August 14

Today's Reading: Ezra 3:1-13

Under the leadership of Jeshua (the equivalent of the name Jesus, which means YHWH is salvation), the altar is rebuilt, so that sacrifices can be made to God again. That was the first step in restoring proper worship. It was also a way of thanking God for restoring the people to the land. This is consistent with how both Abraham (Genesis 12:7) and Joshua (Joshua 8:30-31) built altars after entering into the land God had given to them.

After gathering the needed materials, the rebuilding of the Temple foundation started about seven months later. Because the repaired Temple was nothing like the original, many of the older men who had seen the original Temple wept. Fortunately for us, the sacrifice of Jesus means that we no longer need ornate places to make sacrifice and worship God because God is present with His people wherever they are. But it is also important that we have the same kind of zeal for worship as these exiles did.