Ezra 5:6-17: a reflection

6The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows. 7They sent a letter to him, in which was written: To Darius the king, all peace. 8Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. 9Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?” 10We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head. 11Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon. 13But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. 14The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God’s house be built in its place.’ 16Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed. 17Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”

When the officials of the region question the Jews who are rebuilding the temple, demanding to know by what authority they build, the elders answer with a plain and unashamed confession of whose servants they are. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, they say, and are building the house that was built these many years ago. They do not hide or downplay their identity or their God; they confess plainly, before the questioning authorities, that they are servants of the God of heaven and earth. There is a boldness and simplicity in this confession: an unashamed acknowledgment of whose they are and whom they serve, made openly before those who questioned them. To confess plainly and unashamedly whose servants we are, whom we belong to and serve, even before those who question us, is what these elders modeled. They named their God and their service without apology or concealment. To confess plainly whose we are is a good and bold thing. The elders confessed openly that they served the God of heaven. There is boldness in plainly acknowledging whose servants we are.

Notice the plainness and boldness of the elders' confession: we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. They were being questioned, their work challenged, their authority demanded; and rather than hiding their identity or downplaying their God, they answered plainly, naming the God of heaven and earth as the one they served. There was no concealment, no apology, no downplaying; just a clear and unashamed confession of whose servants they were. This is a good example: to confess plainly, before those who question or challenge us, whose we are and whom we serve, rather than hiding or downplaying it. We can be tempted, when questioned or challenged, to conceal or minimize our identity as God's servants, to downplay whom we belong to; but the elders confessed it plainly and boldly. There is a fitting boldness in acknowledging openly whose servants we are, whom we belong to and serve, even before those who question us. To confess whose we are, plainly and without apology, honors the God we serve. The plain confession of whose we are is a bold and honoring thing. To name openly whom we serve is fitting.

That is worth taking to heart, for we do well to confess plainly and unashamedly whose servants we are, even before those who question us. We can be tempted, when questioned or challenged, to conceal or downplay our identity as God's servants, to minimize whom we belong to and serve; but the elders answered plainly, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. There is a fitting boldness in confessing openly whose we are. Do not hide or downplay whose servant you are when questioned; confess it plainly, as the elders confessed they served the God of heaven and earth. Confess plainly and unashamedly whose servant you are, whom you belong to and serve, even before those who question or challenge you, as the elders answered the officials, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth; for there is a fitting boldness in acknowledging openly whose we are, rather than concealing or downplaying our identity as God's servants when we are questioned, and to name plainly and without apology whom we serve honors the God we belong to, so that we do well to confess openly, as the elders did, that we are servants of the God of heaven, rather than hiding it when challenged.

Lord, when the officials of the region question the Jews who are rebuilding the temple, demanding to know by what authority they build, the elders answer with a plain and unashamed confession of whose servants they are. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, they say, and are building the house that was built these many years ago. They do not hide or downplay their identity or their God; they confess plainly, before the questioning authorities, that they are servants of the God of heaven and earth. There is a boldness and simplicity in this confession. Show me the plainness and boldness of the elders' confession: we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. They were being questioned, their work challenged; and rather than hiding their identity or downplaying you, they answered plainly, naming you as the one they served. There was no concealment, no apology; just a clear and unashamed confession of whose servants they were. This is a good example: to confess plainly, before those who question or challenge me, whose I am and whom I serve. I can be tempted, when questioned or challenged, to conceal or minimize my identity as your servant; but the elders confessed it plainly and boldly. There is a fitting boldness in acknowledging openly whose servant I am. Take that to my heart, for I do well to confess plainly and unashamedly whose servant I am, even before those who question me. I can be tempted, when questioned or challenged, to conceal or downplay my identity as your servant; but the elders answered plainly, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. Keep me from hiding or downplaying whose servant I am when questioned; help me confess it plainly, Lord, as the elders confessed they served you, the God of heaven and earth, honoring you by naming openly whom I serve.