“King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:
‘Memorandum:
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. It is to be ninety feet high and ninety feet wide, with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.’
Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from there. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.”
The King has more to say, but that’s quite a bit to digest already.
I appreciate how anyone not interested in joining what God is doing should not interfere. But my favorite part of these verses is how it specifies this was a decree “concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem.”
Ultimately, all this was about His Presence and Glory among His people, displayed in the sight of the nations. Oh, He cares deeply about each person involved. He’s so expansive, and His love is no less abounding.
But those watching need to know His worth.
In Joshua 5:13-14, Joshua is nearing Jericho and has been commanded to take the city. Suddenly “he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked,
‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’
‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.’
Something I heard at a conference about this passage has stuck with me:
I did not come to take sides. I came to take over.
Does King Darius now wonder about this God in Jerusalem? What are the Trans-Euphrates officials thinking? They will likely be around as the rebuild continues. Will they see a God worthy of the effort as they watch from a distance?
Only Yahweh can command praise and it end up being for the ultimate benefit of everyone. When He takes over, taking sides seems pretty useless.
So how about us? As we walk with Him, find Him so utterly trustworthy, and surrender even more to Him, everyone around us benefits. We’re so caught up in stewarding what Peter calls His grace in its various forms that we see little need to compare and compete. Sides become obsolete.
And we show a watching world this God of Angel Armies Who makes all our challenges, every bit of sacrifice, worth it.