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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Ezra chapter six,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the message. So King Darius
Speaker 1: ordered a search through the records and the archives in Babylon.
Speaker 1: Eventually a scroll was turned up in the fortress of
Speaker 1: Ecbatana over in the province of Media with this writing
Speaker 1: on it memorandum. In his first year as king, Cyrus
Speaker 1: issued an official decree regarding the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: As follows, the temple, where sacrifices are offered, is to
Speaker 1: be rebuilt on new foundations. It is to be ninety
Speaker 1: feet high and ninety feet wide, with three courses of
Speaker 1: large stones topped with one course of timber. The cost
Speaker 1: is to be paid from the Royal Bank. The gold
Speaker 1: and silver vessels from the Temple of God that nebekan
Speaker 1: Az are carried to Babylon are to be returned to
Speaker 1: the Temple at Jerusalem, each to its proper place. Place
Speaker 1: them in the Temple of God. Now listen, tat Andi,
Speaker 1: Governor of the Land beyond the Euphrates, shethar Bosaneye associates,
Speaker 1: and all officials of that land stay out of their way.
Speaker 1: Leave the governor and leaders of the Jews alone, so
Speaker 1: they can work on that Temple of God as they
Speaker 1: rebuild it. I hereby give orders on how you are
Speaker 1: to help the leaders of the Jews in the rebuilding
Speaker 1: of that Temple of God. All construction costs are to
Speaker 1: be paid to these men from the Royal Bank out
Speaker 1: of the taxes coming in from the land beyond the Euphrates,
Speaker 1: and pay them on time, without delays. Whatever is required
Speaker 1: for their worship young bulls, rams and lambs, for the
Speaker 1: whole burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, and whatever wheat, salt, wine,
Speaker 1: and anointing oil the priests of Jerusalem request is to
Speaker 1: be given to them daily without delay, so that they
Speaker 1: may make sacrifices to the God of Heaven and pray
Speaker 1: for the life of the King and his sons. I've
Speaker 1: issued an official decree that anyone who violates this order
Speaker 1: is to be impaled on a timber torn out of
Speaker 1: his own house, and the house itself made a manure pit.
Speaker 1: And may the God who put his name on that place,
Speaker 1: wipe out any king or people who dares to defy
Speaker 1: this decree and destroy the Temple of God at Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: I Darius have issued an official decree. Carry it out
Speaker 1: precisely and promptly. Tat And I, governor of the land
Speaker 1: across the Euphrates, sheth Ar BOZANEI and their associates did it.
Speaker 1: They carried out the decree of Darius precisely and promptly.
Speaker 1: So the leaders of the Jews continued to build. The
Speaker 1: work went well under the preaching of the prophets Hagai
Speaker 1: and Zecharias, son of Iddo. They completed the rebuilding under
Speaker 1: orders of the God of Israel an authorization by Cyrus
Speaker 1: Darius and Artis Erxes, kings of Persia. The temple was
Speaker 1: completed on the third day of the month Adar, in
Speaker 1: the sixth year of the reign of King Darius, and
Speaker 1: then the Israelites celebrated. Priests, Levites every last exile exuberantly
Speaker 1: celebrated the dedication of the Temple of God. At the
Speaker 1: dedication of this Temple of God, they sacrificed a hundred bulls,
Speaker 1: two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, and as an
Speaker 1: absolution offering for all Israel. Twelve he goats, one for
Speaker 1: each of the twelve tribes of Israel. They placed the
Speaker 1: priests in their divisions and the Levites in their places
Speaker 1: for the service of God at Jerusalem, all as written
Speaker 1: as out in the Book of Moses. On the fourteenth
Speaker 1: day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.
Speaker 1: All the priests and levites had purified themselves, all no exceptions.
Speaker 1: They were all ritually clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover
Speaker 1: lamb for the exiles, their brother priests, and themselves. Then
Speaker 1: the Israelites, who had returned from exile, along with everyone
Speaker 1: who had removed themselves from the defilements of the nations,
Speaker 1: to join them and seek God, the God of Israel,
Speaker 1: ate the Passover with great joy. They celebrated the feast
Speaker 1: of unraised bread for seven days. God had plunged them
Speaker 1: into a sea of joy. He had changed the mind
Speaker 1: of the King of Assyria to back them in rebuilding
Speaker 1: the temple of God, the God of Israel. Let's pray, Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for the privilege of being able to look at this
Speaker 1: passage together today. The Lord, we rejoice with the people
Speaker 1: of Judah as they have been enabled to build the
Speaker 1: temple with help from the King and with support from others,
Speaker 1: after having experienced so much opposition. Lord, we know that
Speaker 1: during different seasons of our lives that we experience opposition,
Speaker 1: the devil operates as our adversary, and as men and
Speaker 1: women who have given our hearts over to your son
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, as men and women who are seeking to
Speaker 1: yield control of our lives over to you. We know,
Speaker 1: Lord that there are times that the devil tries to
Speaker 1: put roadblocks or obstacles in our way. He tries to
Speaker 1: inspire people to work against us. He even tries to
Speaker 1: discourage us. But Lord, this portion of scripture illustrates the
Speaker 1: fact that you can take the hardest hearts and the
Speaker 1: hearts of the most powerful people, even the hearts of kings,
Speaker 1: and you can transition what their hearts are inclined to do.
Speaker 1: You can soften their hearts, and you work all things
Speaker 1: together for the good of those who love you. We
Speaker 1: see that in the passage, and we're reminded of the
Speaker 1: fact that the very same thing is true for us today.
Speaker 1: We love you, Lord, We're grateful for these reminders. We
Speaker 1: commit this day to your care, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for your presence with us. We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen,