Ezra 1
v2-3. "Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem...Anyone from his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel"
What!? Now here's something you don't hear everyday. A king that conquered a people group not only heard a message from the God of that people group, he obeyed it happily! I knew that God spoke to men, I knew that God spoke to people who didn't even believe in Him. But still every time I hear a non-Christian glorify God whether through action or even just speech, I stutter. How can he praise God in front of a whole nation (full of many religions mind you), going so far as to order people to build something to praise God? It's like enforcing mandatory prayer, but for another religion! I, a lover of God, can't even openly exclaim my joy, my hope, my freedom, my Jesus sometimes...
v6."All their neighbors assisted them with silver utensils, gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention all the voluntary offerings."
So now the Israelites are ready to back to their homeland to rebuild their once glorious temple. And they got so much help from their "neighbors", the people of the place. Back then was when the world truly had openness of religion, every religion was treated equally, treated as valid by everyone else. The God of Israel, Yeshua, was the only one that pretty much spit in the face of all other gods. It's ironic that now it's almost the opposite, everything is accepted, except true Christianity. How do we proclaim the message of John 14:1 and still embrace the other religions? We can't... Perhaps what we need to do is to just be nice, to help those in need. Even if someone requires help from us to build up their own false god, we help them, just as they have helped us. Sure we need to gently let them know of our God too, but that comes later. We need to stop thinking too much and just help. Now this is love... (My mind drifted so far away... ps. this isn't supposed to make sense for anyone other than me.)
Anyways, you have to give it to these neighbors for being so nice. No... God touched their hearts just as He touched Cyrus'. God brought them back to Israel.
讓我一些英文讀者高興...
