Ezra 3 | Rebuilding Together
And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.
Today’s Scripture: Ezra 3
Well, here we are. It’s officially been one year since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Churches, in particular, have had a tough go of things. Especially difficult were the gathering restrictions, which led many churches to close their doors, months at a time, for much of 2020 and turn to online services.
Online services have been and continue to be a blessing for many with pre-existing conditions, high-risk family members, and those shut-in without transportation. Yet, how about the rest of us, who have grown to enjoy the online format. Is it okay for us to forgo the in-person gatherings each week?
When we, as Christians, miss out on assembling together in worship – it’s not a good thing. When we lack the benefit of the preaching of the Word, godly accountability, and encouragement – we can become spiritually lax. Rather than growing in our Christian walk, we can become distracted with less important things and even fall prey to distractions such as conspiracy theories and the like.
As we begin to see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel – ministries in our churches will start again. As this takes place, it will be vitally important for us to embrace the gathering together of our church as we rebuild.
In Ezra 3, the Israelites were in a similar situation as we are today. They were returning to their place of worship, Jerusalem, after 70 years in captivity. Although they were rejoicing in their freedom, the task of restoring worship and rebuilding the temple would be a significant challenge. Yet, as this first group of exiles returned, they focused on a small set of important priorities.
They gathered in unity
Once the first group of Israelites, led by Zerubbabel, returned to Jerusalem, they dispersed to their cities and settled into their homes. Once they arrived, they had to find housing, food, water, and other necessities for their families. However, after seven months, they made it a priority to gather together in Jerusalem.
Although the holy city was physically torn apart – the returnees were united in purpose. Their unity was so striking they were “as one man to Jerusalem” (Ezra 3:1). They were joined together by the Spirit of God in their task to reestablish worship and rebuild. Without the unity they had, completing the tasks ahead of them would have been unachievable.
I imagine that for some of the exiles, the decision to return home wasn’t an easy one to make. Babylon was somewhat comfortable, the trip was long, and the expected conditions in Israel pretty bad. Yet, it would be a life-changing opportunity to worship the Lord again in freedom for the faithful.
In our lives, the decision to be faithful to the weekly church gatherings can also be challenging. When our family was just starting (with four boys under the age of six years old), I recall the adventure of getting out the door each Sunday morning. It wasn’t easy.
Yet, when I look back on those years: the way God’s Word and Spirit ministered through pastors, teachers, and fellow members to our family – I can say that it was worth it. Church is worth it.
In Ephesians 5, Paul says that Christ loved the church so deeply that He “gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). It wasn’t for the buildings or places of worship – but rather for His people.
Just like those Israelites who were in that first group of returning exiles, let us also look to the promises of God to drive our desire to gather together with other believers.
As crucial as gathering together was, you might be wondering what they did once they were together?
They worshiped joyfully
As the Israelites gathered together, they were united in their desire to worship the Lord in Jerusalem once again! Yet, they had no temple in which to worship. You might recall that 70 years earlier, after Nebuchadnezzar took the Israelite’s captive, he also had Solomon’s temple destroyed. Therefore, all that remained on the temple mount was ruin and rubble.
Despite these dreadful conditions, Jeshua and Zerubbabel led the reestablishment of worship by erecting an altar on the same foundation as before. In verse 3, it says that on this altar, “they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings” (Ezra 3:3). These sacrifices were given to acknowledge their sin and their desire to draw close to the Lord. The burnt sacrifices served as a shadow of the perfect sacrifice to come – Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood would also be spilled – but the forgiveness of sins he would offer would be fully effective and final.
Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, they had their share of challenges and setbacks. The people already in the land resisted the efforts of the Israelites to settle and rebuild. It caused fear to “come upon them because of the people of those countries” (Ezra 3:3). Yet, they remained faithful and diligent in their worship.
A few months later, the rebuilding of the temple began. Under the supervision of the Levites, the foundation of the temple was laid. Filled with great joy and expectation, the priests, the Levites, and the sons of Asaph took their trumpets, their cymbals, and began to joyfully praise the Lord, saying, “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel” (Ezra 3:11).
When we consider the way the Israelites faithfully worshiped amid unpleasant conditions, distraction, and antagonism – let us be encouraged. If they can be joyful in their lot – how much more should we be in ours? This is not to say that our present sufferings are not burdensome or even fair. But we can choose to worship with great joy despite something as small as a mask or as significant as heavy-handed gathering restrictions.
As our churches gradually reopen, let’s look back to the example here in Ezra 3. Rather than missing out on opportunities to gather – let us make church a priority. Although our circumstances may not be ideal, we can still seek to worship God with joy – even while we rebuild together!
David Goff is the Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church, Washington MI