There are two types of people in the world—people who read the instructions before trying to assemble furniture, and others who plunge right in. I guess there’s also a third type: people like me who give up before starting.
In Ezra 3:4–6 we learn that God’s people were the “read the instructions first” type, at least when it came to what was truly important—worshiping the Lord in the way He wanted to be worshiped. We read that they “celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles” “in accordance with what is written” (v. 4). The author goes on to tell us that they presented “the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day” (v. 4). After that, “they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD” (v. 5).
Why spend so much space outlining exactly how God’s people obeyed when He could have left it at “in accordance with what is written”? It’s because the author wants to drive home the point that the returned exiles obeyed completely. They followed God’s prescriptions for sacrifice to the letter. Complete obedience matters, especially for these people who had just returned from a seven-decades-long exile due to their lack of obedience.
This section ends with a summary statement about the people’s sacrifices: “On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD.” And it ends by saying they did all of this even “though the foundation of the LORD’s temple had not yet been laid” (v. 6). God’s people had their priorities in order. They built the altar and began to worship God rightly. And they did all of that first, before they’d even begun work on the temple’s foundation.
Go Deeper
How good are you at reading and following God’s directions? Is there an area where you are not following God completely?
Pray with Us
Father, You have outlined how we are to live in Your Word. Help us follow Your commands completely. We do not want to cut corners when obedience feels difficult.
If you love me, keep my commands.John 14:15
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