‘“Give the priests in Jerusalem whatever is needed in the way of young bulls, rams, and male lambs for the burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven. And without fail, provide them with as much wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil as they need each day. Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons. “Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it, and their house will be reduced to a pile of rubble. May the God who has chosen the city of Jerusalem as the place to honor his name destroy any king or nation that violates this command and destroys this Temple. “I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed with all diligence.” Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign. ‘
Ezra 6:9-15 NLT
Though people do not always show themselves wise with time, it is a truth of nature that God’s providence is always shown. Those who wait upon the Lord find that his care for his people and his providence extend far beyond circumstances that seem dire, heinous, or insurmountable. This story illustrates that fact well. The officials of a new king were scheming against God’s people and his work. They responded by waiting on the Lord in a humble way. Because of this, they were able to see God’s response come from the king himself. Too many Christians forget who God is in the face of insurmountable odds. But we should never count God out. The scripture is clear that understanding this point of God’s power, ascribing it to his infinite character, and placing hope upon it, despite what might happen to you, is the type of faith that brings salvation with it. The scripture speaks of this type of faith with great respect. It is, in fact, the type of faith of all of the forefathers of our faith. It confirms that knowing who God is, despite the counter messaging of the world, is the height of spiritual maturity, and that this maturity always pays off in the end.
JOSH McGARY. COM 