Ezra 6 (Part 1) Bible Study (The Decree of Darius) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

The book of Ezra chapter six. You know this very well, I hope, that the book of Ezra begins with a royal decree, but it is not the only decree in this story. As we approach this new chapter, we will be examining the edict of yet another king by the name of Darius. King Darius, who is the king of Persia at this time, will be responding to a letter that he received from some of the governors who are beyond the river and were overseeing the Judean province, and reported on the rebuilding of the temple that commenced yet again and had some concern about it. And one of their main concerns when these governors approached the Jews as they rebuilt the temple, were pursuing the reconstruction of this dwelling place for God, was that Cyrus, a former king, gave them permission to do so.

And they wanted to verify that claim. And so they made a a plea to Darius asking him to do a search to try to verify if this warrant is actually valid. And what we're gonna discover in this new chapter is that what Darius has to say will not only affirm what Cyrus decreed, but will also accelerate the rebuilding of the temple until its completion. It's a fascinating chapter in this story and it truly serves as a reminder that the Lord is not only sovereign over a king, he is sovereign over all kings. That is the main takeaway from this chapter that has been preserved for us in our bibles, but there is a deeper message to be conveyed.

And I believe that we can see more glorious truths in this new chapter if we begin by looking at the last verse of this chapter. And so I want us to consider how this section of scripture ends. Look at verse 22 of Ezra chapter six. And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. This verse captures the essence of this chapter.

The Lord made his people joyful because he did a powerful work in the heart of the king of Assyria to aid them in bringing this reconstruction to its completion. Now, some might be troubled and some are troubled by the fact that Darius is identified as the king of what in that verse? Assyria. He's the king of Persia. Is this a mistake on the author's part?

I want to tell you right away, absolutely not. And for two reasons. Number one, it's likely that Darius is labeled as the king of Assyria because he is currently ruling over the territories that Assyria once governed. Because you have to remember, Assyria has been toppled as an empire some for some time now. So for Assyria to be mentioned here is a little bit concerning.

But what Ezra seeks to do I believe is that, he wants to show that the government in this account is a sort of continuation of the empire and previous empires. In other words, since Darius is essentially ruling over the same land that the Assyrians and Babylonians once controlled, he can rightly say that he is in a sense the king of Assyria. Plainly put, this is more of a regional designation than a literal identification, if that makes sense. But there is a second way and another way of explaining this and it's the following. That while Ezra is primarily referring to Darius in this passage, he mentions Assyria in order to emphasize how God sovereignly has been working in and through his people across all empires.

Especially the ones that played a role in the oppression of his people. The Assyrian Empire played a major role in a new era for Israel. Specifically in their persecution and their exiles. It all started with Assyria. Did it not?

And the Bible shows us that in more than one way how the Assyrians were a new starting point for Israel's history. And I wanna show you that in another place. We're in Ezra, but flip over to the next book in Nehemiah. Look at Nehemiah chapter nine verse 32. And the reason why I'm doing this right at the outset is because I I want you and I to be able to defend what some would use as contradictions or historical errors in our bibles.

So look at Nehemiah chapter nine and verse 32. It says here, now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardships seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. So even Nehemiah recognizes that the Assyrian Empire was a significant starting point in the history of the people of Israel. So you see this maybe why Ezra refers to Assyria rather than Persia in his summary in that last verse of Ezra chapter six. He wants to remind us that the all powerful God of Israel was always at work and always in control even from the very beginning of Israel's downfall.

Hopefully that clarifies the issue because what I really wanna do is highlight a different point from that last verse. If we really understand what Ezra six twenty two is saying, we can understand from the beginning of Ezra chapter six that all Darius is going to say and all Darius is going to do is ultimately by the guidance and influence of God himself. Remember what that verse said, that the people rejoice because they recognize that the Lord worked in Darius's heart to aid them to rebuilding the temple. And if we keep that in mind, I can tell you with absolute certainty, we will be blown away by what we read in this new text as we recognize and understand what God is able to accomplish on behalf of his people. So let's look at this mandate slowly.

