Good morning on this last Sunday
in March. Would you turn with me in your
Bibles to the book of Ezra, our study of the book of Ezra, and
if you'd turn there into the sixth chapter of the book of
Ezra, I'd like to read verse 14, and then we're going to read
verse 15 in a few moments here. Ezra chapter 6, verse 14. And
the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Ido.
And they builded and finished it according to the commandment
of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus,
and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Before we look at
a little bit of the thoughts and blessings of the prophesying,
I just want to notice there in the last part of that verse that
the commandment of God was first, the decree of God was first,
the eternal purpose of God was first, and then he works it out
through kings such as Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes. King of Persia. Now these folks
were not king of Israel, they were king of Persia. They were
not king of Judah, they were the king of Persia. They were
pagan kings. And their religion was far from worshiping the true
and the living God, but they were used minorly of God. And part of that was for these
Jews to return to Jerusalem. Now we notice there in verse
14, and we think about what a wonderful blessing to prosper in the word
of God declared by Haggai and Zechariah. These folks, these
two men, were commissioned by God. And they were commissioned
by God to go to these folks building the temple at Jerusalem. They
had a commission to go and preach to the folks at Jerusalem. These
two men were ordained of God, they were set aside by God, they
were called by God, and they were given a message by God,
and they were sent by God. These two were sent by God to
go to Jerusalem and there to prophesy or to preach. and they
had a message from God. God had given them a message.
So, these were commissioned, they were ordained, they were
sent, and they had a message from God. It was not their message,
yet they may rejoice in the same message that God sends. It was
not their message. And their message, that they
were sent, was not to get after these folks because they weren't
working hard enough. These were to come and preach
the wonderful message of the Savior, and to comfort these
folks that had just returned from Babylonian captivity. Remember
with me over there in the book of Isaiah? Let's just go over
there and read that in the book of Isaiah chapter 40, verses
1 and 2. This commission that God gives
to his people, to his preachers, to his prophets, to missionaries. In Isaiah chapter 40, verses
1 and 2, we read, comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your
God. That's the message. The Lord
Jesus, when he asked Peter, do you love me? And the Lord said,
feed my sheep. Feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry, declare unto her that her warfare is accomplished,
that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the
Lord's hand double for all her sins. What a comfort that is. And then we go on and we find
that prophecy about John that was the forerunner of the Lord
Jesus declaring what the Lord Jesus would do. So it's a comfort. And these people came to comfort
the children of Judah and Benjamin as they were building their,
the temple in Isaiah again on this subject of comfort. I just
remember being in religion and never did I go away from the
church feeling better than I went. It was always ragging on us about
something, and I used that in my own religion when I was pretending
to be a preacher. But here in Isaiah 51 verse 3,
it says, for the Lord shall comfort Zion. He will comfort all her
waste places, and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and
her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall
be found therein, thanksgiving in the voice of melody." Now,
what is this, like the wilderness of Eden? He'll make the wilderness
like Eden. Well, what did God do to Adam
in the garden of Eden? Came and visited him. He came
and visited him. What a blessing it is that through
the comfort of the Lord, he would come and visit us, that he would
commune with us, he'd fellowship with us. What a comfort, and
that's what these two preachers were doing to the builders of
the temple and the folks there at Jerusalem. They'd had a long
journey to get back there, and it's been some time as the building
goes on, and it's not time to beat the flock, it's time to
comfort the sheep. And also, also in the book of
Isaiah chapter 61, Isaiah chapter 61, we find these words that
the Lord Jesus said he fulfilled in the hearing of those that
were in the synagogue that day. The Spirit of the Lord, Isaiah
chapter 61 and verse 1, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. because the Lord hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek." What good tidings? The gospel. Some have the idea that we have
to scare people into the kingdom of heaven. We have to cause them
to fear hell and get them into the kingdom. That's not preaching
the gospel. The gospel is preaching good tidings unto the meek, he
hath set me to bind up the brokenhearted." My goodness, if you've ever had
a broken heart, to have someone come along and give you a little
comfort in that. To proclaim liberty to the captives,
to be a slave and be set at liberty. The opening of the prison to
be a criminal and be in prison and to have the doors open for
us, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day
of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. These words were
fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. He told us that as he preached
from the book of Isaiah chapter 61. As Haggai and Zechariah preached,
they reminded the folks where were we? Captivity in Babylon, where are
we in Jerusalem hallelujah? What are we do? What were we
doing serving a pagan king in Babylon? What are we doing now? serving the Living God The Psalmist
shares with us a little of the feeling of the children of Judah
and Benjamin when they were in Babylonian captivity and this
is found over there in the book of the Psalms and Would you turn
there with me in the book of Psalms, Psalm 137? This is a
little of the feeling of the children of Judah and Benjamin
while they were in Babylonian captivity And it's so different
to be back in Jerusalem to be back building the temple Hearts
are married because the Lord has prospered him there here
in the psalm psalm 137 as we look back at what Haggai and
Zechariah no doubt said and reminded the folks Where were you? What
were you doing there? And then to bring to their attention,
where are we now? And what are we doing now? Where
were we? We were in Babylonian captivity.
