Having successfully restored the altar, and offered burning sacrifices continually, Ezra 3:4-7 said that the people now boldly celebrated the Feast of Booth or the Feast of Tabernacle. Obviously, it was allowed by both Jeshua and Zerubbabel. Hence the people must have allowed it. They did it according to what was laid down in the ordinance.
Ezra
3:5 states that three things were carried out which were clearly stipulated in Leviticus 23:34-42. Firstly, there was the continual
burnt offering; secondly, there was the celebration of the new moon and regular feasts
and festivals; and thirdly they allow the people to bring in their freewill offering.
Since the start of the seventh month, they had been offering their
burnt offering even though the foundation of the temple was not as yet laid. As it
was needful to collect materials for the rebuilding of the temple, Verse 7 said
that “They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food, drink, and
oil to the Sidonians and to the Tyrians, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon
to the sea at Joppa….” They did all these with the permission of Cyrus
king of Persia.
Verse 4 said explicitly “They celebrated the feast of the booth as it is written….” What took place as described in these verses resulted because of the people’s return to the word. It suggests that they obey the word and did according to what had been prescribed. Think about it, the Jew's predicament resulted because they departed from the instruction of God laid down in the Law and ordinances by Moses. Now we see a return to obeying the word. These verses underscore the importance of the word of God in our lives. We not only need to be familiar with it so that we will know what God wants us to do. More than knowing the Word, we need to obey by doing it. When we obey the Word, we abide and remain connected with Him. John 15:7 says if we abide in Jesus and His words abide in us, whatever we ask will be granted to us.
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