Let's go back to Ezra chapter six in the first two verses. Remember, Darius is responding to the letters of some of his governors who are reporting on the people rebuilding the house of God. And this is what we read next in Ezra six verse one. Then Darius the king made a decree and search was made in Babylonia in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is in the province of Medea, a scroll was found on which was written a record.

Let's stop there. Let's pray. Lord, we pray that you give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation to help us understand every portion of this portrait of your word. And that we would not master it intellectually, but it would master us. It would do something in our hearts as we sang about so frequently tonight.

Lord, we pray that you would breathe fresh life into our souls. That you would renew our faith. That you would sharpen our discernment, that you would chisel away anything in our character that is out of line with your desire for our lives. We submit this time to you believing that you will lead us. May the delivery of this Bible study be filled with your power and glory.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. So right away we recognize something. We recognize that Darius seems to be very diligent in finding out if what Cyrus said about the Jews rebuilding the temple was so. So much so that he doesn't give up so easily.

Evidently, from the first verse, we we learned that Darius could not find this scroll where you would expect to find it in this archive of historical decrees and edicts. It's not there. And you would think naturally that if you wouldn't find it where it's supposed to be that you would do what? Give up. Why continue?

Why waste my resources, my time, the energy of my men to go on about this? Why not just end it here? Why don't we just cancel this endeavor, move on? What do the Jews have to do with us anyway? But it's not what happens.

Instead of calling off the search, he charges his men to continue this pursuit. And in verse two, we realized that as he pressed on, they finally found it in a different province of all places. In a place called Etibana. And when they looked, they realized it was this in the central city of this province and all that they've been searching for has been realized and uncovered. And here's the thing that I had to ask, why such determination on Darius' part?

He's not a Jew. He has his own empire to rule. You can say it's part of his empire. Maybe he's concerned. Okay.

But there seems to be something else at work here. And the only explanation that we're given for why Darius put so much effort into this is that last verse of this chapter. That God did something in his heart. That God was working deeply in this man for him not to give up, not to quit until he saw it through. And I wanna let you know that we should expect the same sort of commitment when God works in our hearts as well.

What do I mean? There is a type of devotion to God and to people that is stimulated by divine conviction, divine constraint. I'm speaking about a Holy Spirit compulsion that moves you and keeps you in the will of God in a certain way regardless of the challenges that might arise along the path of that commitment. Darius's heart at this point is harnessed by an invisible force which we know to be God. Moving him in this direction and keeping him in that direction and he shows us that there is a level of concrete certainty, immovability on our part as a result of God working in us.

This is good news for us at this bible study tonight. He didn't throw in the towel. He didn't become selfish. He didn't get so lazy. And I want to tell you and remind you today dear Christian that we've been given heavenly resources to know even greater resilience in our involvement for the cause of Christ, whatever your involvement looks like.

Paul highlights this in more than one way throughout the New Testament. One of the my favorite things that he says about why he was so committed, why he was willing to endure so much suffering, why he was willing to stay pure, holy, dependable. Do you remember these words? When he says the following in second Corinthians chapter five verse 14, for the love of Christ controls us. For the love of Christ controls us.

And he goes on to say, because we have concluded this, that one has died for all, therefore all have died. And he died for all that those who live by no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. So why was Paul willing to die to himself and live for Christ completely, wholeheartedly? Because he realized something about the love of Christ. Notice, he doesn't speak about his love for Christ.

He speaks about Christ's love for him. And this is the profound truth of this statement that there is a way of comprehending Christ's love for you that energizes you, that not only energizes you, compels you, controls you, constrains you. Believer, if you go by your emotion on a daily basis to determine your fidelity and your commitment to your ministry, your marriage, your work, your sacrifice, you will not last very long. But if you tap into the great affection that Christ has set upon you, oh, you will know something of longevity. You will have true fuel in that.

