Rebuilding the Altar and the Temple
Questions for Study 2

Ezra 3:1-13
Memory Verse: 4

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I. The Rebuilding of the Altar (3:1-3)

1. What month was it when those who returned assembled in Jerusalem? What had the Lord decreed should happen in this month? (Lev. 16:29-31, 23:23-38) What might have been their purpose in assembling?

2. What was the first thing they did? (2) Why was this an act of faith? (3) What can be learned? (Luke 12:4-7)

II. The Feast of Tabernacles (3:4-6)

3. What was the Feast of Tabernacles? (4, Lev. 23:39-43) Why was this important? What does it show about those who returned?

4. What did they do after that? What is the point of all these offerings and sacrifices? What is New Moon sacrifices? (Num. 28:11-15) What is a freewill offering?

5. What is noted about all the offerings that they began to make? (6) Was this be acceptable to the Lord? (2 Sam. 7:4-7; 1 Kings 8:27-30) Why was having one place to offer sacrifices important? (Deut. 12:4-14)

III. The Beginning of Temple Reconstruction (3:7-13)

6. What was necessary in order to get the needed word? (7)

7. What did they begin in the second month? Who supervised the work? (9) Why?

8. What did they do when the foundation was laid? (10) Why? What was the nature of the gathering? (11)

9. Why did some weep? What was funny about the mixing viewpoints? When doing work for the Lord how does the scene here often play out again and again?