Ezra 5 & 6 - Breathe Upon The Embers

Ezra 5–6 records the restart of a work that had been abandoned for over 16 years after opposition halted the rebuilding of God’s house. What begins as spiritual neglect is interrupted when the word of the Lord comes again through Haggai and Zechariah. Their message confronts misplaced priorities and calls the people to “consider your ways” (Haggai 1), exposing how they had focused on their own comfort while God’s house lay in ruins. The result is renewed obedience as the work begins again.

As rebuilding resumes, God’s people must also navigate outside scrutiny. Tatnai’s inquiry becomes a test of wisdom and integrity, yet “the eye of their God was upon the elders” (Ezra 5:5), showing that God’s presence sustains His people even in pressure. Ultimately, God moves through King Darius to not only permit the work but provide for it, demonstrating that what He commands, He also secures.

The passage calls believers to trust God’s word to reignite what has grown cold, to walk with discernment under pressure, and to finish what He has started, confident that He completes every work He begins.

Thanks for listening to the Living Faith St. Louis podcast. This episode is part of our weekly sermon ministry from Pastor Blade Sbisa, with occasional guest speakers and special series.
 For more information, visit the LFSTL website.

Transcript

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And because we're going to be moving through two chapters this morning, chapter five and chapter six, I just figured I'd provide that to you to have a little bit of a framework for where we head. Some people are note takers, others are not, but I think it's good for us to just have a kind of a simple structure in our head so that you know the roadmap for where I'm headed. We come into a story kind of in the middle of it, and yet what we have to understand about the book of Ezra is it's a unique book because it is recording a narrative, but it's recording it thematically. And so just hold that note. We'll talk about it here in a moment. If you remember, this story is a story about Israel rebuilding after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. And a few sermons ago we walked through Israel's history and saw how they found themselves in this strange place, but also opportunity to see God revive and restore what once was wonderful and awesome. And ultimately to restore not only private and individual worship, but also corporate worship for the nation. In this story, we see a little righteous, righteous remnant, a small group of Jews returning to their homeland to build the temple again upon a decree made by Cyrus in chapter 1. God uses a Gentile king to let Israel return to the land and build the temple. And there it is, Old Testament physical reality leading us or foreshadowing for us the New Testament spiritual reality we have as the temple of God. 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Two weeks ago in chapter 3, we saw that Israel was unified, working together to build an altar and lay a foundation. For those of you that were apart, maybe you remember that. And you're like, yes, we know. Stop repeating yourself. I know. Just trying to give you some context. However, sadly, what we we saw, the very next chapter in chapter four, we we saw this work begin, a foundation laid, and then the work ceased because of some adversaries that rose up against the initiation of this work. And as we took note, we we acknowledge that Satan also desires to hinder the work of God today. In the very same way that Satan hindered the work for Israel, so too, Satan does not want to see God accomplish what God wants to get done in this age. First, the enemy appeared as an angel of light. Some folks in the land surrounding Israel come and they talk to the leaders. They say, Hey, let us help you build the house of the Lord. And the leader's response are, You have nothing to do with us or to build this house. They had discernment to acknowledge that this minister of righteousness, these helping hands weren't that at all. And those ministers of righteousness end up deceiving the people, and they turn really quickly to violence and force to get the work to stop. And so look at the last verse. Just look one chapter back, the very last verse, verse 13, I'm sorry, verse 24, it says, Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia. A foundation was laid, the altar was built, the work got going, adversaries rose up, the work stopped. The people were afraid, and they they were forced to stop. But even though Israel stopped and the adversaries went away, some 16 plus years would pass by before this work would begin again. 