And this is what Paul is saying, for the love of Christ controls us. You know what that word control actually means in the original? It's beautiful. Holds us together. As if they say, the love of Christ holds me in place.

Another way of thinking about is, the love of Christ is what keeps me in this course of action. Doesn't let me go left and right. Doesn't let me backslide so easily. It controls me. It contains me.

It keeps me. This is what you and I have to understand. Paul is only giving one motivator. He's only including here one factor. Actually in the same context earlier a few verses back, he speaks about the fear of God.

Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, he says earlier. And that's not the only place in our bibles where we understand what God has granted to us to know a longevity in serving him. And we can consider others but we have to move on and read the next few verses in our main text. So let's go back to Ezra chapter six and see what happens in verse three down to verse five. So they find the scroll, they discover it, and now it's quoted to us in verse three.

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. Let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be 60 cubits, and its breadth 60 cubits. With three layers of great stones and one layer of timber, let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. One might wonder what purpose there is in having Cyrus's decree repeated to us.

We've already seen it in the opening of this book. It's referenced in part in Ezra chapter five verse 13 down to verse 15. So why does it revisit us? Why is it necessary? And here's yet another reminder that when you encounter a paralleling scripture in your bibles, it is never in vain.

God doesn't waste real estate in his word. So when something seems to be repetitive, the way to go about it is don't just skim over it, don't glance over it, dig deeper. And one of the ways that you dig is look for the differences. Compare it to the other places where it is found and that's where you're going to find answers. And so a lot of things are similar here, but in this case, something new is revealed about Cyrus's decree.

Namely, he actually orders for the dimensions in detail and the layout and the material of the temple, as well as the funding for it. This is what stands out. Looking at the end of verse three and four, its height shall be 60 cubits and its breadth 60 cubits, that equates to 90 feet. With three layers of great stones and one layer of timber, let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. Now it's important to understand that what's happening here, this version of Cyrus's decree is not a newer one or a different one.

Ezra is a historian. Ezra is led by the Holy Spirit. Ezra knows when to include certain details and when to omit others. And it all depends on his purpose in the context that he is writing. So it wasn't necessary to include these additional details early on.

Now it is important for him to bring up and to underscore these elements of Cyrus's decree. And one reason for that is because these are the very things that the governors targeted as a problem when they sent their report to Darius. Do you remember this? If you don't, go back to Ezra five. Look at verse eight.

This is part of the report that these governors wrote and they said, be it known to the king in Ezra five eight that we went to the province of Judah to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. Do you see? This is the historical and political context which helps us make sense of why this version of Cyrus's decree is brought to our attention.

But what does it reveal about God? Have you wondered? How does that help me in my worship? Remember in Ezra one one, the very first verse of this whole book, we learn that the Lord stirred the spirit of Cyrus to make this proclamation. Not just in a general sense, but with every single detail.

So ultimately, it was the Lord through Cyrus who determined the dimensions of the temple. It was the Lord through Cyrus who wanted these specific materials to be used for the temple. It was the Lord through Cyrus who wanted it to be paid for by this government. It was the Lord. And that means that the building and the work of God's house, God is concerned with every element of it.

Every detail matters to the Lord. Every feature. In fact, when you read the this decree carefully, you'll notice that Cyrus's instructions are much more meticulous than before. Look at Ezra six verse five. And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem.

Pause. Have we seen that before? Have we seen in this book before that the vessels that were once in the temple taken by Nebuchadnezzar was to be restored into the temple? We've seen this before. Right?

Here's a little difference. Look at the next part. Each to its place. Each to its place, you shall put them in the house of God. So notice what's what's mentioned here.

What's highlighted as a difference. Not only did the Lord through Cyrus want the vessels to return to Jerusalem. No. No. No.

No. I want them in the house of God. And more than that in Ezra six, we realized that God wanted each of those artifacts. Every single one of those furnishings to be relocated in their designated place within the house of God. This follows what God spoke to Moses and later to David and Solomon.

