The Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea was started in the late 1980s, but remains unfinished to this day. While symbolising the ambition of North Korea and its authoritarian leaders, its bare interior points to the reality of the country’s lack of economic means (and what it has misdirected at that). For all the leader of North Korea is like a modern-day king and is treated like a deity, he is not able to glorify himself above the King of Kings who has not ordained that the work is completed.
The uncompleted hotel stands in contrast to the rebuild of God’s temple, at his command. God’s presence with his people encouraged them to resume the building task, even though opposition remained. For good reason, God was demonstrating his power over all the decisions of bureaucrats and kings, to proclaim his glory. Despite the devil’s opposition, God ensured that the work of temple building was not only acknowledged and tolerated, but actively encouraged by the Persian king. The result was a rebuilt temple for God to dwell in, pointing forward to the greater reality of God’s presence with us which was to come.
In Ezra 5, we read the contents of the letter sent by the regional governor to the King and his servants enquiring about what to do with the concerning building project in Jerusalem. Despite Tattenai’s suspicions, though, God ordained that construction continued, while confirmation of their bold statement that they were about the king’s business was sought.
When the letter reached King Darius, he decreed that a proper search of the archives occur (v.1). Sure enough, in the summer capital of the Persian Kings, Ecbatana, a copy of King Cyrus’ decree was discovered (v.2). The official records stated a maximum size for the temple (v.3), along with instructions on building materials (v.4).
The decree also stated that the costs of construction should be met from imperial funds, a fact not mentioned earlier (v.5, see 1:2-4). The decree confirmed that the vessels taken from the first temple by Babylon were to be returned and restored to the house of God (v.5).
Since this decree had been found establishing that the Jews were correct in their statement, the building project would be able to continue. But God went further than that. He moved the heart of King Darius to reinforce the importance of the project by issuing a second decree to support the first.
In that decree, King Darius instructed “Tattenai … Shethar-bozenai, and your associates the governors” to “keep away” (v.6). They were to “Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site” (v.7).
Not only were they to leave them alone, they were to pay them as well. “The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River” (v.8). Darius also made provision for continuing the temple sacrifices by providing the necessary animals and food to please God “and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (vv.9-10). This decree also imposed a customary curse on any opponents to discourage further opposition (vv.11-12).
The King had decreed, Tattenai and his bureaucrats scrambled to diligently obey (v.13). The elders of the Jews built the temple and prospered as Haggai and Zechariah encouraged them (v.14). “They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes” (v.14). Cyrus and Darius gave decrees commencing and completing the reconstruction, and Artaxerxes saw the city wall completed during his reign. But God’s decree stood over all, to ensure the work was completed in Darius’ reign (v.15).
These final verses reinforce that the decrees of Persian Kings were nothing but for the decree of the King of Kings. God wanted the temple rebuilt, and so he placed it upon them to issue the orders. The efforts of the Jews were successful because God intervened to make it so, through his prophets, and ordained it so by his own unopposable decree.
Just the same today, God can move the hearts of bureaucrats and leaders to complete his will. While that may mean opposition decreed for our spiritual growth, it also can mean hindrances providentially removed at the right time. When we pray for God to allow things, we remember that it is God who institutes and oversees governments.
Even more, God used the Persian Kings to bless his people richly, with all the resources they needed to build and conduct worship. Sometimes God provides from the strangest quarters. We should not reject his blessings.
Ultimately, the completed temple pointed forward to Jesus, God’s presence with us, and the temple of the church, Christ’s body. Like Ezra’s temple, God decreed Christ’s coming for our salvation at the right time, and will ensure that his church building work is completed according to his command.