Ezra 3

The Feast vv.1-4

They celebrated the provisions of God. They wanted generation upon generation to know the goodness of God’s salvation from slavery. Gathering in fellowship like they did, instilled a healthy accountability. It is impossible to remain faithful to one’s growth in Christ apart from other’s help. The body of Christ was designed that way! We were designed to help each other grow in Christ!   

The Focus vv.5-7

When your focus is Christ, you will always sacrifice for Him. You will forsake the good for the great!

As soon as God made promises to Abram, Abram focused on the worship of God. Genesis 12:7 “Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”

Hosea 11:1-4 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.”

The Foundation vv.8-10

How do you build or rebuild a good foundation for the worship of Jesus Christ?

The word “foundation” is defined as the ground on which other parts rest or are overlaid, like the base on which a house is built or the roots of a tree.

Without a strong foundation, neither could withstand the storms that various seasons bring.

Similarly, without a strong spiritual foundation, you cannot withstand the storms of life that you may be facing—whether they are financial, emotional, or relational.

Although society and culture may offer many solutions to help you brace against the struggles of daily living, following are the three essentials needed in your spiritual life to weather any storm you might be dealt:

By embracing these three activities and putting them into daily practice, you will build your spiritual strength—your foundation—and begin to experience a powerful new sense of God’s presence and purpose. It All Boils Down to Time. Rearrange your priorities for Christ! Are you adjusting your time for praise and worship? Are you adjusting your time to read and reflect on the Word of God? Are you rearranging your priorities toward prayer?

Just as it takes time to lay a sturdy foundation for a house to be built on; it takes time to build the foundation of your faith. Likewise, when you spend time with God in praise, worship, His Word, and prayer, He uses it as a foundation to solve your problems and transform your life.

If you don’t already have a daily habit of devotion to the Lord, it’s not too late to start. Why not start by simply looking deeply into your heart and then asking God to draw you closer into a relationship with Him?

The Fulfillment vv.11-13

The result of seeing and savoring the foundation of Christ becoming real in your life, is experiencing the fulfillment of joy in Christ! He formed us to enjoy Him!

There is no greater feeling than to be following Christ. When you are in His will, you will experience the fulfillment of joy.

Some were joyous, some were sad. Once the foundation had been laid, some realized that it would never be of the grander that Solomon’s Temple was. Sin had cut the number of men from 600,000 found in Numbers 1:46 to 50,000 found in Ezra 2. Prophesies were being fulfilled and some rearranged their priorities and found their satisfaction in God and some did not and they kept longing for more.

If you do not rearrange your priorities for Christ, you will never experience true joy. You will always be longing for more. More money, more toys, more fame, more friends, more time, but you may find that the only more you eternally get is more Hell.