I want every single thing in my house to be in a specific spot. I want the table of showbread there. I want the lamp over here. I want the brazen altar over there. I want the ark of the covenant in there.

Everything was covered by the Lord's will. And here's the thing, after decades of exile, God's instructions haven't changed. And although listen, you and I are under the new covenant, praise God, And a greater covenant, a better covenant, a covenant that's been prophesied by the prophets. God's house is now the church in this covenant. Expressed in local assemblies like this.

But I wanna make the case tonight that God's heart for his house in this regard has not changed. It hasn't changed. He wants specific things to be in specific places in his house. Here's proof of that. Let's go to the New Testament.

First Timothy chapter three. I want you to look at verse 14 and verse 15. First Timothy three verse 14 to verse 15. Paul is writing to Timothy and this book is primarily about giving this young pastor instructions of how to govern the church. And the church that he was pastoring at this time was a church in Ephesus.

And notice what he says in first Timothy three verse 14. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Listen, in the new covenant, God is no longer concerned with the dimensions of a sacred building. He's not preoccupied with the positions of, again, the lamp or the table of showbread or the altar of incense. That is not in his mind anymore.

He's concerned with different vessels. We are called vessels in the New Testament and he wants his vessels to be in the right place in his house. Or in the words of Paul, how one ought to behave in the household of God. What is Paul's desire in conveying this? What's the context?

What kind of behavior does he have in mind? Let's ask it that way. Well immediately before this, Paul speaks about the qualifications of deacons and elders. He also speaks about the role you ready for this one? Of woman in the church.

Not just the role. You ready for this one? Their appearance in the church. He also speaks about who should be leading the worship services in the church. And after giving these various types of commands and exhortations, the way he's not finished, he tells Timothy, look, put these things in order in case I delay because you ought to know not just the church of Ephesus but Maranatha Bible Church and every bible believing church how one ought to behave in the household of God.

Where the vessels of God should be placed in his house, their function, their responsibility, their roles. And you know what breaks my heart? We are living in an age where more and more people take liberties in ignoring or misinterpreting God's rules for his own house. Yeah? Yeah.

Let me ask you something, how would you react if this is not in this text, but if we were to read of a Jew in Ezra's time who received the clear instructions from Cyrus's decree about how each of these instruments in the temple should be in their rightful place and that Jew, presumably a leader, totally ignores it. And he says, you know what? Actually I want I want the table showbread over there and I want the lamp back there. What would your reaction be? You you would say this is offensive.

You would say this is careless or many cases this is blatant rebellion. We would be disturbed by such a response to such instructions. And yet for some reason when it comes to the positions and practices within the church, the household of God today, we are far more willing to accept personal interpretation based on emotion rather than biblical fact. And one of the common justifications for different ideas of roles restricted to men and how women should flourish in the church is well, is it really a big deal anyway? Is it really a big deal?

Let me ask you this, is it a big deal for the temple to have the furnishings in its rightful place as God decreed? If you fear God, you would say, yeah, it is a big deal. So why is that a big deal and not this? Why is that important? Why is that seem more holy and sacred than the vessels of God being where they're supposed to be in the house of God in 2026.

We have to ask these questions and more than that we have to humble humble ourselves to the truths that are presented to us in this regard and remember that it's about what God wants from his house. Not what you feel like is fashionable or effective. What does God want? That's all that's asked of me. That's all that's asked of you.

What does the Lord want? This is not my church. This is not your church. This is the temple of God. And so let's tremble again and remove from our vocabulary things like, well, I just think.

What does God say? Well, it's offensive. Well, let him deal with it with God. It's his house and you and I are called to steward what he has asked us to steward in his house. And so we see here that even God says, I I want these things exactly where I've asked them to be.

May we be the same in our response of obedience in the house of God today. Well let's come back now to our main text. This is the summary of Cyrus's decree that was uncovered, but as we read on now there's a transition. Now Darius is going to give his own decree to Tethaniah and the other governors in addition to what Cyrus asked. So let's read from verse six.