16 years of procrastination. In other words, Israel stopped for reasonable reasons, but then that stopping and that pause actually led them to get comfortable in their lives again, and they used the resources that God gave them to turn to their own lives and beginning building it rather than God's temple. This remnant began so well, they got afraid and stopped. And so the title of our message this morning, as you can see on the handout, is Breathe or Breath Upon the Embers, depending on how you want to think about it, whether it be personal or not. A message about restarting and having a fire in us again, a rekindling again of the Spirit of God in us, according to the word. So to set a roadmap, here it is in the outline. First, God delivering his word to his people, the word of God being delivered to Israel through the mouth of prophets. Secondly, their ability to discern the difference between what looks like an adversary or what is an enemy and what is just an annoyance. And we'll learn about that today with a governor rising up from that provenance around them. They know how to discern and dodge potential issues. And then lastly, they finally decide to not only begin again, but to finish what they set out to start. And so, first, once again, the word of God delivered to God's people. As I already mentioned, there's a 16-year gap between chapter 5 and chapter 6. And that is largely because Ezra is not writing chronologically. There's a temptation to read the book of Ezra and think every single event I read about is just one after another. But Ezra is actually recording this narrative and the events thematically. He's presenting them to us as little case studies so that we can ultimately see something about God and how God works. Sixteen years of neglect because the congregation of Israel had turned their eyes off the mission and they had begun working and using the resources God gave them for their own homes and projects and not the Lord's house. You know, sadly, this is what we often see in the church today. If you would look at with me, Ezra chapter 5 and verse 1 and 2. Ezra chapter 5 and verses 1 through 2. Again, the last verse of chapter 4, it says that the work ceased. The very next verse we read is chapter 5 and verse 1, it says, Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zachariah the son of Endu, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jehosedek, and began to build the house of God, which is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them. The prophets of God were helping by bringing the word and preaching, thus saith the Lord, consider your ways. And note this is always the effect of God's word entering our lives. God's word comes in and it moves us, especially if it's received with thanksgiving and by faith. I mean, God's word finds a way to make its way, you know, Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12, to discern the thoughts and intents of our heart. It divides asunder the soul and the spirit. It gets into places that we can't get in our intellect or our knowledge or a counseling session. God's Spirit gets in there, sharper than any two-edged sword, quick and powerful, able to do what we can't. And this comes, this word of God comes to move us through the voice of a pastor or a friend or another ambassador proclaiming the word of the Lord that they've received. Get back to work. The pastor says from the pulpit. Get focused again on the mission of God. Or maybe your friend comes along and says, hey, you've been, it kind of seems like you've been distant or wandering. Come in. Let's do the mission together. And this is often needed in our life because the tendency in the flesh is to procrastinate. How many times in our life have we heard something from God? God says, Hey, you need to be strengthened in your walk with God. You need to draw closer to me. You need to get more serious about the mission. And we go, Yes, I know. I'll do that tomorrow. Maybe in a week when I get my stuff figured out. After we move, then I'll get my life figured out. I'll start reading my Bible more seriously in a week, whenever my schedule settles out at work. I mean, there's always a reason for us in the flesh to push that deadline out. And so, Haggai, the prophet, as we read in our scripture reading this morning in verse 2, speaks on behalf of the Lord, saying, This people say, the time is not come. The time that the Lord's house should be built. They were making justifications in their flesh to say, Yes, we know that the mission is important. As a Christian, I ought to be on mission for God. Just not right now. Here in a little bit. In a moment. Let me push it off. Just a little bit longer. In other words, they knew the work was required of them and that God wants them to build him in house, but just not today. It reminds me of Luke chapter 9 and verse 61. Upon a man telling Jesus, I'm going to follow you with all of my life. Jesus gives a little bit of a parable, and he says in verse 61 of Luke chapter 9, regarding this illustration of a man coming to him, Lord, the man says, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home and at my house. Lord, I will follow you, but let me first. Me first, though. Lord, yes, I'm going to follow you all my days, but just, I got some things to get done before I do that. I think this is reflective of the church, especially in the West today. Christians who know they're supposed to get serious about the things of God, who know and even desire, with the best of intentions, to follow the Lord, but just not zealous enough to get to work. People that have some other important business to take care of. Proverbs 27 is a grave reminder to us. It's a sobering reminder. In verse 1 of Proverbs 27, it says, Boast not thyself for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Don't boast yourself for tomorrow. You've got today, Christian. I've got today to be important for the kingdom, to matter for the kingdom of God, to pray seriously about the things that are before me, to share the gospel with folks, to be zealous in worship and in sacrifice and bringing offerings to him. James chapter 4 and verses 13 through 16. He says, Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, James says. