Ezra 3

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. Ezra 3:1

The seventh Hebrew month is known as Tish-ri. It is a month of celebration and it corresponds to our September-October period. Tishri begins with the day of sounding the trumpet ( Yom Te-ru-ah ). On the tenth day of the seventh month is the Great Day of Atonement ( Yom Kip-pur ). This is the holiest day of the Hebrew year. Then on the fifteenth day of the seventh month begins the weeklong Festival of Tabernacles ( Sukkot ). It is sometimes called the Feast of Booths. This is a festival of harvest but also a reminder of the days in Moses’ time when they dwelt in tents and sukkot (makeshift dwellings). It was fortunate that they built an altar because on Sukkot many sacrifices had to be made. While other Hebrew holidays have a great deal of fulfillment, the fall festivals, particularly Sukkot are waiting to be fulfilled. We can read about all these festivals and convocations in Leviticus chapter 23:23-44; Num. 29:1-40; Deut. 16:13-22).

We see that the returnees were now settled in their homes, but Sukkot was a pilgrimage festival and it was important for folks to celebrate it in Jerusalem. We note that they were doing that as they were assembled together. We read that they were “as one.” Texas professor Bob Utley says that “the phrase is a Hebrew idiom for unity of mind and heart (cf. Neh. 7:72b-8:1 and also Judg. 20:1, 8, 11).” [1] The early church came together in this way (Acts 4:32) and because of it, they accomplished great and mighty things. McConville comments, “In the Feast of Booths the exiles were remembering in a special way the deliverance of their forefathers from Egypt centuries before (Lev. 23:42-43).” [2]

“Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God” (3:2). Kidner notes that the initiative on this occasion belonged to Jeshua the priest and that here alone his name precedes that of Zerubbabel. [3] Warren Wiersbe, pastor, religious broadcaster and commentator says, “As long as there was a sanctified altar and a qualified priest, sacrifices could be given to the Lord.” [4] We read in scripture (Exo. 20:25) that God’s altar had to be built with fieldstones and not with bricks or carved stones. They were too much representative of man’s work, and it is only God who sanctifies and redeems. The new altar was likely built on the very site of the old altar (cf. 2 Sam. 24:16-19).

“Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices” (3:3). Henri J. M. Nouwen once wrote: “The Spirit of God is a creative spirit, always expressing itself in new life. When that spirit is extinguished by fear, we cling to what we have and thus stop moving and growing.” [5] Anders adds: “Fear works its way into business, neighborhoods, families, even the church. In every case, the result is a constriction of life, a strangling of energy. Fear turns in on itself in morbid self-absorption, redefining reality. Fear makes us tentative. We hesitate, reconsider, wait, and withdraw.” [6]

Well, despite their great fear of the surrounding peoples the pilgrims got busy and built an altar to God. It was built before there was a temple just like David had done centuries before (2 Sam. 24:25). Breneman says, “They built the altar ‘on its foundation,’ which no doubt means on its exact preexilic location.” [7]

The People Offer Sacrifice

Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. Ezra 3:4

Obviously, while in Babylon the people could not offer proper sacrifices. As we have mentioned, these could be done only with an approved altar and priesthood. Now they had both requirements met. The priests also had an abundance of holy garments that were provided.

The offerings made during the Feast of Tabernacles were very interesting. We read about them in Numbers 29:1-40. On each day of the feast, there was to be a declining number of offerings and that is very unusual. On the first day, 13 bulls were offered with their accompanying requirements. On the second day, 12 bulls were offered. On the third day, 11 bulls and on the fourth day 10 bulls. Each day the bulls declined by one until the seventh day when seven bulls were offered. Since seven is the Bible’s perfect number and the number of completion we think this has significance. Along with the bulls, there were 2 rams and 14 lambs offered each day, in addition to their accompanying requirements.

Now, what can we understand from all this? Tabernacles is generally looked upon as the festival of the Lord’s coming (Rev. 21:3 NAS, NKJ). It seems pictured in these offerings that the sacrificial system would be fulfilled, completed or made perfect. Of course, we know that has now happened in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 10:5, 10, 14).

“After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD” (3:5). All the offerings of Tabernacles were in addition to the daily offering of two lambs, one in the morning and the other evening, as well as the accompanying grain and drink offerings (Exo. 29:38-42).

To the Jewish people, each new moon was a special holiday since they lived by a lunar calendar (Lev. 23:24-25). Each new moon was a sabbath and sacred assembly. In Numbers 28:11 we read: “On the first of every month, present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.” This offering had its accompanying grain and drink offerings as well. The Tabernacle offerings came in addition to the New Moon sacrifices.

We do not have to read much in the Old Testament to realize that the Hebrew people were a sacrificing people. They probably gave over half of their earnings to God in the various sacrifices and offerings. In our postmodern world that sounds astounding and impossible. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, perhaps the greatest Talmud scholar in a few hundred years, asserted that the problem with spirituality in the United States was that Americans wanted “a good five-cent religion.” “On the cheap,” he was saying. He added that we also want a fast-food mysticism to go with our fast-food culture. [8]

“On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD’s temple had not yet been laid” (3:6). This verse seems to be a summary of what we have just discussed. They were required to offer the New Moon sacrifices that we mentioned. Also, the first day of the sacred seventh month was the day of sounding the trumpet ( Yom Teruah ). The trumpet is still sounded in Israel after all these centuries. Even young children stick their heads out apartment windows and sound the trumpet on this day. To hear the trumpet sound on a crisp fall Israel day sends shivers up one’s spine. It is surely a precursor of the sounding of that last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52.