Now therefore, Tathani, governor of the province beyond the river, Shathar bozani, and your associates, the governors, who are in the province beyond the river, keep away. 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. Pause. I love this.

Keep away. Stay back. Don't harass. Don't intimidate. Don't inquire.

Don't investigate. The matter is finished. You have nothing to do with this. It's been settled. And he's not done yet, but I just wanna show how he confirms what Cyrus says.

But if you actually look more carefully as we read on, there are two official decrees that Darius is going to make. This is just a confirmation, but after after this, between verses eight and ten, we have the first decree that Darius is going to make. And the second one is issued in verse 11 down to verse 12. And so I want us to look at the first decree. The first decree that Darius makes from verse eight down to verse 10.

So he tells him to back off, but that's all all he has in mind. Moreover, verse eight, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of the house of God. 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. And whatever is needed, bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil as the priest at Jerusalem require, let that be given to them day by day without fail. That they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

The script has been flipped. The tables have been turned. Tatani and his friends thought that they could potentially put a stop to the rebuilding of the house of God. And now after reporting it, Darius says, actually I'm gonna ask you to help them. And this is a marvelous example of how you and I should remain patient through trials and challenges and roadblocks in our obedience to the Lord.

Who would have thought that Tatinize investigation would have led to this? You know there's a pattern in scripture that when persecution or inconveniences arise, though frustrating in the moment, they often lead to God's people knowing greater freedom and fruitfulness. Doesn't happen all the time but it happens enough for us to see in our Bibles that it's possible in our own lives for harassment and persecution to come our way as we're seeking to obey God and thinking that it's only gonna get more dreadful and difficult from here is not always so. God is a master at changing the story. And this is what we find here.

It's testimonies like this in Ezra chapter six that we have to remind ourselves that I I can endure this. I can I can remain faithful and worshipful because God can change things in our favor? God can change things in our favor for his glory in a moment. In a moment. I have testimonies of that in my own life.

I'm convinced. I want you to be convinced. It's in the Bible. But with that being said, there's another remarkable element to this first decree that Darius makes and it's in the last part. Remember what he says in verse 10.

Look again. He wants the house of God to be rebuilt. Why? Well, yes Cyrus decreed it but notice this, that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. To a certain extent, Darius, a gentile king believed in the power of prayer when it was prayed by God's people or else why requested.

Whether he was superstitious, because you can be superstitious about prayer, or he he genuinely understood and was convinced of the effectiveness of the intercession of those who belong to God, does not matter. Darius reminds us that there is great benefit in having people pray for us. Read the epistles that Paul wrote and you will not be able to deny that he believed that wholeheartedly for himself. And Paul not only asked for prayers as a footnote, No, they were passionate, please pray for me. Seek God on my behalf.

Strive in your prayers for me. And you know what I learned about Paul? I mean this man was absolutely consumed with his ministry. Anything that he prayed for even when he was in prison was not about being free, it was give me the boldness to preach while I'm in here. Things like that.

You know? That's how Paul thought. That's how he lived. But but I I believe that Paul believed that he didn't think prayer was just about big things like missionary opportunities or or preaching effectiveness, even small things. One of my favorite examples of this is in that little letter to Philemon or Philemon.

Do you remember what he said to his friend near the end of his letter? Let me remind you in verse 22, no chapters. Philemon 22. Listen to these words that Paul wrote to a great friend. A ministry partner, yes, but a friend.

He says in Philemon 22, at the same time prepare a guest room for me for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. So it seems as though Paul anticipated to be set free from prison. Philemon is one of his prison epistles. He's writing this from jail, but he expects to be liberated at some point, maybe in the near future because he says, hey Philemon, can you prepare a guest room for me? I plan to come over soon.

But Paul also understands that there may be unforeseen obstacles that may hinder him from actually being reunited with Philemon. So what does he say? Brother, pray. Pray that God would allow me to be graciously given to you. Isn't that beautiful?

