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Ezra 6 - Commentary
We will begin this lesson in Ezra 6:1
Ezra 6:1
This is saying, that Darius sent orders for the records to be searched to see if such a decree had been made by Cyrus. They searched first in Babylon, but there was more than one place where the records were kept. The record in Babylon was destroyed, if there was one.
Ezra 6:2
This was a place in the province of the Medes. It was, possibly, an extra copy of the decree that Cyrus had made. He was aware that one might be destroyed, probably. Achmetha was the capital of northern Media. Cyrus the 2nd held his court here.
Ezra 6:3
In this decree, we see more details than we had in the first chapter, where we read of Cyrus wanting to re-build the temple. They not only found the decree, but it spelled out exactly what was to be done.
Ezra 6:4
Cyrus had given from his own treasury toward this building. The Jews had put money in on this themselves, as well. It appears, from this, however, that all expenses were to be paid for by Persia.
Ezra 6:5
This, also, had been done with all of the vessels found that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem, when Zerubbabel led the first group back to Judah.
Ezra 6:6
Tatnai was not to have anything to do with stopping the work. Darius sent him word to leave them alone. The message, in short was, "leave them alone".
Ezra 6:7
Darius warned Tatnai not to interfere in any way with the building of this temple. They were to be left alone to build the temple to God.
Ezra 6:8
Darius commanded Tatnai to give the tribute money to them to pay their men for the work on the temple. They must not be hindered in this work. Darius would make sure they did everything that Cyrus promised to do.
Ezra 6:9
Somehow, he had to know which animals they used in sacrifice. These were to be given to them in abundance, so they would have enough for their sacrifices. They were to be fed of the king's supplies. This was to be seen after every single day.
Ezra 6:10
Darius wanted them to pray for him and his sons. He believed the power of their God was the true power.
Ezra 6:11
There would be no more opposition, because of the punishment to be inflicted on those who opposed the building of the temple.
Ezra 6:12
The decree of Darius went even further than the decree of Cyrus. He was speaking of the One True God here. He called for God to destroy any king, or people, who came against the building of the temple.
Ezra 6:13 Tatnai did exactly as the king had commanded him to do.
Ezra 6:14
Haggai prophesied of a day when the house of the Lord would be far greater than anything in the past. His prophecies encouraged the people so greatly, that they worked diligently on the temple to complete it. There was no shortage of funds, because Darius had agreed to pay for the services of the people in this work. The chiefs of the fathers, and the priests, and high priests, and even Zerubbabel, were to oversee the work. All the young men 20 years old, and older, did the actual labor. Haggai and Zechariah preached and kept them with the desire to do this according to the will of God. Cyrus had written instructions that the LORD had given him, and Darius and Artaxerxes gave orders of how it was to be finished, too.
Ezra 6:15
We find that from the time the foundation was laid, until its completion, the temple was 21 years in the building. After God sent Haggai and Zechariah to them, it took 4 years and 5 months. Many of the 21 years there was nothing done on it all. Adar was the twelfth month on their calendar. It would be equivalent to our March.
Ezra 6:16
This dedication was on the order of the dedication that Solomon did, when he and the people dedicated the temple the first time. This was a time of great joy, because they were re-united in fellowship with their God. They suddenly had a place of worship. At this point, the people were really home.
Ezra 6:17
This number of animals offered were many less than was offered by Solomon at his dedication, and fewer even than those offered by Hezekiah. We must remember, however, that there were not nearly as many people living in Judah now as there were then. In Solomon's time, all 12 tribes were included.
Ezra 6:18
Everything was done as it was prescribed in the book of Moses. We remember, that the priests were Levites, too. Not all Levites were priests, however. Some were keepers of the doors. Some were singers and musicians. All Levites were set aside for the service of the Lord. Just a few were priests.
Ezra 6:19
The returned exiles were spoken of as Israel. Not all who returned were of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Some were from the other 10 tribes, and all of the people of the various tribes, who came back into the land, kept the Passover. This day is approximately the 14th day of April by our calendar. Passover was a remembrance of the night in Egypt, when death passed over the Hebrew houses that had the blood of the lamb over and around their doors. This was the 10th plague God sent on Egypt to free the children of Israel.
Ezra 6:20
The priests were anointed to the LORD, while they were in the temple for service. In this case, it seems that all of the Levites, for all of the various services were anointed with the anointing oil for service.
Ezra 6:21
The passover lamb was eaten by all of the people sacrificing. Each family had a lamb the size their family could eat in one night. This Passover is very similar to communion that the Christians partake of. The lamb the Hebrews ate was symbolic of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb. The unleavened bread that we take at communion, also, symbolizes the body of our Lord Jesus.
Ezra 6:22
The celebration of Unleavened Bread overlaps Passover. We mentioned that the unleavened bread symbolizes the LORD Jesus Christ who is the Bread of life. It must be unleavened, because He was without sin. We partake of His righteousness. "Seven" means spiritually complete. The king of Assyria recognizes the Lord as God.
Additional Resources for Chapter 6
Commentarieshttps://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-3-new-beginning-god-ezra-31-13
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Ezr/Ezr-3.cfm
https://www.versebyverseministry.org/bible-studies/ezra
https://www.wednesdayintheword.com/ezra-resources/