WEEK FOUR

For Ezra had prepared his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

This is a very fascinating point in Israel’s history. As the time came for the Israelites to return from exile and have the promises of Jeremiah fulfilled in them, God used three men to help set this up. The first man was Zerubbabel. This man led a large group of people to Jerusalem and he rebuilt the Temple. The elders of Israel wept because the Temple was not as grand as the one before in Solomon’s Day. The second man that we see comes about 60 years later and he teaches the Word of God and helps rebuild the community of Israel. Finally, the third guy that we see is Nehemiah, he comes later and leads in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem as the city of God.

Nehemiah gets a lot of attention, and it is a great story, but before Nehemiah came, there was this guy by the name of Ezra. Zerubbabel made it possible for Ezra to come, and Ezra allowed Nehemiah to have a community of people to use in rebuilding the city walls.

This was of the utmost importance because before Nehemiah was able to rebuild the walls, Ezra needed to revive the Word. Before the huge project of rebuilding the city walls was undertaken, there needed to be a revival amongst the people. The Temple had just been rebuilt, and now God has sent Ezra to revive the Word in the hearts of the people.

The people weren’t just building a wall for the sake of building a wall. This provided protection, security, and identity. It was an essential element for what they were doing. In Bible times, you couldn’t have a city without walls.

So, why did there need to be a mass return to the principles of God’s Word before a construction project? The answer is that because this wasn’t just any construction project, this was a God commanded, God ordained endeavor for God’s people. For Jerusalem, the building of it had spiritual significance as an identifier of God’s people and God’s promise. God did not want His people to be wanderers forever.

The building of the walls had a theological and spiritual component to them beyond simply brick and mortar.  Additionally, they were facing intense opposition from enemies actively trying to stop the project, opposition from internal sin, and spiritual opposition.

Building the wall was a task that required a people whose hearts, minds, and lives were living purely and with holiness. This is why it was so foundational for Ezra to revive the Word among the people.

As our church continues this Advance initiative, we can easily get caught up in dollar figures, building plans, and site development. However, what we are doing here as a church is far beyond brick and mortar. We have a mission and a vision as a church. When we talk about giving, it is more about a discipleship endeavor than it is necessarily about finances. In Ezra-Nehemiah, the people would not, could not, undertake such a mammoth project unless they themselves were dedicated to serving the Lord.

As we advance in our mission to give ordinary people a place to belong so they can experience an extraordinary life in Christ, we are in need of a new facility and an expanded site. God has given us the land and the people. The question is, are we able to perform the task at hand?

The answer to this question lies not in wallets, checkbooks, bank accounts, savings bonds, trust funds, engineers, architects, construction workers, or building permits. The answer to this question is highly contingent on if we are going to be a people who study the law of the Lord, to do it, and to teach it. The reason why this is the answer is twofold.  

One- we cannot possibly expect for God to do a great thing in our midst if we are not seeking Him and living for Him. If we want revival in this country or in our community, then it starts with the people of God getting serious about their faith and pursuing God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Two- we do not want to build a building for a large group of people who are not dedicated to God’s Word. If we are successful at that, then we have in essence built another community center without Christ and without being Scripture led. Yes, community centers are great in their place, but we are not here for that, we are a church. As a church, we exist to worship the Lord and lead others to Him. If we are not doing that now, why would we want to be successful in building a larger building to facilitate that? God forbid we turn into a church without the presence of God in our midst.

To successfully advance, we need to be people of God and His Word.

• What significance did the wall of Jerusalem have?
• Why do we need to have our hearts renewed and revived before we advance?
• When have you been the closest to God? What was going on?
• What can you do to revive your heart for the Lord?
• How is advance beyond just a building?