Sunday Pulpit Series – Transformation: 25
Sunday Pulpit Series
Transformation: 25
Rev Robert Ampiah-Kwofi
Certain single solutions can completely change everything. The future of the temple building project depended on the results of a single search.
Ezra 5:17 NIV
“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.”
Cyrus made a proclamation to rebuild the temple, but by foresight he also wrote it down.
Ezra 1:1 NIV
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:”
Cyrus knew that the love he had for God was not shared by his colleagues and countrymen. He had to establish his decree in a way that future kings wouldn’t be able to change it. He had to deploy a clause in the constitution of the empire.
Daniel 6:8 NIV
“Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
Cyrus knew the constitution of the Medo-Persian empire couldn’t be revised or changed. If a king made a law and signed it, that law could not be changed. Even the king who made the law was not allowed to change it.
This was the same law that Daniel’s enemies used to get the king to throw Daniel into the lions den, even though the king wanted to save Daniel.
Daniel 6:14 NKJV
“And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.”
The king couldn’t change his own law. Daniel’s enemies reminded the king of the law.
Daniel 6:15 NKJV
“Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
May God’s decrees work in your favour as you go to church.