Revival in the Book of Ezra - Part 3 — Roy Hession

The Return from Babylon and the Rebuilding of the Temple

And then we'll go further. Jesus died. We are continuing with our study of the book of Ezra. An exciting story as it unfolds itself stage by stage. And one which we can so readily identify with. We have seen that captive people returning from Babylon.

Those 50 ,000 deportees. And they were returning to rebuild the temple of the Lord that lay waste. And they returned to Zion with everlasting joy on their heads perhaps. That's what Isaiah said they would.

But when they saw what they were faced with they weren't quite so enthusiastic. Just piles of rubble. But they began, you remember, the first thing was to repair the altar of the Lord. And institute once again the daily burnt offerings.

Then they proceeded to dig the foundations and lay them of the house of the Lord. And that was a wonderful beginning. And the people had a great time of praise and music. And they gave a great shout saying, Praise the Lord for he is good.

His mercy endures forever toward Israel. And we go on from there. And the passage we've got in front of us is to me one of absorbing interest. Which can be applied to our own lives and situations at so many points.

Now this part of the Word of God is not much read. I don't know whether you've heard the scriptures talked about that relate to this time of Israel's history. Are you familiar with the story? Well I'm inclined to judge other people by myself.

And I would say apart from the special studies I've been giving it. I don't dwell very much in this part of the scripture. And because the story is of such importance and it's such good reading. It's certainly that.

We're going to read it. Now this is a Bible reading. And though we're all the time having to economize on time. We've simply got to read this story. We're going to read from chapter 4. And in as much it's going to be rather a long reading.

I want to suggest that if you have a version other than the authorized. It might be helpful to you if you didn't try and follow it in that other version. You can bear so much of sort of having two versions.

One in your ear and one on your lap. But when it's extensive it really is rather trying and you miss so much. So if you haven't got an authorized version just listen. And you won't find yourself comparing one translation for another.

Just for the sake of this particular reading. Well now the last we've heard is that great shout mingled with some weeping. When the foundations were laid. Chapter 4. Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel.

Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief of the fathers and said unto them. Let us build with you for we seek your God as you do. These were the people who they were the Samaritans. You remember the northern kingdom was taken captive earlier.

Before Judah. And they were brought into the vacant area of the northern kingdom. Various heathen tribes. And they didn't get on very well. They said you know we don't know the ways of the God of this land.

And so they somehow found a Levite or two who gave them some idea of the God of Israel. And they developed a mixed worship. They weren't true Israelites at all. Theirs was a very mixed up religion. But it had something of it.

And so these were the people. Of course when they saw Judah go that gave them more living room. And they come. And they don't like Israel there. And their oppressed approach is really rather subtle. Let us build with you.

For we seek your God as you do. And we do seek sacrifice unto him. Since the days of Eserhaton king of Eser. Which brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel and Joshua. And the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them.

Ye have nothing to do with us. To build a house unto our God. But we ourselves together will build. Unto Jehovah the God of Israel. As King Cyrus the king of Persia. Hath commanded us. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah.

And troubled them in building. And hard counselors against them. To frustrate their purpose. All the days of Cyrus king of Persia. Even unto the reign of Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus.

In the beginning of his reign. Wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes. Wrote Bishlam. Mithridath. Tabeel. And the rest of their companions.

Unto Artaxerxes king of Persia. And the writing of the letter. Was written in the Syrian tongue. And interpreted in the Syrian tongue. Rehum the chancellor. And Shimshai the scribe. Wrote a letter against Jerusalem.

To Artaxerxes the king in this thought. Then wrote Rehum the chancellor. And Shimshai the scribe. And the rest of their companions. We won't attempt to pronounce them. And the rest. Verse 10. Of the nations.

Whom the great and noble Asnapper. Brought over and set in the city of Samaria. And the rest that are on this side the river. And at such a time. And apparently Ezra who compiled this book. Had access to the files.

And he found a copy. Carbon copy of the letter. This is the copy of the letter. That they sent unto him. Even unto Artaxerxes the king. Thy servants the men on this side the river. And at such a time.

That's a sort of heading. The date. Be it known unto the king. That the Jews which came up from thee to us. Are come unto Jerusalem. Building the rebellious and the bad city. And have set up the walls thereof.

