THE PAGAN KING DARIUS EXHORTS THE JEWISH PEOPLE TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF GOD In the last two chapters we noticed that we can draw benefit even from the persecution of the world against us; and we should not marvel to find help and sympathy even from non-believers, if we return to God with repentance. When the hearts of the Jews moved with repentance, the care of God moved to direct the heart of Tattenai and his companions to inquire about what they were doing, yet with a good spirit; to send a message to the king that bore a good intention; and did not ask them to stop the work. Now we shall see the work of the divine care in the heart of king Darius himself 1- The king gave the command to search the state records for the decree issued by king Cyrus. Although that could have taken take several years to do, yet king Darius did not seek to stop the work (1 – 5) a- The king sought from the governor Tattebai and his men to keep away from the city, until the house of the Lord is built (6 – 7) b- The king commanded giving a quick material help out of the king’s taxes so that the work would not stop (8) c- The way king Cyrus got to know the existence of Jehovah (1: 3); Now we see king Darius seeks from the Jews to pray to Jehovah, and to offer sacrifices for his sake (9). d- Darius sought from the Jews to pray for the sake of the life of the king and his children (10) e- He issued a command to crucify whomever oppose the work (11). 2- The governor and his companions diligently did according to what king Darius has commanded(13) 3- The Jews continued building; and in the year 516 BC, namely after four years from the start of the wok (4: 24), the temple was finished (15); and they dedicated it with amazing joy, together with the celebration of the feast of Passover with great exultation (14 – 22); for “the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hand in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel” (22). 1- The writing of king Cyrus and the divine care 1 - 5 2- King Darius fears the Lord 6 - 12 3- The joy of the captives 13 – 22 1- THE WRITING OF KING CYRUS AND THE DIVINE CARE: “Then king Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon” (1) The king issued a decree to search in the royal archives for a scroll claimed by the Jews to include a command by king Cyrus to build the house of the Lord. Such a scroll was actually found in the archives in the city of ‘Achmetha’ the royal summer resort. And according to what came in it, king Darius sent a command to his officers in Judea to “keep themselves far from the Jews who are building the temple”. He even issues a command to pay a sum of money out of the king’s taxes as a contribution to cover the expenses of the building, and of the animals which are offered as sacrifices in it. Tattenai and his companion actually did according to the king’s command; and the temple was built and was dedicated with great joy. The archives are the place where the important documents of the state are kept. “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” (2) ‘Achmetha’ an Aramite name derived from an ancient Persian name ‘Hagmethata’ of the capital of Media; its location nowadays is ‘Hamdan’, a royal summer resort. It so appear that either the important old documents were moved there, or the bribed counselors of the king (5: 4) intentionally did it to hide the decree issued by king Cyrus in which he gave the command to build the house of the Lord; but God revealed it in the proper time to complete the building. In the region of ‘Achmatha’, many documents inscribed on clay tablets and papyrus, were discovered in which commercial deals and historical events were recorded. A scroll; in the old they used to write on sheets of linen or papyrus, that had at both ends a wooden bar on which the scroll is rolled. “In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: ‘Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices, and the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits” (3) “Its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits”, Those were the height and width of the holy, and the most holy places. But giving such measurements does not imply an interference in the details of the work, but it gives an indication of the maximum height of the buildings within the temple. King Cyrus who called the Jews to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, will judge us if we do not care to build a temple of the Lord in our hearts, according to the call of God, who presents to us every possibility to realize that. + It is obvious that we are temples of God, if we do good. And if man is a temple of God, what are in this temple would necessarily be concerning God; … For there could not be a temple of God in which there are a multitude of abominations. (Father Valerian) + Speaking about the temple, I may tell you that those lost wicked men who had their hope confined in the building itself, and not in God who created them; in which they likened the pagans who had their hope confined in the idol. … Learn this: “Who had measured the waters in the hollow of the hand; measured heaven with a span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?... Is it not Me?, says the Lord; Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?” (Isaiah 40: 12; 66: 1)…. Before we had faith in the Lord, when we were doing what contradict with the commands of the Lord, we were lowly and corrupt within, like a temple built by a human hand; a temple full of idols, and a dwelling place for Satan. … Now, take heed, so that the building would be great, for it is built in the name of the Lord; built after we are forgiven our sins, after our hope is put in the Lord, after we are renewed and rebuilt, and the Lord comes to dwell in us. How could this be realized? When His word prophesies in us -- the goal of our faith, the call of His promise, and the wisdom of His commandments and teachings -- opens before us the door of the temple, namely opens our mouth by prayer, after being prepared to die, grants us