Chances are good that you’ve experienced some sort of trouble as you’ve lived out your Christian faith. But experiencing hardship should not be a surprise. After all, Jesus promised His disciples certain trouble in this world (John 16:33).
In the book of Ezra, God’s people experienced serious opposition to their plan to rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. Ezra 4:24 told us that “the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” In Ezra 5, the year was 520 BC. Here we see the truth Jesus repeated to His disciples: “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Verse 1 mentions a couple of significant names: Haggai and Zechariah. Verse 1 says, “Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.” You can read more about these prophets in the biblical books named after them. They stirred the people to begin rebuilding God’s temple and supported the work of Israel’s two primary political and religious leaders: “Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak” (v. 2).
This renewed work drew the attention of Tattenai, the “governor of Trans-Euphrates” (v. 3). Trans-Euphrates was the province of which Jerusalem was a part. The section ends by stating that “the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received” (v. 5). God was with His people, and He would ensure that the temple would be rebuilt so that they might worship Him as He had commanded them.
Go Deeper
How does God’s protection for His people in this passage encourage you? How have you seen God’s eye on you and your work?
Pray with Us
As we continue to seek You in the pages of Ezra, please meet us here, Father. Bless the work of our hands as we go about our days. Bring what we’ve learned about You to our minds.
Take heart! I have overcome the world.John 16:33
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