was a marked month in these exiles' minds. How fit a month, therefore, in every way, for making ~ beginning of some kind. "Now, if ever;" almost "Now, or never," the occasion seemed to exclaim. It is by such conjunctions, perhaps, that God most frequently signifies bis guiding will to bis willing people (comp. Acts xvi. 6-10). II. THE LEADERS SPECIALLY. If the time for action was now so near, who should take the lead in regard to it? Who, of course, but the natural leaders. The leaders in the Church first (" Jeshua," &c.), the matter in band being one so specially con- cerning them. But not the leaders in Church only; "Zerubbabel and his brethren," as laymen, also having their interest in it. Together they resolved to begin by rebuild- ing the sacrificial altar, that which had stood in the old temple before the holy place and in the court of the priests. Why did they begin in this way ? Partly owing to the tenor of the "law of Moses," that being a law of sacrifices from beginning to end (see Heh. ix. 21, 22), according to which there was no approach to the most holy place itself without the previous use of the altar. This consideration would probably tell especially on Jeshua and the priests; as the example of David, next, who desired to build the house, but was only permitted to "find out" its "place," and so far to begin it as to consecrate as it were its altar (1 Chron. xvii. ; xxi. 26 ; xxii. 1 ; Ps. cxxxii. 5), would tell especially on Zerubbabel, David's representative &nd descendant, and lead him also to wish to begin by erecting the altar upon the old "base" (ver. 3). There would also be a third reason to influence both sets of leaders alike. By this time the returned remnant would find the hostility of their new neighbours awakened. Only surprised at first to hear of their return (comp. Ps. cxxvi. 2), afterwards inclined to ridicule and despise them (comp. Neh. iv. 2-4), when they saw them settling down in their old habitations as a distinct and separate people (Num. xxiii. 9), these strangers would begin in various ways to show their dislike, and perhaps to murmur their threats. In this condition of danger how natural to follow the example of Samuel (1 Sam. vii. 10; comp. xiii. 11, 12), and sacrifice to Jehovah. A very instructive lesson, by the way, for these gospel times. Just so our need of an atonement is the very first of our needs. The nature of God's law, the example of God's servants, the enmity of the world and Satan (Rev. xii. 11) combine to teach us this truth. III. THE CONGREGATION EN MASSE. Representatives of all Israel having come to ,Terusalem, and the leaders having erected the altar, what were they all to do next? 'l'he place of sacrifice was restored. Out of the many kinds of sacrifices connected with it in former days, which should they place on it first? That which God had appointed for sanctifying the beginning and end of each day (ver. 3). This quite in accordance with the very first use of the original altar itself (Exod. xxix. 38), and with the happy consequences thereby secured (ibid. 43-45). Also with the many remarkable successive injunctions of Num. xxviii., xxix., where we find it expressly commanded that whatever special sacrifices might be ordered on any day-whether for the Sabbath (ver. 10), or new moon (ver. 15), or passover (ver. 23), or any day of it (ver. 24), or Pentecost (ver. 31), or feast of trumpets (x:xix. 6), or day of atone ment (ver. 11), or feast of tabernacles, or any day of it (vers. 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38)-these regular daily sacrifices were always to be offered "beside." Also with the prominence given to them in 1 Chron. xvi. 39, 40; 2 Chron. ii. 4; xiii. 11 ; xxxi. 3. Also with the peculiarly grave character attached in Dan. viii. 11 ; ix. 27; and xii. 11 to their cessation and interruption. Indeed, from a spiritual point of view, and regarding this people of Israel as a "congregation" or living Church, these daily sacrifices seem always presented to us as the very pulse of its life How fitting, therefore, in the endeavour to restore that Church's suspended animation, to attend to them first. How important, also, under the new economy, the perpetual intercession of Christ. "He needeth not daily, as those high priests" (Heb. vii. 27), to offer for sin; ' 1 for thi1:1 he did once (for alll when he offered himself." But there is a need that he himself should contmually he pleading this one sacrifice on our behalf. On this depends our justification (Rom. viii. 34). On this in every way our salvation (Heh. vii. 25). Herein is the pulse of our life. So we seem to b~ taught by such passages as Col. iii. 3 ; Gal. ii. 20. And so, with regard espe- c1ally to the restoration of that life when impaired or suspended (just as with THE BOOK OF EZRA. [cH. III. 1-7,
Israel in the case before us), in what is said in 1 John ii. 1, 2 respecting· this great Intercessor or" Advocate," and the effectual plea of his death. "If any man sin," as ev~ry _man does (1 John i. 8-10), and so begins to die, as every sinner then does, here 1s his way of escape.