous sensitivity to sin was apparent to a minister during what has been called ‘the 2nd Great Awakening’ in America in the 1800s:
I… began to make family visits in different sections of the town… I found… many persons of different ages, under serious and very deep impressions, each one supposing his own burdens and distresses of sin… not having the least knowledge that any others were awakened. It was evident, that the Lord had come into the midst of us in the greatness of his power, producing here and there, and among young and old, deep conviction of sin.
- God’s people do things by the book
In Ezra 6:18 we find the priests and Levites serving as prescribed by Moses, something that had not happened before. Now they are uncompromising in their obedience. This is very important to God. Sometimes he gives specific instructions. Sometimes we think we know better.
In the Old Testament, whenever God’s people took things into their own hands, it never went well. Compare the defeat of Jericho with Ai. At Jericho God told Joshua very clearly what to do. It involved consecration, marching in silence, then on the seventh day marching seven times, and then making a loud noise. There were a lot of other instructions. They did things ‘by the book’ and victory was secured. But one man kept back some plunder that belonged to the Lord. The next city was called Ai and should have been an easy target. It was only a small place, but Israel was humiliated there. It was because there was sin in the camp.
Has God given you an instruction? Is there a biblical principle that you are failing to follow? When God is on the move, his people want to give up their idols, align with scripture and do whatever it is he calls them to. Their lives are totally in God’s hands.
- God’s freedom is celebrated
In Ezra 6:19 Passover is celebrated. How long some of them must have waited to enjoy this most significant festival in the Holy City of Jerusalem! Passover was the first and biggest festival for the Jewish nation. It marks their emancipation from slavery in Egypt, the historical point at which Israel became a nation in its own right, rather than just a people group of slaves. It meant freedom, but it also acknowledged that freedom at this level came from God and no one else.
A move of God does not have to be a dower or gloomy event. There is joy and freedom when God is at work among his people. And celebrations are appropriate!
The Christian church has too often been depicted as sombre and quiet. But in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy and so it is quite appropriate that we dance like David danced and enjoy the freedom that Passover foreshadowed – our emancipation from slavery in sin and freedom into new life in Christ! We are invited to a banquet in heaven!
For us today, when we see a move of God I believe it will be a cause for celebration. Why? Because those who are far off are being brought near. Slaves are being set free! We know that there is more joy in heaven when one lost soul comes to Christ. I look forward to joining in numerous such celebrations here on earth too.
- Those who are far from God are brought near
In verse 21 we see that the Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. That is non-Jews converted to Judaism! This was the purpose of the Jewish people – to be a light to other nations! Why did God choose the Jews? Because he loved the Gentiles! He wanted to reach everybody – all flesh. And what a beautiful picture we have here in Ezra to see Gentiles joining the people of God.
This is the core of God’s heart whenever he moves. He desperately wants to see people who are far off brought near. And just as the Jews were a light to other nations, we too, as we build God’s temple of the Holy Spirit, are to be a light in a dark and Godless world.
And when he moves, those who are far off will be brought near, joining in our version of Passover, the communion meal of bread and wine as through real repentance we all honour Jesus as our saviour and Lord.
So, the temple was now complete and dedicated to the Lord! And let us dedicate our temples, our bodies, our whole lives, to the work of the Lord.
Back in Narnia, Mr. Beaver had there his entire life and had never seen Aslan. In fact, all his life he has only know darkness, coldness and evil. But he excitedly recites these ancient prophecies:
“Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”
What a picture of a move of God! Wrong turning to right, sorrows being no more, the end of winter! All of this will come true for us when Christ returns. But until that day, let us look to him to move in our lives now!
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