And joined the foundations. Actually they hadn't got as far as that. But that didn't matter. A little exaggeration only helped the point. Be it known now unto the king. That if this city be builded. And the walls set up again.

Then will they not pay toll. Tribute and custom. And so thou shalt in damage. The revenue of the kings. But because we have maintenance from the king's palace. And it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor.

Therefore have we sent. And certified the king. That search be made. In the book of the records of thy fathers. So shalt thou find. In the book of the records. And know that this city. Is a rebellious city.

And hurtful unto kings and provinces. And that they have moved sedition. Within the same of all time. For which cause. Was this city destroyed. And we certify the king. That if this city be builded again.

And the walls thereof set up. By this means. Thou shalt have no portion on this side the river. Then the king sent an answer. Unto Rehom the chancellor. And to Shemshei the scribe. And to rest of their companions.

That dwell in Samaria. And unto the rest beyond the river. Peace and at such a time. The letter which he sent unto us. Hath been plainly read before me. And I commanded. And search has been made. And it is found.

That this city of all time. Hath made insurrection against kings. And that rebellion and sedition. Hath been made therein. It was indeed a fact. The last two kings. Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. Had become tributary.

To Nebuchadnezzar. And had sworn by God. That they would be tributary. And they would pay toll and custom. But both those kings. Rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. And it was for that reason. That Nebuchadnezzar came.

And not only took. So many of them captive. But burnt and destroyed the whole thing. And there it was. In the record. Plain. And it was all true. There have been mighty kings. Verse 21. Also over Jerusalem.

Which have ruled over all countries. Beyond the river. And toll, tribute and custom. Was paid unto them. Give thee now commandment. To call these men to cease. And this city be not builded. Until another commandment.

Shall be given from me. Take heed now. That ye fail not to do this. Why should damage grow. To the hurt of the king. That was just the answer that they wanted. They were delighted. Now they got official sanction.

For the action they always wanted to take. Now when the copy of the king Artaxerxes letter. Was read before Rehom and Shimshiah. The scribe and their companions. They went up in haste to Jerusalem. Unto the Jews.

And made them to cease. By force and power. Not only did they have an edict. From Babylon. But they had the military forces. To enforce that. Which of course poor little Israel hadn't. Then ceased the work of the house of God.

Which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year. Of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Do you know how long that was? Thirteen years. They began. Got their foundations. And the revival stopped.

Prophetic Encouragement After the Work Ceased

And revival sometimes stops like that. Sometimes for longer than thirteen years. But that's not the end of the story. Then the prophets blessed their hearts. Hallelujah for the prophets. Then the prophets.

Haggai the prophet. And Zechariah the son of Edu. Prophesied unto the Jews. That we're in Judah and Jerusalem. In the name of the God of Israel. Even unto them. And as a result of their prophesy. And the mighty encouragement.

They got from Haggai and Zechariah. Then rose up Zerubbabel. The son of Shealtiel. And Joshua the son of Josedach. And began to build the house of God. They defied whatever opposition there was. They obeyed God.

Rather than men. And with them. Were the prophets of God helping them. At the same time came to them. Tatnai. The governor of this side of the river. And Seser Bosnai. And their companions. And said thus unto them.

Who hath commanded you to build this house. And to make up this wall. Then said we unto them after this manner. What are the names of the men that make this building. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews.

That they could not cause them to cease. Till the matter came to Darius. And then they returned answered by letter. Concerning this matter. And apparently Ezra had a copy of that letter too. And he gives it to us.

And I believe I'm right in saying. It's in a different language. To the rest. It's not in Hebrew. It's in whatever this was the language. Aramaic yes. It's most interesting these ancient documents. The copy of the letter.

That Tatnai governor on this side of the river. And Seser Bosnai. And their companions. Which were on that side of the river. Sent unto Darius the king. They sent a letter unto him. Wherein was written thus.

Unto Darius the king all peace. Be it known unto the king. That we went into the province of Judea. To the house of the great God. Which is builded with great stones. And timber is laid in the walls. And this work goeth fast on.

And prospereth in their hands. Then asked we those elders. And said unto them thus. Who hath commanded you to build this house. And to make up these walls. We asked their names also. To certify thee. That we might write the names of the men.

