Ezra 6:16 & 22 The Temple Finished and Dedicated
6:13-18 The Temple Finished and Dedicated
6:19-22 Passover Celebrated
(Ezra 6:16 ESV) And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
(Ezra 6:22 ESV) And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
March 11, 2026 for Joy in Spite of Stoopidty project
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Please pray with me. God! Help me to trust You and be patient and wait on Your perfect timing and provisions. Amen.
H2305 חֶדְוָה | chefvah is pronounced (khed-vaw') meaning joy or rejoicing. This is found only once in the Bible, right here! The word is very basic in meaning.
H8057 The King James Version of the concordance has 93 references in 89 verses to this certain word for "joy" as reference H8057. שִׂמְחָה is pronounced simchâh (sim-khaw) an relates to a religious or festival blithesomeness (cheerful disposition) or glee, which is fitting for this scene. H8057 is also translated in other Bible verses as exceeding(ly), gladness, joy(fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(ing).
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But I want it now!
I do not want to wait!
I do not want to work!
Can't it just magically appear?
I want to throw out seeds
I want the flowers now!
I do not want to weed!
I want the germination
yesterday
and the blooms today.
It is still pending Spring
too soon to plant
But I want it now!
I have to wait for
God to provide
Those beautiful perfect days
I want joy first!
God says, "Wait.
And trust me."
Joy is rooted in obedience
Blooming comes by My Will
and God schedules the
the rain and the sun
the perfect conditions
without telling me
and joy is SO much better
when it comes on God's timing
Same story
Different century
Now and then
Same Joy
My story
Bible story
The Israelites wanted it now!
They wanted to build
But needed the stones
and timber
the gold and silver
They wanted joy first!
God said, "Wait.
and Trust me."
Joy is rooted in obedience
Completion comes by My Will
King Cyrus the Great
had ruled long ago
that the temple be built
and king Darius
found the old Decree
and just like that
God moved his heart
Oh the Darius brain
just like the Cyrus brain
wanted the favor of
the powerful Jewish God
superstitious-believing
all the divine power
he could get from
any and all of the
so-called gods
That must be best
God powerfully moves
His creation
just like the birds
do not pick the wind
and do not realize
yet arrive just right
the king without knowing
was God's provision
and God schedules the
the perfect conditions
without telling the people
and joy is SO much better
when it comes on God's timing
The Israelites
did not throw a Passover party
when the temple was
half-built
Nope. No fake excitement!
They waited and trusted on God
and they finished the work
using a foreign king, no less!
The dedication was
finally here!
Oh, joy unleashed!
Worship in God's temple
was restored!
Oh, the joy of it all!
Joy was real
and rooted in obedience
Yep.
God knew what He was doing!