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live. We shall do this or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. In other words, we just say, I'm gonna go do this, I'm gonna go move my life, make some money, start this job, buy this thing, flip that, do a job promotion, and all the while we've never asked God or consulted him on whether or not that's what he wants. And James is saying, if the Lord will, so be it. Wonderful, great. If God's leading you that way, do all those things and say, Yes, Lord. But if it's just about you doing the next thing to do it, and you're proud about that and you're rejoicing in those decisions, he says, All such rejoicing is evil. Again, James chapter 4 and verse 13 through 16. Our lives are but a hand breath, the Bible says. As the grass that withereth away. Here in a moment, gone in the next. And so the question that ought to be heavy on our hearts daily is what am I going to do with the little and precious time that I have today? Whether you are old or young, this is what you have confidence in today. You have the exact same resource that I have today. What are you gonna do with today? And who's gonna provide the zeal that we need to get this flame going again? You ever feel apathetic in the Christian life? Any of you? Man, me too. Every day I feel that burning desire to get on fire for the Lord dying. I feel it with a blanket about to be thrown. I feel it dwindling down. Who's gonna kindle that glowing ember in our hearts? Is it not the inspiration of the breath of God? You know, Jeremiah the prophet in Jeremiah 23 and verse 29, he says, Is not my word lat like as a fire, saith the Lord. So then, what? Romans chapter 10, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word. The word of God, like that fire, comes in. The inspiration of God, the breath of God comes in, and by the scriptures we have that fire kindled again in us. 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 21 says, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of men or man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. In our Bible study a few weeks ago, we were in John chapter 3 learning about the Holy Spirit likened unto the wind. There it is, the wind of God, the Holy Spirit of God by the word of God breathing upon our hearts, that darkened ember in us. And so the people, they were procrastinating, but God sent prophets as a great gift to preach unto them. That's your blank on your handout. Prophets to preach. A procrastinating people, but prophets who preached and reminded them of what the Word of God said, and that they could have that zeal according to the word again. Not in their own mustering or their own excitement or zeal or charisma. We don't have to be eccentric and super enthusiastic in the flesh. We just have to have that great burden to obey the word of the Lord and to do it. God sent a prophet to begin preaching. And that coal, that glowing ember, breath by breath, word after word, as the prophet prophesied, began to create a warmth for Israel. You could hear the crackling amongst the people. Haggai chapter 1 and verses 3 through 5, it says, Then the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye that dwell in sealed houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore, saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways. And then in verse 13 and 14, as we read earlier, it says, Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger, in the Lord's message. Now that's what the messenger of God is supposed to do. Relay the message of God. Sadly, many pulpits today are just, I don't know, self-help talks. And this is the word of the Lord to Israel by the mouth of Haggai. I am with you. And in verse 14 it says, In the Lord, by that word, I am with you. This is what the Lord did with those little words. I am with you, saith the Lord. Verse 14, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel. Like a fire is kindled. It's stirred, it's stoked, it's turned over, it's quickened. That's what we need. And the spirit of Joshua was also stirred, it says, and all the remnant of the people, and they came and did work in the house of the Lord. The word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, thus saith the Lord, I am with you. And the people are stirred up. They're kindled again, and the ember of their heart is ready to get back to work, knowing the Lord is with them and for them. And so let me ask you this morning, devotionally, what is when was the last time your spirit was stirred by the Spirit of the Living God? And I don't know about you, but do you want I want that this morning? I want my life to be authentic, and I want my passion and my zeal for the Lord to be authentic. Like generally speaking, I'm I'm a pretty passionate guy. I get pretty serious about things when I'm convicted of them. But in the flesh, I have nothing to offer this world except God's Spirit do some supernatural work in me. And I don't know. How desperate are we to cry out, Lord, I need you. I feel apathetic again. I feel cold. I don't feel like I want to go out and share my faith. I'm scared. Maybe we just need the word of the Lord this morning. I'm with you. I'm with you. I so desperately need the Lord to stir me up on a daily basis and to ever feed and fan that dying flame in me. I want to learn the word of God. I want to continue studying the word of God, but not for another Bible fact, but for the power that I need in his presence. It is those words as we study