Ezra 6:13-22: a reflection

13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had sent a decree. 14The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18They set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God which is at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. 19The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, ate, 22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.

When the returned exiles finish rebuilding the temple, the account credits their success not only to their own labor, but to God's work behind the scenes: the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God. The pagan king's favor toward the work, his decrees supporting it, were, the account says, God's doing; God had turned the king's heart to help his people's work. Behind the human authority that helped them, God was at work, turning the king's heart.

Notice what the account credits to God: the turning of the king's heart to help. The exiles' work depended in part on the favor of a foreign king, whose decrees supported the rebuilding; and the account says that God had turned the king's heart to them. The king's favorable disposition was not mere chance or the exiles' cleverness; it was God's work, turning the heart of one in power to further his purposes. God worked through the king's heart, moving him to strengthen the hands of his people in their work.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can work through those in authority to further his purposes, turning their hearts. We can feel that the disposition of those in power toward what matters to us is beyond our reach, a matter of chance or their own will alone; but God turned the heart of the king to help his people's work. God is able to turn the hearts of those in authority, moving them to further his purposes, as he turned the king's heart to strengthen the exiles' hands. When the favor of those in power seems needed for God's work, or for what matters, do not despair as though it were beyond reach; God can turn the hearts of those in authority, as he turned the king's heart. Trust the God who turns the hearts of rulers to further his purposes, and pray to him about those in authority, rather than assuming their disposition is beyond his reach, for he turned the king's heart to strengthen the hands of his people in the work of God.

Lord, when the returned exiles finished rebuilding the temple, the account credits their success not only to their own labor, but to your work behind the scenes: the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God. The pagan king's favor, his decrees supporting the work, were your doing; you had turned the king's heart to help your people's work. Show me what the account credits to you: the turning of the king's heart to help. The exiles' work depended in part on the favor of a foreign king; and the account says that you had turned the king's heart. His favorable disposition was not mere chance or the exiles' cleverness; it was your work, turning the heart of one in power to further your purposes. Take that to my heart, for you can work through those in authority to further your purposes. I can feel that the disposition of those in power toward what matters to me is beyond my reach, a matter of chance or their own will alone; but you turned the heart of the king to help your people's work. You are able to turn the hearts of those in authority. When the favor of those in power seems needed for your work, or for what matters, keep me from despairing as though it were beyond reach; you can turn the hearts of those in authority, Lord. Help me trust the God who turns the hearts of rulers to further his purposes, and pray to you about those in authority.