During the past few days, when we gathered and waited upon the Lord, He laid afresh upon my heart some words from the book of Ezra.
Will you please turn to the book of Ezra? We will read from the first chapter, beginning with the first verse: Ezra 1:1.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying:
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whosoever there is among you of all His people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.
And whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
Then rose up the heads of fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
I believe that we are all familiar with the history of it. The people of Judah, the Jews, were taken into captivity, and they were in Babylon for seventy years. When the seventy years were fulfilled, God stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus to make a proclamation allowing the Jews to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of God.
During those seventy years that the Jews sojourned in the land of captivity, they gradually settled down to their life. They began to build houses for themselves, built up their businesses, had lands, and were given quite a high degree of liberty in every respect.
I believe we all know that the great system of synagogues was instituted during that period. Of course, the temple in Jerusalem was utterly destroyed, and Jerusalem was in ruin. But those people who were in captivity were still allowed to continue their worship of the Lord.
There they had many synagogues. In the synagogues, they could read the Bible, sing their praises, pray, and do many things to satisfy their heart of worship toward God.
But after seventy years, the call came from God: return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
When the call came to the Jews, only a remnant responded and returned to build the house of God. Most of the people were well settled in Babylon. They felt quite comfortable there. It was not their native land, but they were used to it; they were rooted in the land.
If they had not been given any religious liberty, I believe most of them would have gone back. But they were given a great degree of liberty. They had synagogues everywhere. It was even more convenient than the days when they were in the land of Judah, because at that time they had to travel a long distance to Jerusalem if they wanted to worship, sacrifice, and offer.
But now, within walking distance, they could just gather together, and there they had their time of worship. So most of them were quite happy with their lives—quite contented and satisfied. Materially, they were very prosperous.
Eventually, they had that kind of worship which was quite satisfying if their religion, or religious life, was centered upon themselves. So, when the call of God came, very few were stirred in their spirit to go back.
Jerusalem was in ruin. The neighboring nations were not friendly. The temple was utterly destroyed. To be uprooted from the place where they had sojourned for seventy years, to travel that dangerous journey, to settle down in a ruined place, and to build from nothing, was not a very appealing thing.
Why could they not just settle down in the land of captivity? Could they not worship God as they did before? It was not perfect, that was true. There was no temple; therefore, they could not offer sacrifice.
Yes, they still could worship God. They could still read the Book, the Torah, sing songs, and pray to God. Why not just settle down and make the most out of it? Why must they go back to Jerusalem and rebuild?
To those who lived for themselves, life in the land of captivity was good enough. The synagogue was good enough for them in their relationship with God. But for those few—not many—whose spirits God had stirred, they could not sit and watch Jerusalem and the temple remain in ruin.
It was a call from God. It was not a cry from men, crying for Jerusalem and crying for the temple. It was a cry from God. His heart was full. He was not contented with what synagogues could offer.
The synagogue was a human invention—a very ingenious one. It was a great invention. It was a good substitute, a very good substitute: not perfect, not the best, but the best man could offer. Quite satisfying, quite convenient, a matter of expediency, and it seemed to meet the need of many.
But God was not satisfied. God was not satisfied with that ingenious human invention of the synagogue. He wanted one thing: His own house, the temple, in which the sacrifice could be offered; in that sense, He could put His name and rest it. There He could be worshipped as He desired.
Dear friends, it was not a call for man, not a cry from man. It was a call from God, a cry from His heart: “Go back to Jerusalem and rebuild.”
Why could they not build the temple in Babylon? It would be much easier. For the temple could only be built in one place: Jerusalem.
Babylon means confusion. On the ground of confusion, you can only build synagogues, but not the temple. The temple, the house of God, could only be built in Jerusalem, the city of peace: peace with God, harmony with God, the ground of purity.
Humanly, many would say, “Why not?” It was more convenient. They were not in hostile surroundings. It could be built easier and quicker. But the call of God was, “Go back to Jerusalem and build My house there.”
A remnant rose up. They were willing to be uprooted. They were willing to face all the dangers and perils of the road. They went back to that ruined city because their spirits were stirred. They were a people with purpose.
The only reason for their doing that was to rebuild the house. Not because they were uncomfortable—they were quite comfortable in the land of captivity. They went back for just one reason: for God, for His satisfaction, for the fulfillment of His will, that God might have His heart’s desire.
