Restoration After Chastening // Ezra 3
How do you go about restoring things after God’s chastening hand has been removed?
Put worship first. There was no temple as yet, but that did not hinder them from setting up an altar and sacrificing to God. This is an illustration of Matthew 6:33. They needed to worship God for their own sake as well for a witness to the people around them.
Celebrate God’s goodness. It was time for the Feast of Tabernacles, a joyful feast of thanksgiving. Times were tough, but the people obeyed the Word and praised the Lord. This in itself would be a testimony to the Gentiles, and it would do their own hearts good. It is always the right time to praise the Lord.
Establish the foundations. The Scriptures told them all they needed to know to rebuild the temple, and they followed God’s plan. The foundation is the most important part of the building, for it determines the size, shape, and strength of the structure. Do you have the right foundations for your life?
Look to the future. The old people looked back and wept while the young people looked ahead and rejoiced. Tears and cheers, not too different from what is happening in families and churches today. The men were able to work together but not praise God together. If you concentrate on your past, you are sure to rob yourself of a glorious future (Phil. 3:12–14).
Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ezr 3.