And what were we doing there? Serving a pagan king. And here
in the book of the Psalms, Psalm 137, verse one, by the rivers
of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept. when we remembered
Zion. We hanged our harps upon the
willows in the midst thereof, for there they that carried us
away captive required of us a song, and they that wasted us required
of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How
shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? Just wasn't
quite the same My goodness when we look at Babylon is where we
are by nature the place of where the fall brought us to Babylon
We don't have the ability of singing songs of Zion. So these that were carried off
70 years later They're brought back. How could we sing there?
We couldn't Wasn't permitted and our heart wasn't in it. What
can we do now? Here in Jerusalem these two could
remind them. What are we doing now singing
the sweet songs of Zion? We're singing the words that
Were written many years later, but no doubt we're in the hearts
of these folks amazing grace Sweet the sound that saved a
wretch like me so these two preachers that came God sent him God commissioned
him God ordained him God gave him the message to come it tells
us that they were Comforted they were blessed they prospered there
as we read in the book of Ezra chapter 6 they prospered there
in verse 14 it says that the elders of the Jews build it and
they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah
the son of Ido Where were you in Babylon? Where are you Jerusalem? What were you doing over there?
Serving a pagan king. What are you doing now serving
the Most High God? Did you sing over there? We couldn't
our heart wasn't here. Can you sing here? Yes the words
of amazing grace So what what a blessing it is for the preacher
to come along and say there's where you were and there's where
you are now Then it tells us there in verse 15, wonderful
words, as we look here in verse 15, it says, and this house was
finished. Gives us the date, third day
of the month, Adar, which was the sixth year of the reign of
Darius the king. The house, this house was finished. What a feeling must have went
through the heart of these people when the final inspection was
made and the you can occupy keys were given. The temple was finished
sometime in the building, but now the last stone was in place,
the last board, the last adornment was in place, the house was finished. And that word finish is to bring
something to an end. As promised, the notice of bigger
finishings are ahead. We have some bigger finishings
ahead. As we look at this as a type
and a shadow, a picture declared by the writer of the book of
Ezra, the house was finished. We find that God has used a similar
word in the past and he has used it in a similar word in the future
of this very time. Now, let's go back to the book
of Genesis, if you would. Genesis chapter two. As we think
about how God has used a similar word in the past, the, and this
house was finished. What joy was in the hearts of
the people as they could stand back and see what God had allowed
them, the building of the temple. In the book of Genesis chapter
two, There in verse 1 we have something else said thus the
heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts of them what
a statement that God made of the work of God in the the creation
of the heavens and the earth Thus the heavens and the earth
were finished. They were complete. They came to an end. And it goes
on here and talks about what he did on the seventh day. He
ended his work and he rested. Not that he was tired, but he
gives us an example of what true rest is. Our true Sabbath, our
true rest is in a person, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the true Sabbath. And here's
an example of that that's set down. that no righteousness was
ever acquired by keeping Saturday by the Jews. They got to looking
at that as that way, and they sneered at other people who didn't.
Just like we find today, people sneer if you don't worship on
this day or that day. But the Scriptures teach us that
we're to worship God every day of the week. and as we are permitted
to gather together to worship God, to fellowship with one another. And if we are not able to meet,
as probably some of you, as us, are not able to do so right now
during this pandemic, discretion is the better part of valor.
We're thankful for this opportunity that we can record it and put
it on sermon audio and our folks can hear it and others can hear
it. But to meet together, how gracious and wonderful it is,
but it's not on a specific day. Here we read in the book of Exodus,
Exodus, the predecessor. to the temple that was built
by Solomon and then torn down and then rebuilt here in the
days of Ezra. In the book of Exodus, we find
the completion of the tabernacle. Exodus chapter 39. Exodus chapter
39 and verse 32. Exodus chapter 39 and verse 32. It says, thus was all the work
of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished.
