Return and Rebuild Lesson 2
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began by inviting participants to consider how Christians are often falsely accused—labeled as hypocrites, judgmental, or unqualified to judge others. Clint encouraged the group to share personal experiences of such accusations and discussed how these attacks aim to discourage believers from fulfilling their God‑given work. After a brief prayer, the lesson shifted to the historical account in Ezra, focusing on chapter 3. He explained that after the decree of Cyrus in 538 BC, the exiles returned to Jerusalem, and by the seventh month they gathered to rebuild the altar of the Lord under the leadership of Jeshua, Zerubbabel, and the priestly families. The teachers highlighted the significance of the seventh month, noting its association with major Jewish festivals and how the community’s obedience to the Law motivated their worship despite external fear. Clint linked the ancient rebuilding effort to modern believers, emphasizing that rebuilding an altar—prioritizing worship and obedience—serves as a response to false accusations. The class concluded with practical applications, encouraging participants to stand firm in their identity in Christ, to rebuild their personal “altars” of devotion, and to support one another, especially families like the Newcomb and Kathy families, as they navigate challenges. The overall message reaffirmed that God’s promises endure, and faithful obedience leads to restoration.
Key Scriptures
When the seventh month had come, and the people were in their cities, the Israelites, the priests, and the Levites, along with all who had returned from exile, and the rest of the people, the guards, and the servants of the king, gathered together at the temple of the LORD, in order to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets. They observed the Feast of Tabernacles according to the law for the first time after the exile. They set up the altar of the LORD on its foundation, even though they were afraid of the peoples around them.