June 9, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Ezra? Here’s today’s reading:
Ezra 3 (NIV)
Rebuilding the Altar
1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.........Continue Reading
I love the praise that occurred when the foundation was laid and they began to rebuild back from where they once were but the mixed emotions that came with that also seem understandable. To know what went into the making of the first temple and to see how horribly it ended must have made those older Israelites mourn for things that could have been avoided if they had obeyed in the first place.
But always good to see restoration and that God can breathe new life into anyone no matter how far the have fallen.
Ezra 1
How exciting and inspiring it must have been for the Jews to reestablish the worship of God in Jerusalem. How great the picture of all the returned exiles to come to Jerusalem as one, in spite of what others thought about it. And then on top of all that to have the religious and governmental leaders coming together to establish sacrifices and the celebration of the festivals the Jews were commanded to do to remember and thank God. What we find here is like the retelling of the way the materials were sought after for the first temple. And I can understand the mixed emotions as well. Gladness and sadness for what is being reestablished…those remembering what it was like in the old days and thinking fondly of that as well as regretting the course that they had taken to make a rebuilding of the temple necessary.
Ezra 3
Ezra 3, I observe Israel first consecrated themselves by offerings and sacrifices before building the temple. Kinda like Pastor Pete, encouraging us to “dress to the nines” for Sunday services! Always felt Sundsy should be approached with cleanliness of body, and as much as possible in Spirit too. “Battles that could be won Sunday were lost Saturday night.”
Little gordy needs consecration, every day, before I start to put my hands to work, in whatever I set to do. There’s a verse about that somewhere!
The people that returned in the first group were so happy to come together as one man. Then the altar of God was built. Then they were able to do the burnt offerings, the feast of tabernacles, special offerings such as the new moons, and all the set feasts. Also free will offerings. Cyrus provided the grant for the altar and the wall. The Levite men of 20 years and older were to set forward the work of the house of the Lord. After the foundation was laid the priests blew the trumpets and the Levites used the cymbals. All the people sang together with thanks and praise to God for His mercy in bringing them back to the promised land. There was much weeping along with great joy for those who remembered the first house cried while the others rejoiced. I get that for those of us that are older have seen revivals during our time or at least experienced the result of them. This is what we need in The United States of America right now. We can see how downward our culture has gotten falling away from God. It will get worse unless God intervenes like He did with Nineveh when they turned to God as a nation. He spared their nation for over a hundred years. I think it was closer to 150 years. I am writing this on Sunday night after our summer celebration. Thanks to all that served today and the Lord did bless the day. The Lord answered prayer and invitations for many of the people that were invited came. There were also those who happen to show up and didn`t know about it but were interested in coming to our church. Melodye and I spoke to some that expressed this. One of which Jill spoke to and was excited to come to our church. We had a family show up that we invited to come to this and they came. They couldn`t stay long but they came. We prayed for them to come. I don`t believe that they are saved but the men last Thursday prayed for them. They are a young couple with 2 twin girls the age of 3. The couple are Phillip and Roxane. Please pray for them. God bless everyone.
Praying for them Dennis!
I love the overwhelming emotion that is described:
“And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”
We weep for our own disobedience and the consequences.
We weep for the sin of others that endangers our nation and our children.
We weep for joy as God intervenes and we see His mercy.
I don’t know about anyone else, but sometimes I cry in worship. It’s like the Holy Spirit pushes the tears up from my heart and I get teary eyed. I am a non-emotional person, maybe this is God’s way of moving me!