~INSPIRED BY A DARTING SPARROW

I recently discovered a beautiful essay in the January 2011 issue of Guideposts magazine.  It is the entry of the month for the "New Beginnings" section and recounts how a photographer was inspired by a small, feathered friend to make a fresh start.  I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses, Zechariah 4:10.  Two different translations of the first part of the verse are below....

"The people should not think that small beginnings are unimportant." (NCV)

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." (NLT)

The background of this verse is as follows.  King Solomon decided to build a house for the name of the Lord, and in the fourth year of his reign, he began work on this temple.  It was a magnificent structure that took seven years to build (1 Kings 5-6).  The nation of Babylon ended up invading Israel, and they destroyed the temple 373 years later (586 B.C.).  Thousands of Israelites were deported and became captives of the Babylonians.  Cyrus, the king of Persia, freed them 70 years later, and some of them returned to Israel and began to rebuild the temple.  However, outsiders began to discourage them and to frustrate their plans (Ezra 3).  According to the MacArthur Study Bible, this disturbance from without was followed by "indifference from within."  Thus, work on the temple ceased for 16 years.  The Lord commissioned Zechariah and Haggai to encourage the Israelites to begin the work anew.  But, there was a small problem.  Some of them were upset because the new temple was not as large and magnificent as Solomon's had been (Ezra 3:12, Haggai 2:3).  In explaining the meaning of Zechariah 4:10, in its entirety, John MacArthur says:

 "...the Lord announced that His pleasure was upon this work, and that His omniscient care ("7 eyes") was watching over and taking pleasure in its completion.  He said in effect, 'Don't despise what God is pleased with.'  This was only a picture of the glorious restoration when Messiah comes to reign.  That temple will make all others pale by comparison (cf. Ezekiel 40-48)."

All of this reminds me that, like the temple, Christians too are being restored by the Lord.  Though hindrances from without and within threaten to impede us, in the end, the Lord will complete us....

"Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?'  For it is not from wisdom that you ask this."
~Ecclesiastes 7:10 (RSV)~

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you."

~1 Peter 5:10 (RSV)~

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
~Philippians 1:6 (CSB)~

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