The Return to Jerusalem
Ezra 3:1 The people begin to restore the altar of praise. “And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
The first thing we glean from the first few verses of Ezra chapter 3 is that it was during the month of Tishri. The seventh month of the ecclesiastical year and the First month and New Year of the civil calendar. The month of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
The seventh month is a type of Sabbath before we have a new beginning, a new day.
The second thing is that the people who returned to rebuild the temple (nearly 50,000) all gathered as one man in the holy city. They returned to Jerusalem which means the teaching of peace (Strong’s H3389). The people were of one accord and one mind. They had a singular purpose – to restore what they so recklessly lost. To restore the peace between man and God.
1 Corinthians 2:16“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:4“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Philippians 2:1-2“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Rebuilding the Altar of Praise
Ezra 3:2 “ Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
They built the altar before they started rebuilding the temple. Why? Worship must always come first. The altar of praise is where that begins in the Church.
The same is true with God rebuilding His new temple – us, the Church. We must come to a true knowledge and understanding of praising and worshipping our Lord and Savior.
The temple God is building will not look as it did over the past decades and centuries. This will be HIS temple, not man’s idea. This is the Church Jesus is building – Matthew 16:18, “…and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
There is great pollution and defilement in the Church today. What was once a time of deep worship and fellowship with God, where deliverance and miracles occur, has now become concerts and motivational speeches by ‘Rock Star’ pastors. We have massive bodies of believers flocking to the performances yet rejecting true fellowship. They seek entertainment and relief for their ‘itching ears’ 2 Timothy 4:3.
Restoring Worship
Ezra 3:3, And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
Praising and worshipping God can many times be a sacrifice. During this time I’m in of grieving after losing my wife, there are many times when I have no desire to praise God. It is the last thing on my mind or my heart. The pain is that immense. The same is true with many of the trials and tribulations we face all our lives.
Things are not going well why would I praise God? Why not? God even tells us it is going to be a sacrifice…
Hebrews 13:15-16, Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
1 Peter 2:5, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians5:16-18, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Conclusion:
The first step in restoring the Temple of God – His Holy church – is to return to Jerusalem, the holy city and the teaching of peace. We must dedicate our lives to His will and service as is our reasonable service. Forsaking the wisdom and ways of the world we live in and embracing the life Christ offers us.
Roman’s 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
We then rebuild the altar of praise that we might again come into right standing before our great and mighty King!
Hebrews 13:15-16 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Next we restore worship of the true and living God to the Church as God always intended it to be. Surrender is the greatest form of worship. Worship in Spirit and in Truth, because we know the source of our life and the truth of who He is!
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
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