Ezra 5:6-17...The Governor Writes to Darius
This is the copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. They sent the report to him in which it was written as follows: “To Darius the king, all peace. May it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God which is being built with large stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is being performed with great care and is succeeding in their hands. Then we asked those elders and said to them as follows: ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’ We also asked them their names so as to inform you, in order that we might write down the names of the men who were in charge. So they answered us as follows, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. Also the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought them to the temple of Babylon, King Cyrus took them from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. And he said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and have the house of God rebuilt in its place.” Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is not yet completed.’ And now, if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, as to whether a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.”
Explanation: When Tattenai asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?” the elders answered confidently: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago by a great king of Israel.” They followed with a concise history: confessing Israel's sin led to Nebuchadnezzar's destruction, then citing Cyrus' decree to rebuild and return vessels. Their response was...
- Fearless and theological: They led with identity as God's servants, not defensiveness, framing the project as obedience to the "God of heaven" under Persian law.
Legal and historical: No evasion; they appealed to verifiable facts (Cyrus' edict, Sheshbazzar’s foundations) to shift burden to archives.
Unlike the first letter (nearly 20 years earlier), written by anonymous accusers, we should keep in mind Judah was part of a Persian province...it wasn't independent territory. Tattenai (likely a Babylonian) was appointed governor by Darius (522BC), and had legitimate legal authority to oversee major construction projects like the temple. Bear in mind, he was relatively new to his position and work on the Temple was just beginning again after a 15 year delay. He was just doing his job. His concern stemmed from standard protocols requiring verification of royal permits for significant builds, especially those with potential political or fiscal implications. Tattenai likely expected Darius to be aware of Cyrus' decree, but he needed written verification from the royal archives to settle the matter legally.
Tattenai acted cautiously, not aggressively—his letter fairly relays the Jews' Cyrus claim without presuming to overrule it, fitting Persian balance of local autonomy under central oversight.
Illustration: Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker faced legal trouble primarily through the PTL Club scandal in the 1980s, where Jim was convicted of fraud and conspiracy for overselling thousands of lifetime memberships to their Heritage USA theme park. Jim defrauded donors by promising access to Heritage USA facilities that were never built or funded, pocketing millions while PTL ministry racked up $158 million in debt. He was indicted in 1988 on 24 counts (mail/wire fraud, conspiracy), convicted in 1989, and initially sentenced to 45 years (served 5 before parole). Tammy Faye was not charged but criticized for lavish spending amid the excess. Without a doubt, the PTL venture was launched by desire to serve the Lord Jesus...over time, it went off the rails.
Application: It isn't wrong when people question us. When we covenant with God to restore the temple He built within us, we should be certain that Satan will have something to say about it. However, we cannot legitimately assume every bump in the road is the work of the devil. There are people and institutions around us that have legitimate rights to monitor our zeal. Accountability is critical; Zeal (although authentic) to rebuild our temple must be mediated by the process. It's not appropriate to caveat every action with "God told me to do this." We are accountable to God, Scripture, the Church and the government to act with probity and piety. Zeal for Christ thrives when channeled through integrity, humility, and submission to authority, as modeled by the temple elders in Ezra 5 who answered Tattenai boldly yet respectfully.
- Ground zeal in truth and transparency: Like the Jews citing Cyrus' verifiable decree, base pursuits on Scripture and honest accounting
- Submit to earthly authorities: Romans 13:1–7 commands respect for governing powers; expect inquiries and respond with facts, not evasion. Preempt hurdles by seeking Godly counsel, turning scrutiny into testimony.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant me wisdom to discern Your will as I seek spiritual renewal, like the elders who boldly yet humbly answered authority in Ezra. Instill humility to confess my failings, submit to earthly laws, and pursue Your kingdom with integrity, free from excess or deception. May my zeal reflect Christ's servant heart, advancing Your glory through transparent obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Live boldly out there today...
Resources:
Ezra 5–6 and Tattenai's letter
Achaemenid administration and timelines
Bakker/PTL scandal
Modern legal/ethical applications
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