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Show DEDICATED AND REDEDICATED Ezra 6: 14-22 72 years before that the Temple Solomon built was destroyed. A temple It was was a type of the later to God. Each stone come Church of represented the individual believers. It's dedication signaled the commitment to God. In this text, these children of Israel started building and rebuilding the Temple 21 years ago but were interrupted and stopped after laying the foundation until just 4 years ago. Now here they are on the 3rd day of the month of Adar 0 February-March and they have finished the building. It is time for some special celebration. 1 The elders of the Jews have worked hard. There have done three things. They Temple. They wanted to set it apart. They used it to be praise God. It is ready for use and occupancy. They have built it with care according to specifications that God instructed them to do as well as what the king ordered. While they were building it, they were prosperous and completed what they finished the started. Know that God will bless you when you do His work and He wants you to finish the job. First, they dedicated the house "Then the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with 2 Joy. And they offered sacrifices at the (16-17) When Solomon dedicated the previous temple, he was well-to-do and brought 22000 oxen and 120000 sheep for the dedication of this house of God." dedication. . Notice the Children of Israel with 1 00 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs and 12 male goats to sacrifice have come . . Can I pause to tell you that God never expects you to do what I do. He expects you to do what you can with what you have. He always accepts our offerings according to our means. Second, they got the house in order. "They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their division, over Jerusalem as the service of God in it is written in the Book of 3 (18) They organized the priests The priest and then the Levites. undertook their assignment and the Levites went about serving in their place. Everybody was in their own place. The Moses." bass was in the bass section. The sopranos were singing soprano. The alto made the alto section strong. The tenors clearly. They did different things but what they did was all to the glory of God. When the people in the could be herd church in order, we can serve the Lord faithfully and truthfully in the are Spirit. Third, they dedicated themselves. "F or the priests and the Levites had purified themselves all of them were ritually clean separated themselves form ... 4 the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel." (20-21) It's one things to dedicated the building, the robes, the instruments, the things, but it is altogether another thing to set aside the individuals. The priests no doubt turned to God and purified themselves. They separated themselves in three ways-from other nations, ceremonially, and from false brethren. They gave up their evil ways. They changed. The Levites were purified at the hands of the priest. They too gave up their evil ways and changed. Fourth, they got busy working toward the Kingdom. "To strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel." (22b) God 5 appreciates fine facilities dedicated to Him. In fact he reminds us in Haggai something is wrong with our priorities when we build for ourselves that house of cedar and leave the house of disrepair. Finally, they worshiped with great joy. "And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with Joy, for the Lord made themjoyful..."(22a) At the end of your toil, it's worship time. The end of your work is joy. The purpose of your work is joy. The spirit of your work is joy. The completion of your work is joy. The prospect of your work is joy. The interest of your work is God is • JOu; NU, C4M,e; -to dL r-j;de 1JtIh6\Jf 6 |
