It must have been quite the scene. It must have been quite the sound! People shouting for joy . . . people crying out in anguish of soul. Those singing out songs of praise and thanksgiving at the tops of their lungs . . . those weeping and wailing with an equally loud voice. Those whose spirits were bolstered as they beheld a cup half full . . . those whose spirits were crushed as they looked upon a cup half empty. Both perspectives had merit . . . both responses were appropriate . . . both response would be used of God to reclaim His people.

As I’m reading in Ezra this morning, the story of the return of the exiles to rebuild the temple, I can’t help but pause over this scene. It’s been two years since God “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” to issue a proclamation allowing those who had been taken into captivity to return to Judah, to go back to Jerusalem, and rebuild the house of God . . . to rebuild the temple which had been leveled at the hands of the Babylonians. (Ezra 1:1-4)

About 50,000 people pack up their belongings, load up the temple treasures returned to them by Cyrus and the offerings given by those who decided not to return, and head back to Jerusalem (Ezra 2). Seven months after leaving captivity, after having re-settled in the abandoned towns around Jerusalem, the first thing they rebuild is the altar of God . . . so that they could offer the burnt offerings . . . so that they could pour out the blood needed for atonement. Under the law, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22) . . . and they had a lot of sins to be forgiven.

With the slicing and dicing and sacrificing reestablished, they set out to rebuild the temple . . . the place that had once housed the glory of God. And after the foundation had been laid it was time to pause, reflect, and rejoice. Enough of the temple had been reconstructed that the priests could come forward and lead the first praise and worship session in Jerusalem in years. They brought their instruments, they gathered the people, . . .

“And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, ‘For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.’ And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” (Ezra 3:11)

There was great shouting . . . they gave ‘er as they declared praises to God. But there were some, “many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who seen the first house” who looked at the feeble beginnings of this “new temple” and, recalling the old temple, wept . . . and wept uncontrollably . . . wept loudly. It was the weeping of seeing an outline of a temple where once the glory of God dwelt . . . the sorrow of knowing that the glory had departed . . . that their sin and infidelity had resulted in God’s exit long before the Babylonians had destroyed it.

And I kind of think there was a place for both responses . . . that weeping and praising can go together. To recall the past . . . to acknowledge sin . . . to remember what once was or what could have been had it not been for bad choices, rebellious spirits, idolatrous desires . . . it all makes for true repentance and a godly sorrow. But our God is a God of new beginnings. It was He who stirred a Persian king’s heart to rebuild the house . . . it was He who had determined the time when exile should end and pursuing Him again should recommence . . . it was He who provided resources, skill, and grace to lay again a foundation for a place where God’s glory would again enter. And in that, their rejoicing is appropriate.

After acknowledging the past, mourning the past, repenting of the past, it was time to praise God for the present and rejoice in the future. Time to recognize the hand of God in what was happening today and anticipate His continued presence and leading tomorrow. Time to see in the freshly laid foundation the gracious favor of God . . . and anticipate in these small beginnings a glorious future because of the One who is faithful . . . the One who declares, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1Cor. 2:9 NKJV).

“His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 ESV)