But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people. Ezra 3:11-13
The first temple had been destroyed because of the sin of the nation, and after many years in captivity, as a nation, the people began to rebuild the ruins of the house of God. When the foundation was laid, there was a mixed reaction among the people, some sang and rejoiced, but the fathers who had seen the temple in its first glory, wept with a loud voice. How what made a group shout with joy and excitement brought weeping and sorrow to others.
As we look at the church world today, we cannot but see a
replication of this situation that Israel experienced. In our time, what
has become the most celebrated and marketable doctrines will cause
those who saw the church in its earlier glory to weep with a loud voice.
But sadly, the voice of rejoicing, caused by another brand of gospel,
has drowned the voice of weeping caused by the speedy decline of all
that the church fathers bequeathed to us.
We have found ourselves in a corrupt time that feeds on the
lustful cravings for what only satisfies the flesh; so the truth is no
longer celebrated, rather falsehoods that are propagated in different
forms have captured the hearts of the people. Today, when a meeting is
not about prophecy, becoming millionaires, killing your enemies with
Holy Ghost fire, and many other foolish things that are peddled for
doctrine, few people will be interested. Some of us who had been
privileged to see, through the eyes of scripture, the glorious truths
taught in them cannot, but bemoan this sad thing that has befallen the
church in our age.
But fathers and the ancient who saw the first glory of the
church must not stop weeping until someone hears them. The comfort is
that Jesus has promised to build His church, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it.
Toni
