And that which they have need of, both young bullocks and rams and lambs, for the burnt-offerings to the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;
Local officials asked a Persian king to shut down the building work in Jerusalem. Instead he ordered his own treasury to keep the altar stocked — animals for burnt offerings, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, fresh every day. Why does a pagan empire pay for the worship of Israel's God? And what was all that daily produce for?
Their opponents had written to Darius to stop the work. Commentators see God at work out of sight here. He used the enemy's own power to build what the enemy wanted stopped.
Edward DennettFaith could see God at work behind the scenes, using the power of the enemy to carry out His own purposes. Here is another instance of how He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him. When their adversaries interfered, Darius confirmed the decree of Cyrus. He also issued another decree: he himself would pay for all the provision the house of God needed.
The turnaround goes further. An official named Rehum had earlier warned the king about tax money.
Leslie M. GrantRehum had argued that if the Jews built the temple, they would stop paying taxes. Darius decreed that the Jews would receive tax money! Yet even that was not all. Whatever the Jews needed, the priests in Jerusalem could ask for it, and they would receive it — bulls, rams and lambs for burnt offerings, wheat, salt, wine and oil. And not on one occasion only, but "day by day."
The building had stalled. The problem was never permission — the king's command was already on their side.
J. N. DarbyAll this shows us that Israel was at fault in stopping the building of the temple. It appears from Haggai that they had made no progress at all. The fear their adversaries stirred up in them had stopped them. They had no excuse for this, since even the king's command was on their side. What they lacked was faith in God. We have seen that where there was faith they dared to build, even though there was a decree against it. The effect of this faith is to bring about a decree in their favour, and that even through the action of their adversaries. It is good to trust in God.
Each item in the decree belongs to a particular offering. This was not a random food parcel.
Arno Clemens GaebeleinThe material mentioned was for the sacrifices and offerings. Young bulls, rams and lambs for the burnt offerings. Wheat, oil and salt for the grain offering, and wine for the drink offering. The priests were to receive all these things without fail, day by day.
Those three offerings are not interchangeable. Each one points to something different about the Lord Jesus.
Leslie M. GrantThe grain offering was never offered alone, but always together with a blood offering. In the burnt offering, the offerer recognises this: the Lord Jesus glorified God by sacrificing Himself at Calvary. But we may appreciate His sacrifice while not valuing the perfection of His person. So the grain offering reminds us of His life on earth. In every detail of it, the Lord Jesus expressed the perfection of human righteousness. Then the drink offering of wine stands for the offerer's joy in the offering. The believer rejoices in the Lord Jesus Himself and in the value of His work.
The decree names Him "the God of heaven." That title marks a change.
Numerical Bible NotesLong ago, when the ark passed through the Jordan, people spoke of Him as "the God of all the earth." Now He is to be known simply as "the God of heaven." As we see in Daniel, the earth passes in fact into the hands of the Gentiles. God's throne is no longer on earth where people can see it.
So Israel now leaned on the favour of foreign rulers. Commentators trace that back to the nation's own sins.
J. N. DarbyBecause of their sins, Israel depended on the favour of those who ruled over them. They had to wait on God to make those rulers favourable. So they worshipped Him according to His merciful arrangements, until the Messiah should come, who would be their Redeemer and Deliverer.
- Attack — the letter meant to stop the work is what produced a royal decree to fund it. God used the enemy's power for His own purposes.
- Supply — the taxes the enemies feared losing now flow to the Jews, and the altar gets fresh supplies "day by day," not once.
- Faith — the delay was never about permission. What they lacked was faith in God. Faith is what brought the decree about.
- Christ — every item pictures Him. The burnt offering: God glorified by His sacrifice. The grain offering: the perfection of His life. The drink offering: the believer's joy in Him.
- Heaven — the decree calls Him "the God of heaven," for His throne is no longer on earth where people can see it. So His people wait on Him to turn rulers' hearts, until the Messiah comes.
that they may present sweet odours to the God of the heavens, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.
