The Return Of The Remnant

by J. Renfrew | Category: General | Jan 1969

The return of the captives from Babylon to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem was one of the brightest periods of spiritual reviving given to the nation of Israel. When they were delivered into captivity because of their sins and transgressions, God promised through Jeremiah (29.10) that He would visit them after seventy years and cause them to return to their land again. His word was literally fulfilled in the days of Cyrus, king of Persia. Such is the marvellous overruling of God, that even a Gentile king was instrumental in bringing this to pass. Truly "the king's heart is in the hand of the LORD as the water-courses: He turneth it whithersoever He will" (Proverbs 21.1).

The days spent in Babylon were unhappy days for the godly Jews, because of their separation from the house and service of the LORD. Psalm 137 describes some of their experiences as they sat by the rivers of Babylon. They couldn't sing the songs of Zion in a strange land. They could be sung only in the LORD'S house.

What joy was theirs when the proclamation was made by Cyrus that whoever desired might go to Jerusalem and build the house of the LORD there (Ezra 1.3). Psalm 126 conveys some of this joy,

"Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing

Then said they among the nations,

The LORD hath done great things for them.

The LORD hath done great things for us;

Whereof we are glad".

It was no light undertaking, however, to leave behind their houses and possessions in Babylon and commence the long and hazardous journey to Jerusalem, especially for the older ones amongst them. However, this was their life's ambition and they were prepared to make material sacrifices to achieve this.

The names and families of those who returned, recorded in Ezra 2, are given a place of honour in the word of God. There were only 42,360, but the LORD showed His pleasure in the work they undertook. On their return to Jerusalem their first work was to build the altar and offer burnt offerings thereon (Ezra 3.2). Later, they laid the foundation of the house of the LORD and began to build. This also was an occasion of great joy, though to some of the older men it was an occasion of weeping when they compared this house with the glory of the former house which had been destroyed.

The building does not appear to have proceeded far when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin began to make their presence felt, and sought to frustrate the purpose of the people. This lasted throughout the reigns of Cyrus, Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. Finally, the work was brought to a complete halt because of the decree of Artaxerxes.

This must have been one of the most trying experiences of that godly remnant. Had they not returned to Jerusalem at the command of the LORD and now their work seems to have come to naught? Is it not so in the work of God today? We also have a mighty adversary, but his triumphs can only be short-lived like those of the adversaries of Israel. At this crucial juncture, the LORD spoke to the people through the prophesyings of Haggai and Zechariah. It is obvious from Haggai's message that the people had become discouraged and were more taken up with their own houses than with the house of the LORD. The LORD said that He would take pleasure in the house they were building, and the people and their leaders were encouraged to be strong and work: for " I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts" (Haggai 2.4). So the work recommenced, and the adversaries again

tried to hinder it, but this time they did not succeed. The overruling of God was again evident in the decree of Darius, and in Ezra 6.15 we read that the house was finished in the sixth year of the reign of Darius. Some twenty years or so must have elapsed since the work began, but God enabled them to complete what they had set out to do. Again the service of the house of the LORD was brought into being in Jerusalem, and the LORD made the people joyful.

Their difficulties were not over yet, however, because the matter of separation had to be dealt with and this involved judgement upon some (Ezra 10). Later, in Nehemiah's time, the adversaries once more gained entrance into the city and the wall was broken down and the gates burned with fire, but God used Nehemiah to restore the wall and the gates and help forward the work. He, with Ezra and Zerubbabel, and Joshua the high priest have special mention of their work and their reward is with the LORD.

We can glean many lessons from the experiences of the Remnant in connexion with the work of the Lord today. Indeed in the early years of the present churches of God, reference was frequently made to the Remnant and the parallel work of building the house of God today. This work must be of God, and, though at times the adversary would seem to bring it to naught, yet with the Lord's help we can continue to build, believing that He finds pleasure in this, and is glorified.

J. Renfrew | Jan 1969
General