the forgiveness of our sins, and brings us forth into the non-corrupt temple. He who intends to be saved, should not look into himself as man, but to the Lord dwelling in him … That is what the spiritual temple built by God means. (Barnabas) + Let us do what we are committed to do; believing that He dwells in us, that we are His temple, and that He is our God who dwells in us; That will all appear to us clearly, if we love Him with uprightness. + You considered yourselves stones set aside to build the building of God, lifted up by the tool of Jesus Christ, namely by the cross, and the rope of the Holy Spirit. Your faith draws you up; and love is the way that brings you forth to God. You are therefore the road companions; bearers of God (Theophoroi); of the temple (Naophoroi); of Christ (Christophoroi); and of the sanctuaries (Agiaphoroi). (St. Agnatius the Theophorus) “with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king’s treasury” (4) + John the evangelist saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem , coming down out of heaven from God; … the foundations of its walls were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; and had `twelve gates’ (Revelation 21: 10-21)… In this city the Lord Christ dwells; its inhabitants are, themselves, inhabitants and gates; inhabitants and houses;; “Christ dwell in them, and moves in them”. Just imagine how the holy soul could be holier beyond description, for it embraces Christ, whom the heaven is not wide enough to accommodate! … “Moving in it” implies that it is wide enough for him to do. It is written: “You are the temples of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3: 16). Let us then prepare our temple, that Christ would came and make His dwelling place in us; that our souls would come to be Zion, to be a tower pointing upwards and not downwards. (St. Jerome) “Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place, and deposit them in the house of God” (5) 2- KING DARIUS FEARS THE LORD: God turned the situation to the benefit of His people; Finding a scroll written by king Cyrus; it so seems that king Darius was so impressed by the way the creed was written, beside the good hand of the Lord that works in the hearts of the kings (Psalm 21: 1) and rulers to the account of His people. In his message to the governor of the region beyond the River we find a living portrait of that. He says: ‘Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River keep yourselves far from there” (6) That decree reveals Darius’ honorable personality. He did not give the command to stop the work until he finds the decree issued by king Cyrus. And when he found it, he honored it according to the law of the Mades and the Persians which does not alter (Daniel6: 8) “Let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build the house of God on its site” (7) Indeed “The heart of the king is in the hand of God” (Proverb 21: 1); Here we see how the king commands the governor of the region to consummate the building of the temple. “Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered” (8) It did not stop at commanding the governor and his companions not to stand against those who were building the temple, but the king gave from what is his of taxes as a contribution, fast and urgent, to consummate the work. “And whatever they need – young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem – let it be given them day by day without fail” (9) “that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (10) It is clear that king Darius honored the living God, and sought His blessings; and asked the men of God to pray for the sake of his life and that of his children; which shows that he believed in the power of prayer of the people of God for his sake. …We hear that “the eye of God is upon His people”; … Shall we, after seeing what we saw, have fear of the enemies of the church?. Here we see how God can stop the work of the devil, if He so chooses; if there are faithful people who diligently work…. The devil was stirred up and managed to stop the work; but it so happen that the work was resumed with more blessings than before. The way some non-believers, recognizing God, seek prayers for their own sake; it is therefore befitting of the believers to pray for the sake of all men, particularly for the kings and rulers and those of authority (1 Timothy 2: 1-3). “And also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this” (11) “And may the God who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue the decree; let it be done diligently” (12) How amazing! The pagan king bears such an awe toward the house of God, to condemn anyone who does not care for building it, to be crucified on a timber pulled from his own house; as though he has condemned himself by himself, on account of his care for his own house more than for the house of God. Sin bears in itself death and corruption for whoever commits it. 3- THE JOY OF THE CAPTIVES: “Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, diligently did according to what king Darius had sent” (13) Tattenai did not try to find an excuse to postpone or to delay the execution of the king’s command, but diligently did according to what King Darius has sent. That pagan governor certainly bore no hatred toward the believers, nor opposition against God. “diligently did”, They feared the command of the king; and the Spirit of God was moving everyone. “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commands of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia” (14) The secret of their prosperity was listening to the divine voice, and binding to the word of God. “They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel”. The command of God, to which the king responded; then the governors in their turn did. But the initiation was God’s, He who motivated the hearts of people to diligently work. “Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius” (15) The building took four years to finish, with persistent effort and flaring heart with the love of