“But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.” Ezra 5:5
As we saw in Yesterday’s Reading, an entourage of 42,360 Jews has returned to Jerusalem. They have gone at the bidding of non other than King Cyrus himself! As they begin the work, and the foundation is laid, a tremendous noise of cheering and weeping is heard throughout the land. Cheers of Joy, because the Work has started, and the Sound of Weeping, because some remembered how beautiful Solomon’s Temple had been.
Over time, oppositional forces would bring the work on the Temple to a halt, but through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah, start it back up again. We read Today, when this is brought to the attention of their Governor, that he questions them – “Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?” But interestingly, he does not stop them. Why was this? Because “the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews”. God intervenes and changes the disposition of Governor Tattenai’s heart.
So what do we learn here? That God wants us to Obey Him, regardless of those that Oppose Us! Yes, He may change the heart of those that oppose us. But I don’t believe that is the point here. He did this to underscore the importance of Honoring Him above all. Many of us may find ourselves in Similar Straits today. May God use this Lesson to help us in the days ahead!