That were the chief of them. And thus they returned answer to us. And this is most interesting. How they answered. They quote. The Israelites answer. We are the servants of the God of heaven. And earth.

And build the house that was builded these many years ago. Which a great king of Israel builded. And set up. But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath. He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.

The Chaldean. Who destroyed this house. And carried the people away into Babylon. But oh in the grace of God. In the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon. The same king Cyrus made a decree. To build this house of God.

And the vessels also of gold and silver. Which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem. And brought into the temple of Babylon. Those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon. And they were delivered unto one.

Whose name was Shezbazar. Whom he had made governor. And said unto him. Take these vessels. Go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem. And let the house of God be builded in his place. Then came the same Shezbazar.

And laid the foundation of the house of God. Which is in Jerusalem. And since that time. Even unto now. Hath it been building. And yet it is not finished. Now therefore. This is the letter still. If it seem good to the king.

Let there be search made. See that. Two searches of the records. Very significant. There was one search made. And as a result the work stopped. There was another search made. And as a result of which.

The work sped on as never before. Now therefore. If it seem good to the king. Let there be search made in the king's treasure house. Which is there at Babylon. Whether it be so. That a decree was made of Cyrus the king.

To build this house. And let the king send his pleasure. Concerning this matter. And they got an answer they didn't expect. Then Darius the king made a decree. And search was made in the house of the rolls.

Where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Acmetha. They had to have a good long search. And at last they found the old rolls. And in the palace that is in the province of the Medes.

There was a roll. And therein was a record written. In the first year of Cyrus the king. The same Cyrus the king. The king made a decree. Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. Let this house be builded.

The place where they offered sacrifices. And let the foundations thereof be strongly laid. And the height thereof threescore cubits. And the breadth thereof threescore cubits. And other details too. Verse six.

Now therefore. Tetnei governor. You who have written this letter. And your companions. Which are beyond the river. Be ye far from thence. Let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews.

And the elders of the Jews. Build this house of God in his place. We have got it there in the record. It is true. Moreover I make a decree. What ye shall do to the elders of these Jews. For the building of this house of God.

Tell me what you are going to do. That of the king's goods. Even of the tribute beyond the river. Forthwith expenses be given unto these men. That they be not hindered. And that which they have need of.

Both young bullocks. Rams. Lambs. For the burnt offerings. Of the God of heaven. Wheat. Salt. Wine. Oil. According to the appointment of the priests. Which are at Jerusalem. Let it be given them day by day.

Without fail. That they may offer sacrifices. Of sweet savours. Unto the God of heaven. And tray. For the life of the king. And of his sons. And then for good measure. There was a PS. Also I have made a decree.

That whosoever shall alter this word. Let timber be pulled down from his house. And being set up. Let him be hanged thereon. And let his house be made a dunghill for this. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there.

Destroy all kings and people. That shall put to their hand to alter. And to destroy this house of God. Which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with speed. Ah. God have got hold of that king.

I believe it was dear old Daniel. Wasn't it Darius who. Was it. I believe which king was. Who put Daniel in the den of lions. My goodness. What a demonstration. Of Jehovah's might. And he really had his heart turned toward the God of Israel.

Then Tatnai the governor of this side of the river. And Shesna Bosnai. And their companions. According to that which Darius the king had sent. So did they speedily. He really got them hopping. None of them wanted their houses pulled down.

None of them wanted to be hung on gallows. None of them wanted their houses to be made a dunghill. And though they hated to do it. They did it. And the elders of the Jews builded. And listen. They prospered.

These were the chaps who were really important. They prospered. Through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet. And Zechariah the son of Edo. And they builded it. And finished it. According to the commandment of the God of Israel.

And according to the commandment of Cyrus. And Darius. And Artaxerxes. Well. We had to read it. But what a story. The verse that I want to underline for you to begin with. Is the last verse of chapter four.

Then ceased the work of the house of God. Which is at Jerusalem. Yes I think it is a true one. He was staying with another believer. Perhaps he was a visiting preacher or something like that. And as. Before they went to bed.

The host. Took a glass of whiskey. And the visiting preacher was a bit surprised. And this man excused himself. You know see I haven't been very well. And my doctor says this is what I really need to do.

