And whatever is needed — bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require — let that be given to 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?
The complaint that became a grant
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."
Not permission, but faith
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.
What the supplies were for
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.
Why each offering mattered
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.
Offerings to "the God of heaven"
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.
Summary
- 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.