Summary of Ezra 3:1-6
Joshua and Zerubbabel began to rebuild the altar of God once the Israelites had settled into their towns. They sacrificed burnt offerings. They celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles. They commenced regular offerings.
BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 10, Day 2: Ezra 3:1-6
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 10, Day 2: Ezra 3:1-6
I love how worshipping and obeying the Lord are prioritized here. Such beauty, even in the small things!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 10, Day 2: Ezra 3:1-6
For the Israelites, the 7th month was dominated by worship and festivals: The Day of Atonement, The Feast of Trumpets, and the Feast of the Tabernacles.
The altar was built in the same place where the old temple had stood.
Rebuilding the altar was the first step to prioritizing God. It was quick and gave them a place to worship.
The altar allowed for atonement of their sins. Therefore, it was super important to have.
The Feast of Tabernacles was the celebration to remember God’s faithfulness to His people as the Israelites journeyed to the Promised Land. It was one of three major feasts of the Israelites.
During their exile, the Jews could not regularly offer sacrifices to God due to religious restrictions. Now, they could once again.
END NOTES SUMMARIZED
Ezra 3:1-6 details the first and most urgent priority of the returned exiles: the restoration of communal worship. It shows a community unified in purpose, re-establishing its covenant relationship with God before undertaking any other major project.
Led by the high priest Jeshua and the governor Zerubbabel, the people gathered in Jerusalem “as one,” demonstrating profound unity. Their immediate action was not to build houses or city walls, but to rebuild the altar on its original foundation. They did this despite their fear of the surrounding peoples, showing that their fear of God and desire for His favor outweighed their fear of man.
Upon completing the altar, they immediately reinstated the core practices of their faith as prescribed in the Law of Moses: the daily morning and evening burnt offerings and the celebration of the Festival of Tabernacles. The passage culminates by emphasizing a critical point: this complete restoration of the sacrificial system began before the Temple’s foundation was even laid.
Conclusion
This passage powerfully illustrates that the true foundation of the restored community was not physical stone, but spiritual devotion. By prioritizing the altar over the Temple building, the people declared that the act of worship and communion with God was more important than the house where it would take place. Their actions were a statement of faith, re-consecrating the nation to God and seeking His presence and protection as the essential first step in their new life.
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