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Speaker 1: I'm John Stanghi, and today we're in Ezra chapter three,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the English Standard version. When
Speaker 1: the seventh month came and the children of Israel were
Speaker 1: in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: Then arose Jeshua the son of Joseidac with his fellow priests,
Speaker 1: and Zerubbabel the son of Shiltiel, with his kinsmen, and
Speaker 1: they built the Altar of the God of Israel to
Speaker 1: offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in
Speaker 1: the Law of Moses, the Man of God. They set
Speaker 1: the altar in its place, for fear was on them
Speaker 1: because of the peoples of the lands. And they offered
Speaker 1: burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning
Speaker 1: and evening. And they kept the feast of booths as
Speaker 1: it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by
Speaker 1: number according to the rule, as each day required, and
Speaker 1: after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the
Speaker 1: new moon, and at all the appointed feasts of the Lord,
Speaker 1: and the offerings of everyone who made a free will
Speaker 1: offering to the Lord. From the first day of the
Speaker 1: seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord.
Speaker 1: But the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was
Speaker 1: not yet laid. So they gave money to the Masons
Speaker 1: and the carpenters, and food, drink and oil to the
Speaker 1: Sedonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon
Speaker 1: to the sea to Joppa, according to the grant that
Speaker 1: they had from Cyrus, King of Persia. Now in the
Speaker 1: second year, after their coming to the House of God
Speaker 1: at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zorobabel the son of
Speaker 1: Schiltiel and Joshua, the son of Joseidac made a beginning
Speaker 1: together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and
Speaker 1: the levites, and all who had come to Jerusalem from
Speaker 1: the captivity. They appointed the levites from twenty years old
Speaker 1: and upward to supervise the work of the House of
Speaker 1: the Lord, and Joshua with his sons and his brothers,
Speaker 1: and cadmil and his sons, the sons of Judah, together
Speaker 1: supervised the workmen in the House of God, along with
Speaker 1: the sons of Henedad, and the Levites their sons and brothers.
Speaker 1: And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple
Speaker 1: of the Lord, the priests and their vestments came forward
Speaker 1: with trumpets, and the levites the sons of Asaf with
Speaker 1: symbols to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David,
Speaker 1: King of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving
Speaker 1: thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his
Speaker 1: steadfast love endures forever toward Israel. And all the people
Speaker 1: shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord,
Speaker 1: because the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid.
Speaker 1: But many of the priests and levites and heads of
Speaker 1: fathers houses, old men who had seen the first house
Speaker 1: wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation
Speaker 1: of this house being laid. Though many shouted aloud for joy,
Speaker 1: so that the people could not distinguish the sound of
Speaker 1: the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping.
Speaker 1: For the people shouted with a great shout, and the
Speaker 1: sound was heard far away. Let's pray, Lord, we thank
Speaker 1: you for your word, and we thank you for the
Speaker 1: privilege of being able to look at it together today,
Speaker 1: and we thank you for the fulfillment of your promises
Speaker 1: that we see in this portion of Scripture, as your
Speaker 1: people returned back to their land and began rebuilding the
Speaker 1: temple that had been destroyed decades earlier. And Lord, we
Speaker 1: rejoice with them as they loudly proclaimed the you are
Speaker 1: good and that your steadfast love endures forever, because we
Speaker 1: know Lord that that continues to be true. And we're
Speaker 1: grateful to be the recipients and the beneficiaries of your
Speaker 1: love through your son Jesus Christ. Lord, we're grateful that
Speaker 1: through faith in Jesus, we are being built up as
Speaker 1: your temple. You in dwell us, You empower us, and
Speaker 1: you're building us up each and every day. Lord, we're
Speaker 1: grateful for these realities, and we're grateful to be able
Speaker 1: to read a portion of Scripture like this and to
Speaker 1: be able to rejoice along with the people of Judah
Speaker 1: as they watch the work that you were accomplishing right
Speaker 1: there in their midst and that you were using them
Speaker 1: to do the work that would bring you glory and
Speaker 1: would testify to your goodness and love. Lord, we thank
Speaker 1: you for all these things. We thank you for allowing
Speaker 1: us to meditate on these truths today, and we pray
Speaker 1: that you'd speak to our hearts. And we just thank you,
Speaker 1: Lord for your presence with us and all things. We
Speaker 1: pray this all in Jesus's name. Amen,