I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold (Ezra 8:26, 27 NIV).
Ezra is getting ready to lead a group of Israelites including priests and levites to go back to Jerusalem. They were given favorable orders by the king of Persia to do so. The king had even contributed a lot of silver and gold. This was given with the express command that it be used for the temple of God in Jerusalem.
We find here Ezra weighing out to the priests and others concerned all the silver and gold donated to them for the house of God. This was weighed out to them to be taken care of until they could be placed in the temple of God.
What is interesting in this list is the mention of “two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.” This is interesting because we live in a world where the gold medallists in the Olympics get all the glory and the silver medallists get a little less and the bronze medallists get the least of all the glory.
In the Christian world too we find this trend. Big offerings and those who offer them are treated with much respect. But many do not think much about those who have only little to offer.
But from this passage we find that the two fine articles of polished bronze were as precious as gold! God values that little offering that you give. It is precious in His eyes. God values the effort that you put in into His work.
It may not be as big as what the leaders are doing; but it still is the best you can do. Ezra’s care of the bronze articles is a reflection of God’s appreciation of your contribution. Your work is precious as gold in His eyes.
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