Bible Studies
Principles for Rebuilding (Ezra 3:1-7)
Series: Studies In EzraIntroduction:
1. King Cyrus of Persia has authorized the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylonian captivity. 2. Ezra 1:5 says that God had stirred up their spirits to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.a. Their vision stemmed from their recognition of God’s activity in their lives. God had predicted that they would return to the land. Their commitment and their return was a matter of faith as they saw that they were fulfilling the very plan of God.
b. There was a special sense in which they were called out from Babylonian captivity. Like their forefathers whom God delivered from Egypt, they were called out to be God’s special people. They would be cut off from the world and joined together with God in an exclusive relationship. Cf. Isa. 52:11; Ezra 6:21; 2 Cor. 6:14ff.
3. Chapter 3 reveals some of the principles by which they operated in accomplishing the purpose of God in their generation. 4. These principles are critical to the accomplishment of the plan of God in our generation. We need to see that we are the special people of God called out of the world, cut off from it and joined together with Him in an exclusive relationship. 5. Seeing this vision will cause us to operate by the same principles that they operated by. What are they? And how can we execute them in our generation to serve the purposes of God? They were building the house of the Lord and we are building the house of the Lord.Discussion:
I. One of their first objectives was to build the altar of God and offer burnt offerings on it (3:1-3). The first principle of rebuilding the house of the Lord involves operating by faith.A. Verse 3 indicates that they did this because “they were terrified by the peoples of the lands.”
1. Why not establish a militia? Why not build walls around the city? Why not create some kind of defensive strategy?
2. On the surface, it seems odd that they would first build the altar of God.
3. They erected the altar and restored the worship of the Lord, for the very purpose of securing divine protection.
B. They had been taken into captivity because they had forsaken the Lord, but because of His graciousness He had preserved them in Babylon. Now He was bringing them back to their land, would they depend upon their weakness from this point forward or would they depend upon the strength of God?
1. God had been their deliverer from Egypt.
2. God had been their deliverer when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem
3. God had delivered them through the Captivity.
4. God would be their deliverer now.
5. Their action in building the altar, offering sacrifices, celebrating the Feast of Booths and worshiping God was a testimony to their faith.
C. Since they were operating by faith they acted in accordance with what was written. Twice in this first paragraph of chapter 3 it mentions that they acted on what was written.
1. Verse 2 says they “built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.”
2. Verse 4 adds, “They celebrated the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the ordinance, as each day required.”
3. It would have been incoherent to attempt to enlist God’s blessing on what they were doing while ignoring what He had given them instruction to do. Such thinking had resulted in destruction during the days of the kings. Without faithful devotion to God there would be no promise of deliverance from the peoples of the lands.
D. God has called us to be a separate people (2 Cor. 6:14ff).
1. We have been called out of the world.
2. 1 Pet. 1:14-15: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
3. 1 Pet. 2:9ff: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
4. This is certainly no attempt to be righteous by means of works. It is a holiness based on His mercy, on His forgiveness, but it does involve a change of behavior described here as a transformation from darkness to light.
5. Those returning from captivity were not holy by their own doing, but they were a special people joined together with God in a sacred relationship. They built an altar to offer burnt offerings in recognition of their sin. In humility they asked for God’s deliverance from the peoples of the lands.
II. The second principle of rebuilding the house of the Lord is giving (3:7).A. Sometimes I hear those considering Christianity ask, “Will I be expected to give a tenth? I just don’t think I can do that.”
1. Sometimes my response is that the Scripture teaches that each one must do as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). I mean to imply that there is no requirement of one/tenth. This may be a misleading response. I know that some in the denominational world use giving a tenth to squeeze contributions out of people sometimes for personal advantage.
2. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:26-27). When you become a Christian you are giving the Lord control over you, your relationships, your money, everything!
3. Jesus said, “None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions” (Lk. 14:33).
4. Friendship with the world is hostility to God. He jealousy desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us (James 4:4-10).
B. Unless we give ourselves to the Lord it matters not how much money we give (2 Cor.8:5).
C. The people in Ezra’s day gave to the work because they had committed themselves to the Lord and to building His house.
D. We need to search our hearts and make sure that is what we are doing.
III. The third principle critical to their success in building the house of the Lord is that they stood united (3:8-9).A. There may be a particular emphasis on the unity characteristic of the leadership (v. 9).
1. Unity among leaders is a powerful thing; disunity, on the other hand, is powerfully destructive.
2. Paul says that we are to be diligent to preserve unity (Eph. 4:1ff).
a. He identifies what is necessary: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, diligence.
b. He stresses the place of leadership (11-16).
c. It is the faith that brings unity (13).
d. Leadership centers its work on the faith, teaching and training in the truth.
B. But it is not just leaders that must be unified.
1. The leaders may have overseen the work, but there was also unity in the workmen (3:9-11).
2. The reference in Eph. 4:16 refers to “what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part.”
3. To build the house of God unity in every part is important.
IV. The fourth principle is that they praised the Lord according to the directions of King David (Ezra 3:10ff).A. Perhaps they remembered the reforms carried out under King Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:20-28).
B. They rejoiced and praised God for His lovingkindness.
C. They did it according to the revelation God had given, but they PRAISED God.
1. Perhaps some emphasize praising God to the neglect of the revelation He has given. May be emotional.
2. Perhaps some emphasize the revelation He has given to the neglect of praising Him. May be cold and mechanical.
3. It cannot be one without the other!! Genuine praise demonstrates respect to the Lord. It is focused on what is pleasing to Him and not what pleases the worshiper. Worship by its very nature is God-centered, not self-centered.
Conclusion:
1. These people are making progress on building the house of the Lord. 2. They depended upon the Lord in faith. They gave themselves to the work. They stood united. They praised God as they followed His instructions. 3. We are building the house of God. Faith, giving, unity, and praise are principles that lead to success.
