Aspects of worship.
I. The HUMAN in WORSHIP. "Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak," etc. (Ezra 3:2). These men were the leaders in this movement of worship; they gathered the people thereto. There is a human side to Divine worship; the altar looks toward earth as well as toward heaven; man builds, if God consecrates it; man appoints the time of worship, arranges its method, gathers the people, stimulates the conscience by faithful words, and enforces the law. A few good men can awaken the devotional in the multitude, can give the impulse of altar building.
II. The ESSENTIAL in WORSHIP. "And builded the altar" (Ezra 3:2). The altar was built first because it was of primary importance; because it was essential to their sacrificial offerings. The altar first.
1. Then it is important to begin early—the altar before the city; early in life; in the day; in the enterprise.
2. Then it is important to begin aright—to commence with the essential rather than with the incidental. There are devotional, doctrinal, social, domestic altars; begin with them in any work of restoration; well begun is half done. Love before worship, pardon before works, Christ before civilization; commence with the altar.
3. Then it is important to begin under good leadership.
4. There is acceptance in a rude moral beginning. It was only an altar, but its offerings were accepted by God. When we have not all that is needful to ornate worship, heaven will accept a sacrifice from a rude altar; the heart is more than the structure. God will accept worship from the rude altar in the forest as well as from the stately altar in the temple.
5. Then there is a great power in a feeble but devout beginning. The flower is in the seed; the temple is in the altar.
III. The ADDITIONAL in WORSHIP. "And they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord," etc. (Ezra 3:3). A true worship will not rest content when the altar is built; the altar is only a commencement; we must go on to perfection. There is a binding influence in the erected altar; we cannot cast down what we have built. It is an inspiration; to what service will it lead. Faith and worship have numerous addenda. A man who begins with the altar to God can only end by working it out in all loving possibility; in fact, by placing himself upon it. We must put large offerings on our altars; Christ gave himself for us.
IV. The TIMOROUS in WORSHIP. They built the altar, all the while in fear of the people who perhaps had little sympathy with the edict of Cyrus (Ezra 3:3). The people erected the altar at once because they feared interruption; an altar erected is a power against the adversaries. In these days of quietude we can build our altar without fear of the persecuting enemy. What fears often animate the soul of the devout worshipper!
V. The SECULAR in WORSHIP. "They gave money also unto the masons," etc. (Ezra 3:7). Worship combines the sentiment of the soul and temporal aid; the bread of life which God gives us and the bread we give him. It combines—
1. Prayer.
2. Gifts.
3. Work.
The temple of God is built by a variety of gifts and by a variety of men; it provides a service for all. Many have to do with it mechanically who have nothing to do with it morally; a man may be a "mason" without being a minister.—E.