Welcome to part two of this week's podcast.

At the end of chapter three, we get a little bit more of the reaction of the people at this

rebuilding of the temple.

Because you can imagine, you know, if you've been away from the temple for a while and

now have the temple rebuilt, it's going to be a huge deal, just like our reopening

of the temples slowly, but surely after the pandemic, I think we feel a little more gratitude

for this opportunity to go to the temple and feel that spirit and be strengthened and the

peace and the beauty of the temple.

And so at the end of chapter three, we get some of their reaction.

Let's pick up in verse 11.

We have all these priests there, Levites and others, and they sank together by course

in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord.

Why?

Because he is good for his mercy and doerth forever toward Israel.

This is probably a little excerpt from a psalm there.

And that mercy in English is this word, he said that I think you've talked about before

on a previous podcast.

It's this everlasting kindness, this covenantal love that God shows his people.

John, I think earlier today, you mentioned that even though the Israelites were off in exile,

God hadn't forgotten them.

He still would remember them and help bring them back.

And that's what I think that phrase gets at because he is good and is mercy and doerth

...