That God would even hear our prayers when we wanna be reunited with a brother or sister that we haven't seen in a while. That he can open doors, that he can put favor in your boss's eyes because you have a packed schedule, that he can clear the weather, that the tickets for that flight would be cheaper so that you can find encouragement and give encouragement to another brother in Christ, another sister in the Lord. Paul believed that. Paul believed that God would answer Philemon's prayer for this request. In my books, that that doesn't seem like an emergency.

That just seems like a gift. That's why Paul says that I would be graciously it would be a manifestation of God's grace that you and I can sit face to face across from one another and drink from one another's faith and be built up. Like these men, Darius and Paul, I wonder if you believe that God would honor that act of faith and humility by you asking for someone else to pray for you. Let me ask you a question. When was the last time, not as a Christian reflex, not as a knee jerk reaction, but genuinely with your faith, with your heart thought out, asked somebody else to pray for you believing that God would honor that prayer.

Believing that God would somehow work through the prayers of both you and that friend or friends as you combine your faith together for a specific request. Listen, in 2026, some of us in here might need to ask Lord to help us in our prayer lives which is wonderful. But others, it may be to help us believe in the prayers of other people for us. And to be like Paul and actually vocalize our neediness. To send a little bit more text to others that you trust have a walk with God and say, brother I need you to pray for me about this.

These men believed even Darius with all his limited knowledge that when God's people pray things can happen. But Darius's humble request also teaches us another thing. It reminds us that one of the best things that we can do for others is pray for them. He believed this. He believed that the prayers of God's people not only bless him but his sons, it can have generational consequences.

So don't just pray for me, pray for my descendants. You know, according to first Timothy two, you and I have been commanded, not suggested, commanded as a church to pray for kings and to pray for those who are in high positions. Why? Just so that we can do something else on a Wednesday night because we're not busy enough? No, because clearly our prayers in that same context can make an impact on what?

Society. Those who have the ability and the prerogative to actually do things in culture, our prayers can do something in their hearts and what they do from that place can impact the city, the nation. And and more than that, Paul says pray for these rulers so that the church can exercise its ministries with freedom and then peaceableness. Pray. Pray for those who are not asking for it and pray for those who ask for it.

Cause prayer actually changes things. And so Darius makes that request in this first decree but that's not the only decree he makes. There's a second and last one. Come back to Ezra six, look at verse 11 and verse 12. Also, I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a dung hill.

Do you know what that means? It's not a pretty image. Some translations like the King James and New King James say to be hung on it. The Hebrew word has some flexibility I guess. So if anybody edits Darius's first decree, here's the punishment.

Take a beam out of their house, put it into the ground and let it pierce somebody through their flesh from the inside out. That was the punishment. Emphasizing the severity of such a crime. Don't you dare touch the order that I made concerning this house. If that wasn't clear enough, that wasn't a deterrent, he adds something else.

Look at verse 12. May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, make a decree. Let it be done with all diligence. So not only does the Darius say, I'm gonna do something about this.

In my lifetime, if anybody dares to change what I said, they'll be severely punished. I mean it's a gruesome death penalty. But he also invokes the name of God and he asked that God would intervene. If anybody were to not just change or alter this edict but in the future, touch the house of God and seek to destroy it or defile it in any way. May God do something about it himself.

Remember verse 22 of this chapter. It was the Lord who was working in Darius's heart to aid the people. Ultimately, this is God and it shows just how precious this house is to him. Now we know that Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior, the promised Messiah prophesied the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. It was an act of God.

He used natural means, the Roman Empire, yes. But it was an indictment against this people for rejecting the Messiah. And now we are in the new covenant as the same Christ inaugurated it. And in the new covenant as I said earlier, the house of God is his church. And just like what I said earlier about how God is concerned about where his vessels are situated and how they function within his within his house, God is equally concerned as we see here about the destruction of his house in the New Testament.

