Overture
The temple is God’s habitation. If there is no place for God to dwell, there won’t be advancement. For Ezra, it was building the physical temple, but for us, its a Spiritual journey — a mental shift, a life adjustment. The questions we need to ask ourselves are: Are we on a journey? How far do we want to go with God? What price are we willing to pay? Have we found a reason not to continue on this journey?
Luke 9:57-62 Jesus was looking for a habitation. Those He called had legitimate things to do before following Him but they had to obey a higher call.
The Altar Principle – Setting the Base
The state of the temple is a reflection of our lives. Ezra’s story captures where we are today. We are supposed to be the focal centre in our neighborhood. Building the altar was the beginning of the Restoration of the forgotten ways and practices of God.
Ezra 3:2-3 — Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests , and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren , arose and built the altar of the God of Israel , to offer burnt offerings on it , as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries , they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord , both the morning and evening burnt offerings. NKJV
The temple is built as one man — a coalition of people who are willing. God’s temple is a many membered one. The phrase in Ezra 3:1 “the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem” speaks of Unity of Purpose. We need to come to a Unity of Purpose. We can’t have a one man until we sacrifice our personal interest. Our kingdom most go, for His kingdom to come. We need to offer ourselves to be built. Unity is only possible when we lose self and individualistic tendencies. There is no hope of winning unless we are united in Christ. Philippians 1:27— Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ , so that whether I come and see you or am absent , I may hear of your affairs , that you stand fast in one spirit , with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. NKJV
Unity that births a Movement cannot be forced. It comes with a conscious, deliberate, and informed Buy-in. It is impelled by the stirring of the spirit and not compelled by human will-power.
The Altar: Principle and Practice
Altar represent the place of Divine Human Encounter where God reveals His will, plans, and purposes to man, and for man to accept it. It is the place of personal consecration and commitment to God and His desires. A place of sacrifice, repentance, rededication and acceptance by God. For us, the altar pattern is: Alive to Him and Death to me. Our hearts cannot be right with God if its not right with others. Every time there is a spiritual and moral decline, there is attendant judgment, and an altar must be rebuilt to fix things. Noah, Abraham, Elijah, etc all built altars at the beginning, middle or end of their assignments. The altar signals the beginning of a new life. It gives meaning to the temple. The global church is on a decline. To reverse the trend, we will require building an altar. Once the altar is set on its base, there will be a desire among the people and their leaders to establish continuity with the past. We need to seek and reclaim what worked in the past and is still relevant today. It is time to build the temple. Deficient hearts can’t build the altar. We need to set the altar on its base. The altar is our hearts.
Contemplations and Prayers
What is the state of your heart? Are you celebrating your pain? Are you offended? Check your heart. Don’t allow those things that make your heart deficient. Create a lifestyle, a life rhythm that will always set the altar on its base.
Lord, pour out your Grace on us. Give us the heart that melts when we stray. A heart that smite us when we go out of your will. Open our hearts to see that we are here for you, by you and through you. Help us not to forget what we saw as we look into the mirror. Amen