A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 3
Ezra CHAP. III.
THIS Chapter is a Relation of what the returned. Jews firſt did in Order to reſtore their faln Church and State.
Remark the Firſt, Their firſt Care was to Build the Altar.
Mark 1. The Time when, 'twas before the ſeventh Month came, which was a Month of many Festivals, Lev. 23.24, 27, 34. 1 Kings 8.2. Junius ſaith, that the Jews began their Journey from Babylon in the Spring-time, and they ſpent four Months in their Travel thence to Judea, as Ezra did, Ezra 7.9. ſo that no ſooner were the Jews ſettl'd in their ſeveral Cities, and ſcarce warm (as we ſay) in their Nests; but this great Mouth of various Festivities approached; yet when it came, they all as one Man went all up to Jeruſalem to keep this Solemn Feast commanded, Deut. 16.13, 16. not one Perſon was troubl'd to Travel, ver. 1.
Mark 2. Before they fall upon the Foundation of the Temple, they first built an Altar, which was of more urgent Neceſſity; that by their Oblations upon it, they might make an Atonement to God for all their Sins, and to obtain God's Aſſistance for their Temple Work and Encouragement from him, foreſeeing they muſt meet with many diſcouragements▪ therfore they built this Altar, ver. 2. at God's Command, Deut. 12.5. and they haſtend up this Altar, becauſe fear was upon them, ver. 3. well knowing their malignant Neighbours would be bandying and bending their Forces againſt them: However, they would have God on their ſide, that they might run to him as reconciled in all Dangers and Difficulties: Junius ſaith well here [Fear drives them to God, not from him or from his Service.
Mark 3. This Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths built of Branches, Neh. 8.15. in a grateful Memorial of God's gracious bringing them from Egypt to Succoth, where they abode in Booths, &c.) they now ſolemnly kept for their wonderful Deliverance from Babylon, ver. 4, 5. doing their Duty as every Day required, and afterwards offered, &c. for (finding a float of Holy Affections in their Hearts) they paſs without fainting from one good Exerciſe to another. N.B. 1. We are all Travellers here, having no certain Habitation, 1 Chron. 29.15. Heb. 11, 13. 1 Cor. 4.11. we ought to account Duty a Debt, and be daily doing at it. N.B. 2. Learn hence alſo, when we cannot poſſibly come at an Enjoyment of all Ordinances, we ought with Care and Conſcience to make the beſt improvement of thoſe we do enjoy, as theſe Jews did of this Altar in the want of the Temple.
Remark the Second, The Jews could not be Content with this Altar only, but they muſt have a Temple too, and therefore they prepare Materials and Work-men, ver. 7. appoint Levites to be Overſeers of the Work, ver. 8, 9. and then lay the Foundation of it with great Joy, ver. 10, 11. ſinging David's hundred thirty ſixth Pſalm (as ſome ſuppoſe) becauſe the first Verſe of that Pſalm is repeated here, ver. 10. however 'tis ſaid they ſang [gnal Jadei David, Hebr.] by the Hands of David, ver. 10. which Piſcator expounds, the Pſalms that David compoſed, a good Warrant for our Singing Worſhip in the Pſalms of David: The like we have likewiſe in 2 Chron. 29.27. ſaith Junius: N. B. So that there is no neceſſity of finding out New Inventions, &c.
Remark the Third; The Contrary Effects that the Foundation of the New Temple's laying produced in the People: For firſt, ſuch of them that had never ſeen the Temple of Solomon, but were born after its Burning and Deſtruction, theſe younger People were exceedingly tranſported with joy, to behold this Hope of being toward a Temple again, ſeeing the Foundation of it was now newly laid. Theſe were they that both praiſed God for his Excellency, and alſo gave him Thanks for his preſent Benefits; wherein they did but their Duty. Secondly, The Old Men who had ſeen the firſt Temple, wept with a loud voice, ver. 12. this was contrary to the Joy and Jubilation of the other.
Mark 1. Thoſe Antient Men being Seventy Years Old and upward, might very well have ſeen the Old Temple, tho' not the firſt Foundation of it, (ſaith Erpennius) for that was laid 500 Years before this; yet they might ſee it (ſaith Junius) before its fatal Fall and Deſtruction, becauſe that happened not quite 60 Years ago, as is manifeſt from 2 Kings 25. and 2 Chron. 36. and Ezek. 46.1.
Mark 2. Theſe Old Men had ſundry Cauſes for their Sorrow; as 1. The Sorry Preparations they ſaw toward the Building of this Temple, in compariſon of the vaſt Proviſions prepared both by David and Solomon for the former. 2. The Prophet Haggai acknowledges, that this latter Houſe was as nothing for Splendor to the former Houſe, Hagg. 2.3. 3ly. Grotius adds, they wept becauſe this latter Houſe wanted the Ark, Ʋrim and Thummim, &c which were the principal Glory of the former Temple: And 4thly. Becauſe not only theſe Foundation-Stones were of far leſs value and quantity than were Solomon's, 1 Kings 7.9, 10. but alſo this Foundation it ſelf was of a far narrower Circumference than the former was in all its Courts and Adjacent Edifices. But 5thly. Cornelius à Lapide adds, they wept, in recollecting their former Sins and Sufferings, &c.
Mark 3. Thoſe that Rejoyced did better than they that Bewailed; which certainly (ſaith Wolphius) was their Sin, in laying ſuch a Stumbling-block before the weak, to weaken their hands in God's Work: They ſinned againſt that word of the Prophet, [deſpiſe not a Day of ſmall things] Zech. 4.10. We ought to Bleſs God for the leaſt Benefits, ſeeing we are leſs than the leaſt of them, Gen. 32.10. N. B. However, 'tis our undoubted Duty to bewail the Diſproportion betwixt the State of Creation and the State of Corruption; the burnt Temple and Image of God defaced by the Fall of the Firſt Adam, and only can be Renewed by the Second, &c.