Why did the Israelites build the altar "on its foundation" despite their fear? A Snapshot of the Moment “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they set the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD—both the morning and evening sacrifices.” (Ezra 3:3) Fear on Every Side • Jerusalem lay in ruins; hostile neighbors surrounded the remnant (Ezra 4:1–5). • Humanly speaking, rebuilding anything—much less an altar—invited trouble. • Yet worship could not wait. Their very survival, they knew, depended on God’s favor (Psalm 27:1). Why Reuse the Old Foundation? • Connection to God’s chosen place – Deuteronomy 12:5-6 commanded sacrifice only “at the place the LORD will choose.” For Israel, that place was the temple mount (2 Chronicles 7:12). • Continuity with covenant history – The original altar marked centuries of atonement and thanksgiving. Setting the new stones on that footprint declared, “We still belong to the same God.” • Obedience to revealed pattern – Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 6:9 prescribed a specific altar for burnt offerings. Reusing the foundation honored that divine specification. • Public testimony of faith – Visible, familiar ground sent a bold message: “Our God has not changed; His worship resumes exactly where He ordained.” • Speed and practicality – The base was already there. Using it allowed sacrifices to begin immediately, fulfilling the daily requirement (Numbers 28:3-4). • Prophetic confidence – Isaiah 44:26 foretold Jerusalem’s restoration; Haggai 2:5-9 promised greater glory yet. Planting the altar firmly on its original site signaled trust that every prophecy would be completed. Faith Expressed through Sacrifice • Burnt offerings morning and evening (Ezra 3:3) recentered the nation on forgiveness and fellowship. • Regular worship pushed back fear: “In God I trust; I will not fear” (Psalm 56:4). • By acting first in worship, they invited God’s protection before any walls went up. What Their Example Teaches • True courage flows from obedience, not from favorable circumstances. • God-ordained foundations are worth clearing the rubble to find and worth rebuilding upon (1 Corinthians 3:11). • Worship is not an afterthought; it is the strategy for facing opposition (Hebrews 13:6). Standing on the old foundation, the Israelites proved that reverence for God outweighs the fear of man—and that honoring His established order is the surest path to renewed life. |
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