Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadek, and began to build the house of God, and with them were the prophets of God helping them. Ezra 5:2
How much help is a prophet when it comes to temple construction? The prophets referred to in today’s text are Haggai and Zechariah, two of the minor prophets of Scripture. We are told nothing about their personal lives, so we don’t know if they were any good at carpentry, masonry, or any of the regular temple building skills. But when the work got underway, there were these two prophet lads, with their shoulders to the wheel, pitching in with a will. When it comes to the Lord’s servants, we find He never calls lazy men or women to do his bidding.
There is a saying that God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. When God calls us to perform a work for Himself, He is more concerned about whether we have the ambition than the ability. If He calls us to a task, a work, or a career, He does so for His own purposes. He either accepts the abilities that we have, or He provides us with the abilities that we need. But first, He needs to get our willingness.
Our text tells us that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were a help. That is a good commendation. Their presence at the worksite was no doubt a moral support for the workers and their leaders. They could encourage the people and be a reminder of the purpose of building a house for God. There are times when we can be a help just by being present, and doing what we can. Ask any preacher in a Gospel tent whether it’s a help to see the Christians come along to the meetings. Ask the lads taking part in an open air Gospel effort how much help it is to have a handful of Christians standing with them. If we have abilities we can use, so much the better, but even our presence and support means much to the work of the Lord.
The temple construction was not a popular project with the people living nearby. Opposition quickly and powerfully raised its ugly head. Trouble was near, but the prophets stayed and helped. Regardless of the opposition, they knew the Lord wanted them to build temple, so they built temple, and stayed with the task until it was completed. Their commitment is a fine example for us.
Are you a help or a hindrance to the Lord’s work? -Jim MacIntosh