Ezra 3, 6-7

"Despite their fear of the peoples around them. . . ." (Ezra 3:3a) I'm impressed. Even though the Israelites were being persecuted, they persisted in worshipping God. Last week I visited a friend in the hospital, and I was impressed with one of the hospital staff who came to check on my friend. Before leaving the room, the staff member said, "God bless you. I'll be praying for you today." This staff member did not know any of the three people who were standing around visiting the patient. Yet the person spoke up and did not shy away from expressing a firm faith in God. Would you do that if you didn't know anybody in the room? Would I do that? As Americans we are very weak in our faith, and it takes very little persecution to dissuade us. In fact, many of us won't speak up at work because "they" might not like it. Who are "they" anyway?


"When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, . . . No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away." (Ezra 3:10a, 13) That's the kind of worship service I want to be a part of!!!!


Okay, Ezra 6 will help us answer the questions we had when we read Daniel 6. (Why didn't Darius just change his decree so that Daniel wouldn't have to be thrown to the lions?) You see, Persian kings were looked to as gods, and whatever they decreed was law, and there was no changing that law. They even attached death penalties to the decrees stating no one could change the law without extreme punishment. In Ezra 6 Darius, in the second year of his reign, decreed that the temple in Jerusalem would be rebuilt. "Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble." (Ezra 6:11) He was serious! If I have my dates right, the Daniel 6 story took place after the Ezra 6 story. If Darius made such a big deal about a decree in Jerusalem, he sure couldn't go back on his word concerning a decree in Babylon.

Another interesting thing I learned about the kings of Persia was that they were known for rebuilding temples in the lands they had conquered. They were polytheistic and wanted to appease any gods who lived in the lands. They would ask the people of the land to "pray for the well-being of the king and his sons." (Ezra 6:10b) This is a good reminder to us in our day that God can use pagan rulers to advance His kingdom. God is still in control.

Ezra was a living testimony of the power of God. He was sent on a mission by God, and God paved the way for him. Take a look at these verses from Ezra 7, "The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. For the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me." (v. 6b, 9b, 10, 23, 27-28)

Do you know any pastors or missionaries for whom you could pray these verses? In place of Ezra, insert the name of the pastor or missionary. Pray that God would encourage them to gather leaders to help in the ministry to which God has called them.