God. “Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes”; . Cyrus and Darius Hestasis have issued decrees for the building; whereas Artaxerxes (xxxxx) issued an order to stop the work; even though the building continued for months until the command reached the site of building. Or it could probably be that Artaxerxes here is ‘Ataxerxes Longimanus’; who would be mentioned here to honor him, for he was the one who issued a command to build the wall. “Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy: (16) The celebration was so great that it poured joy over all; for the temple came back after being absent for decades; and they came to be able to offer sacrifices, to practice the rituals of the temple, and to celebrate the feasts. The church is called “the house of praise”; as in the dedication of the first house of the Lord, king Solomon blessed and praised the Lord. According to the enlightened St. Agnatios [You should care to gather together more densely to present thanksgiving and glory to God. When you often gather together in the Eucharistic assembly, the power of Satan collapses before the splendor of your faith]. “And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of the house of God: one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel” (17) The church is also called “the house of sacrifice”; as in the dedication of the first house of the Lord, king Solomon and the people offered a multitude of sacrifices, for “without shedding of blood shed there is no remission(Hebrew 9: 22)). according to the enlightened St. Agnatios, the church is “the place of the sacrifice”; as in the church we encounter the Lord Christ, the true Sacrifice; and unite with Him, so that our life would become an exalted sacrifice of love. Although that last celebration was greatly joyful, yet the offerings and the sacrifices were far less than those offered by king Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30: 24), or by the good king Josiah (2 Chronicles 35: 7). On account of that, being a few coming back from captivity, their possibilities were weak. “Twelve male goats”. The figure 12 indicates the presence of representatives of the twelve tribes who united again through chastisement. In verse 16, Ezzea said: “The children of Israel”, seeing them as one people; and that the priests and the Levites were for all. “They assigned the priests to their divisions, and the Levites to their divisions over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses” (18) “The children of captivity” was a term that stuck to them, on account of that, despite the freedom to worship and to build the house of the Lord, yet they were still under the authority of the king of Persia, with no king of their own who has his independent political power. On another aspect, this title would remind them of their sin and those of their father, because of which they have fallen into captivity. “And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month” (19) They kept the Passover through which they were relieved of their bondage to Pharaoh to cross over to the wilderness, on their way to the promised land. Now, while keeping the Passover, they remember God’s salvation work, and that what has been accomplished by their hands was a gift from God their Savior. The Old Testament mentions five Passover feasts: 1- At Mount Saini (Numbers 5: 9) 2- At the Gilgal (Joshua 10: 5) 3- In the days of Hezekiah. 4- In the days of Josiah. 5- And now in the days of Zerubbabel. Keeping all those feasts indicate the reform of worship, and the renewal of the covenant between God and His people. Father Milito bishop of Sardes tells us about the connection of the feast of Passover to the altar of the new covenant: + The secret of the Passover is realized in the body of the Lord. As He was led as a lamb, and slaughtered as a she-goat, to save us from the bondage of the world (Egypt), and to liberate us from the servitude to the devil (Pharaoh), sealing our souls by His Spirit, and our bodily members by His precious blood. He who rid us from bondage to freedom, from darkness to light, from death to life, and from oppression to the eternal kingdom. He who is the Passover of our salvation. He is the silent lamb, … who was taken out of the flock, led to the slaughter in the evening, and buried at night. That is why the feast of Passover was bitter, as according to the Holy Book: “You will eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs” (Exodus 12: 8) Bitter for you, were the nails used; Bitter, was the tongue that blasphemed; Bitter, was the false testimony uttered against Him. Contemplate, beloved brother, how the secret of Passover is both new and old; eternal and mortal, corruptible and non-corruptible; According to the law, it is old; and according to the Logos (the divine Word) it is new; Mortal according to the expressions of the symbol; and eternal according to those of grace; Corruptible through the death of the lambs, and non-corruptible through the life of the Lord; So are the sacrifice of the lambs, the rite of the Passover, and the letter of the law, which were all fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Instead of the law, the Logos came, and the old became new; the commandment became a grace, and the symbol a fact. (Milito bishop of Sardes) + Now, while you celebrate the holy Bascha, you are committed, brethren, to know what is the Bascha? … “Bascha” means (Passover), therefore that feast was so called; on account of that in that feast, the Son of God passed over from this world to His Father. What would be your benefit, celebrating this feast of Passover, if you do not liken Him whom you worship? To cross over from the darkness of the evil doings to the light of virtue?, and from the love of this world to that of the heavenly house? … Many are those who celebrate this holy feast, and honor it, yet they do all that with no worthiness, because of their evil, and because they did not cross over from this world to their Father; Namely because they do not cross over from the covetousness of this world, and the