Friday, December 20, 2013

They Resume the Sacrifices

Ezra 3:1-13

“And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.” (Ezra 3:1) 

For seventy years, Judah had not kept most of the feasts or holy feasts or sacrifices because there was no temple available.  Shortly after they had returned to Judah, in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar they assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the day of atonement even though there was no temple as yet.  Leviticus 23:27 specified, “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.”

“Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.  And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.” (Ezra 3:2-3) 

Knowing that they were outnumbered by all the countries around them, the Jews were desperate to ensure God’s protection.  They built the altar and began to offer sacrifices to God immediately, according to the Mosaic law, although they could not offer the atonement since they had no place prepared for it.

“They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.” (Ezra 3:4-5) 

They kept the feast of tabernacles as they were commanded since it did not require the temple.  Leviticus 23:34 commanded, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.”  The feast of tabernacles was essentially a national campout, with the entire nation camping in tents and brush shelters for seven days to commemorate how God had blessed during the forty years in the wilderness and remind them of God’s care for them.

They began offering the daily sacrifices morning and evening as specified in Numbers 28:3-5.  “And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.  The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.”

On the Sabbath they were to offer twice as much, as Numbers 28:9-10 advises.  “And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering." 

The Jewish calendar was based on the lunar cycle.  On the first day of each month, they were to offer a special sacrifice as described in Numbers 28:11-13.  "And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.”  None of these sacrifices had been offered since the destruction of the temple, nor had they kept any of the feasts.

“From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.  They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.” (Ezra 3:6-7) 

Although construction on the temple had not begun, the people were excited about the offering of the sacrifices and began to make arrangements for it’s construction, hiring contractors and ordering materials with the money Cyrus and the people around them had donated.

“Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD. 

Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.” (Ezra 3:8-9)

Actual construction began on the templs about a year after Cyrus gave them permission to return to Judah.  The Levites were assigned by the others to do the actual construction, following their calling from God to care for the physical plant.  Jessua and Kadmiel, of the tribe of Judah were designated to oversee the construction.

“And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” (Ezra 3:10-11) 

The ground breaking and laying of the cornerstone for the foundation were great events, with the band playing and speeches and songs by the choir and the congregation, thanking God for taking care of them and bringing them back so they could rebuild.  The people were shouting and cheering in excitement.

“But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.” (Ezra 3:12-13)

Many of the people who were past eighty remembered the despair they had felt seeing Jerusalem destroyed and believing it would never be rebuilt, despite Jeremiah’s prophecies.  They suddenly realized it was really going to happen and were overcome and broke down crying when they saw the construction begin.  Between the crying and cheering it was hard to tell what was going on, but it was loud enough to be heard from considerable distance.

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