Doing What God Says Regardless of What People Say

The story in Ezra runs parallel with many of the prophetic books of the Old Testament, namely that of Haggai and Zecharaiah. This is noted in the beginning of Ezra 5:

Ezra 5:1–2 (ESV) Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Haggai challenged God's people to build the temple after years of apathy and concern only for their own homes. Zechariah called for national spiritual renewal so they would be prepared to worship God upon the temple's completion. These men prophesied, "in the name of the God of Israel who was over them". That's a powerful set of friends who instigated the apathetic returned exiles back to action after 16 years of pause in the work. 

You'll notice what's missing. There's no official decree to restart the work as there was a decree to stop the work in Ezra 4. Why that matters is simple. The Jews already had been given permission to carry out this work and any command from anyone after that was null and void on the merits. The point is being clearly made: Do what God tells you even when people tell you to stop. 

When you get discouraged in doing what God wants when people tell you to stop, ask for help from your friends - those writers of the ancient scriptures that bring hope and remembrance and courage to your soul!.

Romans 15:4 (ESV) For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now eventually, the jig would be up and someone would inquire about the official permission of this project....

Ezra 5:3–5 (ESV) At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” 4 They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.

More government intimidation that they should cease and desist. And yet what happens this time? They keep working until the letters make it to their destination. In other words, their approach was, to maximize the time they had as the couriers did their job. This time, they would not be discouraged by the potential chastening of government's hand. 

I can think of our own time during Covid. How many pastors should have opened their churches far sooner after we came to understand the true threat of the disease. Instead, most acted with too much fear about the rules and stopped meeting until the government decisively allowed them. What nonsense! If God tells us to gather, we must gather. And especially when so much confusion abounds concerning what can and what cannot be operational. 

Back to Ezra. The letter is sent by the returned exiles to Darius and they have their ducks in a row. They first acknowledge their divine directive and then point out the official permission of Cyrus concerning the work. 

Ezra 5:11–13 (ESV) ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt.

Then they ask for the king to check the matter himself:

Ezra 5:17 (ESV) Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”

You know what most Christians are missing today? The willingness and the effort to know their rights afforded them in the Constitution and to know the Truth in the Word of God to compel them to obey God rather than man. 

We need help from our old friends again. Those prophets who will challenge us to do what God wants, no matter what mankind thinks about it.