Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

When Old Men Weep and the Young Shout for Joy

This entry was posted on 10-27-2006 and is filed under Devotional.

"Then all the people shouted with a great shout...because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice..." (Ezra 3:11,12 NKJV).

The first temple, constructed by Solomon, had been destroyed about 50 years earlier. Now a much simpler, smaller, almost spartan temple was about to be built under Zerubbabel. The old men, having seen the splendor of the previous temple, wept. But they younger set, having never seen the glorious temple of Solomon, shouted for joy.

Those who do not have a point of comparison are at a distinct disadvantage. Today if a revival meeting results in one or two additions, many will rejoice. But those who remember the glory days of the "protracted meeting," where hundreds came down the aisle confessing Christ, are tempted to weep. Of course, every soul is precious to God. Of that there can be no doubt. When old men weep and the young shout for joy it is often because the latter are glad with a little while their elders remember the harvest of multitudes.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for every soul won to You in the past or in the present. May those who rejoice over a few know why some are weeping. And help those who weep to still rejoice in every soul who enters Your eternal kingdom.