The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 80

HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vcrs. 1-5.-T/ie dwree of Cyrus. In the letter of Tatnai to Darius he advised that se_a~ch should _be_ made to ascertain whether there existed any decree of Cyrus author1smg the b111ldmg of the temple at Jerusalem. Search was accordingly made and the roll recovered. The decree may be viewed as consisting of three parts:-' ~- THE AUTHENTICATION. 1. The mithor's si,g71:ature. "_Cyrus the king." (1) Tins name calls to mmd the remarkable prophecies of Isaiah, in which 1 a century before his time, be was surnamed (see Isa. xliv. 28; xiv. 1, 13). (2) The same God that inspired the prophecy found means to bring it under the notice of the king. Cyrus accordingly accepted the Divine commission (2 Chron. xx.xvi. 23; Ezra i. 2, 3). Lesson-We should trust that providence which rules all rulers. 2. The date of the document. •: In the _first y~ar of Cyrus." ( 1) This date, B.c. 536, recalls the prophecy of Jeremiah, which assigned seventy years for the duration of the captinty. These were no'Y"' completed. (2) This prophecy also seems to have been brought under the notice of Cyrus (2 Chron. xxxvi. 22; Ezra i. 1). Lesson- (a) Let us see the hand of God in everything. (b) Nothing is too trivial to be mentioned in prayer. 3. The place of its custody. (1) Tatnai specified "the king's treasure house at Babylon" ( eh. v. 17). Probably because the decree may have been signed there. Search was made accordingly at that treasure house in the royal library, but the doc=ent was not found. The malignity of the .Apharsachites would now be gratified. (2) Further search was made at Achmetha, "in the palace that is in the province of the Medes." Here the roll was recovered. Note-(a) God watches over the true. (b) The triU1Dpbing of the wicked is transient. II. THE MATTER "CONCERNING THE HOUSE OF Goo AT JERUSALEM." 1. "Let the house be builded." (1) At Jerusalem. The place which God chose to put his name there (see 1 Kings viii. 29; 2 Chron. vii. 12; Ps. lxxviii. 67, 68; lxxxvii. 1, 2). God favoured particular places for his worship. 1. To serve typical purposes. 2. To keep bis people from mingling with idolaters Note-In this spiritual dispensation these reasons no longer obtain (see John iv. 20-24). (2) "Where they offered sacrifices." Levitical sacrifices were restricted to the temple because the Shechinah and sacred fire were there ; and this ordinance kept the people from sacrificing on high places with idolaters. For this latter reason, though the Shechinah and fire were absent from the second temple, still the ancient place of sacrificing is. respected. Lesson-Every species of idolatry should be scrupulously avoided. 2. The manner in which it was to be done. (1) "Let the foundations be strongly laid." These typified Christ, upon whom the fabric of his Church is built (see Matt. xvi. 16-18; 1 Cor. iii 11; Eph. ii. 20-22). Note-We may confidently rest on him the whole weight of our eternal interests. (2) "The height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits." This differed ;from Solomon's temple, first, in that it was larger; and secondly, in that it was square. Solomon's temple was thirty cubits high and sixty broad. The New Jerusalem also is four- square (see Rev. xxi. 16). The cube was by the ancients regarded as a figure of perfection and universality, and, in the ty_,eical temple, may anticipate these qualities of the heavenly state of the Church. (3) "Three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber" (see eh. v. 8). The timber seems to have been laid upon every third course of stones. Note-This timber built in amongst the stones would facilitatt. that destruction of the temple by fire described by Josephus. 3. How the cost waa to be defrayed. (1) "Let the expenses be given out of the king's house" (see eh. iii. 7). Note-The hearts of princes are in God's hands. Prayer should be made to him rather than recourse be had to precarioUB expedients for raising funds for his work. (2) The royal bounty was not such a~ to pre~~ude the necessity for co1;1- tributions from the people of God (see eh. 1. 3, 4; n. 68, 69). Note-There 1s valuable moral education in liberality. III. THE MATTER CONCERNING THE SACRED VEBBELB. 1. Vessels of the preciou, metals. (1) These were taken as figures of the -servants of God ( see Acts ix. 15 ; Rom. ix. 21-23; 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21 ). (2) "Of gold and silver." Showing the preciousnese of the 8aints (see Ps. xlix. 7, 8; Matt. xvi. 26; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19). OH, VI 1-12.] THE BOOK OF EZRA. 85