Ezra 3: Rebuilding

Potential Icebreaker: As Christians what have we missed during Covid of our previous life?

It was an awfully big thing to reconstruct the altar in the temple ruins so that the full practise of the Jewish rites could continue.  The returning Jews feared the people around them, but knew the importance of the set sacrifices of the time.  How we would reinterpret it in this post-Covid time?  We are not rebuilding an altar, because we know the one sacrifice has already been made for our sins, but what are the main things that enable us to maintain our faith –prayer, Bible Study even going to Church regularly.  Maybe God wants to reinstate these things in our lives. For the people of God the hard work begins, despite opposition.  The foundations of the new Temple have to be laid, and the families who had returned worked with a will. The younger men doing the hard work, and older ones supervising it. 

Questions to think about:

1.    What time reference is given in verse 1? Is it related to King Cyrus’ reign or something else? What helps us know this from the context? Hint: They are going by the Jewish Calendar and the 7th month is when most of Jewish Holy days occur.

2.    What significant thing happens in v.1?  Why is it significant? What does this express about those exiles who have returned?

3.    What significant event takes place in verse 2? Who is involved with this event? Why is it so important?

4.    What could have prevented them from doing this event, but did not? What does this illustrate for us today as believers? How does it apply as something we can put into practise? Hint: how do we deal with opposition?

5.    What important event happens in v.4?  Again why is this so important or significant? Hint: why is it important for them to celebrate the Harvest?

6.    What else does it say the people did at this time in v. 7? Was this important?

7.    How is the next important event described, in verse 10? a. What happens? Who gets involved? Hint: How important is worship in any work for God?

8.    What is the result or response of the people to this great event?  How is their response described?  How is the response of some different than others? Who has which response and why?

In your group issues to pick up could include:

What are the things that sustained your faith during Covid?  What did you miss?  What would help your faith now?

Do different age groups have different views on ‘rebuilding’ and how should we deal with it?