and we hear the preaching of God's Word, or we meet for Bible study. It is those characters and those stories and those promises and those repeated declarations of God being faithful to those that were full of faith, which stir up our hearts to desire to serve God. And so there it is, the first section this morning, the delivery of the word of God to God's people. But secondly, what we find is that Israel was successful in this little moment in their history to not only see the work start again but finished because God's hand was on them and the word of God came to them, but also because they were discerning regarding the opposition at hand. They were able to navigate hindrances as they worked. And there it is, the second section in your handout. As I mentioned before, this is a story relaying thematics overlaying Israel's history. For example, in the last few chapters, Ezra has presented themes about God's sovereignty through governmental figures as well as adversarial attacks on God's people. So the events aren't laid out directly or straightly, but we have these thematics about God's faithfulness despite Gentile rulers being against Israel, or adversaries coming up against the people of God and God's purposes. Moreover, I believe that's why this chapter, chapter 5 and then 6, are presented to us now. This section informs us about a governor by the name of Tatnai. In this text, it appears that Tatnai was adversarial towards Israel. And almost an echo of the fourth chapter, we find another letter written to King Darius to try to get this work stopped. Even in some of your Bibles, you may have a heading that reads Adversaries against Israel. Or in like a Bible app, like Blue Letter Bible, you may find a heading that says the adversaries of Israel, but the Bible actually never gives that word to describe Tatnai the governor. This all may seem insignificant, but I think it's important because once again, Ezra is giving us content and thematics to help us see how God's working and how Israel is thinking and discerning what's happening. Follow with me. I know it's tough. There's a lot of details here, and without just reading the text, it's difficult to get into. I believe, based on the context that Tatnai was brought into, he was just trying to do his job. After 16 years, he is now watching this group of Jews who weren't working all of a sudden productive together. He's watching those walls that were laid with great stones, verse 8 of chapter 6. And built upon with timbers on that great foundation, and he's thinking, what is going to happen here? Am I going to be in trouble as a governor if I don't get this under wrap? My estimation is that while he does almost become a great hindrance to the remnant of Israel, he is not an adversary. And that is exactly what God is teaching us as we contrast chapter 4 and chapter 5. The difference between an adversary of the work of God and someone who's just kind of annoying because they're doing their job. Okay, I have been in construction for a little window of my life. My father's been in construction longer. And I'll tell you this uh Tatni reminds me of a building inspector. It reminds me of someone coming in, not, I mean, they're not an enemy, enemy, but they kind of feel like an enemy. Like they're just trying to do their job. They're probably good. They got good intentions. This is their paycheck. They have somebody that they're responsible to. Man, they feel adversarial when it's such a dumb thing they're holding up the project for. That reminds me of Tat my ear. I don't think he's an adversarial. Adversary, I think he could hinder the work, but he has to be dealt with differently. And that's exactly what we see Israel doing. The leaders are discerning enough to deal with this guy differently than we saw Israel deal with those adversaries in chapter 4. So look it with me, Ezra chapter 5 and verses 3 through 5. Just some context here. It says, At the same time came to them Tapnai the governor. The people were stirred up, they started working again, and then the governor comes. On the side, uh on this side the river Euphrates. That's the river referred to there. And Sheff Barzani and their companions, and said unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house and to make up this wall? Then said we unto them, after this manner, what are the names of the men that make this building? Verse 5 But the eyes of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease. Tatni the governor and these other men could not cause this work to cease, because the eyes of God were upon the elders of the Jews. Okay, so in this second section regarding discerning those that are without, trying to make sense of whether or not this is an adversary or is this someone who's just an annoyance, what we find is that we are at first in need of God's blessing. That's how we have the discernment we need to know the difference between an enemy and someone who's just doing their job, doing the best they can, and out of ignorance, making our jobs more difficult. For example, if we ever get into a building project here, or maybe uh the city or a utility company's giving us trouble, or some issue with the power lines happens, it is possible that we could have this whole thing shut down because somebody's just trying to do their job. And it's not a real threat, but hey, for some reason people feel like it's an issue that they smell leaky gas in our neighbor's property. I don't know what it