Not How It Used to Be

Nearly four hundred years after King Solomon completed the construction of the glorious Temple of God, it was destroyed by the Babylonians (586 BC). The invading army carried most of the citizens away, leaving only the poorest to care for the land. Eventually, some of the exiled were permitted to return, and with the support of the Persian ruler Cyrus and later Darius, the Temple was rebuilt (515 BC). The dimensions of the Second Temple were likely the same as that of the first, perhaps even on the repaired foundations of the first, but there was no way to reproduce the splendor. Both David and Solomon had opened their vast treasuries for the building and extravagant furnishing of God's house. Even with the aid of sympathetic foreigners, the present means of people in this desolate country were small compared to the immense resources of the former kings during prosperous circumstances.

"When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the Lord, just as King David had prescribed. With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: 'He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!' Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy." (Ezra 3:10-12 NLT)

Those who knew the sadness of having no temple at all were overjoyed when they saw the foundation of the new one laid. To them, this was like food to a starving person. But for those who could remember the grandeur of the first temple, this new one would surely be far inferior. There was no likelihood at all of its being so richly decorated with precious materials. They wept aloud, their cries mingling with the cheers around them. Some translations say these were "ancient men," seventy or eight years old (uh oh!) They lamented, "This is not how it used to be."

I cannot help but think of this story when I hear some of my fellow church-goers speak slightingly of contemporary worship forms and church direction. Rather than bewail the loss of how things used to be, we must accept that many of those around us do not share the same memories. They, like the spiritually starved younger generation of Israelites, are overjoyed at the prospect and reality of worshipping in the presence of God together. We "ancient" folks are grown-ups now; we can feed ourselves, if need be. If you miss the old hymns, find a hymn book and sing yourself into grace! If you miss old-fashioned "cottage" prayer meetings, get some folks together! If you miss lively revival services, look around; they may not be in tents any more, but they still do exist in many places!

This is not how it used to be? Of course not. Nothing is. I'm with the Apostle Paul who declared, "So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!" (Philippians 1:17 MSG)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.