With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:
Ezra 6:4 is part of Cyrus's written proclamation published throughout all his kingdom to provide for the return of the Hebrews and the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem where sacrifices were offered. It gave further direction regarding the temple structure, ordering that its foundations be strongly laid with three courses of large stones topped by a course of new timber. The cost was to be paid from the royal treasury, from the king's house. The decree also required that the sacred gold and silver vessels taken to Babylon be returned to the Jerusalem temple.
The verse belongs to the decree found by Darius confirming Cyrus's command to rebuild the Jerusalem temple and provide for its expenses from the royal treasury. Darius's order protected the builders from interference and ensured the temple work could be completed. It is also described as part of the second decree or second command for building the house of the Lord, issued by Darius and recorded in Ezra 6:1-12.
The decree begun by Cyrus and continued by Darius, together with the action of Artaxerxes, counts as one decree concerning Jerusalem's restoration. This decree is dated to 457 B.C., and from that starting date the specifications of the seventy-week prophecy fit. The verse shows that the Lord has resources for His work and His hand is on the machinery to supply them. When the time came for His temple to be rebuilt, He moved upon Cyrus as His agent to grant the Jewish people liberty and to furnish them the necessary facilities for rebuilding.
The work begun under Cyrus was carried on by his successor, and when Darius came to the throne he set aside the work and prohibition of the usurper. The verse means the Lord still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people while the Spirit of God strives with the world and the door of mercy remains open and is not yet closed. As long as that striving continues, believers are to receive as well as impart favors, giving the light of truth from the Scriptures and receiving from the world what God moves men to do for His cause.
Those deeply interested in the religious liberty question must not cut off favors or withdraw from the help God has moved men to give for the advancement of His cause and His work. God has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers to be used for the work that must be done for a fallen world. So gifts and help that God moves men to give for the advancement of His cause are to be accepted and not refused even when the givers have no sympathy with the work, no faith in Christ, and no practice of His words. No wall of separation or conflict with authorities is to be built up that would bind up the means God would have set free.
Ezra 6:4 is part of Cyrus's written proclamation published throughout all his kingdom to provide for the return of the Hebrews and the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem where sacrifices were offered. It gave further direction regarding the temple structure, ordering that its foundations be strongly laid with three courses of large stones topped by a course of new timber. The cost was to be paid from the royal treasury, from the king's house. The decree also required that the sacred gold and silver vessels taken to Babylon be returned to the Jerusalem temple.
The verse belongs to the decree found by Darius confirming Cyrus's command to rebuild the Jerusalem temple and provide for its expenses from the royal treasury. Darius's order protected the builders from interference and ensured the temple work could be completed. It is also described as part of the second decree or second command for building the house of the Lord, issued by Darius and recorded in Ezra 6:1-12.
The decree begun by Cyrus and continued by Darius, together with the action of Artaxerxes, counts as one decree concerning Jerusalem's restoration. This decree is dated to 457 B.C., and from that starting date the specifications of the seventy-week prophecy fit. The verse shows that the Lord has resources for His work and His hand is on the machinery to supply them. When the time came for His temple to be rebuilt, He moved upon Cyrus as His agent to grant the Jewish people liberty and to furnish them the necessary facilities for rebuilding.
The work begun under Cyrus was carried on by his successor, and when Darius came to the throne he set aside the work and prohibition of the usurper. The verse means the Lord still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people while the Spirit of God strives with the world and the door of mercy remains open and is not yet closed. As long as that striving continues, believers are to receive as well as impart favors, giving the light of truth from the Scriptures and receiving from the world what God moves men to do for His cause.
Those deeply interested in the religious liberty question must not cut off favors or withdraw from the help God has moved men to give for the advancement of His cause and His work. God has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers to be used for the work that must be done for a fallen world. So gifts and help that God moves men to give for the advancement of His cause are to be accepted and not refused even when the givers have no sympathy with the work, no faith in Christ, and no practice of His words. No wall of separation or conflict with authorities is to be built up that would bind up the means God would have set free.