September 10, 2023 | Dr. Gary Hylander
Passage: Ezra 3:8-11
The book of Ezra chronicles the story of Jewish people returning from Babylonian captivity so as to rebuild the temple as well as the city of Jerusalem. Nearly 50,000 Jews were involved in a four-month journey of faith and hardship, with the goal of living for God in the land of promise. In 538, Cyrus, King of Persia, issued a decree that allowed exiled Jews to come home and rebuild the temple (See Isaiah 44:28).
Ezra 3 informs us that the first step in the process was to restore the altar so that sacrifices could be made (1-3). This serves to remind us that a relationship with God is a prerequisite for a biblically designed construction process to be God-honoring. Verses 8-11 describe the unified workforce, which was continuously aware of God’s steadfast love, which endures forever. We have been supremely conscious of God’s steadfast love through the entirety of Phases 1 and 2 of our construction process. As we look ahead to Phase 3, we pause this morning to celebrate our sovereign God, who has revealed his steadfast love to us. We bring all glory and honor to our LORD and him alone.
As We Follow Biblical Construction Principles That Honor Our LORD, Note...
- The Wise Supervisors
God Uses. (8-9) - The Unified Workers
God Values. (10) - The Steadfast Love
God Exhibits. (11a) - The Joyous Response
God Deserves. (11b)