When the captivity was over and the people had been given permission to return to their homeland, they joyfully set about building new homes in Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside. At the recently finished altar of God they worshiped with burnt offerings in gratitude for God’s mercy as their ancestors had many years before.
However, something was lacking. Their homeland was not complete without a temple to God. Strewn all about were the great stones that had once been a part of the foundations of Solomon’s magnificent temple.
Thus Zerubbabel found at Zion the stones that were needed to rebuild the temple. Workmen cleared away the debris from the foundation site, and other workmen fitted the stones into place to form again the foundation walls.
The interest of the Jews in laying again the foundations of the temple was not limited merely to the stones and mortar. This was only the outward manifestation of their intense desire to lay again those intangible foundations necessary for spiritual strength. To them worship and religious instruction were absolutely essential in building godly lives.
Today, we also are forced to realize that worship and religious instruction provide the only firm foundation that will give a person respect for God, a high moral code, and the ability to live in peace with their neighbor. These foundations stones that we need can only be found at Zion — the church. We can only be aware of these foundation stones by conscientious study and application of the Bible, the “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Kyle Campbell