Ezra 6:6

That was enough for Darius. He rebuked the officials. And far from listening to the enemies of the Jews, he honoured the Jews. He made fresh commands, carrying out even more fully what Cyrus had proclaimed in his first year.

New men had replaced the earlier enemies of the people. Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their companions opposed the temple at first. Now it is Tattenai, Shethar-boznai and their companions. In Nehemiah 6:1 the names change again: there Sanballat, Tobijah and Geshem the Arabian, with their companions, oppose the work. One group of men follows the other in their more or less violent hatred against the work of God. But the opposition remains, because the enemy who uses all these instruments has not changed.

Darius, the Persian, supports the Jews and gives a fair verdict. That verdict rests on "the law of the Medes and Persians… that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed" (Daniel 6:15). In all this we can see the providence of God watching over His people. They found the decree of Cyrus at Achmetha, in the province of the Medes, and not at Babylon. Without God stepping in, even the most careful search would have found nothing. … The adversaries have no respect for the people of God, yet they hurry to obey the king's decree, because the fear of man fills their hearts. But God uses everything, even this fear, to carry out His plans of grace for the protection of His own.

Acting on this decree, Darius commanded Tattenai, Shethar-boznai and their companions to stop troubling the Jews and to let them continue their work in peace. To faith, God was plainly working behind the scenes. He used the power of the enemy to carry out His own purposes — another instance of how He causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him. Darius did not only confirm the decree of Cyrus when their adversaries stepped in. He also issued another decree: the king himself would pay for everything the house of God needed.

The authority of the great king came on the scene only to confirm God's word and God's servants, and to force the respect and help of those who had tried to hinder. What an encouragement to look above the hills to Him who sits in the heavens! … The commandment of the God of Israel had its right and first place, and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes came in underneath it.

The decree of Darius was not enough to keep them building. They needed the help of God. We too need the grace and blessing of God if we are to build up the church of God according to His Word.

Our business is not to set one king against another. It is to go forward in the name of the Lord and to take His word as our full warrant. We can be certain of this: as we seek God's guidance, it is God's part to guide all men and all circumstances. That is His work, not ours. Our part, in short, is to go on in faith. He knows how to deal with those who oppose us.