His house is different. God's heart to protect it, to preserve it from danger hasn't changed. In our final passage tonight, turn to first Corinthians chapter three. I want you to consider two verses as we seek to close. First Corinthians chapter three verse 16.

Darius' warning moved by the Lord to issue it reminds us of what the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Paul about what would happen to anyone who would seek to destroy God's house today. Do you know it's possible to destroy God's house today? Do you know what God's house is today? Paul reminds us. First Corinthians chapter three verse 16.

Do you not know that you are God's temple, that God's spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy and you are that temple. Now he's speaking in the plural. He's addressing the local church in Corinth and labels them as the temple of God.

Do you understand the the implications of this are enormous? And one of the things that it signifies is how much the church manifested in local bodies like this is sacred in God's eyes. The church is holy to our Lord. It's it's a treasure to him. It's pure.

It's meaningful. It's his heart. And Paul here says that you are the temple and God so values his temple that he promises to punish anyone who attempts to destroy the temple of God. Now, how does one attempt to destroy God's temple in this age, in this covenant? How does that work?

Is Paul referring to vandalizing the church building? Is he talking about taking an instrument and damaging pews or bricks? Paul is not concerned about any physical sanctuary. He's concerned about the sanctification of God's people, the spiritual condition of his church. So that helps us understand that there is a spiritual destruction that can take place in the church.

But still, okay. Now that that's made known, what does that actually look like? And I believe Paul gives us at least one reason in the immediate context. There are many reasons to destroy God's house. But what's this chapter about in first Corinthians three?

If you read earlier, Paul laments and he rebukes this church for one main thing at least this at this point. Divisions. Divisions. You have some of you here saying, I'm of Paul. I like pastor Paul.

Another you saying, I like pastor Peter. Another you saying, I like Apollos' preaching the most. And and now there's there's friction, there's tension, there's division. And in that same train of thought, he says, Hey, do you not realize that you are God's temple? That if anyone destroys God's house, God will destroy him?

So one way a person can destroy God's house is by being the cause for the disintegration of unity, Of having believers turn on one another. Factions. Distractions to the point of destruction. Where people are now looking at one another instead of Christ, who are not missional anymore but are now petty and are now harming one another's reputations and their names. And you're eroding the harmony of God's church, his house.

And you are ripping that community apart because of your mouth, because of your decisions, because of your attitude in the house of God. And Paul warns them, you're treading on dangerous territory. The lesson is clear. Harming the spiritual life, disturbing the loving bond of God's people is dangerous. And my prayer looking at this warning from Darius and the warnings of the New Testament is that, may none of us ever be the cause for defiling the house of God.

Ever. You know, sometimes people especially the leaders will express concern about the potential work of troublemakers. People who sow discord in the assembly and all these different, you know, nightmarish scenarios that that happens sometimes. And sometimes people ask, brother are you ever worried? But who can emerge from within or come from the outside in and cause havoc?

And you know I can say with a clear conscience, I'm not. I'm not afraid of troublemakers. Based on what I find in my bible, I've determined that I'm afraid for troublemakers. You know why? Let me say it again.

This isn't my church. This isn't my church. It's not your church. It's God's. This is God's church.

This is his temple. And if anybody seeks to destroy it, God will deal with them. So my duty and yours is to maintain a clear conscience, to live a holy life, to walk in integrity, to walk in obedience. Because Jesus promised to not only build his church, which is a relief for me and I'm sure to you, but also to protect it. He'll protect his church because it is precious in his sight.

You are precious in his sight. And this is what we learned so far in Ezra chapter six, but it's not over yet. But we'll have to come again next week to see what else the word of God has to say to us. For now, let's respond to the Lord in prayer. Father, you have reminded us how much you care about your house.

And Lord, we admit that it is difficult to grasp and fully comprehend how we, because of Christ, because of this new covenant are your house. We thank you for these lessons from the past with that physical building known as a temple in Jerusalem and how we can apply them today. We thank you. And we ask that, Lord, we would not forget them. So much was said tonight.

