What is the meaning of Ezra 3:2? Then Jeshua son of Jozadak - Jeshua (Joshua) re-emerges from exile as the rightful high priest (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3:1). - His presence signals God’s faithfulness to preserve the priestly line promised in Numbers 25:13 and 1 Chronicles 6:15. - Leadership begins in the sanctuary; when priests lead, the people remember they are “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). and his fellow priests - Ministry was never meant to be a solo act (Numbers 3:3–9). Jeshua gathers the entire priestly team who had just been listed by family in Ezra 2:36-39. - Unity among spiritual leaders fosters confidence in the community (2 Chronicles 29:11, 34). - Their shared obedience echoes Psalm 133:1—“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates - Zerubbabel, a grandson of King Jehoiachin (Jeconiah), represents the Davidic civil line (Haggai 1:1; Matthew 1:12). - Priest and prince stand shoulder to shoulder, modeling the partnership God intended between worship and governance (Zechariah 4:6-10). - “His associates” reminds us that God equips both named and unnamed servants for His work (Nehemiah 3:12; Romans 16:3-5). began to build the altar of the God of Israel - Before walls, gates, or a temple foundation, they prioritize the altar—worship first, infrastructure later (Genesis 8:20; Exodus 20:24-25). - The altar anchors national identity in covenant with “the God of Israel,” marking the land as holy ground (Deuteronomy 27:5-7). - By acting immediately, they declare that genuine faith produces visible obedience (James 2:17). to sacrifice burnt offerings on it - The burnt offering is entirely consumed by fire, symbolizing total surrender to God (Leviticus 1:3-9; 6:8-13). - Morning-and-evening sacrifices (Exodus 29:38-42) would restore the daily rhythm of dependence on divine mercy. - For believers today, the principle lives on: “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God - Their blueprint is not personal preference but God’s unchanging Word (Deuteronomy 12:5-7; Joshua 8:31). - Calling Moses “the man of God” underlines both inspiration and authority; what he wrote still governs a post-exilic generation (2 Kings 14:6). - By rooting their actions in Scripture, they affirm that revival is always Scripture-driven, never novelty-driven (Psalm 119:89). summary Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and their teams immediately rebuild the altar because worship—grounded in God’s written Law—is the first priority of a restored people. Spiritual and civic leaders unite, the community rallies, and sacrifices resume, proclaiming absolute dependence on the God who keeps His promises and welcomes wholehearted devotion. |
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