Rebuilding The Temple

Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia. Ezra 3:7

When we refer to the Book of Haggai we realize that there was quite a bit of drama in getting the new temple built. After the good decree of Persian King Cyrus, the people returned to the land in 537 BC. They began to rebuild the temple, perhaps even laying a cornerstone or some of the foundation (cf. Ezra 5:16). However, they were immediately resisted by some hostile people of the land (Ez. 4:1ff). This resulted in an adverse decree from King Cambyses stopping the work (Ezr. 4:21-24). The temple work was idle for the next 16 years until the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. It was only then in 520 BC that the work was begun again and finally completed in 516 BC.

It appears that the people operated in much the same way that King Solomon did several centuries earlier. They arranged for the people of Sidon and Tyre to provide cedar logs for their construction (cf. 1 Ki. 5:10-11; 2 Chr. 2:8, 10, 16). These logs were floated from Lebanon to the southern seaport of Joppa (Jaffa). They then reimbursed the people of Lebanon with products they had grown in Judea. Of course, the famous cedars of Lebanon were now owned by the king of Persia who had decreed that the temple should be built and that expenses were to be paid out of the royal treasury (Ezr. 6:4). More specifically, the Jews should be reimbursed from the treasury of these very hostile leaders in Trans-Euphrates who had resisted them. It is interesting that both Jewish temples in the past were built with Gentile cooperation and that the new spiritual temple is built the same way (Eph. 2:11-22).

“In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the LORD. (3:8). The second year after their return was 535 BC. Interestingly, the second month was the very month when King Solomon earlier started building his temple (1 Ki. 6:1; 2 Chr. 3:2). [9]

Normally, Levites began their work at 30 years of age (Num. 4:23), but here we see them beginning work at 20 years of age. There was probably a good reason for that. While the work on Solomon’s temple required thousands of Levites, only 341 Levites had returned from Babylon (Ezr. 2:40-42). [10] Therefore, they lowered the age of working Levites much like David once did in his need (1 Chr. 23:24).

“Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers – all Levites – joined together in supervising those working on the house of God” (3:9). This Joshua was not the high priest. [11] He was a supervising Levite who may have later assisted worshippers in Nehemiah’s time (Neh. 8:7; 9:4). The Hebrew ( ke-ehad ) is emphatic here showing that they all stood together as one man. [12]

“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel” (3:10). Anders comments: “Everything was carried out with precise purpose and a keen awareness of tradition, as prescribed by David king of Israel.” [13] The returnees wanted to connect not only with David but with all the Hebrew heritage of the past. There was much rejoicing and praise to the God who had made it all possible. Guzik remarks: “In general, the description matches the massive and elaborate dedication ceremony for Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 5:13), except this was held in far humbler circumstances.” [14] Of course, because of the great opposition of Israel’s enemies, work would quickly be suspended and would not begin again until 520 BC.

“With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: ‘He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid” (3:11). The people sang to the Lord but the Hebrew ( ya-anu – “answered”) implies that they sang antiphonally. [15] This is a very familiar hymn of praise to God. It might well be the most common one in the Bible. Utley says: “‘For he is good, for his lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.’ This phrase was first used by David in 1 Chr. 16:34, 41. Later it was incorporated into the Psalms: 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; and 136:1ff. It was used by Solomon in his dedication of the temple in 2 Chr. 5:13 and 7:3. Part of it occurs in a Levitical praise text spoken before King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chr. 20:21.” [16]

“But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away” (3:12-13). In 520 BC there were still some older people around who had seen the first temple in all its glory. Some of these older people were apparently disappointed at the humble beginning of the second temple.

Some were shouting for joy and some were weeping (cf. Ezra 3:12-13; cf. Hag. 2:3). Wiersbe comments: “These godly old men longed for ‘the good old days,’ but it was the sins of their generation that had caused the fall of the kingdom to begin with!” [17] In the western Christian world today we hear church people talking about the “good old days” too, but these were probably the days when the church lost the modern world. The Bible has some good advice along this line. “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions” (Eccl. 7:10).

The prophet Haggai lets them and all of us in on a marvelous secret. The glory of that present house would eventually be greater than the glory of the former (Hag. 2:9). The Lord Jesus, the very Son of God, would stand in that house. That would far outshine any shekinah that was ever seen in God’s temple.

Footnotes

1. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Ezra (Bible Lessons Int., 2014), v. 3:1. http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/old_testament_studies/VOL08OT/VOL08AOT_03.html

2. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 20.

3. Kidner, Ezra & Nehemiah, p. 46.

4. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 737.

5. Quoted in Anders, g. ed. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Holman Old Testament Commentary, p. 37.

6. Ibid.

7. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, The New American Commentary, p. 91.

8. Hugh Hewitt, The Embarrassed Believer (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998), p. 92.

9. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Ezra, v. 3:18.

10. Coffman, Commentary on Ezra, Coffman Commentaries on the Bible, v. 3:8.

11. Barnes, Commentary on Ezra, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible, v. 3:9.

12. Ibid.

13. Anders, g. ed. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Holman Old Testament Commentary, p. 35.

14. Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary, Ezra, v. 3:7.

15. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 426.

16. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Ezra, v. 3:11.

17. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 737.