And that was the excuse. And well I don't know. Perhaps there was some medicine or value in it. I don't know. But then the visiting preacher happened to say. How long ago was it. That your doctor told you to take this for your health.

And he revealed it was forty years ago. And he accepted it. And left it like that. And ran every man. To his own house. And you know I believe. That temple of the Lord would never have been rebuilt. But for the fact that God found a prophet.

Haggai’s Rebuke of Self-Interest

Haggai. And gave him a word. For that people. Each man busy with his own house. While the Lord's house lay waste. And you must look with me. At the extraordinary prophecy. That Haggai gave. Now Haggai is the third book from the end of the Old Testament.

And here is his prophecy. To Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. Haggai chapter 1 verse 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying. This people say. The time is not come. The time that the Lord's house should be built.

Then came the word of the Lord. By Haggai the prophet saying. Is it time for you. Oh ye. To dwell in your sealed houses. And this house. My house. Lie waste. Now therefore. Consider your ways. How you've been getting on.

All right. Far from it. In all sorts of other areas. There were problems and that. You've sown much. And bring in little. Ye eat but ye have not enough. Ye drink but you're not filled with drink. You've clothed you.

But there's none warm. And he that earneth wages. Earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. You're not getting on too well are you. On your farmsteads. The clothes you weave are not much. Verse 9.

Ye look for much. And it came to little. And when you did bring it home. I did blow upon it. Why. Why. That's a good thing. Why. Why. Has the heaven above you been stayed from dew. And the fruit. And the earth from fruit.

Why. When you think well the weathers are so erratic these days. No that's not the reason. Because of mine house. That is waste. And ye run every man to his own house. Therefore. That's the reason. The heaven over you is stayed from dew.

And the earth from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land. And upon the mountains. And the corn. And the new wine. And oil. And upon that which the ground bringeth forth. And upon all the labour of your hands.

That's the reason. And if we've quit. If you're not seeing things to be seen you used to. If you're not going to Jesus for the cleansing power. If you're not filled with his dear Holy Spirit as the blood cleanses you.

There's a reason. It's not going to work out well. There's not going to be fruit upon your testimony. And the dear brother who gave that testimony. Things were like that in his parish. But not after. He got back.

To building again. The habitation of God. By the Spirit in his midst. And in the midst of others. I know what this is. There'd been more than one occasion. When that work of rebuilding. The ruined habitation of God by the Spirit in me has ceased.

And I found that one time although I'd begun. And I'd suffered somewhat reproach for it all. I began to lose my vision. I got caught up in big things. I got invited here and there. Billy Graham had just come.

Telephone relays were starting all over the country. Not many people had experience of evangelism. And I was sort of in a sense called out of obscurity. But that's where I thought I'd been. And was required and needed and here and there.

I said you know I'm coming out of my Arabia. I'm getting recognised. We're going to do big things. And then I went to a conference of brethren. About twenty. They were my dearest friends. And somehow I saw all we were doing was gathering around Jesus.

In the centre. Sharing. Putting things right. Experiencing grace for failures in a new way. And I despised it. I said what are we doing? This is a day of big things. And I spoke along that line. And I only succeeded in disturbing my brethren.

And do you know what happened? The heaven above me was stayed from dew. And the earth from fruit. I sowed much but brought in little. And I lost the old time liberty. The new liberty that I'd been enjoying.

And the new power of his spirit that I'd been experiencing. And my work became striving and hard work. And because that wasn't enough to make me sit up and take notice. God touched my pocket and he sent a famine into my pocket.

And I remember my first wife Revel saying to me. Roy I'm not worried about the money. I'm worried about you. I said you're right. Things have gone dead. And at that time I had a week without any meetings at home.

And I went round our flat saying yes Lord. Yes Lord. First to one thing. Then to another. By the end of the week I think I'd got it all out. In the light I'd seen where I'd gone astray. How pride had come in.

And by the end of the week the blood had really reached me. Not that it takes a week but it'd take me a week to see all the things that had gone wrong. And I went away for meetings. And there was the old time power.

The old time deep penetrating of the Holy Spirit in people's lives. And incidentally he relieved the famine in my pocket. Wherefore? Wherefore? Because of the Lord's house. It's been lying waste. And we've been busy with our own selfish concerns.

