Tag: Zerubbabel

The Day Of Small Things

Tomorrow may feel equally unremarkable. The alarm will ring, responsibilities will loom, and the usual tasks will await you. But here’s the secret that can change everything

Brent Pollard

“The Day of Small Things”—Zechariah 4.10

Some days unfold like pages from an unfinished manuscript. You fold laundry, respond to texts, keep appointments, and wonder whether this chapter of your story has any significance in the grand narrative. Nothing spectacular happens. The sun sets on what feels like wasted hours, and you question the impact you made. Yet it is precisely in these seemingly insignificant moments that the voice of God once thundered through His prophet: “Who dares despise the day of small things?”

The Heart of the Promise

The words emerge from a scene filled with disappointment. After seventy years of exile in Babylon, a remnant had returned to Jerusalem with burning hearts and calloused hands, eager to rebuild the temple of the Lord. However, when they laid the foundation stones, reality struck like a winter wind. What they managed to construct appeared pitiful compared to the memory of Solomon’s magnificent temple. Those who remembered its former glory wept openly—not tears of joy, but tears that cut deeper than any enemy’s sword (Ezra 3.12-13).

In a moment of deep discouragement, God communicated through Zechariah with a vision that would transform everything. The prophet saw a golden lampstand, continuously supplied with an endless source of oil—an image representing divine provision that is unwavering, never faltering, and never running dry. Then came the profound message that would resonate through eternity: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4.6 ESV)

Finally, there’s a question that redefines every small beginning: “For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10 NASB95). God pointed to the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s weathered hands—not a sword or a scepter, but a humble tool for patient and faithful building. Stone by stone. True and level. The message is clear: Do not underestimate this stage. I rejoice to see My people moving forward in obedience, even when their efforts seem insignificant to human eyes.

The Logic of Divine Delight

This verse does not imply that God has a peculiar preference for smallness, as if He opposes magnificence or fears grandeur. Instead, it reveals a profound truth that challenges our entire value system: He finds immense joy in faithfulness, regardless of its scale. What we may consider ordinary often holds extraordinary significance in His eternal purposes.

Consider the divine pattern that runs like a golden thread throughout Scripture: a mustard seed grows into a mighty tree (Luke 13.19). Jesus feeds thousands with five loaves and two fish (John 6.9 ff). Twelve ordinary men from various walks of life spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. A young woman’s “yes” to God’s will changes the destiny of the world (Luke 1.38). God’s signature move is to bring forth greatness from beginnings so humble that human eyes often overlook them.

For the discouraged exiles, their modest temple could never match the architectural glory of Solomon’s. Yet, here lies the breathtaking irony that brings joy to the angels: this would be the very temple where the Son of God Himself would walk, teaching, healing, and transforming hearts. Their “day of small things” was not the end of the story; it was the necessary beginning of the most significant chapter ever written.

Living in the Small Days

How should we live when the day feels ordinary and our contributions fade like morning mist?

Measure by faithfulness, not by flash. The kingdom of God progresses through steadfast efforts—the kind that occurs when no one is watching. This includes praying when there’s no one around to hear, serving without receiving recognition, reading Scripture in the quiet of dawn, and encouraging someone who may never know your name. We often feel tempted to measure significance by numbers, visibility, or the applause of the world. However, God’s joy is found in consistent obedience that His Spirit sustains.

Refuse the poison of comparison. Those returning from exile looked at their foundation and compared it to Solomon’s temple, which led to deep despair. We often do the same with our hearts when we compare our ordinary faithfulness to the highlight moments of others or even to our own “better” seasons. Comparison is a thief that blinds us to what God is accomplishing right now, in this place, through our own hands. It is better to ask, “What has God placed before me today?” and then serve faithfully in that exact spot.

Begin small, begin now. Holiness and ministry often don’t announce themselves with grand displays or loud celebrations. Instead, they develop quietly through our daily choices: reading one psalm thoughtfully, offering one sincere prayer, or performing one act of kindness without expecting anything in return. These small acts of obedience accumulate like stones in a wall, creating something strong enough to withstand any storm.

