New Timber at God's Expense
Ezra 6:3-4 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
Here we find a letter sent from King Cyrus to inform of the building of the temple, and its full payment from the king's hand. It is a most true statement that God turns the heart of kings to fulfill His will; however, let us take this logic and correctly apply it to the maintenance of Christians from the expenses of Heaven.
The timber is new, not that of rotten wood. So is it that Christ can make all things new. The hard-working Carpenter, who carried His trade into Heaven to build the lives of people, is not interested in rewarding His bride with more old timber, rather Christ is in the business of making new construction in the lives of people. Do you know a man who is down in the pits of sin? Do you know one who has wrecked his life to the uttermost? Do you know one who is disheartened and depressed and can see no light? Send them to the Savior! Christ can rebuild a life with new timber for the soul. Let the construction begin! Let Christ remodel the inward parts and see how quickly the outward road and the path it leads to change! How can Christ do this? He does it justly through the cross of Calvary where He shed His blood for all men. No matter how deep and dark the sinner, Christ will utterly forgive all and purge their life to build it anew. New timber is new desires that are present because of the wonderful act of salvation brought to man by God's perfect plan. New timber is new principles in which the believer now builds his life upon. And what of the cost? Do not think it must be paid by us, for we cannot pay such a large debt; rather Heaven has paid for this by giving the Son of God to die for our sins. And as such, the Christian life must continue in the same grace. Observe this thought: we are saved by grace and not the works of the law. Why then do so many people start in the Spirit and try to grow by holding to the works of the law? Rather they should let the grace of God uphold them in righteousness by asking Him to do so. Heavens airfare was paid by Christ and so is the price of our growing in grace. Christ is graciously still building us to make us what we ought to be; herein is a great work of sanctification in the saints. Happy is the Christian who meets daily with the Master Carpenter, and allows Him time and room to build with new timber in his life.
