Wednesday 6th May
Read Ezra 3:10-13
“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:
‘He is good;
his love towards Israel endures for ever.’
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.” (NIVUK)
What has otherwise been a tour-de-force echo of the building of the Solomonic temple is tempered by the final reflections. There is joy at the laying of the foundations of the temple that reverberates through all involved. Even down to the words and music (cf 2 Chronicles 5).
But within this praise are notes of grief. There is little doubt that these events occurred and caused pain for those old enough to remember. Why else record them? But what benefit accrues to us reading about the ambivalence of such an auspicious event?
If we reflect on the two temples, which Ezra invites us to do, then we find joy and pride and glory at the laying of Solomon’s temple but joy and grief and reflection at the laying of the second temple. The praise associated with the latter, tinged as it is with humility, suffering and sadness, is a truer reflection of reality.
There is balance in the way we approach God in worship. But that balance is found in community.
