The second report presented by the emperor

Ezra 5:6-17

5:6 以下是他們呈給皇帝的奏本：5:7 「大流士皇帝，願陛下長治久安！5:8 我們應該啟奏陛下，我們去了猶大省，發現那偉大上帝的聖殿正在重建中。這殿是用巨大的石塊修建，並有大樑插入牆內。這項工程進行得非常慎重，又很順利。5:9 「我們要人民的父老領袖告訴我們，誰下令准他們重建和裝修那殿。5:10 我們也要了他們的名單，這樣我們就能稟告陛下，誰是這工作的領導人。5:11 「他們回答：『我們是天地之主上帝的僕人。我們現在重新修建的聖殿是很多年前以色列一位大能的王所建造和佈置的。5:12 因為我們的祖先激怒了天上的上帝，上帝讓他們被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒─一個迦勒底王朝的王─所征服。這殿被毀壞，人民被擄，流亡到巴比倫去。5:13 後來，在塞魯士王作巴比倫皇帝的第一年，他下令重建這聖殿，5:14 並且歸還從前尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷聖殿掠奪去的那些放在巴比倫神廟裏的金銀器皿。塞魯士皇帝把這些器皿交給一個名叫設巴薩的人；他是塞魯士皇帝指派作猶大省長的。5:15 皇帝吩咐他把這些器皿帶回耶路撒冷的聖殿，並且在聖殿的舊址重新立基建殿。5:16 所以，設巴薩回來了，立了聖殿的根基；工程從那時到現在一直進行著，還沒有完工。』5:17 「現在，陛下若認為妥當，請派人查閱巴比倫的皇室記錄，看看塞魯士皇帝是否曾經下令重建這在耶路撒冷的聖殿，然後請回諭，指示我們陛下對這事的意願。」

⁶ This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. ⁷ The report they sent him read as follows:
To King Darius:
Cordial greetings.

⁸ The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

⁹ We questioned the elders and asked them, "Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?" ¹⁰ We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

¹¹ This is the answer they gave us:
"We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹² But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

¹³ "However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. ¹⁴ He even removed from the temple ^[b] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple ^[c] in Babylon.
"Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor, ¹⁵ and he told him, 'Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.' ¹⁶ So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished."

¹⁷ Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

一、中心內容：

內容： Content:
1>波斯的官員們，向皇帝報告聖殿重建的情形。（v6-8） The Persian governors reported the situation concerning the rebuilding of temple.
2>波斯的官員們，向皇帝報告他們處置的過程。（v9-10）The Persian governors reported the procedures.
3>波斯的官員們，向皇帝轉述猶太長老們所回答的話。（v11-16）The Persian governors reported the answer given by the elders.
4>波斯的官員們，建議皇帝查考歷史，以探究事實真相。（v17）The Persian governors advised the king to make a search in the royal archives.

主題：第二次奏文。

二、上帝、耶穌基督、聖靈是誰？

1>偉大（至大）的上帝。（v8）The great and mighty God
2>配得我們敬拜的上帝。（v8）The God that is worthy of our praises
3>天地之主上帝。（v11）The God of Heaven and Earth
4>揀選人、使用人的上帝。（v11）The God that appoints and uses people
5>遭選民激怒的上帝。（v12）The God that angers by the people
6>掌管國度政權的上帝。（v12）The God that holds the all powers of the kingdom

三、給我的教訓（命令、應允、榜樣、責備、警告）是什麼？

1>相對公正的奏本
這是第二次上奏皇帝的奏本，但是由於「上帝看顧猶太人的父老領袖」（v5）的緣故，相較於第一次的奏本，這次明顯客觀許多。因為第一次的奏本，意識主觀、內容偏頗，認定耶路撒冷城一旦建成了，居民就不再繳納各種稅捐，而且指稱「凡居住耶路撒冷」的猶太人是一群叛逆之民，自古以來治理十分不易，一直損害列王和各省省長。（4:12-16）
這樣的奏本，主觀意識如此強烈，陳述內容如此偏頗，莫怪當亞達薛西皇帝，接獲該奏本之後，立刻下令使用武力，迫使重建工程停止下來。然而，這一次的奏本，就顯出十分客觀，因為這些官員們，完全按照猶太長老的陳述上奏。其內容如下：
a.其實聖殿原本就有了，如今只不過在舊址重建而已。
b.因為祖先得罪上帝，導致人民被擄去巴比倫，聖殿因此遭毀壞。
c.後來，因為波斯皇帝塞魯士的幫忙，使他們有機會返鄉，同時重建聖殿。
換句話說，重建聖殿的工作，並非什麼新的決定，而是波斯王朝第一任皇帝所許可的，整體來講，只是拖延了重建的時間而已。
尤其難能可貴的是：在這份奏本當中，除了將猶太長老的說明據實呈報之外，最後還提議皇上應該查明，是否真有這樣的事（第一任皇帝所允許）發生。因為這麼重大的決定，皇宮裏面一定有紀錄可查。以上奏本，的確相對公正許多----因為有上帝的看顧。

1. The Righteous Report

This is the second report presented by the emperor. But because “the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews,” (v5) comparing to the first report, this second one is much more objective. In the first report, it was very subjective and the contents were biased in identifying that once the city of Jerusalem is built, the people will not have to pay tax. Moreover, it stated that “the Jews living in Jerusalem” is a rebellious group of people constantly damaging the king and the leaders (4:12-16).

This kind of report, extremely subjective, narrated in such biased way. Therefore, do not blame the king to accept the report and immediately send out command to stop the rebuild. However, this report is definitely objective because these governors did exactly as what the Jewish elders had narrated. The details are as follow:

1. The holy temple was actually there already, and today, it’s simply going through the process of rebuild
2. Because the ancestors first betrayed God, which led the people to exile into Babylon and resulting in the destruction of the holy temple.
3. Because of the help from the king, these people are able to go back home and allowed a chance for the holy temple to be rebuild.

