*Ezra 3:7-13
The foundation of the second temple is laid in Jerusalem by returning exiles from Judah, marked by both joy and tears.
- Rebuilding of the Temple Begins:
- The Israelites, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, begin rebuilding the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem during the second year of their return from exile in Babylon.
- They appoint Levites twenty years of age and older to oversee the work of the Lord’s house, while Jeshua and his sons and brothers, along with Kadmiel and his sons, oversee the work of the sons of Henadad.
- Foundation of the Temple Laid:
- Despite opposition and threats from surrounding peoples, the Israelites lay the foundation of the temple of the Lord with great ceremony and reverence.
- They offer burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, rejoicing in the restoration of their ability to worship and serve God in His temple.
- Mixed Reactions:
- While many of the older priests, Levites, and heads of families who had seen the former temple weep with sorrow at the sight of the new foundation, others shout for joy and praise the Lord.
- The sound of their joyful praise and the sound of weeping are mingled together, making it difficult to distinguish between the shouts of joy and the cries of sorrow.
Ezra 3:7-13 reminds us that rebuilding and new beginnings take both hard work and faith. When the Israelites laid the foundation for the temple, some people rejoiced while others wept, remembering the past. This shows us that moving forward can bring mixed emotions, but God is with us in every step. In our own lives, when we face new starts—whether in faith, relationships, or challenges—we can trust God’s plan, celebrate progress, and stay committed to the work He has given us. No matter our past, God is always ready to help us build something new.
Ezra 3:7-13 (WEB)
3:7 They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia.8 Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house. 9 Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.10 When the builders laid the foundation of the LORD’s temple, they set the priests in their vestments with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the LORD’s house had been laid.12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.