Tatnai,
the governor of Palestine sent a letter to the King Darius asking if there was
indeed an edict from King Cyrus allowing the Jews to rebuild the Temple at
Jerusalem. At the command of Darius, search was made in the archives of the
royal treasury for the edict issued by Cyrus. In Babylon the document sought
for was not found; it was found in Achmetha. Commentators said that Achmetha
was a summer residence for the Persian kings. The Persian kings dwelt at
Shushan in the winter, and at Achmetha in the summer. Upon finding the edict,
King Darius ordered the work to proceed with speed and none was to hinder the
work progress. The expenses would be paid from the king’s treasury (Ezra 6:1-12).
What
are the lessons for us?
1.
Sincere Truth Seekers Will Come To The Knowledge Of The Truth.
When
it was not found in Babylon, Darius did not make a hasty conclusion that
therefore there was no such edict, and thereupon gave judgment against the Jews
to stop the work. But he searched every library and every palace where the
edict might be kept. He searched until he found it.
If
you lose a diamond ring, how would you search for it? You would search the
whole house until you find it. You won’t just search your pocket or your
handbag and said: “Well, too bad, it’s lost.” But you will search frantically
for it until you find it.
Yet,
how is it that many who profess to search for the truth are not searching it
where it is kept? The truth is in the bible, the word of God, and not in the
streets or in a denomination church building. Our Lord assures us that we can
know the truth (John 8:32). He says concerning God’s word: “Thy word is
truth” (John 17:17). Sincere truth seekers will seek until they find it.
2.
Sincere Truth Seekers Will Act In Obedience To The Truth.
Darius
ordered that the decree of Cyrus should be carried out as laid out in the
edict. He forbade his officers to do anything in
opposition to the building of the Temple. What did he do?
(1)
He ordered Tatnai and his officers to stay away from the Temple and let the
Jews continue with it (verse 6-7).
(2)
He ordered Tatnai and his officers to assist the builders with money and the
animals for the daily sacrifices (verse 8-10).
(3)
He enforced his decree with a death penalty on anyone who failed to comply with
his order (verse 11).
(4)
He ordered that his command be carried out with speed (diligence, ASV) (verse
12).
Sincere
truth seekers will obey and act according to the truth when they find it. I had
taught some who claimed to be seeking for the truth but when the subject of
baptism was taught to them, they never returned. Baptism is a command from God
and not from men or from the churches of Christ (Mark 16:16). Our Lord says: “If
ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
3.
Sincere Truth Seekers Will Reverent God.
Darius
called the Temple the house of God (verse 6). He acknowledged the God of the
Jews as the God of heaven (verse 9, 10). He acknowledged that this God of
heaven had the ability to bless kings (verse 10). For these reasons, he obeyed
because he knew to disobey was to dishonour the God of heaven.
Sincere
truth seekers will know that behind the truth is its author and He is God. To
disobey the truth is to disobey the author who wrote it (2 Timothy 3:16).
Christ will say to those who claim to be sincere but are not obeying His
commands: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I
say?” (Luke 6:46). His judgment on them will be: “I never knew you”
(Matthew 7:23).
Let
us be like Darius in seeking the truth – Seek diligently and obey it.
Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day
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