Leadership Priorities (Ezra Chapter 3)

by Martin Dyer, Edinburgh, Scotland | Category: Leadership In Remnant Times | Apr 1993

We are told in Ecclesiastes 4:12 that a threefold cord is not quickly broken. In Ezra chapter 3 we have three strands coining together, giving us one of the great chapters of the Bible.

Firstly we have the underlying strand of divine purpose, then we have the strand of a people responsive to the Lord and His purposes and thirdly within that people the strand of an emerging leadership. This leadership is empathetic to the desires of that people and is able to give direction because of an insight into the things of the Lord and an understanding of His requirements.

These were good days in Israel, days of return and of national inclination towards the Lord, His land and His house. In the activities of men and nations God has always taken note of a trend towards Himself, whatever shortcomings in other directions there might have been. He honours such a trend and will work with it in the furtherance of the counsels of His will. In this great swell of interest the Holy Spirit took note of some men who rose higher than their brethren in perception of the needs and the priorities of the day, and who gave lead accordingly. The words "Then stood" (vv. 2,9) marked important developments brought about by Jeshua and his brethren, Zerubbabel and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah together, and the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

These men stand out in the narrative against the background of the great gathering of Israel mentioned in verse one. "The people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem". Let us not lose the significance of this verse. Here was a national gathering to a ruined city and a destroyed temple. If ever there was a wasteland this was one, yet Israel was drawn as one man to such a Site. To the natural eye this was a scene of desolation but to Spirit-led men it was the place of the Name. "For the LORD hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My resting place for ever:

here will I dwell; for I have desired it" (Ps. 132; 13,14). At this point most men would have given priority to defence for fear was upon them because of the people of the countries (verse 3). Here men of a different mould stood up, directing Israel along spiritual lines and giving precedence to the building of the altar, establishing priestly service and sacrifice, and to laying the foundation of the house of the Lord.

In Exodus 27:1 the Revised Version rightly describes the altar of

burnt offering as "the altar", for there was not another. It is also described in Leviticus 4:7 as "the altar which is at the door". In Israel's approach to God the altar stood at the head of the way, there was no bypass route. Access to God was on the grounds of sacrifice and so too was the presence of a holy God in the midst of a sinful people. In giving direction to Israel in this vital matter Jeshua and Zerubbabel took their guidance from the Scriptures, "as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God" (verse 2), and "they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance" (verse 4). A leadership that in its task would seek the help of the Holy Spirit must resort to Spiritbreathed words for guidance.

Abraham too was a man who recognized the import~ce of the altar and who gave it its due place. Genesis 12 shows us that Abram's foremost thought on entering the land was the building of an altar, the place of sacrifice. The Scriptures here show a relationship between the altar and the tent. There is a principle here for us today. Our place of residence should if p055ible enable us to travel regularly to the meeting place of our assembly and to attend all its gatherings. We should endeavour even in the matter of where we live to put the Lord and His things first.

There is a word in Exodus 29:37 to be heeded by all who seek to serve the Lord, "the altar shall be most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be

holy". This scripture is significant in the light of Hebrews 13:10. "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle". Here we are brought into such close intimate contact with the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. How careful we must be in our service for the Lord, in particular our holy priesthood service on a Lord's day morning, when in the Spirit we enter into the Holy Place, having boldness so to do by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19). Paul draws attention to this aspect of things in 1 Corinthians 11 where he refers to improper behaviour at the Remembrance in Corinth and to eating the bread. and drinking the cup unworthily. Flow serious for them to eat and drink judgement unto themselves, not discerning the Lord's body (verses 27-

29)!

These remnant~ay leaders saw to it that the altar was not a place of careless or casual service. The altar of the Lord was a place of order and discipline.

Note too from verse 4 that they "offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required". These remnant-day leaders saw to it that the altar was not a place of careless or casual service. The altar of the Lord was a place of order and discipline. As a consideration of Leviticus chapter 9 will show, the daily pattern of events was according to divine instruction. What precious shadows we have here

of Calvary and the events leading up to it, all in "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). "When the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son" (Gal. 4:4). And thereafter (as before) events unfolded by divine arrangement and by a divine timetable. Fearful though Calvary was with suffering and death for the Saviour, God was glorified in all the order and discipline of that great offering and sacrifice. How precise it all was "that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted My garments among them, And upon My vesture did they cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did" (John 19:24). "After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith, I thirst" (verse 28). "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit" (verse 30). Fitting at this point are the words of the Son to the Father in John 17:4: "I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do".

There are shadows too in all this of the priestly work of the Lord Jesus Christ! "For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore" (Heb. 7:28). That glorified Man on high is a Priest who is perfected in His consecration, and in His consecration He is perfect. He is the leader of a great congregation, a

congregation that takes its character from Himself', for... He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of One: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I sing Thy praise" (Heb.

2:11-12). The Lord Jesus Christ as great Priest is "over the house of God" (Heb. 10:21). In that place He exercises His authority and directs the service and ministry of His people. Lovely contemplation indeed to consider the approach of the holy priesthood on a Lord's Day morning when we draw near and enter into the Holy Place, having boldness so to do by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10:19). This one and that one in this place and that place rise in a spiritual experience to offer worship, praise and thanksgivmg to the blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The priestly ministry of the Lord perfects and places all in order, then presents all in His own blessed hands to His God and Father. We too can say, "How amiable are Thy tabernacles, 0 LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD"

(Ps. 84:1-2).

We have noted that in the matter of the altar the leaders went back to Moses for guidance. In the matter of priestly praise they went back to David (verse 10). As Moses had introduced the service of the altar, so David had introduced the service of praise (1 Chron. 6:31; 25:1). "All this, said David, have I been made to

understand in writing from the hand of the LORD" (1 Chron. 28:19). 2 Chronides 5:11-14 shows us that the house and all its service was in accordance with the divine will, "for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God" (verse 14).

That these men in Ezra were on right lines in all that they did is clear from IIaggai 2:7: "I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts". Nevertheless many older men wept when they saw the foundations of the house laid and remembered the first house; with them it was not an occasion for joy. But the sons of Asaph struck the right note, giving a positive

lead for the day in their praising and giving thanks to the Lord. It is always good when in any circumstances we can see the divine perspective. The joyful reality of a present divine movement far outweighs memories of past days. If ever innovation could have been justified, surely that would have been the time! This was a new generation. These were young men with fervour and heartfelt desire to please the Lord. Their search of the Scriptures however, confirmed them in their application of pa~t principles to the work of the Lord. There is a lesson in all this for the people of God and tl~eir leaders today.

Martin Dyer, Edinburgh, Scotland | Apr 1993
Leadership In Remnant Times