Ezra 3:1-7 – Establishing the altar of God in our lives.

Ezra 2 concluded with the people settling in and around Jerusalem, laying the foundation for a new community. In a powerful display of unity, the people came together in the seventh month to embark on a significant building project. This timing was not arbitrary, but a deliberate choice to coincide with three of their most important feasts, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of the Tabernacles.

Ezra 3 details their ambitious building program. Verse 3 reveals the driving force behind the altar’s construction and the resumption of the sacrifices. Faced with opposition from non-Jews who occupied Jerusalem, the returnees, filled with a deep sense of faith and determination to trust God, began laying the foundation of the altar, knowing that their God would be their ultimate protector.    

Under the leadership of Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and their brethren, the people’s first act was to build the altar, a symbol of their renewed commitment to their faith. Following the law of Moses, they offered burnt sacrifices and other offerings on the altar to the God of Israel. This marked the revival of their religious life, with everyone eagerly participating and offering their free will offerings to the Lord.

However, the foundation of the temple needed to be laid. Verse 7 tells us 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, according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia.” This was in preparation for the building of the temple.  

The rebuilding of the altar in Ezra 3:1-7 is a powerful symbol of the people’s renewed commitment to their faith. Despite facing opposition and challenges from outsiders, the community’s decision to build the altar and resume sacrifices demonstrated their deep trust in God and determination to set their lives right.

The altar was a focal point for their religious life and marked the revival of their commitment to God. It highlights the significance of faith and unity in the face of adversity and their unwavering trust that God would be their ultimate protector. How is our altar? Is it in a broken state? Our altars must be firmly built and established if we desire a personal revival. Be sure we have a firm altar for God in our life.