EZRA 5
Read Ezra 5:1-17
We left the last chapter with the work on the Temple which had begun with such enthusiasm now brought to a halt by some meddlesome troublemakers. It was now some sixteen years since work on the Temple had begun. Would it ever be completed?
It was at this point that the word of God intervened. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah received word from God that the work on the Temple should resume (and we can read about this in the prophecies under their own name – Haggai Chapter 1 for example) and so the leaders made sure that that the work continued; after all, it was a direct instruction from the Lord and the living word of the living God takes precedence over any earthly instructions.
But while God’s word can change the hearts of God’s people, the opponents of God will not be moved. “Who authorised you to rebuild the Temple?” they said (v3). “And give us the names of those who are doing it” The Israelites gave a written reply saying that they had authority from the earlier king, Cyrus, (and we saw that in Chapter 1) and ended saying, “if you don’t believe us check the royal archives”. The opponents of the rebuilding, seeing that they were getting out of their depth kicked the matter upstairs to King Darius to let him decide.
What we see here is that there are always people who will oppose God’s work and often for no good reason; that is the case today as much as it was back in the days of Ezra and his fellow prophets. They can cause a lot of problems: the work on the Temple stopped for sixteen years. But God’s plans will not be thwarted. He wanted his house rebuilt and he enabled his people to continue to do the work. And he did this through his living word. In Old Testament days that came by way of the prophets who passed on God’s word to the leadership of the nation, who then empowered the workforce to continue with God’s work. Today we have God’s written word. It is still his living word and it inspires us through the Holy Spirit to continue God’s work here on earth.
God’s word also gave the Israelites the faith to do God’s work. They had lost heart under the threat of the opponents of the rebuilding project, but God’s word via the prophets gave them the faith that God would honour their work. We too can take heart and receive faith from God’s written word knowing that he will honour us for carrying out his work.