is, right? Somebody doing their job and all of a sudden it feels like somebody's being an enemy, but it might just be a hindrance to the work. Now, the the enemy, Satan can obviously use these things, distract us, get us discouraged, but we have to have the discernment to know how do I speak to the people God brings into my life? Is this someone who is hostile against this work or they're a satanic implant, or is this someone who's just nice and maybe they have a different opinion? That's okay. We're just gonna agree around the word of God and see what he says. Okay, so this other group that's adversarial, they are to be opposed and rejected, but we ought to have words that are fitted for every situation. And so, how can we be successful to discern, uh discern rightly the people before us so that we don't hinder the work by being uh too forward in our speech or communication. I'll say it that way. So, first, the blessing. And the blessing that comes on Israel is that the Lord is with them. That's what the prophet Haggai said. It's also the promise we get in Matthew 28 and verse 20 in the Great Commission. I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen. So, first the blessing of God. That's what we need to have a discerning mind. Wisdom from above, not of this earth. But secondly, we need blamelessness. Again, what made Israel successful in discerning that Tatnai the governor was blameless uh was their blamelessness and temperance before him. What made them successful and not making this annoyance an adversary was their temperance before him in speech. You know, for example, Proverbs chapter 15 and verse 1, it says, A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. What if the leaders of Israel told the governor, Katanai, just what they told the enemies in Ezra chapter 4 and verse 3? Ye have nothing to do with us to build this house. I mean, probably would have stirred up some wrath. But they had the wisdom to know that this individual needs to be dealt with differently if we want to get the work done. There is some political speech there. There is some delicacy and some discretion in their words. They probably would have caused more trouble than needed. And I just wonder here, once again, in passing devotionally, how much our mouths and our emotions get us into more trouble than was ever needed. You ever know that about your life? A situation that really isn't that big of a deal? It was it would have all been fine, it all would have simmered down. But because you or maybe the other person got emotional or said something really strong with their words, all of a sudden an issue that wasn't one became one. I mean, just think back to that inspector building situation. You gotta kind of sweeten the guy up. Talk to him about the things he likes. Make sure he's not uh immediately on defense with the builder. That doesn't make any sense. We ought to have wisdom in knowing who's before us. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 10, it says, that ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offense in the day of Christ. What's special as you read through this text and you see this narrative is Israel is never lying. They're not deceptive, they're not avoiding, they're honest, they're just discreet. Here, we're told in the New Testament to be sincere. We have to be honest in our words and in our speech. We're not lying to try to get around anyone who may come against us. We're honest. We're sincere, we're just without offense. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 15, it says, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world. If you can't feel it, as we move forward as Christians, holding forth the word of life, the world's not going to like the message that we have in our mouth, and we ought to do everything we can to live peaceably with all men. Some men, some women we will never be able to be at peace with because they are against what God says and we're in agreement with what God says. The issue isn't the truth dividing people, the issue is the way we deliver the truth. Is our mouth filled with the gracious words that people marveled at, like they did when Jesus spoke? Colossians chapter 4 and verses 5 through 6, it says, walk in wisdom toward them that are without, toward those that aren't in the church, towards the lost world who doesn't understand what it means to be a Christian, walk in wisdom towards them, Paul says to Corinth, or to Colossians. Redeeming the time, let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Hey, who's with you here building this wall and this temple? What is what's going on here? Well, a third thing that made Israel successful was their boldness. Their boldness. A lot of times I think we confuse boldness with brashness. But Israel's very bold in their speech. They're very honest, they're very forward. They say exactly what they're doing, they express all the history that fell out regarding why they were in the situation they were in. They were bold with their speech and the truth. But they weren't brash as they delivered it. And so that's your third blank here. What we find first is the blessing of God, but then their blamelessness, but also their boldness actually made way for the governor to relay all the facts needed for Darius the king to make a new decree to send them into the land again and give them the resources they need. So, lastly, their success before Tatani also became because they were bold and honest. Their