Ezra 5:1 – 17 “Temple Rebuilding Resumes (Haggai 1:1-11)
Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadaka rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates went to the Jews and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.
Tattenai’s Letter to Darius
This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius. The report they sent him read as follows:
To King Darius:
All peace.
Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones, and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands. So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
And this is the answer they returned:
“We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.
However, in his first year, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor and instructed, ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’
So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but is not yet completed.”
Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.”
When God sends prophets to encourage the Jews to continue rebuilding the temple, the work resumes. Now Tattenai, the governor of the region west of the Euphrates and his associates accost the Jewish elders, demanding to know by what authority they are continuing the work in Jerusalem. This delegation is also attempting to get a list of the names of the Jewish leaders; however, the Jews simply ignore that request.
Tattenai then writes a report to the Persian emperor. “Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God.” Amazing! Even these pagans recognize the God of Israel as the great God. Tattenai continues his report by giving the details of the answer from the Jewish leaders. The report ends with a reference to an edict by King Cyrus. The Babylonians and Persians have elevated record – keeping to an art, and the royal archives in Babylon are extensive and well organized. And this accurate record keeping will prove to be the salvation of the efforts to rebuild the temple.
APPLICATION: We serve a God of infinite resourcefulness and infinite variety. God has moved King Cyrus to encourage the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Cyrus has even returned all the remaining temple articles left in the Babylonian/Persian treasury and has also given those returning money to help with the rebuilding. The Jews have resumed work on the temple despite intense opposition. Now it is the scribes in Babylon who are about to help deliver the Jews from this latest round of persecution.
Tattenai and his associates are certain that the Jews are simply upstarts who have no legal reason to carry out their building program. After all, the Jews are a relatively small minority compared to many of the other nations making up the Persian Empire. But God is in the details, even when a fuss budget administrator attempts to throw his weight around.
God delights in taking situations that appear impossible and transforming them. When we first came to the Assemblies of God Clinic in Saboba in January 1993, it was a small health center with eleven workers. (I had an argument with someone from an aid agency who announced loftily that they believed in “preventative medicine.” I replied that I too believed in preventative medicine; I believed in preventing people from dying during the forty-mile journey between Saboba and Yendi, the closest hospital in the area.) But when the Northern Ethnic Conflict of 1994 broke out in February 1994, this facility suddenly became the only safe health facility for 100,000 Konkombas. We had to start a theater (OR), a laboratory, a transfusion program, and increase our bed capacity to 37 beds just to cater for people who had nowhere else to go. Who knows how long it might have taken us to establish some of these services had we not been in a crisis?
Are you facing opposition and struggling to survive? Keep holding on to God! He specializes in redemptions!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all those who are striving to do Your will to trust in Your protection. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment