A huge party with a dedication was the topic of our last devotion, today we learn about the Passover being kept in Ezra 6:19-22.
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
So the temple dedication was celebrated third day of the month of Adar, which is the last month of the calendar year for the Jewish people, and they celebrated Passover on the 14th day of the first month. So basically what? Three weeks later or so?
I thought this was an interesting verse: It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. So not just by the exiled Israelites, but also by those who separated themselves from the unclean people around them. Did the Israelites gain members? Was their diligence to the word of God, that task that he had set them to, something that reaped spiritual rewards? Could people see that they were set apart by the Lord?
And then there is this line: And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Can’t you just see their joy? Their work was done. God filled their hearts with joy. Did you see that? God made them joyful! Do you remember the pain from earlier? When they had built up the foundations? And here God has made them joyful. They also knew that God had turned King Darius’ heart toward them. That action had helped them to finish the task God had set them to. Therefore there was rejoicing to be done. Ergo… the week long Passover celebration.
I’m sitting here and I’m just seeing the laughter and the singing, the feasting, and the good cheer. Their work of building the temple was finished, God had been good to them, and so there was joy. I can also see exhaustion on the faces of the moms, the grammas, and the daughters as they provided meals, mixed with happiness of their kinfolk gathered round, with their hearts joyful for all that the Lord has done. I can see dads sitting around the fires with their boys, reminding them of all that the Lord had done. God was good. They were joyful. Let’s celebrate and remember all that the Lord had done.
Isn’t it a grand thing to do? To remember all that the Lord has done? Do we tell each other? Do we celebrate? Do we recognize when God is at work? Celebrate! Be Joyful!
I see joy throughout Ezra and I always find it an encouragement.
and to see it as given by the Lord… neat eh?