Today we come to the book of Ezra, which reveals to us God’s personal concern for His people after His judgment – in this case – the judgment of their exile from their land. God does not mete out judgment on people and then simply leave them in the aftermath to figure out things on their own. God is still present in the outcome, and He so desires to help us pick up the broken pieces of our chaotic lives. Ezra, and later, Nehemiah, will reveal the depth of God’s unfailing love even for a small remnant of His people. These two books teach us that God wants to help us all to rebuild our shattered lives. How desperately we need Him! Here, in Ezra 1, we see an inventory list of “all the gold and silver articles that Cyrus the Great brought out – items that “Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from [the temple in] Jerusalem,” because these items “belonged to the temple” (verse 7). In chapter 2, we see Ezra’s travel manifest of all the exiles who came up from the captivity to return to Jerusalem and Judah” (verses 1-67). Ezra notes that "200 singers were in their company" (verse 65). God is working to bring His people back home again.
Today we come to Psalm 144:9-15 which continues David’s “new song” (verse 9). Here, we see the beauty of music. David’s purpose is to “make music to the Lord – to the One Who gives victory and Who delivers and rescues” (verses 10-11). The words “deliver” and “rescue” are soteriological words that relate to salvation. In other words, David is lifting his praise to the saving power of God. In the same way, we should raise our voices and direct our songs to praise our God. Our songs ought to extol Him for the victories He has gained in our lives. God’s gift of music shows us His commitment to, His blessing on, and His approval of the auditory arts in our world and in our worship. For this reason, our music (and all of our art forms) should reflect the beauty that God has created. It should glorify and elevate the Creator Who made it and gave it to us. Instead, much of our art and music today is misdirected nonsense that focuses on the human hang-ups of self and man’s selfish desires. This Psalm highlights not only our “deliverance and rescue” by God from the gods of self and selfish pursuits, but also from “the sword, from lies, and from deceit” (verses 10-15). Moreover, this Psalm presents a view of the beauty that results from God’s “blessings – sons and daughters, filled barns, increased flocks, heavy loads drawn by oxen, no captivity, and no distress” (cf., verses 12-15). David concludes the Psalm with “Blessed is the people whose God is the LORD” (verse 15). That is true beauty, and we should proclaim it in all our art and music.
Revelation 8-9:1-12 picks up with the opening of the seventh seal – which initiates God’s judgment by music – the seven trumpets. Trumpets one through four announce God’s judgment on nature and the environment. Today’s climate-change enthusiasts falsely think that man somehow holds control over our environment, but in spite of their false ideology, nature was never under man’s control. Although we do have a responsibility to care for our world, nevertheless, this is God’s world, and it is under His total authority. God’s long-term plan includes bringing unstoppable judgment on the environment – beyond all man’s recognition. Worse and yet to come, trumpet number five results in a series of three “woeful” judgments on man himself (8:13). In this judgment, the locusts that proceed out of the Abyss serve the purpose of “tormenting man for five months” (twice repeated in verses 9:5 and 9:10). For those so tormented, death is actually preferable to their torment, but as part of this judgment, death will be delayed for them. This section reveals [1] how astonishing it is that men and women will continue to reject God and spurn His warnings, and [2] how God has ordained His dual use of music for beauty – or for judgment.
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