Main Idea: God’s work doesn’t need man’s permission.
A Quick Recap:
Three weeks ago, we stepped out of the book of Ezra and journeyed through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
This week, we return to Ezra, the historical anchor for the books of Haggai and Zechariah. In context, the Jews had been opposed by the local peoples and had stopped rebuilding the temple. That’s why Haggai and Zechariah’s urging to rebuild became necessary in the first place.
A Look at the Text:
Ezra 5 begins by recounting this reality, noting that Haggai and Zechariah prophesied in God’s name to get the temple work going again (Ezra 5:1). Even more, the text reveals that their ministries were successful. For Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Joshua), the high priest, began to rebuild the temple with the prophets’ support (Ezra 5:2).
Yet almost immediately they faced opposition again. Tattenai, the Persian governor over the province west of the Euphrates where Judah was located, came against the returned exiles (Ezra 5:3). The officials were wondering whose decree motivated the rebuilding of the temple and who was doing the work (Ezra 5:3-4).
While the Persian oversight wasn’t so sure of the project, God’s eye was still on His people (Ezra 5:5). As a result, although the authorities were skeptical, they weren’t going to stop the work until they got a definite “no” from the Persian monarch himself.
So, they sent a letter to him to inform him of the rebuilding. Specifically, they noted that the work was going on diligently and prospered in the hands of the returned exiles (Ezra 5:8).
The letter also contained the exiles’ reply that they were servants of the God of heaven and earth (Ezra 5:11). They recounted how the Babylonian captivity came about at the hands of their own God and how Cyrus had issued a decree that they could rebuild (Ezra 5:12-13).
The letter from Tattenai and his officials was sent to inquire as to whether this edict of Cyrus could be verified or not (Ezra 5:17).
Bringing it Home:
The people of God were opposed again and again while doing God’s work. Yet one thing was sure: they were servants of God before they were servants of men. They didn’t need man’s permission to rebuild because it came by God’s decree. God spoke through His prophets, urging His people to get back to work.
The government’s authority was rather irrelevant when God was the One who gave them the authority to build.
It might have been inconvenient to face opposition, but certainly if it was God’s work, it would receive God’s blessing. His eye was on the people, and the work prospered in their hands. For it wasn’t their purpose—it was God’s.
Let us then be encouraged with their example, remembering that our commitment is first to God. When the people were criticized, their response wasn’t an apology but a declaration of allegiance, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth.” They were obeying God, even if it might have meant disobeying man.
In the New Testament, we see a similar thought when the apostle Peter once cried out, “We must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29).
When civil authority isn’t opposed to God’s decrees, Christians should be model citizens (see Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). Yet, if government ever tries to stand against what God has said, let us never forget that we are first and foremost citizens of a heavenly country. Our ultimate allegiance must lie there.
Challenge:
Do problems ever cause me to discontinue my work for God?