The voice of praise supplanted the voice of weeping
Preaching Outline on Ezra 3:10-13 – “Then the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, and the priests stood in their garments with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the commandment of David king of Israel. And they praised the LORD, singing hymns and giving thanks, saying, ‘For he is good, for his mercy endures forever on Israel. All the people shouted with great joy, praising the LORD for the foundation of the house of the LORD. But many of the priests, the Levites and the heads of the families, who were already old and had seen the first house, wept aloud when they saw the foundation stone of this house being laid before their eyes; at the same time, many others shouted for joy. So the people could not distinguish the voices of joy from the voices of weeping, for the people shouted with great joy, and the sound was heard far away.”
Introduction to Ezra 3:10-13
There is no victory without struggle
If you’ve ever experienced difficulties in life, you know that they are part of the path to achieving something greater. In God’s word, we find stories of people who were faithful to God’s purpose, but faced enormous challenges before experiencing His blessings.
In the Old Testament, we see examples like Joseph, who was sold into slavery and spent years in prison before becoming governor of Egypt. In the New Testament, we have Paul, who faced persecution, shipwrecks and imprisonment, but never stopped proclaiming the gospel. These men were not superhuman; they simply trusted in God as they went through their trials.
Today, I want to talk about a special moment in the history of God’s people: the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. It’s a powerful lesson for us today, especially at times when we feel like we’re “starting over” or facing resistance in fulfilling God’s call.
Development
A work surrounded by challenges
1. The importance of the Temple
The Temple was much more than a building. It represented God’s presence among his people. It was the place where God dwelt among the Israelites, where they brought offerings, cried out for forgiveness and celebrated His goodness. When the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, it was a devastating blow for Israel. That destruction symbolized the separation caused by the people’s sin and disobedience.
But God did not abandon his people. He moved their hearts to return to the promised land and rebuild the Temple. This project was not easy. There were external enemies trying to stop the work, a lack of resources, internal discouragement and even comparisons with the glorious past. Even so, God was in control.
2. The battle against God’s work
When they began to lay the foundations of the Temple, there were two types of reaction: praise and weeping. The praise came from those who saw the present with faith and hope. They saw this small construction as the beginning of something great. The weeping came from those who could only look back and compare the new Temple with the glory of the first.
This teaches us something important: every work of God faces resistance, whether from outside or within. Outside, there are opposing forces that want to destroy what God is building. Inside, there are sometimes voices of disbelief, discouragement or nostalgia that try to undermine our confidence. But God reminds us that the most important thing is not the size of the Temple, but his presence in what we are building.
3. The glory of the second house
In Haggai 2:3 , God speaks to those who were disappointed with the new Temple: “Who among you, having stayed, has seen this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?” It seems that God is validating the human feeling of frustration, but at the same time he corrects this perspective. He then says: “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, says the LORD of hosts.”
God wasn’t just talking about a physical building. He was pointing to something much greater: the New Covenant, which would be sealed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The first Temple was impressive, but the second Temple would witness eternal events, such as the incarnation of Christ and the beginning of the church. The glory of the new always surpasses the old when God is at the center.
4. The voice of praise that overcomes weeping
Even with tears and doubts, the people continued to praise God. The Bible says that the sound of praise was so loud that the voices of weeping mixed together and could barely be distinguished. That’s prophetic! In the Christian life, there will always be reasons to cry – struggles, losses, challenges. But the voice of praise must be louder. Why should it be? Because we know that God is in control and that victory is already guaranteed.
Jesus said in John 16:33: “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Our praise is not based on circumstances, but on the certainty that God has already won. When we praise, we are declaring that we believe in the Lord, regardless of what we are facing.
Conclusion of Ezra 3:10-13
Victory is certain
Today, you may be going through a difficult time. Perhaps you see only ruins around you and think that what is being rebuilt is insignificant. Perhaps there are voices of discouragement trying to convince you that it’s not worth continuing. But I want to remind you that the voice of praise must always prevail.
You may be crying right now, but the Lord is building something new in your life. You may not be able to see it clearly yet, but God’s promise is that the glory of the new will be greater than anything you’ve ever experienced.
I close with a word of encouragement: Don’t stop praising. Don’t stop believing. Don’t stop building. God’s work will never be destroyed, because the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The voice of praise will overcome all the voices of weeping, because victory is already ours in Christ Jesus!
May God bless each one of you as we continue to build His house here on earth, with faith, praise and gratitude.
Amen? Amen!
Preaching Outline on Ezra 3:10-13 – “Then the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, and the priests stood in their garments with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the commandment of David king of Israel. And they praised the LORD, singing hymns and giving thanks, saying, ‘For he is good, for his mercy endures forever on Israel. All the people shouted with great joy, praising the LORD for the foundation of the house of the LORD. But many of the priests, the Levites and the heads of the families, who were already old and had seen the first house, wept aloud when they saw the foundation stone of this house being laid before their eyes; at the same time, many others shouted for joy. So the people could not distinguish the voices of joy from the voices of weeping, for the people shouted with great joy, and the sound was heard far away.”TRUST IN THE VICTORY THAT IS ALREADY GUARANTEED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
More Preaching Outlines
- Revelation 14:2 – Voices of the Lord!
- Go up to Jerusalem – Ezra 1:3
- When we hear other voices – Jeremiah 7:23