Every stitch was made, every board was planed, every bit of
service instruments were cast in bronze or gold or silver or
whatever it was. Everything was done. The Holy
of Holies was filled with the pieces that were in there and
the holy was filled with pieces in there and all of the The altars
were built and placed in order. Everything was done. And then
we can read, And the ten of the congregation finished. And the
children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded
with Moses. So did they. So it was finished,
complete. They could stand back and say,
the pattern is before us in this completed form. So as it was
with that temple there in the days of Ezra, the building, this
building was finished. We find that God said similar
words about the building of the heavens and the earth. It's finished.
Then here with regard to the tabernacle, Then when the children
of Israel went into the promised land, let's go over here to the
book of judge excuse me Joshua Joshua Joshua this in chapter
4 verse 10 and 11 Joshua chapter 4 and verse 10 and 11 as they're
crossing the Jordan River we have these words recorded once
again that That it was finished for the priests which bear the
ark Joshua chapter 4 verse 10 for the priests that bear the
ark stood in the midst of Jordan until everything was Finished. No, what is it? Everybody's passed
over all the old the young everything is passed over everything was
finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people
and according to all that Moses commanded Joshua. And the people
hastened and passed over. And it came to pass, verse 11,
when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of
the Lord passed over, and the priests in the presence of the
people. Nobody was left on the other
side of the Jordan. Nobody was lost in the Jordan. Everybody passed over, and thus
it could be said it was finished. All the words that Joshua spoke
unto the people, they were finished. All the acts were finished. All
the work was done. They're in the land, every one
of them. What a blessing it is to see
every board. every thread, everything done
as it was in the tabernacle, and it is there in the book of
Ezra in the temple. We find here that the people
of God, it's finished. They're brought through and brought
into the promised land. In the book of 1 Kings chapter
six, we find these words about the temple that was built during
Solomon's time. 1 Kings chapter six, verse 38. If you join me over there, the
last verse of this chapter. And in the eleventh year, in
the month Bull, which is the eighth month, was the house finished
throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion
of it, so was he seven years in building. This very month,
the month of Bull, in the eighth month, was the house finished
throughout all the parts. As it came to a close, as it
was finished, after the years of building, the accumulation
of stone and wood and gold and silver, and all of the work that
went into it, the instructions that were made to the builders,
and they followed through as they were led by God to build
this great temple, in Solomon's day, it is finished. The house was finished. The work
was finished. As it tells us in the book of
Nehemiah many years later and at the time of Ezra It says the
wall was finished the wall of Jerusalem was finished How blessed
it was it been torn down in the days of Nebuchadnezzar as he
came up against Jerusalem besieged it destroyed it destroyed the
temple and destroyed the walls of Jerusalem in the days of Ezra
the temple was finished. In the days of Nehemiah, the
wall was finished. Nehemiah chapter 6 and verse
15. Let's just go over there and
look at that. The book of Nehemiah chapter 6 and there in verse 15 it says,
so the wall was finished. the 20th and 5th day of the month
Elul in the 50th and in 52 days the wall was finished now the
Lord Jesus used the word finished several times in the New Testament
in his preaching it tells us that he had finished the parables
and he had finished these sayings and And she says that he had
finished the work. Join me, if you would, over in
the New Testament in the book of Matthew. As we think about
the walls of Jerusalem finished and the temple, this building
was finished. And go back to the examples in
the Old Testament. How, no doubt, those that had
worked so long in building the tabernacle, when they looked
upon it in its completed form, and the children of Israel as
they surrounded it and saw it in its completed form, their
hearts were made glad to see it is finished. How that goes
just to our very heart. How often have we found ourselves
in doing something and it's not quite finished. I've spoken to
people that they started building a house, they moved in before
it was finished, and it took a long time. And what a blessing
it is to be able to move into a house that is finished, nothing
left to do except maybe put the pictures on the wall. But to
have it finished, to be given the keys to go in, the electricity
is on, the water is on. The sewer is hooked up. Everything
is in order. All the switches work. All the
plug-ins work. The furnace works. There's heat
that comes out and cool comes out of the air conditioner. It's
finished. Nothing left to do. Well, as
we look at this with regard to the temple that was being built
during the times of Ezra, we find when it was finished, Word
says it was finished this house was finished well turn with me
over here to the book of Matthew if you would the ministry of
the Lord Jesus We find this word used Matthew chapter 13 Matthew chapter 13 and there
in verse 53 You know we're thankful that we have the Word of God
we can go back and reread these passages of Scripture we can
read the parables and We can read the word that the Lord Jesus
said. We could read it every day. We
could read it during the day. We could read it at night. We
could think upon it, ponder it. But think of these words, and
it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables,
he departed thence. You know, there's a whole bunch
of people that just heard them, but they never heard them. And
truly, it was finished for them. They had no blessing out of it.
