JTB.SDG
Puritan Board Junior
Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as the paraclete, which is translated mostly as "helper" or "comforter" (John 14).
Somehow I had never had this thought. I knew "Ezra" means "help" and I think I knew that Nehemiah means "the Lord comforts", but this had never occurred to me.
Typologically, we know that the temple was a forepicture of the church, but it is also a picture of Christ. "Destroy this temple and after three days I will raise it." It's the same imagery from the OT. The first temple was "destroyed", but in the promise of the new covenant, that temple would again be rebuilt. Thus, the destruction and rebuilding of the temple of Solomon seems to point us to the death and resurrection of Christ.
Well, the work of Ezra and Nehemiah comes AFTER the temple had already been rebuilt/raised up again. Their work isn't to rebuild the temple, that's already done. It's rather adorning the temple. The temple has been rebuilt but God's people still need a TON of help (Ezra) and comfort (Nehemiah). So, it's after the temple had been raised up again that Ezra and Nehemiah are sent to God's people in order to be a help and comfort to them as they sought to glorify the Lord in the work of His kingdom.
Thoughts?
Somehow I had never had this thought. I knew "Ezra" means "help" and I think I knew that Nehemiah means "the Lord comforts", but this had never occurred to me.
Typologically, we know that the temple was a forepicture of the church, but it is also a picture of Christ. "Destroy this temple and after three days I will raise it." It's the same imagery from the OT. The first temple was "destroyed", but in the promise of the new covenant, that temple would again be rebuilt. Thus, the destruction and rebuilding of the temple of Solomon seems to point us to the death and resurrection of Christ.
Well, the work of Ezra and Nehemiah comes AFTER the temple had already been rebuilt/raised up again. Their work isn't to rebuild the temple, that's already done. It's rather adorning the temple. The temple has been rebuilt but God's people still need a TON of help (Ezra) and comfort (Nehemiah). So, it's after the temple had been raised up again that Ezra and Nehemiah are sent to God's people in order to be a help and comfort to them as they sought to glorify the Lord in the work of His kingdom.
Thoughts?