In other words, the rebuild of the holy temple was not a new decision. It was a decision approved by the first king during his time. It was just a matter of delaying the time of rebuild.

And what is so precious is that in this report, other than reporting the exact details by the Jewish elder, there was even a suggestion to the king to search if it really had happened. Since it was such a great decision, there must have been a record. This report, surely justifies itself – because God is watching over it.

2>藉機為主作見證
「他們回答：『我們是天地之主上帝的僕人。我們現在重新修建的聖殿是很多年前以色列一位大能的王所建造和佈置的。因為我們的祖先激怒了天上的上帝，上帝讓他們被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒「一個迦勒底王朝的王」所征服。這殿被毀壞，人民被擄，流亡到巴比倫去。（v11-12）
後來，在塞魯士王作巴比倫皇帝的第一年，他下令重建這聖殿，並且歸還從前尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷聖殿掠奪去的那些放在巴比倫神廟裏的金銀器皿。塞魯士皇帝把這些器皿交給一個名叫設巴薩的人；他是塞魯士皇帝指派作猶大省長的。皇帝吩咐他把這些器皿帶回耶路撒冷的聖殿，並且在聖殿的舊址重新立基建殿。所以，設巴薩回來了，立了聖殿的根基；工程從那時到現在一直進行著，還沒有完工。』（v13-16）
以上這一段陳述，是猶太長老們在外邦官員們面前的說明。內容沒有任何誇張，也沒有絲毫迴避，乃是十分真實的陳述。藉著這樣的陳述，巧妙見證了上帝是「掌管歷史」的真神。正如使徒行傳所記載，保羅常常因福音的緣故被捕。然而，不管在公眾面前，或面對公會的審問，他每一次的陳述，總是不斷述說上帝奇妙的作為，藉機為主作美好的見證。
反省：在我日常言談當中，是否常常流露出上帝奇妙的作為？是否自然而然的為主作見證？
2. Become a Living Testimony for God

The replied, "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹² But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.” (v11-12)

¹³ "However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. ¹⁴ He even removed from the temple ^[b] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple ^[c] in Babylon. "Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor, ¹⁵ and he told him, 'Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.' ¹⁶ So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished." (v13-16)

The above narration is what the Jewish elders had explained to the governors. The contents were neither exaggerated nor tried to avoid anything; it is indeed authentic. Through this kind of narration, it miraculously testifies that God is the one that “holds the past.” Likely in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul often got arrested due to the gospels. Nevertheless, whether it be in front of people or facing a group of people questioning him, each time he narrates, he talks about the miraculous deeds of God. He uses every possible opportunity to share the great testimony for God.

Reflection: In my everyday conversation, do I often reveal the goodness of God? Do I naturally become a living testimony for God?

3>不亢不卑的回答
他們回答：我們是天地之主上帝的僕人----。（v11）
面對強權的興師問罪，甚至以權力相逼，絕大多數的人，要不是畏首畏尾，就是見風轉舵、趨迎奉承，甚至百般討好。因而，扭曲事實真相、失去信仰原則。
然而，我們卻發現，當時猶太的長老們，面對波斯官員的強權、刁難、質問，他們回答的態度，竟然不亢不卑，甚至理直氣壯。因此，他們回答說：我們是天地之主上帝的僕人。
顯然，當時猶太的長老們，不受威脅利誘，堅守信仰原則，全然忠於上帝。這也是他們之所以能夠得著上帝幫助的原因之一。這樣的精神、態度，正是我們所該學習的。
反省：面對各樣的攻擊，我的立場如何？我的態度又如何？不亢不卑？或趨迎奉承？

3. The Reply that is neither afraid nor arrogant

They replied, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth….” (v11)

Facing the process of questioning with such powerful leader, most people try to hide all the terrible things behind and only say the things that are pleasant for the ears to please the people. Due to the distorted facts, the principle of faith loses too.

Nevertheless, we realize that when the Jewish elders face the power, the mocking, and the questioning of these Persian governors, the attitude they responded with was neither afraid nor arrogant; it was only righteous. So they replied, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth.”

Clearly, at that time the Jewish elders did not accept the threat. They sticked to the principle of their faith, and totally based on God; this is probably one of the reasons why they got help from God. Their kind of spirit and attitude is what we should learn.

Reflection: Facing different kind of attack, where should I stand? How should my attitude be?

4>上帝掌管與眷顧
既然是上帝所要成就的工，祂就必然負責到底。人的眼目往往容易聚焦難處之上，使難處遮蔽了上帝能力、榮耀的寶座，也擋住了那位樂意向等候祂的人施恩的上帝，這是人的無知。
什麼時候人領悟到雲上的太陽沒有改變，什麼時候地上的陰暗，就困不住仰望上帝的人。上帝
能使我們信心的眼睛，穿透那密佈的烏雲，看見烏雲之上榮耀的寶座，以及寶座上的上帝。
反省：我是否常被黑暗遮蔽？是否憑信心看穿密佈的烏雲？是否看見榮耀全能的上帝？

4. God Holds and Blesses

If God wants to accomplish something, He will definitely be responsible till the very end. People usually focus on what is bad, and use them to blind God’s power, his throne of glory, and even the willingly merciful God; this is people’s ignorance.

Whenever people come to realize that the sun above the clouds never changes, that’s when the darkness of the earth will be unable to trip those people who look upon the Lord. God can allow the eyes of our faith to penetrate the turbid clouds and be able to see the throne of glory above all. Moreover, our eyes will see the God on the throne.

Reflection: Am I often covered by darkness? Have I ever look through the thick clouds and be able to see the almighty God?