“… ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:3
If every believer is an epistle, or letter, written by God, then what constitutes a new chapter, or new beginning. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord spoke to Israel concerning such a new beginning, saying: “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth, shall ye not know it?” (Is. 43:18) Why does God say this to Israel? It is because, by a new beginning, where the past is forgotten, the sin and errors of which are turned from, that a new chapter can begin, and will begin, if there is a turning to God to hear what He will say to Israel, and to the individual. In order to grasp the important element of God’s intent, desire, and will with regard to Israel and the believer of today, we must grasp what He is saying. Beyond dealing with past, which could be a weight and distraction, God declares this: “I will do a new thing; NOW it shall spring forth.” That which truly constitutes a new beginning is the intervention of God, His working, and this revealed to the heart by that which He says, or declares. We see this in the book of Zechariah, when Israel had, in part, returned to the land after being in exile, and was faced with the “impossible” task of rebuilding the temple. Not only was there opposition to it, but there was no comparison of it to the temple that Solomon had built, and which had been destroyed. However, that which made all the difference was the “new beginning,” as declared by God, by His word. In Zechariah 1:16, we find the Lord declaring, “I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.” The time had come for the direct intervention of God, as declared by God, even the Lord of hosts, who possesses all authority and power. Not only would the Lord declare this, revealing His intent, but that, “…the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and in this place will I give peace.” (Hagg. 2:8) In light of these wonderful, powerfull declarations, what is to be the practical outworking of these statements, in particular with regard to resouces, protection, and certainty of finishing the work?
To Haggai, a prophet who prophesied during the same period as Zechariah, the Lord promised to, “…shake the nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory.” (Hagg. 2:7) God would provide the gold and silver, and every other resource, for the rebuilding of the temple. Even so, it would not resemble the temple of Solomon in its overwhelming ornateness. However, that which would occur in that temple would be the revelation of the glory of God in Christ. Each successive temple was a prelude, and promise, of the full revelation of God’s glory to come.
Secondly, the Lord in His mercy, would not only promise a certain prosperity, so that Jerusalem would be inhabited, but that He would BE, “…a wall of fire around about it, and will be the glory in the midst of her.” (Zech. 1:5) To Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, who oversaw the work on the Temple, the Lord would promise: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it.” (Zech. 4:9) Ultimately, God promised all things necessary, and the certainty of success, so that all would KNOW that the Lord had done it. God would continue His work, so that the blessing of God would continue upon the people, and the testimony of His glory would be revealed in Israel, a witness to the entire earth.
Dear Father, Be our new beginning. In Jesus’ name, Amen.