Ezra 3:1

Outline: (Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts)
    I. \\#Ezra 1:1-2:70\\ The First Return to Israel
        A. \\#Ezra 1:1-4\\ The Command to Return
        B. \\#Ezra 1:5-11\\ Preparations for the Journey
        C. \\#Ezra 2:1-65\\ The People Who Returned
        D. \\#Ezra 2:66-67\\ The Animals That Returned
        E. \\#Ezra 2:68-69\\ The People’s Reaction
        F. \\#Ezra 2:70\\ Life Begins
   II. \\#Ezra 3:1-6:22\\ Construction of the Temple
        A. \\#Ezra 3:1-7\\ In the First Year
        B. \\#Ezra 3:8-13\\ In the Second Year
  III. \\#Ezra 7:1-8:36\\ The Second Return to Israel
   IV. \\#Ezra 9:1-10:44\\ Restoration of the People

II. \\#Ezra 3:1-6:22\\ Construction of the Temple
    A. \\#Ezra 3:1-7\\ In the First Year
        1. \\#1\\ "in the seventh month"
            a. This is the first reference to annual time that has
                been given and here we are not told "in the seventh
                month" of WHAT?
            b. However, \\#Ezra 3:4\\ speaks of the Jewish "feast of
                Tabernacles," held in the 7th month of the Jewish
                calendar.
            c. In that month, the Jews celebrate three of their holy
                feasts: The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashana), The Day
                of Atonment (Yom Kippur), and (The Feast of
                Tabernacles (Succoth).
        2. "the children of Israel were in the cities" - Both this
            verse and \\#Ezra 2:70\\ tell us the people went back to
            their cities of origin.
        3. "the people gathered themelves together …to Jerusalem"
            At this time, they come back to Jerusalem.
        4. \\#2\\ "Jeshua the son of Jozadak"
            a. This is the first mention by Ezra of the High Priest,
                Jeshua.
            b. Jozadak, his father, may not have been his immediate
                father but Jeshua would have been bornn of his line.
                Some think this name is a reference to Jehozadak
                \\#1Chron 6:15\\, the High Priest when Israel was
                taken into captivity.
            c. Zerubbabel and Jeshua will work together to establish
                both the nation and the worship of Jehovah in the
                return.
         5. Along with other leaders, the people "builded the altar
             of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings" - It was
             the desire of God’s leaders that the people know and
             obey God’s commands.
         6. \\#3\\ "they set the altar upon his bases"
             a. There was no temple building to worship within.
                 (1) The Ark of the Covenant is never mentioned and
                      was probably hid before the city even fell to
                      Babylon.
                 (2) The portable tabernacles built in Moses’ day had
                      long since disappeared from Scripture.
                 (3) These men will have to improvise and honor God
                      in the outdoors as best as they can.
             b. They "offered burnt offerings… morning and
                 evening."
         7. \\#4\\ "They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is
             written"
             a. They came to abide in booths for a week.
             b. Is perspective not an amazing thing?  No doubt,
                 before the captivity many Jews would have thought it
                 a bothersome thing to move out of their homes for a
                 week, but this generation probably delighted in the
                 fact that they once again had homes in Israel from
                 which they could come out of!
         8. \\#5-7\\ "And afteward… the continual burnt offering…
             of the new moons, and of all the set feasts" - From that
             time forward, all of the holy days and feasts were kept.
             a. \\#6\\ The offerings started "from the first day of
                 the seventh month…."
             b. "But the foundation of the temple… was not laid
                 yet."
             c. \\#7\\ The people "gave money also" for masons and
                 carpenters.
             d. "and meat, drink, oil unto them of Zidon, and…
                 Tyre, to bring cedar tress from Lebanon" - The same
                 area from which the lumber for the first temple
                 came.

    B. \\#Ezra 3:8-13\\ In the Second Year
        1. \\#8\\ "in the second year of their coming unto the house
            of God… in the second month" - That would seem to be
            seven months later.
        2. The people "from twenty years old and upward… set
            forward the work of the house of the Lord" - Began to
            build the temple.
            a. \\#9\\"Then stood Jeshua" - Jeshua seemed to be
                 leading this work.
            b. \\#10\\ "when the builders laid the foundation… the
                priests… and the Levites… praise the Lord" - As
                the foundation was being laid, the people praised the
                Lord.
            c. \\#10\\ "And they sang… unto the Lord; because he is
                good."
            d. \\#12\\ "But… ancient men, that had seen the first
                house… wept with a loud voice"
            e. \\#13\\ "So that the people could not" tell what was
                rejoicing from what was weeping.

The sad reality is that sin brings God’s judgment and God’s judgment
is always painful. Israel would not have what they once had in a
temple until the days of Herod, who would build a temple much bigger
and at least as glorious as Solomon’s. But even then, it would not be
a temple build with the knowledge that it was a gift to God from the
Jewish people for a Gentile king who was an Edomite would have the
privilege. And more, by the time Herod completed the temple for the
Jews, Jesus would be born and its days to stand would be few for God
would remove it as He ended the worship of the Jews and set aside His
covenant with them.

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