Have you ever experienced waiting for some bureaucratic decision over which you had no real power? You fill out the forms, state your case, pray like crazy, and then just wait. And wait. And wait. And wait. Ezra 6 gives us an inside look on what was happening on the government side of things, at least in ancient Persia.
King Darius had received Tattenai’s letter (Ezra 5:7–17) and took to heart its request to search the archives for Cyrus’s decree. Ezra 6:1–2 tells us that a search was made and in fact such a decree was found. Of course, we already know about the decree from Ezra’s first chapter and the last chapter of 2 Chronicles.
The second half of Darius’s letter to Tattenai and his associates goes into great detail about how they were not to simply allow the work to continue but support it (vv. 6–12). Remarkably, the king even allotted tax revenue to rebuild God’s temple: “Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates” (v. 8). The returnees were to be given “whatever is needed,” including “young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil.” In short anything the priests requested “must be given them daily without fail” (v. 9). Darius then, with typical flair, adds a stark punishment for whoever might oppose the rebuilding of God’s temple: “I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble” (v. 11). The Lord had moved Cyrus’s heart to favor the exiles, and here He moves Darius’s heart to do the same. The Lord is indeed the true King over the entire earth!
Go Deeper
How does Darius’s response encourage you? Have you seen God similarly move the hearts of people to support kingdom work?
Pray with Us
King Jesus, You reign supreme above all earthly authorities. The hearts of kings, presidents, governors, and all other leaders are in Your hands. You are wise and good, and we trust You.
[God] changes the times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.Daniel 2:21
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