Ezra 6:18
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. 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.
Ezra 6 belongs to the account of a second decree for building the house of the Lord, and that decree was issued by Darius. The chapter shows that the Lord still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people. It shows also that 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 striving with the world and the door of mercy is not yet closed, His people are to receive favors as well as to impart them.
They are to give the light of truth from the Scriptures while receiving what God moves the world to do for His cause. Gifts and opened avenues that come through agents who have no sympathy with the work and no faith in Christ and no practice of His words are not to be refused. No wall of separation is to be built by advancing human ideas, whether by cutting off favors, withdrawing from help God has moved men to give, or binding up the means God would have set free. Workers are not to bring on the time of trouble before the time or come into needless conflict with authorities and powers, for the restraining hand is not yet withdrawn. They are to bide their time and approach men in wisdom as having a right to expect help in the best enterprises, being as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.