Reconstruct your Brokenness through the Words of God

Reconstruct your Brokenness through the Word of God

“Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord” (Ezra 3:2-5).

After the seventy-year Babylonian captivity, as the LORD of the hosts promised his covenant community through the prophet Jeremiah, he brought his people back to Jerusalem and used King Cyrus to rebuild the broken temple. This restoration was an exciting and challenging project, for the remnants of Judah had been waiting for this moment for seventy years and could not mass up this divine opportunity. Simultaneously, this reconstruction for the covenant people, who used to be so proud of the glorious legacy of their forefathers and wonder-working God, was more than rebuilding the physical structure of the temple, for it meant reconstructing their broken relationship with the God of Israel, their defamed national-identity, and their broken dream shattered during the Babylonian exile. Besides, the residents of the trans-Euphrates were observing their attempt and progress with their jealousy eyes hoping them to fail rebuilding their once glorious and majestic temple.

Being determined to reconstruct the fallen house of God, the people of God decided to do it the right way and to stick to the fundamentals of their community. Thus, they began the restoration project according to God’s way as written in the Scriptures. They repaired the alter of the God of Israel “in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God” (v. 2) to make sacrifices to the LORD, following the appointed festivals and presenting the required burnt offerings and free will offerings to the LORD “in accordance with what is written” (v.4). They praised the LORD “as prescribed by David king of Israel” (v. 10) and even followed the way King Solomon brought cedar logs to build the temple of God (v. 7). Reconstructing the temple was challenged by the enemies of the Israelites but was still accomplished through the gracious hands of the LORD of the hosts.

The passage teaches us that God’s covenant community reconstructs its brokenness through the Words of God, because he uses the Scriptures as the blueprint for his reconstructing project. The project starts with reconstructing our disconnected relationship with our Maker who alone can rebuild our brokenness through his mighty hands, confessing our transgressions and wickedness, submitting ourselves to God’s blueprint, and praising him with joy and thanksgiving throughout the process of the project. This is the way God wants to reconstruct our brokenness. Perhaps, you may be experiencing some sort of challenges in your life or need a new and fresh start. God is compassionate and merciful, and they are new every morning, and great is his faithfulness, so that when we turn to God and choose his way, the LORD will reconstruct our brokenness according to his blueprint and timing through his righteous and mighty hands.