The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 3:2,
"Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God."
When the Jewish returnees with Zerubbabel arrived back to their homeland from the Babylonian captivity, they built the altar in Jerusalem and began to offer the prescribed offerings. What was prescribed for worship was what the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. These things were written by Moses as God gave them. We find Moses' writings in the first five books of our Bibles.
I note the Israelites sought to do things God's way, by his intentions and his design. This is important in that the offerings and sacrifices God gave Israel through Moses' writings pointed the nation toward God's coming Savior, Jesus Christ. The offerings and sacrifices spoke of God's coming offering of his Son to pay the penalty of all the sins of all mankind.
Two verses later we read the Israelites celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles, "Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day."
That phrase, "in accordance with" was in reference to the Scriptures, our Bibles. The recognition of God, the worship of God, the service to God was performed "in accordance" with God's word, the Scriptures.
Perhaps there are things today that might benefit by being pursued "in accordance with what is written". Whether it be in our worship, in our daily living, in our witness to others, God has provided us direction, he has pointed the way through his word in our Bibles!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God."
When the Jewish returnees with Zerubbabel arrived back to their homeland from the Babylonian captivity, they built the altar in Jerusalem and began to offer the prescribed offerings. What was prescribed for worship was what the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. These things were written by Moses as God gave them. We find Moses' writings in the first five books of our Bibles.
I note the Israelites sought to do things God's way, by his intentions and his design. This is important in that the offerings and sacrifices God gave Israel through Moses' writings pointed the nation toward God's coming Savior, Jesus Christ. The offerings and sacrifices spoke of God's coming offering of his Son to pay the penalty of all the sins of all mankind.
Two verses later we read the Israelites celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles, "Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day."
That phrase, "in accordance with" was in reference to the Scriptures, our Bibles. The recognition of God, the worship of God, the service to God was performed "in accordance" with God's word, the Scriptures.
Perhaps there are things today that might benefit by being pursued "in accordance with what is written". Whether it be in our worship, in our daily living, in our witness to others, God has provided us direction, he has pointed the way through his word in our Bibles!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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