Ezra 6 reminds me of those times in life when the hand of God is clearly in control. Those circumstances that work out so completely right that there is no doubt it is “A God Thing”. I’m sure God intervenes in our lives many times without us being aware, but there are other times that there can be no other explanation. The chapter begins with the King of Persia finding a decree from the previous administration. “King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon“. They found a scroll from King Cyrus regarding the Temple in Jerusalem: “Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid… The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Also, the gold and silver articles… which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple… are to be returned to their places in the temple“. After the discovery, King Darius commanded his governor of the region, “Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let… the Jews… rebuild this house of God on its site… The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury“.
The King’s command continued, “Whatever is needed… must be given them daily without fail, so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons“. The king even added punishment to anyone “who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem“. The command ends with authority, “I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence“. If there was any doubt this was a result of God’s intervention, here is proof; theses once indifferent bureaucrats, received the king’s command and “carried it out with diligence“. It is important to point out that theses Jewish exiles did not just sit around wishing things were different, they continued to follow God’s commandments. Romans 15:4 reminds us, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope“. This type of hope trusts God’s faithfulness!
How did the Jews react? “The Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah“. Listen to this verse, “They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia“. What a good reminder that no matter who the president or king might be, God is ultimately in control. “The temple was completed… in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius… the people of Israel… and the rest of the exiles celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy… according to what is written in the Book of Moses“. Finally we read another “God Thing”. “On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover… together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek… the God of Israel“. The faith of these Jewish believers changed the people around them. Are the people around you being changed? “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).