Ezra 6:9
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:
This command belongs to Darius's decree for building the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the second decree for that work, standing among the Persian decrees that supported the rebuilding of the temple. The Lord has resources for His work and His hand is on the machinery to supply them, for when the time came for His temple to be rebuilt He moved upon Cyrus as His agent to discern the prophecies concerning himself, to grant the Jewish people liberty, and to furnish facilities for rebuilding. That work begun under Cyrus was carried on by his successor, and when Darius came to the throne he set aside the prohibition of the usurper and restored the work.
Darius ordered the authorities to give the priests at Jerusalem, day by day without fail and regularly, all that they have need of for the burnt offerings and service, in the amounts prescribed by the priests. The appointed supply was young bullocks, rams, and lambs, with wheat, salt, wine, and oil. The provision was to enable the priests to offer sacrifices to the God of heaven and to pray for the king and his sons.
The later decrees of Darius and Artaxerxes continued or completed the work begun under Cyrus and were counted as one decree, and this decree framework identifies the commandment connected with the seventy weeks as dating to 457 B.C. God still moves upon the hearts of kings and rulers in behalf of His people, He has resources and has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers to be used for the work that must be done for a fallen world, and what He moves the world to do in behalf of His cause is to be received. As long as we are in this world and the Spirit of God is striving with the world and the door of mercy is not closed, God's workers are to receive as well as to impart favors, giving to the world the light of truth from the Scriptures and receiving from the world what God moves them to do for His cause.
Gifts that open avenues for the truth are not to be refused because the givers have no sympathy with the work and no faith in Christ. Leaders are not to cut off favors, bind up the means God would have set free, build a wall of separation from the world, or bring on conflict with authorities and the time of trouble before the time, but to approach men in wisdom and give them opportunity to help the advancement of God's work. As long as God's Spirit strives with the world, His people are not to cut off favors or withdraw from the help God has moved men to give for the advancement of His work, including those deeply interested in the religious liberty question.