There were some that heard them and were blessed but He had finished
these parables. He departed thence and if you
look with me in Matthew chapter 19 Matthew chapter 19 These words
are recorded with regard to the ministry of the Lord Jesus. It
says in Matthew chapter 19 and verse 1 and it came to pass that
when Jesus had finished these sayings He departed from Galilee
and came into the coast of Judea beyond Jordan. Now to a whole
bunch of folks, that was it. They would never hear it again.
Someone one time asked me about their daughter. They at one time
put on the form that they were believers and studied the Bible
and looked up words in strong concordance. And then after a
season, they had no use for it. And this person said, has my
daughter sinned away the day of grace? And my answer was,
is she dead? Now she's still alive. She hasn't
sinned away her day of grace. God is gracious. And who's to
say in time? So here it is. Jesus had finished
these sayings. To some people, that was all
they would ever get. And to some, he is pleased to
reveal and it continues to go on and we get to read it over
and over and over again. Now in the book of John chapter
17 we find the Lord Jesus uses this word and he shares with
us here in John 17 something very special. John 17 and verse
4. John 17 and verse 4. Now before
the world was created, before the heavens and earth were finished
as we read there in Genesis chapter 2, before that before there was
man, before there were the stars, before there was the moon and
the sun, before there was any creation, before there was anything,
there was God. And in that, we have to use words
that fit our mind. So we say, before the foundation
of the world, God had a purpose. And he purposed that he would
send his son to redeem his people from their sins. Now here we
find in John 17 verse 4, I have glorified thee on the earth as
he prayed to his father. I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do. Now the father had given him
the work of incarnation. He was to come born of a virgin,
held in prison by the womb of Mary. We brought him to this
world to live among men. to hunger and thirst, to have
weariness, and all these things, that he might be like his brethren,
that he might be like those he's going to save. But here he says,
I've finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Now, the finished that causes the
church to rejoice and honor God with such praise is based upon
this, is based upon all the other finishes that are found in the
scripture, but it is recorded in the book of John chapter 19
and verse 30. John chapter 19 and verse 30. The work was finished. This house was finished. This
tabernacle was finished. This preaching was finished. This crossing the Jordan River
was finished. Here we have the Lord Jesus on
the cross after he had suffered so much, as recorded in the 53rd
chapter of the book of Isaiah, Psalm 22, and many other places,
and the words from his own mouth as he spoke to his own disciples
of what he must do while he was here. He would not go to the
right hand or to the left hand. He had this purpose in mind.
He set his face, as it were, aflint towards Jerusalem. He
was going to go there. He was going to lay down his
life, a ransom for his people. And here in John, chapter 19,
verse 30, the Lord Jesus sums all up. When Jesus, therefore,
had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave
up the ghost. In other words, all is done,
or it is consummated, or it is completed, or it is ended. It
hath been finished these words are full of the highest import
and richest consolation Redemption work is finished all the purposes
which God had in Christ made By his soul and offering for
sin were totally satisfied. He is a mighty conqueror retiring
from the field of battle having gotten himself the victory and
In Isaiah chapter 63, would you go back there as we look at what
was said about the Lord Jesus prior to his coming, born of
a virgin and coming to this world as his brethren, like his own
folks, like those he was going to die for? Here in the book
of Isaiah chapter 63, verses one, two, and three, who is this
that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Basra? This that
is glorious in his apparel traveling in the greatness of his strength
in it I that speak in righteousness mighty to save that's the answer
Wherefore art thou read in thine apparel and that garments like
him that treadeth in the wine vat I have trodden the winepress
alone and of the people that there was none with me and And
of the people there was none with me, for I will tread them
in my anger, and trample them in my fury. And their blood shall
be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment."
