Psalm 31; Ezra 3:1-13; 1 Cor 16:10-24; Matt. 12:22-32
We skipped chapter 2 in Ezra which is primarily a recitation of those who returned from the Babylonian exile. As they arrive in Jerusalem the first thing they do is erect the altar for sacrifice because they had a fear of the people of the surrounding lands. That is good worship, they are asking the Lord for protection. Their trust is in Him and so they offer the prescribed sacrifices and are careful to observe all the religious festivals. It is difficult sometimes to separate these observances from superstition, if we do this then this will result. I am not accusing the returnees of superstition but we must always be careful of our own motivations that we don’t do what we do in order to obligate God to do something based on our performance. After a year of living in the city and worshipping there they begin to rebuild the temple and when the foundation is laid there is great joy which some express with shouts and others, the elders who recall the first temple, with weeping for joy and also remorse it would seem. The joy was so great that it was heard far away.
Jesus logically responds to the accusation that He drives out demons by the prince of demons. It makes no logical sense that satan would be divided against himself so the only logical option is that Jesus represents another, stronger power and yet they will not come to Him. They have ascribed the work of the Holy Spirit to satan and this, Jesus says, is the unpardonable sin. We are always to be thankful to God for any healing we witness or receive, as He is the true healer. This is not about the man, Jesus says “whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.” The issue is not men, it is by what Spirit we are healed. If the work is a work of God then we need to give thanks to Him for the work.
Paul speaks of several men who are to be accepted, encouraged and recognized as leaders by the church at Corinth. Leadership is important and we see that in that Ezra reading as Jeshua arose as a leader to build the altar along with Zerubbabel and others and these men moved forward the work of rebuilding the temple. Paul also gives an interesting admonition, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” He has spoken in this letter about the role of women in the church and Corinth was near to Delphi where women were priestesses at a shrine there and they, rather than the men, were the ones who received prophetic and religious messages and instruction. Men were beholden to these women in that culture. Paul speaks into a culture that was apt to defer to women on religious matters as is sometimes the case today. Men need to step into what we see in the beginning as a role of leadership in religious matters in the family.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
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