blamelessness mattered, but their open communication and their kind cooperation did as well. So then, note, from verses 6 to 17 of chapter 5, we find a letter that Tatnai wrote to Darius the king. A very similar, a very similar narrative as chapter 4. But this letter is just Tatnai the governor relaying everything that Israel told him. And he's saying, Hey, Darius, this is what's going on. Do I need to stop it? I'm trying to do my job. Does this thing need to be shut down? I'm a little worried. They seem like they are doing a pretty successful job at building. In fact, Israel gets this thing done in four years without the modern technology we have. Okay, a letter that not only revealed Tatanai's own interest in this project, but also the Jews' boldness to communicate directly to him. Look at it with me, Ezra chapter 5 and verses uh 10 and 11. This is Tatanai writing to Darius, expressing what Israel told him. A lot of details here. Hope you can follow the narrative. Chapter 5 and verse 10 it says, We asked their names also. The Jews were asked who was building, to certify thee that we might write the names of the men that were chief of them. And thus they return return us answers, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. And we build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and also set up. Now I just I wonder how that was delivered, like how they said that. We are the servants of the God of heaven. Get out of here. I doubt it. Hey, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. And we we build the house that was builded this many years ago. We're gonna follow the Lord. We spent 16 years of our life procrastinating what God called us to do. We're gonna continue doing what the God of the universe told us to do. See the difference? I mean, and we ought to have speech to know how to communicate with discretion and grace in our mouth. In some ways, in some ways. It reminds me of Peter's boldness in Acts chapter 5. Now, Peter's a pretty bold dude by the time Christ has risen and he's standing before Israel. But nonetheless, he is more interested in obeying God than men. And after there's a great uprising in the beginning of Acts, it says, saying, this is the religious rulers, speaking to the apostles, saying, Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach this name in this name, the name of Jesus? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Israel, the leaders of Israel, are saying, You, you, Peter and your other apostles, you guys are filling this whole place with the name of Jesus, and you're telling us Jesus died because we killed him. Then Peter, verse 29, and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Verse 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Verse 31. God hath exalted with his right hand to be the prince and savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. In verse 32. And we are his witnesses of these things. And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. I think a lot of times when we read these texts, we want to relay Peter's reaction with like a great fire and zeal. But I just wonder how these things were communicated. I mean, there is some passion, obviously. There is some boldness here, but I just wonder how brash it was. I wonder if Peter was just like, hey, no, you you killed your Messiah, and uh it's it's better to obey God than men. I I just I'm curious, because in the church today, uh we call great success or great preaching fieriness, some like charismatic manufacturing of what we think the Spirit of God looks like. But I don't know, Galatians chapter 5 tells me the Spirit of God and the fruit of the Spirit of God is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. So which is it? The guy standing in the pulpit yelling? Or is it the person just sharing the truth of God directly and boldly? I wonder. I just wonder what we think is success in the church today. We have to be careful. Okay, so we find those first two sections. The word of God delivered to Israel by the mouth of the prophets to a procrastinating people. But then, secondly, their leaders being able to discern those without. Are these adversaries, or is this guy just kind of annoying and should we deal with him with discretion? And then finally, the third section, as we move into chapter 6, as we move into chapter 6, we find King Darius's response to Tatanai's letter. And Israel finally deciding, deciding to finish what they started. And that's your your final blank, I think, in your outline. They decided to finish what they already started. The chapter opens with Darius making search regarding the history that was relayed to him by Tatnai through the Jews. Long story short, they find a role and the decree that Cyrus made that we already read about in the beginning of Ezra. And Darius makes a new decree permitting the Jews to continue to work, but also decreeing that they would be provided for by the king's resources to build. It's an amazing text. I wonder if Israel would have responded with brash and adversarial words and put Tapnai on defense if God would have been able to work to make provision through Darius. I just wonder. But their discernment allowed them to be successful because they were blameless, they had God's blessing, and ultimately because they were bold and direct in their communication. Look at with me, chapter 6 and verses 6 through 8. Ezra chapter 6, verse 6 through 8, you get a little context here. In the first part of 6, it