Rest in His perfect timing. Every day, no matter how small, is significant in God’s eyes. Each moment belongs to Him. The psalmist confidently states, “My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31.15). If this is true—and it is—then we waste no day, and God acknowledges every effort. You are not falling behind if you walk by His Spirit, and you are not stuck if He has promised to complete the work He started in you.

The Weight of Ordinary Moments

Perhaps this day feels painfully insignificant. You are caring for children whose appreciation comes in the form of sticky hugs and sleepy whispers. You diligently handle tasks that often go unnoticed, and people frequently overlook your hard work and achievements. You are enduring struggles that remain unseen by the outside world.

In that exact moment, Zechariah’s ancient question still resonates: “Who has despised the day of small things?”

The answer shines brightly in the heavens: God does not disregard it. He never has. He finds joy in seeing you take up your tools and lay down another stone in faithful obedience. Your seemingly small actions today hold more significance than you can imagine.

Tomorrow may feel equally unremarkable. The alarm will ring, responsibilities will loom, and the usual tasks will await you. But here’s the secret that can change everything: In the nail-scarred hands of the One who takes joy in humble beginnings, even your smallest day is intricately woven into His magnificent, eternal purpose.

Take heart. Do not despise the day of small things. In the economy of heaven, they are often the most significant things of all.

The Restorers

Neal Pollard

You can credit (or blame) a 16th-Century French scholar, printer, and typographer named Robert Etienne for our modern division of the Bible into individual verses. He’s sometimes known by his Latin name, Robert Stephanus. Overall, he did an incredibly commendable job. Sometimes his divisions are head-scratching, like in Ezra 2. This chapter has 70 verses, as he gives each family of the returning exiles their own verse. I’m not sure there is a better way to divide it, though. So, who are these people, that whole assembly of returnees numbering 42,360 plus 7,337 servants and 200 singers? 

They were people willing to endure difficulty. The journey itself would have been over 1000 miles. They leave the comfort and prosperity of Babylon to resettle their native homeland. They will have to rebuild or at least remodel houses and whole villages, not to mention rebuild the temple and the walls around the city of Jerusalem. These were not lazy people!

They were led people (2). Ezra tells us who the leaders were by name. The first three named are among the most prominent leaders in the post-exilic period. Zerubbabel (cf. Zech. 4; Neh. 7,12) not only helps lead the exiles back to the land, he leads the temple reconstruction project (5:2). He insures that the work is done by the Jewish people, and not by their enemies (4:1-3). He is identified as governor of Judah (Hag. 1-2). Jeshua is usually found alongside Zerubbabel (4:3). He is identified in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah as the High Priest. Nehemiah, for whom the Old Testament book is named, will also serve as governor of Judah, was likely a prophet, and previously served as a high official in Persian court (Neh. 1). Eleven men in all are listed as the leaders who shepherd the exiles back to the land. They appear to be highly qualified men, perseverant in their own right. 

They were purposed people (3-67). Ezra divides his list into categories. Many are generally listed as men at the heads of certain families (“sons of…,” 3-35), priests (36-39), Levites (40), singers (41), gatekeepers (42), temple servants (43-54), “Solomon’s servants” (55-57, probably descendants of those selected by Solomon to work on the temple), and several whose genealogical record was unverified (58-63). Who was more important? That is entirely the wrong question! Each group had a purpose, and God and His leaders were depending on them to fulfill it! Verse 70 lists all these groups, who dwelled in their cities and squared up to their tasks.

They were generous people (68-69). Well, not all of them, but certainly “Some of the heads of fathers’ households, when they arrived at the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to restore it on its foundation” (68). They gave according to their ability (69). Through them, God continues to provide for the future of His people.

As we consider the great, ongoing work of restoration, God is seeking the same things from us: perseverance, submission, purpose, and generosity. He will do great things, even in the midst of shambles and dysfunction, when there are people possessed of qualities like these. We will see that longterm projects will have hiccups and stalls, but a huge step occurs when people are willing to step out by faith.