In the first few verses of Ezra 3, we get a glimpse of the collective intent of the children of Israel. As “the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem” under the leadership of Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, they built the altar of the God of Israel.
What we, as contemporary readers, often miss in our cursory reading is the urgency in which this task was attempted. As soon as God’s people completed their 900 mile journey from Babylon and arrived in Jerusalem they gave a generous thanks-offering and built the altar of the Lord in order to sacrifice burnt offerings as was commanded in the Law of Moses (Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3-8). Furthermore, the people built the altar despite the fear of the non-Jewish people in the surrounding territories. They had greater fear – love, respect, awe, gratitude – of the Lord, than fear – suspicion, panic, dread – of the surrounding people. In their undefended state, the Jews recognized that the Lord, who would meet them at the altar, would be their greatest source of strength!
God’s Word consistently communicates the inseparable link between obedience and worship. Jesus tied obedience to worship when told His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Similarly, Paul writes, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom 12:1). Obedience and worship go hand-in-hand and validate a person’s unyielding commitment, unmatchable priorities, and undivided allegiance.
Author and pastor, Sam Allberry, characterizes obedience this way:
Resentful obedience is disobedience. Partial obedience is disobedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Obedience to God is to be heartfelt, total, immediate. If we knew the sheer goodness of what he’s calling us into, we’d want it to be nothing less.
In Israel’s return home, they were reminded that salvation is from the Lord and from Him alone. Their first response was one of thanksgiving (Ezra 2:69), followed by heartfelt, complete, and immediate obedience. As we, the church, are new-covenant-people, with the purpose of knowing God and making Him known, may we too be obedient, worshiping our Savior from a heart overflowing with gratitude.
1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV) – “… Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams’”