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“The Altar Before the Temple”: Getting Our Priorities Right in Restoration - Ezra 3:1-13
Dear Friends, after seventy long years of exile in Babylon, a remnant of God’s people had finally returned to Jerusalem. The journey home had been filled with excitement and anticipation, but the sight that greeted them was heartbreaking — the city in ruins, the temple reduced to rubble, and the land overgrown. Yet in the seventh month, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, they gathered together as one man in Jerusalem.
Their very first collective act was not to rebuild their own ruined houses, clear the streets, or even begin constructing the temple. Instead, they rebuilt the altar of the God of Israel. Under the leadership of Jeshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, they set the altar in its place on its original foundation and began offering burnt offerings to the Lord — morning and evening — exactly as prescribed in the Law of Moses. They did this even though the foundation of the temple itself had not yet been laid.
This was a powerful statement of priority. Before anything else, they wanted to restore right worship and fellowship with God. They feared the surrounding peoples, yet they still built the altar and offered sacrifices in faith.
When the foundation of the temple was eventually laid, the scene was unforgettable. The priests and Levites, with cymbals and trumpets, sang responsively:
“For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” (Ezra 3:11 ESV)
The whole congregation shouted with a great shout of joy. But many of the older priests, Levites, and heads of families who had seen Solomon’s magnificent temple wept loudly. The sound of weeping and the sound of joy mingled together so intensely that it was impossible to distinguish one from the other. The noise was heard far away.
What a profoundly human and spiritual moment! There was genuine joy that God had kept His promise and brought them home. But there was also deep sorrow because the new work looked so small and insignificant compared to the former glory. The contrast was painful.
For us as Christians today, Ezra 3 speaks with great relevance. Many of us know what it is to experience a new beginning after a difficult season — perhaps after backsliding, personal failure, or a long spiritual wilderness. Often when God begins to restore, our emotions are mixed. We rejoice that He is at work, yet we grieve over lost time, past mistakes, or how small and imperfect the fresh start appears.
The great lesson from these returned exiles is their order of priority. They did not wait until conditions were ideal. They did not wait until they felt strong or until the project looked impressive. They worshipped first. They built the altar before they built the temple. They chose obedience and fellowship with God even when everything around them was still in ruins.
This challenges us deeply. In our personal lives, our families, or our church, are we tempted to wait until everything feels “right” before we fully commit to worship and obedience? The exiles teach us that the altar — the place of sacrifice, surrender, and communion with God — must come first.
Pause & Pray: Take time right now in God’s presence. Ask yourself: “What is the ‘altar’ the Lord is asking me to rebuild first in my life?” Perhaps it is daily time in His Word, renewed prayer, confession of sin, or simple obedience in something He has already shown you. Pray: “Lord, help me to put worship and obedience before everything else, even when things feel small or difficult. Teach me to rejoice in what You are doing, even through tears.”
Verse to Remember: “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.’” (Ezra 3:11 ESV)
Question to Consider: Looking at your own life right now, is there a new beginning or area of restoration where your emotions are mixed — joy alongside sorrow or disappointment? What would it look like for you to build an “altar” of worship and obedience right now, before everything looks perfect?
Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church
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