The Book of Ezra
Chapter 3
1. When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in the towns, the people gathered together in Jerusalem. 2. Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 1 to 2)
Oh God my Father when we are settled in our daily routine as did the Israelites we are still to make time during the day for having time with You so that our relationship will continue to exist and most of all develop and become stronger throughout each day of our lives. Oh God, my Father, that we may all have that special time and place so that we can have fellowship with You Amen.
3. They set up the altar on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighboring peoples, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, morning and evening.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 3)
Oh God my Father as Your people built the altar on firm foundations, may You also find a secure dwelling place on the altar of our hearts where the evil spirits cannot reach and take away Amen.
4. And they kept the festival of booths, as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, 5. and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 4 to 5)
Oh God, when we are given a second chance to change our ways in order to obtain, salvation, of our souls and embark on a new relationship with You, this gives us a fresh boost of spiritual and physical fervour, it is like the relationship of two teens who just got to know each other. They invest time to be together and do nice things for each other because the spark of love is still burning in them for each other.
Oh God, I would like to offer a special prayer for all Christians and New Born Christians so that we will always keep the flame of faith burning in us. May our fervour never wither. I also pray for married couples, that the flame of love and fervour for each other will never end up in a courtroom or lawyers office, but on the altar of God in communion and celebration of Your name Amen.
6. From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 6)
Oh God my Father, as humans we can offer sacrifices of joy, give donations, take part in celebrations, however, although these activities in themselves are good, we still need to lay down the foundations of our relationship with You in order for our relationship with You to start developing. Amen. I pray that You will always be on my building site, for I am, still works in progress. Amen
7. So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 7)
Oh God my Father as humans we pay a lot of money for items that we consider as being of need and others that may really be of need, however, we do not always think of our spiritual needs which You give us without paying a single Euro. You love us so much that You give us freely and in abundance at times more than we pray for Amen. Thank You, Jesus.
8. In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning together, with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work on the house of the LORD.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, your timing is perfect and everything takes place, according to Your will. As humans, we move from stages of chaos and disorder to one of order and stability. I pray that both personally and as a whole world, we keep on aiming for peace and stability within all our regions, in north, south-east and western parts of the world and even in between, meaning NNE, NNW, SSE, SSW, Amen
9. And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 9)
Oh God, my Father I thank You for giving such a noble calling to such people. I pray for all people to whom You have given the role of caring for Your people that they carry it out with love and faith Amen.
10. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the LORD with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11. and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever towards Israel."
And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 10 to 11)
Oh God, my Father You are my foundation stone. At the time of my baptism, my spirit carnal as it is became immersed in Yours and the foundations of my faith were firmly installed in my soul. I thank You for such a grand moment in my life Amen.
12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13. so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 12 to 13)
Oh God my Father we often have hidden suppressed feelings of pain or situations that caused us pain and feelings of deep sorrow and when a similar situation appears as in the case of the new temple, the new situation triggers the feeling of the old situation and we experience the same bitter feelings all over again. This means oh God my Father that we still need healing in this or that particular area. Many times we may be living under the impression that we are healed or that You have healed us, however when You pass us through the tests of life, it may be the case that we are still emotionally wounded by that person or situation, or by that person in the situation Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this third chapter of the book of Ezra with the following prayer:-
Many people in the world, oh God my Father are still experiencing the bitter feelings of hurts that they experienced both in the past and even in the present times. Others are still in the process of forgiving themselves or maybe even others which then leads to their actual healing. I pray for such people and even others who may be even angry at You because they blamed You for the loss of their beloved ones. I pray for our healing. May Your healing graceful power pour like marmalade on to the world and bring healing and revival of our soul. May every drop of Your healing grace bring joy, repentance and happiness Amen.
3. They set up the altar on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighboring peoples, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, morning and evening.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 3)
Oh God my Father as Your people built the altar on firm foundations, may You also find a secure dwelling place on the altar of our hearts where the evil spirits cannot reach and take away Amen.
4. And they kept the festival of booths, as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, 5. and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 4 to 5)
Oh God, when we are given a second chance to change our ways in order to obtain, salvation, of our souls and embark on a new relationship with You, this gives us a fresh boost of spiritual and physical fervour, it is like the relationship of two teens who just got to know each other. They invest time to be together and do nice things for each other because the spark of love is still burning in them for each other.
Oh God, I would like to offer a special prayer for all Christians and New Born Christians so that we will always keep the flame of faith burning in us. May our fervour never wither. I also pray for married couples, that the flame of love and fervour for each other will never end up in a courtroom or lawyers office, but on the altar of God in communion and celebration of Your name Amen.
6. From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 6)
Oh God my Father, as humans we can offer sacrifices of joy, give donations, take part in celebrations, however, although these activities in themselves are good, we still need to lay down the foundations of our relationship with You in order for our relationship with You to start developing. Amen. I pray that You will always be on my building site, for I am, still works in progress. Amen
7. So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 7)
Oh God my Father as humans we pay a lot of money for items that we consider as being of need and others that may really be of need, however, we do not always think of our spiritual needs which You give us without paying a single Euro. You love us so much that You give us freely and in abundance at times more than we pray for Amen. Thank You, Jesus.
8. In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning together, with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work on the house of the LORD.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, your timing is perfect and everything takes place, according to Your will. As humans, we move from stages of chaos and disorder to one of order and stability. I pray that both personally and as a whole world, we keep on aiming for peace and stability within all our regions, in north, south-east and western parts of the world and even in between, meaning NNE, NNW, SSE, SSW, Amen
9. And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verse 9)
Oh God, my Father I thank You for giving such a noble calling to such people. I pray for all people to whom You have given the role of caring for Your people that they carry it out with love and faith Amen.
10. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the LORD with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11. and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
"For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever towards Israel."
And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 10 to 11)
Oh God, my Father You are my foundation stone. At the time of my baptism, my spirit carnal as it is became immersed in Yours and the foundations of my faith were firmly installed in my soul. I thank You for such a grand moment in my life Amen.
12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13. so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 3 verses 12 to 13)
Oh God my Father we often have hidden suppressed feelings of pain or situations that caused us pain and feelings of deep sorrow and when a similar situation appears as in the case of the new temple, the new situation triggers the feeling of the old situation and we experience the same bitter feelings all over again. This means oh God my Father that we still need healing in this or that particular area. Many times we may be living under the impression that we are healed or that You have healed us, however when You pass us through the tests of life, it may be the case that we are still emotionally wounded by that person or situation, or by that person in the situation Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this third chapter of the book of Ezra with the following prayer:-
Many people in the world, oh God my Father are still experiencing the bitter feelings of hurts that they experienced both in the past and even in the present times. Others are still in the process of forgiving themselves or maybe even others which then leads to their actual healing. I pray for such people and even others who may be even angry at You because they blamed You for the loss of their beloved ones. I pray for our healing. May Your healing graceful power pour like marmalade on to the world and bring healing and revival of our soul. May every drop of Your healing grace bring joy, repentance and happiness Amen.