A hostile report to Darius was meant to shut the building down. Instead the king searched the records and confirmed the older decree of Cyrus. He paid for the sacrifices out of his own taxes — and asked the returned exiles to pray for him and his sons.
The enemies' letter to the king was the very thing that secured the work:
Edward DennettTo faith it was plain that God was working behind the scenes, using the power of the enemy to serve His own purposes. This is another instance of how He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him. When their adversaries stepped in, Darius did not only confirm the decree of Cyrus. He issued another decree: the king himself would pay for all the provision the house of God needed.
The reversal was sharper than it looks. The original complaint had warned that a rebuilt temple would cost the crown its taxes:
Leslie M. GrantRehum had argued that if the temple were built, the Jews would stop paying taxes — but Darius decreed that the Jews should be paid out of the tax money! And that was not all. Whatever the Jews needed, the king would supply: bulls, rams and lambs for burnt offerings, wheat, salt, wine and oil. The priests in Jerusalem had only to ask — and not on one occasion only, but "day by day."
The shopping list in the decree is not random. Each item belongs to a particular offering:
Arno Clemens GaebeleinThe material mentioned was for the sacrifices and offerings. Young bulls, rams and lambs for the burnt offerings. Wheat, oil and salt for the meal offering, and wine for the drink offering. These things were to go to the priests without fail, day by day.
Older translations call these "sacrifices of sweet savour." The ESV says "pleasing sacrifices."
The title Darius uses is the name God Himself takes while His people are under foreign rule:
William KellyFrom the start one solemn fact is clear: for now the Jews are Lo-ammi (not My people). God no longer speaks to them through the prophet… God is given the distinct title "the God of the heavens" (Dan. 2:18, 37, 44), and the same title comes back in Ezra 1:2, Ezra 5:12 and Ezra 6:9-10… His people had turned away from Him to idols. That state made it impossible, given His nature and majesty, for Him to act at their head or among them as "the Lord of all the earth."
What the king asked for from Jerusalem was prayer. That request says something about the standing of this small, humbled group:
H. L. RossierDarius does not go as far as the humbled Nebuchadnezzar, who proclaimed that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of men. Even so, he acknowledges the God of heaven, and he recognises the temple at Jerusalem as the house of God… Darius also recognises that the prayers of these despised and humbled people are effective on behalf of the king and his sons (v. 10).
Commentators differ on how far to press this. Rossier notes only what Darius acknowledged. Another writer sees a deeper change, and applies it to us:
Leslie M. GrantDoes this not appear to be a true work of God in the king's soul? Today, whatever government Christians may be under, it is important that they pray for those in authority over them.
Scripture gives a clear reason for praying for rulers:
Hamilton SmithWe should pray for kings and all in authority, for the sake of the Lord's people throughout the world. We are to ask that the sovereign goodness of God may so control the rulers of this world that His people may lead "a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way"… Long ago the prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to God's captive people in Babylon. He urged them to pray to the Lord for the city that held them, and so to seek its peace. For, says the prophet, "in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jeremiah 29:7).
Taking a pagan king's money did not make the returned exiles worldly. They held two things together:
J. G. BellettThey accept the favour of Cyrus, of Darius, and of Artaxerxes, in the spirit of the command "honour to whom honour, fear to whom fear"… They were clearly grateful for the kindness these powers showed them, one after another. They blessed God because of them, and I am sure they were ready-hearted to pray for the life of the king and of his sons. Yet with all this they were a separated people. They refused to join with the Samaritans just as earnestly as they accepted the favours of the Gentiles.
- Opposition — The letter written to stop the work uncovered the decree that funded it. God used the enemy's power to serve His own purposes.
- Provision — Bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine and oil covered the burnt, meal and drink offerings. They came "day by day" from the very taxes the enemies feared losing.
- Position — "The God of heaven" is the title God takes while His people are out of place under foreign rule. He does not act among them as "the Lord of all the earth."
- Prayer — Darius asked a small, despised group to pray for him. Their prayers counted for the life of the king and his sons.
- Peace — The pattern still stands. Pray for rulers and seek the welfare of the place you live. You will share in its welfare — and still stay a separated people.