In Ezra 2:68–4:5, we see the free will offerings the people gave for the construction of a new temple, “according to the law of Moses” (verse 2). Construction was to begin by prioritizing first things first – the rebuilding of the altar – so the people could sacrifice their offerings to the LORD (3:6). The exiles who returned were committed to worship God properly. Only “then” (3:7) did they begin to lay the foundation for the temple. We see the respective effect this had on young and old alike – loud, indistinguishable rejoicing and simultaneous weeping (3:13). Tears of joy about being back in the land and seeing the construction of the temple, but tears of sorrow over the memories of past sins and their resultant exile from the land. In chapter 4:1-5, we see Israel’s enemies attempting to work against them as they build the temple. We must remember that our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil (cf., Ephesians 2:1-3; James 4:1-7; and 1 John 2), and from this observation in Ezra 4, we must beware that our enemies will always attempt to deceive us and distract us from our goals to serve and honor our Lord. He alone offers us a place of safety in the midst of danger. May God empower us each day with His wisdom and discernment.
Today we read Proverbs 30:24–33 which directs our attention to the Wisdom that undergirds and sustains the activities of four little creatures – ants, hyraxes (i.e., rock-badgers), locusts, and lizards. “Small” does not mean foolish. In His wisdom and by their creation, God has programmed into these special creatures certain, unique abilities which the writer suggests we should study and emulate. Here, the true Wisdom behind the wisdom is what is important for our learning. Ants, though small and weak, provide for their own future by making effective use of their time, their labors, and their resources. Hyraxes, also vulnerable, look after their own safety by finding places to live which are safe for them but unsafe for others. Think about that; simultaneously safe and unsafe. Locusts pool their resources to achieve together what would be difficult for them to acquire separately. Finally, lizards roam freely about – unconcerned – and just fend for themselves. They are able to enter into places where few people would ever be invited or found. God’s point is this: humans, who have a free will and an un-programmed intellect, can and should learn to apply what comes naturally and instinctively to these much smaller creatures which live – successfully – in the same world as ours, but in an environment much harsher than ours. Indeed, man is a stately creature, but all his divinely ordained dignity is wasted when he “plays the fool, plans evil, or stirs up anger” (verse 32). As “surely as churning cream produces butter” (verse 33), that man will always struggle in life.
In Revelation 9:13–10:11, we read about the sounding of the sixth trumpet and its result – the unleashing of the four angels who are bound at the Euphrates River. This topic has found its way into our news recently, because the Euphrates River is drying up. According to our text, this unleashing opens the way for the 200-million-man army from the east (verse 16) to march against Israel and to destroy a third of mankind (cf., Revelation 9:15-18). This section reveals the depravity of man and his inhumanity to his fellow man. Chapter 10 is a parenthetical section that extends to chapter 11:14 (i.e., between the sixth and seventh trumpets). Here, we see the “mighty angel coming down from heaven” (verse 1), who tells John to “eat the little scroll” – reminiscent of Ezekiel’s call (verse 9, and cf., Ezekiel 3:1). Then we are told that “there is to be no more delay” in bringing about the end – “the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet” (verse 7). The actual “sounding of the seventh trumpet” occurs in the next chapter (cf., Revelation 11:15) when “the mystery of God will be accomplished” (verse 7). We also see that Christ is our place of refuge in the midst of danger, but at the same time, He represents the unbeliever’s final judgment and destruction … simultaneously safe and unsafe.
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