Ezra 3:10-13

Ezr 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, they set the priests in their robes with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to David king of Israel.

Ezr 3:11 And they sang, praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, because He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid.

Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, ancient men who 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

Ezr 3:13 so that the people could not tell 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 noise was heard afar off.

What The Old People Remembered 1. The Glory, The Grandeur, The Gold

What The Old People Realized 1. The New Temple Would Never be the same

What The Younger Remembered 1. They remembered bondage in Babylon

What The Younger Realized 1. This was a new day for opportunity

The old days The New Some people are so caught up in the past they can’t see what God is doing in the present

The New The old days Some people are so caught up in the newest trends and methods but fail to remember what God did in the past.

The past is gone forever and we live in the present. We need to look back and glean what we can from days gone by, but we have to live in the here and now! Balance

What It Doesn’t Mean What It Does Mean It doesn’t mean we drop biblical standards, chunk all hymnals, substitute preaching for dramas etc. We remember what God is able to do from the past but we look to what He is doing now and be thankful for the present opportunities

Haggai 2:1-9 The Old Men Wept The Young Men Praised But Fifteen Years Went By And The Work Was Not Finished

God had to raise up Haggai to preach to the people to complete the task and vision of rebuilding the temple Hag 1:4 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your finished houses, and shall this House lie waste?

What Was The Problem? The old people were discouraged because things weren’t like they used to be. The younger were discouraged because of the complaining and lack of support from the older people. Hag 2:3 Who is left among you who saw this house in her first glory? And how do you see it now? When compared to it, is it not as nothing in your eyes?

In the midst of discouragement Haggai brought encouragement to both.

Hag 2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says Yahweh. And be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong all people of the land, says Yahweh, and work; for I am with you, says Yahweh of Hosts and work; for I am with you,

…for I am with you, says Yahweh of Hosts. Hag 2:5 with the Word who cut a covenant with you when you came out of Egypt, and My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.

Hag 2:6 For so says Yahweh of Hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.

Hag 2:8 The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says Jehovah of Hosts.

Hag 2:7 And I will shake all the nations; and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Hosts. Hag 2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, says Yahweh of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace, says Yahweh of Hosts.

We Have Three Choices We can look live our lives looking backward and be of no value in the present We can be all excited about new things but fail to commit to the task We can be mindful of the past, thankful for the present, and seize the opportunities that God is giving to us now and go to work.