#598 Seek

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. 2 And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written: “A record. 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits[a] and its breadth sixty cubits, 4 with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.5 And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”

6 “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your[b] associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away. 7 Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. 9 And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, 10 that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11 Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill. 12 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”

The Temple Finished and Dedicated

13 Then, according to the word sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered. 14 And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

Passover Celebrated

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Ezra 6 ESV

They did not stop the building of the temple, but a search was made for the original decree of Cyrus, and it was not easily found, but it was found. This had to be a lesson for the Jews, where is your copy of the decree, and for us, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." Since men are dishonest let us expect that they suspect us as well, and we should not be too high for questioning. Let us have an answer, let us have the preserved Word ready to show, these are not my words but the Kings. It is reasonable to expect that those who have not yet heard will need someone to tell them, some will stay opposed and others respond according to how God has worked in each man's heart. We should not be so easily frustrated, we have no room to condescend, we may not change what God says, but we should proclaim it in love and patience. 

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.…2 Timothy 4:1-3

Now the king warns the governor, leave the work alone, and this honors the word of the one who came before him. Not only will you leave them to their work, but you will help them with the provisions, and this is far from hindrance, manipulation or the evil we had seen. No, but let animosity become generosity, and let them pray to the God of heaven for the lives of the king and his sons. We cannot say the intent of the governor for certain, but it is interesting and wise of the king that he makes so deep an impression, as if he understands the nature of the politician. Stay away! Let them, ask them, tell them to pray for me and my family, as we are commanded to pray for those who have rule over us. I want their prayer, this is yet another level of reinforcement, and it shows the prudence of the king. Now, hear also, if you do decide to go against this decree, then it is against me, and this shall be the punishment for the offense. So don't meddle, because I know men are so inclined, make sure they are paid, because I know men and that there you will not be so inclined, yet I still I know the hardness of men and read of another Darius, a Nebuchadnezzar. Men will twist all nature of things to speak against other men and promote their own selves. The penalty will be death and you will become a sign of the gravity of this message. It is a funny thing, they run to the business of being helpful now, this is serious to them, and yet this is only a king, a temporary ruler, not the God of Creation.  

This is a wonderful Passover, for in a recent passage the people decline the help of the Samaritans, yet here the feast is for Israel and also everyone who had joined them a certain way. How is that you say? By separating themselves from the uncleanness of  the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. Being excluded is holding on to that which is excluded, not washing keeps you unclean, dark will only give way to light, you will be destroyed. 

More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in Him, not having my ownrighteousness from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,… Philippians 3:8-10