And so it was Haggai said. Be strong ye people of the land. And work. Go to the mountains. Get the wood. And I'll be with you. And I'll say to the opposition. Dare to defy it. Go right ahead. And it'll be my concern.

Zechariah’s Vision of the Lampstand

And it wasn't only Haggai who gave this wonderful message. And to whom they owed so much. But it was Zechariah too. They were a fine couple. Haggai and Zechariah. We've returned to Zechariah chapter four.

The next book of the Bible. And the angel. He was a man given to visions. Which he interpreted to the people. And the angel that talked with me came again and waked me. As a man that is wakened out of his sleep and said unto me.

What seest thou? And I said. I have looked and behold a candlestick all of gold. With a bowl upon the top of it. And his seven lamps thereon. And seven pipes to the seven lamps. Which are upon the top thereof.

And two olive trees. By it. One on the right side. One on the left. And they're feeding their oil into this lampstand. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me saying. What are these my Lord?

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said. Knowest thou not what these be? And I said. No my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me. This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel. Not by might.

Nor by power. But by my spirit saith the Lord. Who art thou O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof. With shouting grace unto it. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house.

His hands also shall finish it. And thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto you. You see they've been stopped. By force and power. And because they couldn't match force and power with equivalent force and power.

They felt there was nothing to do but to stop. And here. Zechariah likens this opposition to a great mountain in the way. And Zechariah and Haggai I say you go ahead. You go back to that old way and build that house again.

In spite of the embargo. In spite of that great mountain that seems to stand in the way. Because I'm telling you. Who art thou O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. And that. Not by might.

Nor by power. But by another way altogether by my spirit. The fact that you haven't got might and power isn't going to make any difference. And by the way. Not by the might of many. In the Hebrew. Or the power of one.

And we're all the time looking for either big numbers. Or some great leader. God says I'm going to work another way altogether. Especially with regard to that mountain of opposition. It is going to become a plain.

And that before Zerubbabel. And the fact you haven't got power or might isn't going to matter. It's going to be by another way. By my spirit. What an encouragement. And there's many much more. I tell you.

They piled an encouragement to Zerubbabel and Joshua. That's what we need. And they said you leave that mountain to me. You get busy. Building that house again. And so they started. And with them were the prophets of God helping them.

Well when they started the others came. Hey what are you doing? And Haggai and Zechariah called them and said don't listen to them. Get going. What right have you? Don't argue. Get going. Don't quit. And they went on.

And God didn't allow them to be deterred by what their enemies said. And that's the way for us. You may be called to return to the old way at whatever cost. And it may cost you something. The devil hates revival.

He hates the work of God going on among the saints. He knows how to get it twisted in people's minds. And of course we don't always put it right either. We're not altogether blameless. And if you cease you go back.

Oh how often we've heard that testimony. Years ago I came to Abigail or Clevedon or Southwell. And I was so blessed I began to walk this new and living way. But I've gotten away from it. But you can come back.

And you haven't gone on well since you've gotten away from it. The heaven over you has been stained from dew. And the earth from fruit. It's gone. And if you ask him why, he says, because of my house that lies waste.

And you know, you've got to get back there. My dear and our dear brother Stanley Volk. I remember, I wonder if he remembers this, what he told me. I expect he does. He used to be in Sunderland. And that's where the Lord met him in a wonderful new way.

It was a great day when Stanley told his congregation. It was a big congregation, the whole truth. He'd had someone from East Africa staying with him. Others in the church had been stirred and moved. They began to get right with their pastor.

And then the pastor came under God's searchlight. And he realized wherein he'd failed to be the man God wanted him to be as pastor. And he told the people. And there was a real response on the part of many.

Or a number, anyway. And they began a fellowship meeting. But there were those who hated it. And they criticized this fellowship meeting that would gather once a week. For a time of sharing how they were walking with Jesus.

Opening up to one another as well as to the Lord. And they criticized it and they called it the pastor's confession meeting. And Stanley realized that it was dividing the church. And so he decided that they would stop it.

And they'd just sort of have fellowship wherever they met. Round street corners or in a corridor. You know, just get along somehow that way. But I remember him saying, Roy said, I've been so hungry for fellowship again.