In order to let God have His heart’s desire, they were willing to go through many heartbreaks and pains. They were a people living for God and for God’s purpose. They did not care what happened to them. Nothing could hold them back. Their hearts were wholly toward God.
It was this people that finally rebuilt the house. The story of the rebuilding of the house of God is very interesting, but I do not think we will go into that. The thing that is on my heart is very simple.
What is the purpose of our being together? I often feel that, from time to time, we need to go back to God and reconsider—or, a better word, re-examine—our position before God.
Why are we here, in the first place? Why are we here in this way, in the second place? What is the reason for our existence? What is the explanation for our conduct, for our way of life? Is there any purpose?
Many of God’s children today are living in the land of captivity. That is spiritual Babylon. Many of those people have settled down in the land of confusion.
I think the confusion in Christianity today is so great that many do not feel it anymore. If you are just a little bit confused, you are confused. If you are too much confused, you are not confused at all. You would think that is what it is. What else do you have? What else can you expect?
Those who were born in a land of captivity—that is what they experience every day. What more do we want? You have food, you have business, you can carry on, and you can worship. What is wrong with it?
You can worship in the way that you want. There is great liberty there. Dear friends, many children of God today live in the land of confusion. Many children of God today live for themselves.
Yes, they worship God in a way that is satisfying to human desire. You know, there is within them an instinct for God, and man must worship. The synagogue is the best arrangement.
People today go to church, read the Bible, sing praises, sing hymns, and pray. What do you want? You have your religious life, and you are worshipping the true God. Everything is convenient—very good.
But, dear brothers and sisters, the question is: are you really satisfied? Are you really satisfied with the situation you are in? Have you forgotten Jerusalem? Have you forgotten the house of God?
Your need may be met. Your heart may be satisfied, but God’s heart is not. Is that all? What is the purpose?
From God’s viewpoint, you live even if you go to sleep. From God’s viewpoint, it is without purpose. There is only one purpose, and that purpose is God.
If your life is linked to God’s purpose, you live purposefully. If not, your life is empty. Sooner or later, you will feel it is empty. Sooner or later, you will be frustrated. Sooner or later, you will discover there is no meaning.
What is God’s purpose for His people today? What is God’s purpose for His people throughout the ages and the generations? What is God’s purpose from eternity to eternity? Is our life related to that purpose?
If your life is to be related to that purpose, you have to be uprooted. God does not allow us to settle down in our lives. God will disturb us, that He may teach us.
The call has come: go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Return to purity. Return to the simplicity of truth.
Life in Babylon is very complex. That is the center of world civilization, is it not? Return to Jerusalem, the place of simplicity and purity.
I think there is nothing more important than this today for God’s people: return to simplicity. Away from all the complexity of life, of so-called Christian life, go back to that one union of life with God. Leave everything and return to that single life with God.
Then the house is able to be built there.
Dear friends, are we willing to be uprooted from everything—from everything that we are familiar with, from everything traditional to us, conventional, and convenient? Are we willing to let go of everything and come just to the simplicity in Christ, to live for God, for God’s purpose, and nothing else?
When the call of God comes, it is a call. God never requires us to do it by force. Are we ready? If the Spirit of God stirs, we must go back.
Out of Babylon into Jerusalem; out of confusion into peace; out of complexity into the simplicity of Christ. It would not be so easy, but, dear brothers and sisters, it is there you will find the house of God able to be built.
Not just to meet the need that can be met in a synagogue, but something should be built that can meet God’s need—something which is complete.
There you will find that He takes His place as the Head of all. There you will find the spiritual house, the holy priesthood, where all the members of the body are free to function together as a spiritual house, to serve God according to His word.
When the remnant returned to Jerusalem, you will find that the first thing they did was not to build the house. The first thing they built was the altar, and the first thing they kept was the feast, to offer burnt offerings, and so forth.
In other words, the whole picture was of a people dedicated for one thing: God. They were there just for God.
Dear brothers and sisters, this is upon my heart after these days of prayer. I do not know if it will come as a confirmation to your heart, that, as we re-examine our position before God, both as individuals and also as a company of God’s people, may the Lord lead us to examine ourselves in this way.
Have we been lost in that? Are we now in Egypt? How are we building? Are we building synagogues that can partially meet the need of man, but certainly not God’s need? Are we here, by the grace of God, building this house that will satisfy God first, and, of course, we ourselves?
So may the Lord bless His name.