Ezra 6:17
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. 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.
Ezra 6 belongs to the setting of the second decree for building the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, issued by Darius. At the dedication of the restored house of God one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs were offered, with twelve he goats as a sin offering for all Israel, one for each of the tribes. The dedication was kept with joy at the completion of the temple.
Unlike the first temple, this house had no visible manifestation of God's presence such as a cloud of glory or heavenly fire. Its greater glory came instead through the personal presence of Jesus there during His earthly ministry. Its context shows that the Lord still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people.
God has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers to be used in favor of the work that must be done for a fallen world. As long as the Spirit of God is still striving with the world and the door of mercy is not yet closed, God's people are to receive as well as to impart favors, accepting what God moves men in the world to do for His cause and not cutting off favors or withdrawing from help He has moved men to give for its advancement. Gifts and opened avenues that come through agents who have no sympathy with the work and no faith in Christ are not to be refused on that account but are to be received and used for the advancement of the cause.