~Old Testament Scenarios~
Ezra
"Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices. "
Ezra 3:3 (NIV)
“Facing Your Fears”
With Persia’s King Cyrus giving his edict, the Jews were allowed to return back to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon in order to rebuild their temple. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, 50,000 people from the total two million within the nation of Israel trekked over 900 miles to return to their city that had been destroyed earlier by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. But with this move back to their homeland, these Jews were terrified by the people of the land. Terrified is a pretty strong and descriptive word that doesn’t pull any punches. Why were they afraid with anticipated fear so that it would steal their present peace?
Of course, the people had heard the horror story from their forefathers (maybe some had even lived through it themselves), and remembered that the prophet Jeremiah warned the people for forty years about their disobedience with idolatry against God. The consequences of this sin was that the foreign nations came and burned their city, desecrated their temple (the one built by Solomon and erected to the Lord) and then took most of the people away in chains and hooks in their mouths. Those are stories that would incite fear into anyone!
What past memories have haunted you, and what are those triggers that bring you those memories? What family failures have kept you stuck and hopeless? Does fear rule your life, leaving you feeling dismayed and discouraged—maybe even paralyzed? Most of these people had been living in comfort in Babylon. Now they had to toughen up to travel over 900 miles back into a city in ruins with surrounding people who might be aggressive towards them. They needed to face the fear of the “unknown”… and of the “possible”.
Scripture tells us these people did fear greatly yet, look what they do even in the midst of it. With the help of Jeshua who was the first high priest after captivity (and the grandson of the last high priest who was killed by Nebuchadnezzar), the people constructed a stone altar in the exact place where the old one stood. Although the people lived in huts among the ruins, they feared the people around them, and the temple had not yet been built…they chose to erect that altar to the Lord as their first priority. LOVE THAT!!
What a powerful example for each of us today in the twenty-first century. Though they had fear (and we all do from time to time), they also knew Yahweh Shalom - “The Lord is Peace”. That is why in the midst of impossible odds, they stood up for the important things of God. We must never allow any other things, other reason, or any of our fears to place the Lord “on a shelf” for a more convenient time. If you have traveled to a new area, like these Jews had, then your first mission should be to find a place of worship. Are your borders surrounded by hostile, dangerous people or circumstances? Then trust in God.
Fear is a very real emotion and it can be a good thing. There are times when we need to be careful but all too often our fear is out of balance and we forget to trust that we stand with the Lord. Sometimes, here in northern America, where the living is so much easier than in many other places, it is not so much the enemies that are daily attacking us, but our enemy is the way we “cushion” ourselves with too many comforts. We become complacent and lazy and even uncaring. With many creature comforts, it can keep us from placing God first in our lives.
Today is your day; God has given it to you. What will you do with it? Will you chose today to erect an altar for the Lord? Maybe not one made of stones, but one that is inward where He only can see. Live this for His glory.
"Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)