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EZRA 6 – A DECREE AND A DEDICATION – Part 2



In Ezra 5 we found the Jews attempting to build the temple again after the building had stopped by the powers of Babylon. The resumption of the build of course gained attention from the enemy. But we then saw what happens when a king or government recognises something of the power and greatness of God – there was a new freedom to build! – and we drew parallels with the temple the Jews built back then and the temple God is building today – his church. We prayed for our government to recognise the power of the Church to heal and help in society today.



Now we will complete this chapter and discover what it looks like when God is on the move.



6 HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD in EZRA 6



You may be familiar with the quotation in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,



“They say Aslan is on the move.”



It was a cold and depressing time in Narnia. But Mr Beaver, who had never even seen Aslan in his life, was full of hope and expectation. The very mention of Aslan’s name seemed to have a marked effect on those present.



Today I want to talk about what it would looks like when God is on the move.



Ezra 6:13-22



The Temple’s Dedication



13 Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. 14 So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. 15 The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign.



16 The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile. 17 During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel. 18 Then the priests and Levites were divided into their various divisions to serve at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.



Celebration of Passover



19 On April 21 the returned exiles celebrated Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel.



HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD




Everything falls into place




In verse 13 The king’s governors ‘complied at once’ with everything to do with the rebuild of the temple. There was suddenly great provision and compliance to enable the temple to be built. Those who had opposed the build were now helping out!



Sometimes things just fall into place. I was speaking to a friend recently who was sensing that after some time in another role, God was calling him back to school teaching. He then got a message from a past pupil who was now at Oxford as a postgraduate and had credited him in her dissertation because of the help and influence he had had on her life. Days later he was offered a teaching job in a local school with no need to apply. “We know who you are and the job is yours if you want it.”



Sometimes things just fall into place and the enemy does not stand a chance. That’s how Andrea and I met, it’s how we were directed to move to Brixham,

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