says, Now therefore, Tatni, Darius writes, back to him. And verse 7, let the work of this house of God alone. Okay, you wrote to me a letter saying you were worried about it. Stop worrying about it. Let the work of this house alone, let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover, verse 8, I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house, that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given to these men, and that they be not hindered. Interesting. What felt like a hindrance ended up becoming the very thing that actually granted them resources to build again. What if we burn bridges with people that actually are going to be great blessings to us because we aren't sensitive, we aren't patient enough with them, our speech isn't always seasoned with grace. I wonder how many opportunities we burn down because we think somebody has bad intentions when they're actually really good people. And so that's what we find in this last section as they decide to finish what they start. We first find a decree of a king to bring prosperity to Israel, but also protection. The king's goods are going to be what cover the expenses of this work, that it be not hindered. Prosperity in verses four through six. But then this decree of Darius also brings promised protection. So not only provision, but protection. Look at Ezra chapter 6 and verse 11 now. Ezra chapter 6 and verse 11 it says, Also have I made a decree that whosoever alter this word, this decree, that my words, if you change what I'm saying, if you go against what I'm saying, let timber be pulled down from his house. And being set up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his house be made a dunghill for this. You can read the next verse, too, it's not any softer. Israel, all of a sudden, in a moment of great fear to think that the work might be hindered after they got restarted. God comes by a new king's speech and decree saying, I'm going to provide for you and I'm going to protect you. I wonder how many opportunities and people that God wants to use to bless us that we just burn bridges with because we think they're adversarial. We need God's wisdom to discern who we're talking to. Not everyone who looks like an enemy is one. This is exactly what Christians should bank their lives on as well. The King, our King Jesus, has promised to provide every need that we need for this building. Not this building, but the building of the spiritual house we're called to in the New Testament. And to protect us from evil. Not to remove evil from our lives, but to protect us when it comes. You know that was Terrius' response here, not to make a decree saying that evil was never going to come. He was saying, if evil does come upon Israel, I'll deal with that. Philippians chapter 4 and verse 19 says, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Your expenses, your worries are going to get taken care of out of the king's account. What a blessing. Philippians chapter 1, just a few chapters prior, Paul writes to Philippi, and he says, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. If God started something, if God told Israel, hey, go build again the temple, and all of a sudden it gets put on pause, hey, just make sure. Just know in your heart that God's going to get done what he promised and what he started. So too in your life, if God saved your soul, if you put your faith in the cross of Christ and ultimately Christ became sin for you, who knew no sin, that you might be made the righteousness of God in him, and you say, okay, I agree with the fact that he's become my payment, my propitiation, that God will never judge me because I've received him. If God's done that perfect work in you, and now all of a sudden you're sitting and you're thinking, what is supposed to happen with my life? Just know God will perform what he started in you. Great, you're saved, but he has a lot more for your life and mine. And that completed work that we find here in the text is exactly what we were going to close on this morning. Not only do we find a decree, but we find a dedicated, completed temple. And that's a great blessing after the few chapters we've been in where we saw the work cease. I just wonder how special and precious this moment would have been for this generation. So many years of procrastination, so many years focused on their lives, four years of building, and then finally a dedication service to exalt God and thank him for all that he had done. Lord willing, in the next year and the next two years, we'll be able to say, hey, we want to dedicate Living Faith St. Louis to the Lord. We want to have some friends come out from the fellowship and we just want to pray over this congregation that God's allowed us to set establish and see grow here, and we just want to say, Lord, thank you for allowing us to see something begin. Don't you guys want that dedication service? I do. We're in the initiation of this plan. It may take us four years to see God build the church He desires here and to unify a body to be functional and to godliness here. We'll see. Maybe it'll be in a few months. We'll let God build his house. The house is complete, and the people and the temple are dedicated. What is a building being dedicated to God if there are no people in it to also give their lives to the mission? This dedication service was filled with sacrifices of praise and offerings to God. And there was a formal service actually given so the people could be united and bring their offering together collectively. The text says 712 animals were offered to the Lord according to the law. 712 animals. That's so much blood. That's so much sacrifice for Israel, isn't it? It is. Especially after they hadn't done it for so long. This was something precious in God's sight. The issue was that in comparison to the 142,000 at the dedication of Solomon's temple, this didn't seem important for some people. But God said a greater glory would come from it in Haggai chapter 2. 