“Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (Jn 17:11).
When Solomon’s temple was built, David had already laid in store what was needed to start the project. But this time we don’t read of warehoused provisions, outstanding craftsmen to supervise, or skilled artisans to carve and sculpt beautiful decorations like on that first temple. Therefore there was a time lapse before the main project got underway. “Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren…began work” (Ezra 3:8). Their first action was to appoint “the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the Lord.” As it was at the beginning, when “the people gathered together as one” (v 1), so it was now. The responsible Levites “arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God” (v 9). This marks every endeavor favored by God. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!…For there the Lord commanded the blessing” (Ps 133:1, 3). This was also true in the early church, when they “all continued with one accord” (Acts 1:14). Psalm 133 gives the secret of fragrance and fruitfulness: the oil running down from the head, and the dew running down from Hermon. Down is the key word—unity and humility are always linked. But as the work progressed, a hint of disunity evidenced itself. “Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord… But many of the…old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice” (vv 11-12). It’s not like the good ol’ days! No, but our Lord “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). These can be the good NEW days—if we have humility and unity by the Spirit!