I don't care what it costs. We're going back to it. Only so will God be able to sink the mountain to a plain. And he'd do it by some other way than argument or forcefulness. He has his way. But your part is to obey.

And that's what happened. And God blessed and has continued to bless over the years our dear brother. Isn't it wonderful? You can't meet force with force. You haven't got what it takes. You don't need to have it.

You don't need to be a super leader. You don't need to be very strong. Because what's going to happen if you go forward with Jesus is not going to happen by strength or power, might or strength, but by my spirit.

This is the real context of this famous verse. And what a wonderful thing happened. They came and said, well, what are you? And they told who they were. And they gave a different sort of testimony to the people then, which we'll see in a moment.

And above all they said, Cyrus the King, he made the decree. We're not here on our own. And they sent off that letter and asked that the records should be searched. Was it really so? Had there been a decree made?

And sure enough they had. And the result was just what their enemies didn't want. They had every bit of backing and support that was possible from Darius. And lo and behold, that great mountain that seemed to impede progress was sunk into a plain, and that without any struggling.

Without might or power, but by his spirit. Now what is most interesting here is the fact that there are two searches of the record referred to. The first is when the first group came to them, and they said, this city's been a wicked city, a rebellious city.

Search the records and see. In Ezra 4, 15. And they searched. And they found it exactly as they said. They were a rebellious city, and the command came down for the work to cease. But then there was a second searching of the record, the one I've just referred to.

They said that Cyrus made that decree. And so they searched again. And sure enough, hidden away in some of the archives, there was the ancient edict promulgated by Cyrus. As a result of which, they had backing and support as they never believed possible.

Because of what they found in the first searching of the record, the work ceased. Because of what they found in the second searching of the record, the work was gloriously completed. And I want you to notice that the Jews gave two sorts of testimonies.

In the first place, when these enemies of theirs tried to sort of get in and infiltrate them, said, let us build with you. They said, not at all. You have nothing to do with us. That's chapter 4, verse 3.

To build a house unto our God, we ourselves will build it. We are the true Israel. You're not. And we've been commanded thus to do. And they said, all right. We'll see. True Israel? What sort of a record have you got?

And they sent that letter. And there it was written. A rebellious city that had given Persia no end of trouble. And there are two sorts of testimonies you can give. You say, we're the Israel. We are the spiritual people.

And we can't have unregenerate people coming in and doing the work of the Lord. We ourselves have got to do that and I agree with it. But it's dangerous ground to stand on. For you're really standing on your own righteousness.

And the devil is going to pick on that. And use that. And he's going to have a chance to show something quite other about you. And that'll be enough to stop the work and cause the difficulties. But I want you to notice the second time.

That letter which was sent, they quoted what the Hebrews, the Jews said. Oh, how different. They said, we are, in chapter 5, verse 11, we're the servants of the God of heaven and earth and build the house that was built many years ago.

But after that our fathers provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar and carried the people away into Babylon, but in the first year of Cyrus there was that other wonderful decree.

They didn't say, we're the people of God and we're the only ones who've got a right to have to do this thing. He says, we're a disciplined people. We're in this state because our fathers and we ourselves have gone away from the Lord.

For that reason this noble house was destroyed and it's mercy that's been shown us to let us build again. And so they searched and saw. Now that was a sinner's testimony. That was ground. And there it was in the book, that proclamation of grace.

The first record was a record of sin. The second, a record of grace. And if I'm standing on my righteousness, I'm the one who knows things. We're the people of the Lord, that's your own righteousness.

And the devil can point to the record of sin which is true of you in spite of being a Christian. But the second time, they themselves told what sinners they were. They didn't wait for it to be found out.

They told them far more than the books could tell them. How culpable they'd been. How wrong their fathers. This situation was their fault. But there was this record. And they, so to speak, you said, you search, you ask.

And there, sure enough, was the record of grace. You know, it occurred to me that this applies rather a bit to our conference here that's been going for, what, thirty or forty years? Back in, what year was it we started?

A long time. We could very easily say and feel we've got a special message. A message which isn't heard enough that we're the people. And we must be very careful to keep our message undiluted. It's dangerous ground to stand on.