carnal desires to the love of heaven. They are miserable Christians, still under the authority of the devil, content with this evil. For this, O brethren, I warn you to celebrate this feast as you should, namely, you have to pass over. Who among you is still in sin, let him be sanctified in this feast, pass over from the evil deeds to virtue. And he who walks in a holy life, let him pass over from a virtue to another; There should be no one among you who does not pass over. (St. Ambrose) “For the priests and the Levites have purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And they slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves” (20) It was not possible for anyone to eat the Passover, even the Levites and the priests, ministers of the temple, unless they purify themselves. + The deceitful man, not pure in heart, would most certainly be a foreigner to the saints, and unworthy to eat the Passover; a foreigner should not partake of it; Hence, when Judas assumed that he kept the Passover while he was plotting against the Savior, he became a foreigner from the city high up, and far from the apostolic fellowship. As according to the law, the Passover should be eaten with befitting care; while Judas, the traitor was eating it “Satan entered into him” (John 13: 27). (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) “Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land, in order to seek the Lord God of Israel” (21) Ate together with those who, although they remained in the land all the time of captivity, yet they separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land; most probably of the Samaritans or the pagans who repented, separated themselves from their gods, and converted to Judaism. “And they kept the feast of the unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel” (22) In the dedication of the first temple, Solomon, all the leaders, and the people, celebrated it all along seven days, followed by other seven days celebrating the feast of tabernacles. And in the eighth day, Solomon blessed the people, and sent them away exultant with joy. The people find their exalted joy, not only in the house of the Lord, but carried it with them to their homes to practice it all the days of their life. Here as well, they ate the Passover with the spirit of joy and praise, giving thanks to God who brought joy into their hearts, and worked in the heart of the pagan king of Assyria to support their work to build the house of God. Here we notice his saying, “with joy”; as Joy always goes hand in hand with the renewal of the covenant with God by repentance. We rejoice in nothing but the sacrifice of the cross, our true Passover. “The king of Assyria” was actually Darius the king of Persia, under whom Assyria submitted; hence called “King of Assyria”, as he was also called “king of Babylon”.. Here Ezra calls him “king of Assyria”, to remind the reader that what the king of Assyria in the past did of scattering the people, was corrected here by the king of Persia. … Here they gather together in joy, and rejoice as well in that God stirred up the heart of the king of Assyria to support them in building the house of the Lord. The old Assyria captivated Israel in the past, and behold, the new Assyria exhorts all to support the divine work and to build the house of the Lord, to worship Him in it. The true repentance is the practical way to have prosperity in life: What we wish to make clear here, is that the feast of the Unleavened Bead was called “the bread of affliction” (Deuteronomy 16: 3), as it symbolized the bitterness through which the people lived under the bondage of Pharaoh, before the affliction turned into joy and gladness, and became one of the most joyful of the feasts. And after refraining from eating the leaven, as a reference to their exodus in haste from Egypt (Exodus 12: 33, 39; Deuteronomy 16: 3); it came to be a reference to forsaking the old life, and enjoying the new life (Isaiah 52: 11-12), that has no bond to the leaven of the past. In the title of psalm 112 in the Volgata version: “the change of course by Haggai and Zechariah”; It is a joyful psalm that starts by the verse: “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments”. Commenting on that title, St. Augustine says: [“For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3: 17). Hence, he who changes his course by partaking of this collective building, in the hope of the abiding holy building, will be as a living stone taken out of the ruins of this miserable world …. Let him sing this psalm, not with the sound of his tongue, but with that of his life; for the consummation of building is through the inexpressible peace of wisdom]. So, we are invited by St. Augustine to be holy living stones in the house of the Lord, to enjoy the blessed life, and be filled with the great gladness of the Lord; and our whole life would turn into praise and joyful singing. A remark: In the last six chapters, Ezra the scribe, portrayed for us the procession of the first batch under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, who managed at last to build the house of the Lord. The king gave Zerubbabel the name “Sheshbazzar”, meaning (Joy in the midst of troubles); on account of that he saw him always joyful, and admired him for that. For there is no stronger testimony to our true faith than our perpetual joy in the Lord. ----------------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM EZRA 6 SET YOUR KINGDOM IN ME, O GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE + How amazing is Your exultant love, O God of the impossible! You turn all events to the account of Your kingdom inside me; You set out of my corrupt heart a holy temple of Yours; You perform wonders in me; And smell sacrifices of love, praise, and pleasure. + Behold, my depths are in Your hands; Let Your Holy Spirit work in them; To purify and sanctify them; To set in them a joyful heavenly banquet; To be Yourself, the secret of my joy, and my perpetual feast.
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