712 animals, a lot. A lot, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of worship. The Lord loved it. Because it was revival and it was repentance to Israel and it was worship he deserved that he had been neglected of. This was a little righteous remnant, giving all that they had. God was really pleased with it, but seemingly, perceptually, it didn't compare to the hundred and forty-two thousand animals that were dedicated at Solomon's temple. You can see perceptually, men, men and women looking on the outward appearance of a ministry and thinking, that ministry must have God's hand all over it. Look at all those people. Look at all that money given to missions. All the while, God may be like, yeah, it's alright. But their leader is kind of like Solomon. He has a bunch of secret sin and a bunch of women behind the scenes. Or maybe he's laundering money or whatever it might be. He's like, it's alright. That's some of that I can receive, but you're looking on the outward. I look on what's actually being offered. We have to be resolved in our hearts to know that God does not despise little things. And so now in full circle to close, I just want to tell you you shouldn't despise little things either. 712 animals wasn't a lot in comparison to Solomon's temple, but it was a ton, more than they were offering and giving in Babylon. It is the little things that God can use, because it is there that he can also be magnified. And people aren't confused where the success came from. It came from God. The provision came from God. The souls came from God. It wasn't effective marketing or outreach or anything. It was the Lord. And so we shouldn't despise those same things. It is those little offerings, it is those little conversations, a little bit of faith when we step out and we are bold. A little extra time praying and studying the Bible that God says, I love that. I love another step forward in your walk with God. It is a minor prophet proclaiming the word of the Lord. Haggai isn't less than the other prophets. He's just given less space in your Bible. But he is extremely critical for Israel at this moment. Extremely critical. A minor prophet. That doesn't make him less valuable. He just had a unique task at a unique time to bring a little offering to God, to be a messenger of God in the message of God. The preservation of a little role in the province of the Medes, as we saw in the beginning of chapter 6. We didn't read it, but ultimately that's where Darius finds this little roll. If you look at verse 2, it says, and they're found at Akathia, in the palace, that is in the provenance of the Medes, a roll. And therein was a record record, I'm sorry, was a record thus written. In the first year of Darius the king, the same king, same King Cyrus, that made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be built. This is that little role that ends up allowing Darius, the new king, to write a decree, a little roll. God preserving a little manuscript. It is there. God loves those things. A little stirring, a little fanning of the flame. Lord willing, from the pulpit, even this morning. Just a little bit, a little prodding, a little provoking of one another to love and good works. A little text. Hey, I wanted to share this verse with you today. Hey, a little text, a little call. Hey, just wanted to encourage you as reading. I was reminded of the faithfulness of the Lord and his goodness. Wanted to tell you that today. A little outreach. A door hanger. The breath of God on a dark but yet growing ember. Line upon line, precept upon precept, word after word, story after story, God reminding us, I am with you. I'm with you. I'm with you. And when you come to the place where I when I come to the place where we agree and we say, man, God's with us, then where we go, who we meet, what we say, we get to serve the Lord. We get to say, I serve the Lord of heaven and earth. And we're going to build them in house. I mean, what better thing could you do with your life? What better thing could I do with my life? Your life, my life, is as that ember. Kind of. The ember dies slowly, doesn't it? Somehow our life is like that. Daily it's just fading away. But it's also that vapor, that in a moment it's gone. You have, you and I have today to say, Lord, what am I going to do with the breath you've given me? Breathe upon me, Lord, again. Blow upon that ember. I can't really see any heat there. Oh, wait, no, I see it crackling once again. Lord, would you help me put the wood, hay, and stubble? All the stuff that distracts me from those eternal things I need to invest in. Lord, just help it burn up now. Start that fire again in me so that it doesn't have to be burned at the judgment seat of Christ. Lord, help me. Help me have that zeal for you again. I can't produce it in myself. I'm not charismatic enough. I even feel apathetic, Lord. I need you to quicken me according to your word. Help me not forget your precepts, as Psalm 119 says.