Ezra 5:14-17

Our Lord God reigns over heaven and earth.

He will accomplish His will  for us…in His timing!

Forget the easy way, the best way. Forget God’s way. Too much stubbornness, too much independence, too much self-reliance. All I needed to do was apologize, but I had to argue. All I needed to do was listen, but I had to open my big mouth. All I needed to do was be patient, but I had to take control. All I had to do was give it to God, but I tried to fix it myself.

Scripture says, “Do it God’s way.” Experience says, “Do it God’s way.” And every so often, we do. Max Lucado

Ezra 5:14-17

14 Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15 And he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.’ 16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter. The New King James Version

This term for “governor” may refer to the governor of a province or administrative district or to a royal commissioner. Faithlife Study Bible

This portion of Tattenai’s letter to King Cyrus describes the events that led to the official Persian decree to rebuild the temple. Sheshbazzar may have been the Persian name for Zerubbabel. Alternatively he may have been the Jewish prince who was first appointed to lead the temple rebuilding efforts, but who did not survive and was replaced by Zerubbabel. 

Apparently the king’s treasure house contained the official records as well as the treasury. Tattenai’s request to find the original decree issued by King Cyrus delayed the rebuilding. The trip from Jerusalem to Babylon took eight months. The search for official documents also took time. The entire process could have taken as long as a year. The NKJV Study Bible

Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God’s service, and why we do it. And while in this world, we always shall have to confess, that our sins have provoked the wrath of God. All our sufferings spring from thence, and all our comforts from his unmerited mercy. However the work may seem to be hindered, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying it on, his people are growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, for a habitation of God through the Spirit. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Ezra 6:1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.

Ezra 6:2 And at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus: