Gifts For The Temple

Topic: Gifts
Passage: Ezra 8:24–36

May 8, 2020

Commentary

Twelve leading priests and ten of their relatives were chosen for this important task (v. 24). Gifts of silver and gold, along with articles that the king, his advisors, officials, and the people of Israel had offered for God’s temple, were divided among the twelve chosen priests (vv. 25–27). Ezra spoke to the priests about their responsibility, saying, “You belong to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and these things also belong to Him. The silver and gold were willingly given as gifts to the LORD. Be sure to guard them and keep them safe until you reach Jerusalem. Then weigh them inside God’s temple in the presence of the chief priests, the Levites, and the heads of the Israelite families” (vv. 28–29). This re-minder showed that both the people and the gifts were set apart for God’s purpose.

  

The priests and Levites accepted this responsibility and took charge of the weighed gifts so they could safely bring them to the temple in Jerusalem (v. 30). On the twelfth day of the first month, they left the Ahava River and began their journey (v. 31). God watched over them along the way and protected them from enemies and attacks. After arriving in Jerusalem, they rested for three days (v. 32). On the fourth day, they went to the temple, where the silver, gold, and sacred items were carefully counted and recorded (v. 34).

  

Those who had returned from exile then offered sacrifices to the God of Israel (v. 35). Twelve bulls were offered for all Israel, along with ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve goats for the sins of the people. The king’s orders were delivered to the governors and officials of the Western Province (v. 36). These leaders supported the people and helped the work of God’s temple move forward.

Application

I see that God values faithfulness and careful obedience. What responsibilities has God entrusted to me? Am I handling His gifts with care and honesty? Do I rely on God for protection in my daily work? How can I show gratitude and worship through my actions right now? Am I accountable for what God has placed in my hands?

Ezra 8:24–36 (NET)

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, 25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God—items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed. 26 I weighed out to them: 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and 2 exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. 28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.

30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.

31 On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemies and from bandits along the way. 32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days. 33 On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the care of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites. 34 Everything was verified by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.

35 The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel—twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who assisted the people and the temple of God.

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