Half Empty or Half Full....

Isn’t it funny about human beings? Some see the glass half empty, while others see it half full. Here in Ezra chapter three we see this example being played out. The foundation of the Temple of the Lord is being laid out (rebuilt), and we see two very different reactions. The younger people, who probably never saw the original Temple built by Solomon that was destroyed, were cheering with excitement. They were enthusiastic because of the rebuilding of the Temple. The older people, who saw the original Temple, began to weep and wail, probably because this new structure didn’t even come close to the grandeur of Solomon’s Temple. Or maybe they were just saddened because they hadn’t worshipped in over 70+ years. So here you have a scene with people shouting with joy and others weeping and wailing. Can you imagine what some one near the city traveling by would think? I’d probably not go near it, because I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I’d probably keep moving on, thinking the people there are crazy. What kind of person are you? Half empty or half full?

12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy. 13 The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance. Ezra 3:12-13