Or, To Build and Prosper Under the Eye of God
Scripture: Ezra 5:1-17
Date: November 3, 2024
Speaker: Sean Higgins
The story of the temple’s rebuild-to-finish takes two chapters, Ezra 5-6, and we’ll cover it in two parts. It seems that about 16 years have passed since the end of chapter 4. It wasn’t long after the first wave of Jews came back to Jerusalem and laid the foundation of the temple that they were discouraged by resistance and the work ceased.
We are not called to build a temple. The book of Ezra isn’t a blueprint in every way. But these things were written for our encouragement and endurance (Romans 15:4). We have work to do in Jesus’ name, and our allegiance to Him, under His watch, looks for Him to let us build and prosper.
The point of the truth in these chapters: Give all allegiance to God, use all the advantages God gives.
The people had started on the temple and shouted for joy when the foundations were laid (Ezra 3:11) then got threatened and so they quit (Ezra 4:4). It was quite a time “until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24; see also Haggai 1:1), around 520 BC. Initially their fear of the inhabitants caused them to offer sacrifices (Ezra 3:3), but then it seemed that they used the resistance as an excuse and went back to taking care of their personal stuff. It took prophets calling them out and giving them encouragement to get building again.
We have books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Their ministry and exhortations show that the people’s problem wasn’t just a lack of courage in light of confrontation/conflict, it was now some comfort/complacence.
Why did the LORD say, “These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD” (Haggai 1:2)?
Habakkuk exhorted: “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7). They’d been adding nice touches in their home remodels, but had neglected the temple. “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4) It wasn’t just a neglect of the Lord’s house, but the Lord’s worship. So the LORD had been frustrating their sowing and thinning their wages (1:6, 11; 2:17).
The revelation of Zechariah’s prophecy is longer, but I’d point to what is maybe the key hope:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(Zechariah 9:9, 10b ESV)
Zechariah’s zeal looked to the Messiah (and to His Millennial Kingdom). We have only seen a partial fulfillment, which means that we are still anticipating this great King’s rule.
In the meantime, anxiety is its own deterrent, and anxiety can become an excuse for apathy.
The word of the Lord urged them to fear the LORD and then picked up their tools (Haggai 1:12). “Be strong…declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4). So Zerubbabel and Jeshua got the work going again and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
Progress was noticeable, and that was good, and maybe not only good. It got the attention of the regional satrap/governor.
Nothing in this account paints Tattenai as adversarial, in contrast to the Samaritans in chapter 4 who were called adversaries. Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River it seems, was just doing his job. Tattenai and Shethar-bozenai and associates came for an inspection.
Darius was now the Persian king. Habakkuk told us it was Darius’ second year, and other books tell us that widespread challenges to Darius’ rule took place when he took the throne. If the building happening at Jerusalem was of the kind that might be another revolt, Tattenai had a duty to find out.
He visited Jerusalem and asked questions. He seems reasonable, though not a pushover. His two questions were: who gave you permission? And what are the names of the builders?
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews. Later in Ezra and Nehemiah the phrase “and the hand of God was on” is more frequent. This metaphor implies more than visibility, it’s oversight with care. There were also Persian inspectors, or spies, referred to as “the king’s eye” (Williamson), God’s eye took care. This includes the fact that Tattenai did not stop the work while he checked their references.
The rest of Ezra 5 covers Tattenai’s letter, and the majority of the start of Ezra 6 is the reply letter from Darius.
Ezra didn’t only know the story, he had a copy of the letter, and it’s most interesting because of the diplomatic explanation Tattenai included from the Jews.
Verses 6 and the first part of 7 introduce the co-authors and their report.
That the work was going on diligently fits with Haggai and Zechariah’s call to be diligent. The work prospers; now they were getting somewhere.
First things first: they declare their allegiance to God in the first part of verse 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. This is the most important part.
Second: they describe that this project picks up with their national history in the second part of verse 11. They aren’t in revolt mode, they are in restoration mode.
Third: they explain that the in-between time is due to their own sin in verse 12. The fact that the house of the LORD was broken down was not primarily a political loss, it was a divine judgment. They acknowledge the sin of their fathers.
Fourth: they assert that they have legal right to rebuild in verse 13. It’s where the book of Ezra began. While their allegiance was to God, God used Cyrus to give them the advantages of liberty to return and rebuild. They had the king’s permission.
They apparently did not have their own copy at that time of the decree. What they did have were the vessels that had been taken to Babylon and brought back; how were those restored except with permission?
And fifth, in verse 16 they provide a positive spin, that from that time until now it has been in building. There’s a way you could say it, but they’re putting it in favorable light, perhaps to push against the idea that they had given up on Cyrus’ allowance. They’ve at least always been thinking about building.
So ends what the elders had said to Tattenai.
Tattenai finishes by asking Darius for confirmation from the archives and instruction.
The answer from Darius comes at the start of chapter 6.
Ezra records the history. Haggai and Zechariah have the prophecy. Not all of their visions have been fulfilled. They saw a glory of the temple, and especially the coming of the righteous King (Zechariah 14).
And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9 ESV)
Tattenai seems less hostile but still a legitimate authority and a legitimate threat to the work. That God stirred up the people through Haggai and Zechariah to work didn’t mean there would be no ongoing need to trust God to work out the details. God had stirred up Cyrus in the first place (1:1), and God kept the Persian kings favorable to the Jews. The eye of their God was on them.
They used all their advantages while acknowledging their ultimate allegiance to God.
The eye of Your God is on you, do not stop. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him, walk in all His ways.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 ESV)