Ezra 6
Ezra 6
So far we have seen some back and forth between the adversaries against the rebuilding of the temple and different kings. There was ongoing animosity between the Isaraelites and the Samaritans.
In chapter 6 we see that the work of the adversaries actually causes Darius the king of Persia to review archives from when Cyrus was king. The documents revealed that not only was the building of the temple allowed to happen, it was to be funded by them!
Ezra 6:14 states, “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”. What’s being communicated here is powerful! It was the decree of God, the Sovereign of not just Israel, but the universe, that gave the decree to rebuild the temple. He has full authority. The decrees from Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the three greatest monarchs in the history of the ancient Near East, were secondary.
It’s God who ultimately rules and is in control of kings. He raises them up for His purposes and removes them from their thrones just as easily. And God used this series of events to encourage His people! Ezra 6:22 says, “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.” (According to the notes of the MacArthur Study Bible ESV, the title “king of Assyria” was held by every king who succeeded the Neo-Assyrian Empire).
Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” The Israelites got to experience this firsthand.
How does God’s control over authorities comfort you? What do you think it meant to the Israelite people at this time in history to see how God used kings to accomplish His purposes?
By: Kaitlin White
So far we have seen some back and forth between the adversaries against the rebuilding of the temple and different kings. There was ongoing animosity between the Isaraelites and the Samaritans.
In chapter 6 we see that the work of the adversaries actually causes Darius the king of Persia to review archives from when Cyrus was king. The documents revealed that not only was the building of the temple allowed to happen, it was to be funded by them!
Ezra 6:14 states, “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”. What’s being communicated here is powerful! It was the decree of God, the Sovereign of not just Israel, but the universe, that gave the decree to rebuild the temple. He has full authority. The decrees from Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the three greatest monarchs in the history of the ancient Near East, were secondary.
It’s God who ultimately rules and is in control of kings. He raises them up for His purposes and removes them from their thrones just as easily. And God used this series of events to encourage His people! Ezra 6:22 says, “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.” (According to the notes of the MacArthur Study Bible ESV, the title “king of Assyria” was held by every king who succeeded the Neo-Assyrian Empire).
Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” The Israelites got to experience this firsthand.
How does God’s control over authorities comfort you? What do you think it meant to the Israelite people at this time in history to see how God used kings to accomplish His purposes?
By: Kaitlin White
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