In the seventh month [1], the children of Israel gather
themselves together at Jerusalem, each one going up from
the place where he dwelt. The first thing which they do
there, under the direction of Joshua and Zerubbabel, is
to build the altar, to place themselves under the wings
of the God of Israel, the sole Help and sole Protector of
His people; for fear was upon them because of the people
of those countries. Their refuge is in God. Beautiful
testimony of faith! precious effect of the state of trial
and abasement they were in! Surrounded by enemies, the
unwalled city is protected by the altar of her God
erected by the faith of God's people; and she is in
greater security than when she had her kings and her
walls. Faith, strict in following the word, confides in
the goodness of its God. This exactness in following the
word characterised the Jews, at this time in several
respects. We have seen it, chapter 2: 59-63, where some
could not shew their genealogy; we find it again here,
chapter 3: 2; and again in verse 4, on the occasion of
the feast of tabernacles. Customs, traditions, all were
lost. They were very careful not to follow the ways of
Babylon. What had they left except the word? A condition
like this gave it its full power. All this takes place
before the house is built. It was faith seeking the will
of God, although far from having set everything in order.
We find, then, no attempt at doing without God those
things which required a discernment that they did not
possess. But with touching faith these Jews exercise
piety towards God, worship God, and, as we may say, set
Him in their midst, rendering Him that which duty
required. They acknowledged God by faith; but until the
Urim and Thummim should be there, they placed no one, on
God's part, with the object of giving some competency to
act for Him, in a position which required the exercise of
God's authority.
The foundations of
the temple laid with joy and tears
Having at length, brought
together the materials which the king of Persia had
granted them, the Jews begin to build the temple and lay
its foundations. The joy of the people, generally, was
great. This was natural and right. They praise Jehovah
according to the ordinance of David, and sing, (how well
it became them now to do so!) "His mercy endureth
for ever." Nevertheless, the ancient men wept, for
they had seen the former house, built according to the
inspired direction of God. Alas! we understand this. He
who now thinks of what the assembly [2] of God was at the first will understand the
tears of these old men. This suited nearness to God.
Farther off, it was right that joy, or at least the
confused shout, which only proclaimed the public event,
should be heard; for, in truth, God had interposed in His
people's behalf.
Joy was in His presence
and acceptable. Tears confessed the truth, and testified
a just sense of what God had been for His people, and of
the blessing they had once enjoyed under His hand. Tears
recognised, alas! that which the people of God had been
for God; and these tears were acceptable to Him. The
weeping could not be discerned from the shout of joy;
this was a truthful result, natural and sad, yet becoming
in the presence of God. For He rejoices in the joy of His
people, and He understands their tears. It was, indeed, a
true expression of the state of things.
[1]
This was the month in which the blowing of trumpets took
place—a figure of the restoration of Israel in the
last days.
Ezra 3 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
In the seventh month [1], the children of Israel gather themselves together at Jerusalem, each one going up from the place where he dwelt. The first thing which they do there, under the direction of Joshua and Zerubbabel, is to build the altar, to place themselves under the wings of the God of Israel, the sole Help and sole Protector of His people; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries. Their refuge is in God. Beautiful testimony of faith! precious effect of the state of trial and abasement they were in! Surrounded by enemies, the unwalled city is protected by the altar of her God erected by the faith of God's people; and she is in greater security than when she had her kings and her walls. Faith, strict in following the word, confides in the goodness of its God. This exactness in following the word characterised the Jews, at this time in several respects. We have seen it, chapter 2: 59-63, where some could not shew their genealogy; we find it again here, chapter 3: 2; and again in verse 4, on the occasion of the feast of tabernacles. Customs, traditions, all were lost. They were very careful not to follow the ways of Babylon. What had they left except the word? A condition like this gave it its full power. All this takes place before the house is built. It was faith seeking the will of God, although far from having set everything in order. We find, then, no attempt at doing without God those things which required a discernment that they did not possess. But with touching faith these Jews exercise piety towards God, worship God, and, as we may say, set Him in their midst, rendering Him that which duty required. They acknowledged God by faith; but until the Urim and Thummim should be there, they placed no one, on God's part, with the object of giving some competency to act for Him, in a position which required the exercise of God's authority.
The foundations of the temple laid with joy and tears
Having at length, brought together the materials which the king of Persia had granted them, the Jews begin to build the temple and lay its foundations. The joy of the people, generally, was great. This was natural and right. They praise Jehovah according to the ordinance of David, and sing, (how well it became them now to do so!) "His mercy endureth for ever." Nevertheless, the ancient men wept, for they had seen the former house, built according to the inspired direction of God. Alas! we understand this. He who now thinks of what the assembly [2] of God was at the first will understand the tears of these old men. This suited nearness to God. Farther off, it was right that joy, or at least the confused shout, which only proclaimed the public event, should be heard; for, in truth, God had interposed in His people's behalf.
Joy was in His presence and acceptable. Tears confessed the truth, and testified a just sense of what God had been for His people, and of the blessing they had once enjoyed under His hand. Tears recognised, alas! that which the people of God had been for God; and these tears were acceptable to Him. The weeping could not be discerned from the shout of joy; this was a truthful result, natural and sad, yet becoming in the presence of God. For He rejoices in the joy of His people, and He understands their tears. It was, indeed, a true expression of the state of things.
[1] This was the month in which the blowing of trumpets took place—a figure of the restoration of Israel in the last days.
[2] See Acts 2 and 4.