(REFLECTIONS ON Ezra 6:1-22)

The words of the Lord are our assurance of the hope that we have in Him because we believe His words, and that His promises will not fail. This is unique, because usually we need someone or something else to guarantee what someone says is true, however with the Lord, all we need are His words and His promises.

Faith means that we believe in His words, not because there is external proof or assurance, but because we believe God’s words are true.

Even though the Jews faced opposition that brought the reconstruction of the temple to a halt, God’s words are His promises, and His promises are true. In today’s Scripture, we see King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon, and a scroll was found regarding King Cyrus’ decree regarding the rebuilding of the temple.

1 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid.

I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

Although we might think that the rebuilding of the temple was because of King Cyrus, we must remember from Ezra 1 that it was the Lord that moved the heart of King Cyrus. It also wasn’t King Darius that was the Jews assurance that this work would be completed, but rather it once again was the work of the Lord.

22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria** so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

**King Darius, king of Persia, was also referred to as king of Assyria because the Persian Empire was so great that it also covered the land of the previous Assyrian Empire.

The people rejoiced because the Lord brought His promises to fruition. The reason King Darius’ attitude changed was because of the Lord, just as King Cyrus’ proclamation was because of the Lord.

Today’s Scripture reminds us that we hope because He said. We don’t hope in anything else, in anyone else, in the testimony of an outside force, be we hope because He said. May we continue to hope because He said, and what He said, He will do.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Ezra 6