Who is this? This is the Lord Jesus. This
is the one who had dyed garments. This is the one whose blood was
spilt for his people. It says he is trodden a winepress
alone, and it also tells us there, I that speak in righteousness,
mighty to save. The whole will of God, finished. The whole work of God, finished. The whole righteousness of the
law, fulfilled. Redemption of his elect, secured. Complete pardon, procured. Complete
peace, obtained. is finished. What joy it was
in the hearts of those folks when they saw the temple there
in the days of Ezra when it was finally finished. They could
look upon it and say, my, my, how beautiful is this building.
And look at the work that has gone into it, and all of the
furnishings provided, and all the funds provided, and all the
stones provided, and all the wood provided. So finished so
complete that nothing need or could be added there was not
a Wit not a nail that was needed in the building of that temple
and there can be nothing added to the words of the Lord Jesus
when he said that Redemption is complete there can be nothing
needed or could be nothing added all without the help of man and
sealed with the blood of Christ and unalterable. Jesus, it is said of him, it
is finished. Those are the words that are
recorded of what he said from the cross. And all this, all
being finished, is most gloriously demonstrated by his resurrection,
his entrance into heaven, sitting at God's own right hand. A blessed
result. The house was finished. The house
was finished. Wow, turn with me if you would
to the book of Ephesians. The book of Ephesians, look at
this with me. The house is finished. All of
the building stones are secure. Ephesians chapter two, verse
11. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse
11. As we think about all the work and the time that went into
the building of that temple in the days of Ezra or the building
of the temple in the days of Solomon or the time that went
into the children of Israel crossing the Jordan River and entering
into the promised land and not one was left behind. Nothing
was closed until it was finished. And here we have these words
with regard to the church. It says, wherefore, remember
that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called a circumcision in the flesh made by hands. It's
not a Jew that's one outward. It's a Jew that's one inward.
It is a spiritual child of Abraham, Jews and Gentiles, that at that
time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having
no hope and without God in the world. In other words, unfinished,
not complete. the finished work of Christ the
words that he spoke from the cross bring us to verse 13 but
now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes were far were far off
are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who
hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us having abolished having abolished In his flesh,
the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, for
to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and
that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Good
news. brought the gospel, comforted
his people. For through him we both have
access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore, ye are
no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints
and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being made
the chief cornerstone." Notice that last phrase in verse 19,
and of the household of God. built upon the foundation of
the preaching of the apostles and prophets, the gospel of the
Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ being the chief
cornerstone, he is the foundation, he's the chief, in whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in
the Lord, in whom ye also are built together for a habitation
of God through the Spirit." Did you see that? That the church
is the household of God, fitly framed together, and when it
is brought to this point, we hear the words of the Lord Jesus,
it is finished. Redemption is complete. The building,
all the building fitly framed together. All of it is complete. All of that is made perfect in
Christ Jesus. He is the master builder. He builds His house. He finished
His house. It is He that has finished the
work. It is He that has finished redemption. It is He that has finished righteousness. That righteousness imputed, ownership
established. The house is finished. All the
material is purchased. His own blood all the foundation
laid There's no other foundation laid than that which is Christ
all the inspections were made I find no fault in him That's
what we read a Seal of approval applied. This is my beloved son
in whom I'm well pleased The deed recorded and value established
Ownership declared. These are mine. They're my children. I purchased
them with my blood. Redemption is finished. Righteousness
imputed. Ownership established. Raising
completed. Place declared. Finished work
of Christ. The church is the finished work
of Christ in its fullness, in its completeness. It can be said... It, this house, it is finished. What do we do? We rest in the
finished work of Christ. We have a Sabbath, the Lord Jesus. We have a new heaven and a new
earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. All that was pictured in the
tabernacle and all that was pictured in the temple is fulfilled in
this one, the Lord Jesus. and he declares his church, his
holy temple of the Lord, in whom ye also are built together for
a habitation of God through the Spirit. We just rejoice in it
is finished. This house was finished. This house is finished. This
house is complete. All the material was purchased
by Christ. The foundation is laid, the inspections
are made, the seal of approval applied, the deed recorded, the
value's been established, and ownership is declared. These are mine." Well, God bless
you. May we pray. Our Father in heaven,
we ask your blessing upon us, blessing upon your word, a blessing
upon your people. that we might rejoice, and it
is finished. In Jesus' name, amen.