December 8 Daily Discovery - Read Ezra Chapter 6
This passage below is from the King James Version (ekjv.org).
Remarks from the Berean Fellowship follow the passage below.
[1] Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
[2] And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
[3] In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
[4] With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king's house:
[5] And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
[6] Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
[7] Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
[8] Moreover I made a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
[9] And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
[10] That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
[11] Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, 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.
[12] And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
[13] Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
[14] And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
[15] And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
[16] And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
[17] And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
[18] And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
[19] And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
[20] For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
[21] And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,
[22] And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Prospering Through Preaching
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
~ Ezra 6:14
Prophesying was preaching.
We tend to always think of "foretelling the future" when we hear the word "prophesy". Of course, when we read the Old Testament prophets we often read such things, but first and foremost a prophet was a preacher.
For example, in the Hebrew understanding of a prophet, they would be thinking of a prophet like Isaiah.
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Isa. 58:1
However, Daniel who spoke so wonderfully of future events was considered by the larger body of Hebrew scholars to be a teacher, not a prophet. Why? Because he did not preach either to encourage or to rebuke God's people about their sins.
Sometimes, the prophets charge was to provide encouragement or comfort rather than rebuke.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa. 40:1-3
Haggai and Zechariah were prophets, therefore they were preachers and both of them were used by God to instruct and motivate God's people to complete the building of His house.
How Have You Profited from Preaching?
God has chosen to use the "foolishness of preaching" to save those that believe. (1 Cor. 1:21)
If you are saved, it is most likely because you have heard the good news of Jesus Christ preached.
I Cor. 14:3 says, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."
Put yourself under preaching regularly and listen. You will be built up, encouraged, sometimes corrected and often comforted.
We all need these things, and God in His wisdom has provided for us preachers to provide these things for us.
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