Help us retain it. And Lord where conviction needs to be felt, let it be felt. And where comfort is needed, let it overflow. We pray that you would protect this house. We pray that you would protect every church that's represented here, every ministry that is represented here.

We pray that we would not be any cause for harm to your assembly, but that we would be a blessing to any church that we're a part of as we honor the place that you have positioned us for. That we would trust your word with every command, with every blueprint that you have set, no matter the tides of the culture, no matter the pressures of other churches that are bending the knee to modern day philosophies, help us honor your word no matter what. Lord, there are so many other things that we can ask for. But for now, we say thank you, Lord, and we pray that as we sing this song and as we reflect it, you would pull on our hearts even more and draw us closer to you. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Amen. If you wanna stay seated and reflect and pray and just offer more words to the Lord, you can do that. If you wanna stand and worship with the rest of us, you can do that as well. But let's just commune with Christ before we conclude this bible study.

You've heard me speak about the Puritans before. The Puritans were a group of Christians who felt the need to see the Anglican church reformed further, purified, because it had divorced from the Catholic church and it still brought a lot of their practices into their own ideas and polity. And so the Puritans felt as though, no, there's needs to be more purification here. And some were separatists. They said, it's a lost cause.

We're going this way. You guys deal with it. Others said, no. No. We're gonna preach and we're gonna pray and we're gonna believe that God can can still do some more purifying.

And out of that came a lot of literature, sermons, yes, but even books that have been preserved over the years from their from their talks and their their messages. And if you've ever read the Puritans, then you would know that they are very precise. They're they're they're very methodical in how they explain things and break open certain verses and chapters of the Bible. And one time, a modern theologian was asked by a curious Christian who was just being introduced to the Puritans, Brother, why are the Puritans so precise? And the response of this theologian was because we serve a precise God.

And there's a lot of truth to that. God does give us liberties. He's a God of grace. When it comes to the church, we know that we're supposed to sing, but does he tell us to sing three songs before the message and two songs after? No.

He doesn't. I believe that's his grace. He gives us freedom to determine that, each local assembly seeing what's the best fit for their church. He tells us to preach the word, but does he give you a curriculum, preach these books in this time of the year? No.

He doesn't. Just preach the word. Handle it rightly. And so it really really disturbs me in the day and age that we live in where the clear things that are in the word of God are being interpreted differently or being massaged into me meaning something else. I mean, God has only given us so many things.

He's gave us two ordinances. Two, not 20. Two. He gave us all these instructions about men and women, pastors and members, and all these things. And even those things, though not many, are being dishonored.

So what God has revealed clearly, what is black and white, may we stand with conviction upon and fight for because we know that our God is a precise God. There's no confusion with him. May we not be confused. In 2026, keep your face in the bible more than ever. Mark my words.

We're gonna see more and more tests coming to the local churches, to the church at large, It's gonna test us on different things. And you need to be able to know your bible, to be able to withstand what's coming our way. It's already happened. And many different doctrines are being challenged and revisited. And that's not gonna stop anytime soon.

So brother, sister, get your roots deep in the bible. If you wanna be able to stand firm with the deceptions that will come like a tidal wave, the only hope you have is the word of God. Stay there. Lord, we ask that you help us stay there. Help us be mighty in the scriptures on Friday, mighty in the scriptures on Sundays.

Help us know the old and the new. Not so that we can boast in our knowledge, so that we can prove ourselves right, that we can be self righteous no more, so that we can honor you, please you, love you, and worship you the way you deserve. Give us right understanding. May the anointing that resides within according to first John two be more real to us in 2026 than ever before, to teach us these things that need to be taught. We give you thanks, Lord.

Thank you for this night. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen and amen. Finish Ezra chapter six for next week.

Look forward to that time together, fellowship with one another. God bless you. We'll see you should the Lord tarry next week. Bye bye now.