Ezra 3:1-6

“1.When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem.
2.Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
3.Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.
4.Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day.
5.After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the LORD.
6.On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, though the foundation of the LORD’s temple had not yet been laid.”

Today's message speaks about the era of Ezra. About 50 years after the fall of Judah, the Israelites were commanded to return and rebuild the temple. However, the restoration of the temple took a long time, and it was only completed about 70 years later. Ezra was one of those who returned after the temple's restoration, and he began to offer sacrifices according to the law.

During the time of Ezra, the Israelites had lived for many years under Babylonian and Persian cultures, and had forgotten their original sacrifices and laws. Nevertheless, Ezra endeavored to teach the law and restore the sacrifices. This was not merely because of his role as a priest, but to restore the way of life that God desired. Ezra understood that restoring the relationship with God and living according to His laws was essential to preserving the identity of the Israelite nation.

Similarly, our faith life today is not just about attending worship services and reading the Bible. Our entire lives must be transformed to align with God's will. Beyond Sunday worship, we should experience God's guidance in our daily lives. We need to live according to God's will by doing good, helping our neighbors, and showing compassion to those in need. This transformation does not happen overnight, but gradually, it will bring change to our lives.

Prayer: We pray that God governs and guides our lives. We entrust all our problems and concerns to the Lord and wait for His response. We ask that the Lord strengthens our bodies and minds and grants us wisdom and help. May our lives be enriched by the Lord's amazing grace, and may we live in fellowship with Him.

(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)

Devotional content is available on the Our Daily Bread website.