And the elders of the Jews built; and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and completed [it] according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
The temple work ends here, and the verse names two forces side by side: the preaching of two prophets and the decrees of three Persian kings. So which one made the elders prosper? And why list the kings at all?
The order of events matters. The Jews restarted the building before this fresh decree from Darius ever reached them.
The beautiful fact, as we have already seen, is that the Jews had faith to resume the building of the house before they got this fresh decree. "And the elders of the Jews built and prospered" — not through the commandment of the king, but they prospered "through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo." For now that God had given them power, He also controlled all the ruling authorities, so that they now favoured His people.
The verse keeps two groups distinct — those laying stones and those speaking God's word.
It is important to notice these two classes — the builders and the prophets. These two kinds of service can never be confused. A builder cannot take up the work of a prophet, nor could a prophet trade his prophetic mantle for the builder's trowel... A builder is one whose work is to lay stones on the foundation. God uses him, through preaching or teaching, to gather souls and bring them as living stones to the foundation, which is Jesus Christ. A prophet does two things. He urges the people forward in their work by passing on the mind of God, and he tests everything by His word.
The verse says they prospered through the prophesying. The same writer explains why, then traces the pattern through Israel's history and into the church.
The reason is clear. The Holy Spirit was acting in power — first through the prophets, and then in the hearts of the builders, producing a response to the word of God that the prophets brought. All through the history of the kingdom, the nation prospered when they listened to the voices of their prophets. Every evil consequence flowed from ignoring these heaven-sent warnings. It is no different in the church of God. Whenever "the builders" listen to the prophets who unfold and apply the mind of God as revealed in His word, they prosper. Their work lasts, and they themselves receive blessing. But if they are careless of divine guidance and correction, and work after their own ideas, they only corrupt the work they are doing. They put wood, hay, and straw in the place of gold, silver, and precious stones. Their work may look greater, and even more prosperous, to human eyes. But a future day will test it, and the Lord alone is the judge of true prosperity in service.
Haggai and Zechariah are named together, yet they did not bring the same message.
Haggai's ministry stirred up the conscience of the people, urging them to consider their ways, which must have led them to seek His face. Zechariah is the prophet of glory. The vision of glory, the final victory of God's people, the coming of the King and the setting up of His kingdom, the future overthrow of all their enemies — all this became an inspiration for them. God's people need this twofold ministry, which is so abundantly supplied in the Word of God.
The verse names God's commandment first, then the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes.
The authority of the great king came on the scene only to confirm God's word and His servants, and to force those who had tried to hinder the work to honour and help it. The commandment of the God of Israel had its just and primary place; and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes came in below it.
Yet the kings are not dismissed. Their names teach how God's people live under earthly rulers.
Everything was done, therefore, in obedience to God, and by the permission of the earthly power to which, by God's appointment, they were subject. What a privilege for these workmen to have laboured this way — and no small honour, we may add, for these Gentile monarchs to be linked with God's purposes and used to carry them out! No doubt the names of the kings are mentioned to show, for one reason, the value God attaches to the principle of obedience to constituted authority.
The same writer adds one limit. Human authority becomes void the moment it clashes with God's claim over the soul. Otherwise the believer submits.
Commentators differ over the text itself. Gaebelein notes that some claim the words "and Artaxerxes king of Persia" do not belong here.
- Faith first. They resumed building before Darius's decree arrived — obedience moved before official permission did.
- Word next. Prophesying made them prosper: Haggai pressed God's word on the conscience, Zechariah unveiled God's coming glory.
- Roles distinct. Builders lay stones on the foundation; prophets urge the work forward and test everything by God's word. Neither can do the other's job.
- Kings subordinate. God's commandment holds first place, and the kings' decrees come in underneath. Their names still honour obedience to governing authority — except where it clashes with God's claim on the soul.
- Result lasting. Builders who heed the word prosper, and their work endures. Work done our own way may look impressive now, but the Lord tests it later.
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
The temple is finished, and Scripture fixes the day. Two questions follow. What finished a work that enemies had stopped for years? And why does the record credit both God's commandment and the decrees of foreign kings?
The verse before names two prophets as the reason the elders prospered. One writer points out that the builders had started again before the king's new decree reached them.
The adversaries were completely refuted and stopped in their evil work. The house of God received — I will not say an impulse, but — its completion. The beautiful fact, as we have already seen, is that the Jews had faith to resume the building of the house before they got this fresh decree. "And the elders of the Jews built and prospered [not through the commandment of the king, but] through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo." Now that God had given them power, He also controlled all the ruling powers in their favour.
Haggai and Zechariah served at the same time, yet their messages differed. Another writer separates what each one gave.
Haggai's ministry stirred up the conscience of the people. He urged them to consider their ways, which must have led them to seek His face. Zechariah is the prophet of glory. His vision showed the final victory of God's people, the coming of the King and the setting up of His kingdom, and the future overthrow of all their enemies. That vision of coming glory became an inspiration for them. God's people need this twofold ministry, which is so richly supplied in the Word of God.
Only four years passed between the restart and this date. One commentator names the conditions of that revival, and the cause of the long delay before it.
This revival came in the middle of humiliation, while the people were under Gentile rule. That is its special character. Work on the temple had stopped for fifteen years, from the second year of Cyrus to the second year of Darius the Persian (Ezra 4:24; Hag. 1:1). Four years later the house of God stood complete (v. 15). How disastrous are the delays caused by fear of man and by lack of confidence in the Lord! That lack of confidence is the sure outcome of fearing man.
Chapters 4 to 6 tell one story: work stopped, prophets sent, work finished. One writer draws the order out of it.
Where hearts are not stirred, God may allow circumstances to make the work impossible. On the surface it will look as though the work stopped because of forces beyond anyone's control. The deeper reason is that there was little or no stirring in the hearts of God's people. On the other hand, God intervenes, for instance by sending prophets who speak to the heart of the people. Then, when hearts turn to God, He will also take care of the circumstances. And then nobody will be able to stop the work, until it is finished, "according to the commandment of the God of Israel."
Verse 14 lays God's command alongside the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. One writer reads the pairing as deliberate, and draws a rule from it.
So they did everything in obedience to God, and with the permission of the earthly power God had placed over them. What a privilege for these workmen to have laboured this way! And no small honour, we may add, for these Gentile kings to be linked with God's purposes and used to carry them out! No doubt the record names the kings partly to show the value God attaches to obedience to the authorities He has set over us. We should not pass over that lesson.
The verse gives a day and a year. The same writer counts back from it to the laying of the foundation.
Four years were taken up from the restart of the building until its completion (Ezra 4:24). No one can tell exactly how many years had passed since the foundation was laid, because Scripture does not give the length of the reigns between Cyrus and Darius. The years could scarcely have been less, and were probably more, than twenty. With what long-suffering and patience God had borne with the failures of His people! His purpose now stands accomplished and the house stands built. With what delight He calls our attention to the labours of His people! Although all had been done by His grace, in that same grace He credits to His people what He Himself had done.
- Stopped by fear. The fifteen silent years came from fear of man and lost confidence in the Lord, not from the enemy's strength.
- Restarted by the Word. Haggai reached the conscience, Zechariah showed the coming glory; God's people need both.
- Prospered, not permitted. They built before the new decree arrived. The prophets' word made them prosper, and God turned the ruling powers in their favour.
- Finished under two commands. God's commandment held first place, and obedience to the kings He had set over them held its own.
- Dated and credited. God bore with more than twenty years of failure. Then He fixed the day in the record, and credited to His people the work His own grace produced.