Resumed Restoration Amidst Opposition

Ezra 5:1-17 

   1 Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

    3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: "Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?" 4 Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building. 5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter. 6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent:

The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.  7 (They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus.)

      To Darius the king: All peace.

      8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.

     9 Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: "Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?" 10 We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.

    11 And thus they returned us an answer, saying: "We are the 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. 12 But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylon. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God. 14 Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15 And he said to him, 'Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.' 16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished."

    17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king's treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.

After the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem was halted by King Artaxerxes due to the influence of the adversaries of God’s people, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah spoke in the name of the LORD to the Jews.  Zerubbabel listened and resumed building with their assistance.  They listened to God rather than men when the order was against His word (Acts 4:19, 5:29).  They had honored the government leaders over them (Romans 13:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13, Titus 3:1), but disobeyed when a clear command of God told them to continue building His house of worship and sacrifice.  We likewise build the house of God, which is the body of Christ and not a building, preaching and teaching His word as part of our gospel service of worship as living sacrifices.  We do this not in boasting rebellion to government, but in humble obedience to the Lord Christ.  When a Persian governor near Jerusalem questioned who gave the authority to rebuild and took their names, they put off their response as the ruler of Persia, king Darius, was appraised of the situation and told their names.  The response of the Jews to that governor had been the history of their service to the LORD and their temple’s destruction because of their sins which provoked God’s wrath and sent them into Babylonian exile.  They took responsibility for their sin and its consequences.  They also told of the edict from the former king Cyrus to return and rebuild.  The report sent by letter asked king Darius to inquire in the archives of Babylon to see if this claim was true, and to inform them of their next move against the Jews in Jerusalem.  The due process of law would settle the matter, not a reaction of violence to stop the work.  Sometimes God will so intervene using the legal systems of the world leaders which ultimately He put in place to begin with.  Other times, there may be persecution and a violent response; the outcome is in His hands of mercy and grace, not in our violent response or rebellion in opposition to the word of God.  May we learn from this and other similar examples of scripture how to respond to opposition in His work.