The Right View

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet 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, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off. Ezra 3:12-13

One generation recalled the glory of Solomon's temple and mourned what they had lost. Another generation saw the new temple and shouted for joy at what the Lord had given them. Which of them had the right view?

We might easily criticize the old ones, for they mourned what was gone in light of the disappointing floor plan of the new temple. We might just as easily criticize the younger set for not respecting the old things as they should. We have plenty of criticism to go around it seems. We might also take a trip to Jerusalem and see that neither temple is there at the moment, and then criticize Ezekiel for writing about a temple that has never been built. What a dreamer he was!

John and Peter could recall Jesus as He was when first calling up the disciples to follow Him. And they could witness to the resurrected Lord and that they had seen Him disappear into the clouds above them. And like a certain temple, they promised that the Lord too would return in His glory. So, what is the right view: to mourn with the great old ones until God wipes away every tear, or to rejoice with the new believers until our Lord returns?

I think that we will experience both several times until that time our Lord Jesus comes and God the Father wipes away every tear from our eyes. Always ready are we in Christ to mourn with those who mourn and to rejoice in Him!

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Bucky