"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. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away."
I think what struck me the most is just the idea of even these faithful Hebrews were still being broken by the gospel. to see the lords faithfulness brought these folks to tears in the midst of a great worship event. It makes me think about Dennis Fuller as he gives a talk. We've talked about this a few times and I've discovered sometimes he is or I am overcome with emotion while giving a talk, because it's one thing to prepare a lesson or sermon, and it's an entirely different thing to give it. when you say it out loud it becomes real. I see this in my life all the time i have these thoughts or feelings and it's not until i confess them or speak them out loud do i have comfort in them. I think these jews are like that, they know the lords faithfulness they've seen it before, but here they see the foundation of the temple being laid anenw and it breaks them. the Gospel breaks us, in a good way.
There was this moment a few years ago, and I believe it will stick with me for the rest of my life. I was in class with Dave and several other folks i loved and cared about with one of my favorite professors and the sweetest man i think I've met, Dr. Dawsey. The class was called Jesus and this day we all brought in songs that are in some way about Jesus, that display how Christ can be seen in music. The music ranged from Underoath to Chris Tomlin and many others. and then two things happened. a friend brought in a song call "Deathbed" by Reliant K one of my favorite songs, so i encouraged the girl to bring it in. However as it was playing i remembered why Dr. Dawsey had been absent the day before, his mother had just died. the whole song i was so worried that we had messed up and been careless with a dear man's heart. but the long song ended and he seemed to simply enjoy it. then some one played a song with no lyrics, an old classical piece based on scripture by Bach or Mozart. to my surprise and wonder Dawsey begins to cry. not blubbering, but weeping in a deep sense of sadness, but not just sadness. it seemed to be a song of great victory. I cant help but think of this moment when I read this passage in Ezra.
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