Reading: Ezra 6-7
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king (Ezra 6:14-15).
Construction on the Temple of the Lord had been at a standstill for fourteen years. God’s people had yielded to worldly pressure, and all work had ceased. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built (Hag. 1:2). In response to the weakness of His people, God sent to them Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo to strengthen them through the power of His Word. Although their circumstances had not changed, and they still faced the same intense opposition as they had for the last decade, the power it had over them was broken. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them (Ezra 5:2).
As the prophets carried God’s Word to His people, strengthening them to work His will, God Himself had been busy behind the scenes. Just as He had laid it upon the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, to return the Jews to their homeland with instructions to rebuild the Temple, so too did He motivate Cyrus’ successor, Darius, to search for and uphold the original decree. Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place (6:6-7). His orders freed the Jews to finish their work unimpeded, and they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Although the legal and political support of the king made the situation easier for God’s people, the power of God’s Holy Word is what enabled them to return to work on His Temple. It was God, not Darius, that motivated them to see through the trickery and lies of their enemies and returned their focus to the mission He had given them. And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up (5:11).
Dedicating oneself to the service of God means facing near- constant opposition from the world in which we live. National politics are constantly in flux, and the ‘support’ that we get from laws, customs, and public opinion will vary wildly from day to day. As Christians, we should rejoice when the hearts of others seem to be softening and turning towards God, but we should never seek to draw our strength from their approval or support. We should always turn our hearts to Him, allowing His Word to comfort us, strengthen us, and lead us in His will.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10).
Thought for Today: It is not wise for Christians to place our trust in the systems of the world, but what we can trust in is God’s complete power over them.
Christ Revealed: Through the Feast of Unleavened (yeast-free) Bread (Ezra 6:22). Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and He was without sin (Heb. 4:15). Leaven is symbolic of sin.
Word Studies: 6:1 house of the rolls = building where records were kept on scrolls; 6:4 king’s house = royal treasury; 6:15 Adar compares with February and March; 7:21 the river = Euphrates.
Pray for Staff:Tifany Parisi • Country: Papua New Guinea (6,552,730) Southwestern Pacific • Major Languages: Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu, 836 Indigenous Languages • Religious Freedom • 69.4% Protestant; 27% Roman Catholic; 0.3% Baha'i; 3.3% Indigenous Beliefs/Other (Muslim; Confucian) • Prayer Suggestion: Pray, remembering that there is no one like God (II Kings 19:14-15,19).
Optional Reading:II Corinthians 5.