The Law of Connection: Cyrus Rules People by Relating to Them
Unlike King Rehoboam, the Persian king Cyrus was able to connect with God’s people. He first displayed mercy and then identified with the values and heart of his people. This allowed him to strengthen his reign.
What enabled King Cyrus to connect with the people? Ezra tells us he practiced . . .
1. Humility: He realized his power came from God and should honor God (v. 2).
2. Responsibility: He felt strongly he should build a place of worship for the Jews (v. 2).
3. Empowerment: He allowed those who had a heart to build to fulfill their call (v. 3).
4. Resources: He issued a decree to support the builders (v. 4).
5. Stewardship: He managed people’s gifts, enabling them to play to their strengths (v. 5).
6. Priorities: He valued what was most important to the people (v. 7).
It was no accident that Cyrus arose to help Israel. Many years before these events transpired, God predicted through the prophet Isaiah that Cyrus would “subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor.” He declared, “For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name, and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God” (Isa 45:1, 4–5).
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Courage: People Need Permission to Take Risks
Most people need permission to take a risk. By issuing his proclamation, King Cyrus modeled another leadership principle.
Cyrus issued a decree to all the Jews that they could return to their homeland and begin life again there. You might think that every Jew would jump at this opportunity to leave a land of captivity and go home, but out of a population of hundreds of thousands of Jews (in 538 B.C.), only 49,897 responded to the offer. The ones who did return gave up a life of comfort and familiarity to pursue a life of rebuilding.
A risk like this is tough for most people. Usually, a leader must step forward and give men and women permission to take a risk, step out, and make sacrifices. Most people generally take the path of least resistance and migrate toward comfort zones. This is why leaders must both model courage and call forth courage from others.
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Discernment: Zerubbabel Reads the People, Then Acts
Leaders must practice discernment. Relationships can get messy; people often harbor personal agendas and attempt to mask their true motives or to make them sound more noble than they really are.
Such was the case when a group of outsiders approached Zerubbabel and offered to help. “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here,” they said (Ezr 4:2). Zerubbabel sized them up and read the situation perfectly. He quickly recognized these folks had really arrived only to discourage and poison the minds of the builders. His relational discernment kept these negative influences from infiltrating the flock.
Leaders must read the people, then lead the people. They must understand the timing, the people, the situation and the priorities, then act accordingly. Their action depends upon how they read these factors. Discernment always precedes decision. Analysis always precedes action.
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Zechariah Learns Motivation Comes Before Mobilization
Opposition and conflict delayed temple construction for 14 years. Only the leadership of Haggai and Zechariah motivated the people to finish what they had begun. Leaders make sure the team follows through on what it begins. Through the influence of these two prophets, construction was completed in 516 B.C.
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Ezra: Many Years of Doing the Right Thing
Even at a young age, Ezra diligently studied and learned to become a scholar. He won the respect of many, including the political leader of the land of his exile, King Artaxerxes. Although Ezra’s passion and vision centered on Jerusalem, he clearly kept himself busy doing God’s work while in exile. He established his connections and influence over time—a necessary step if the dream of restoring Jerusalem were to be fulfilled.
As a result of many years of consistently doing the right thing, the king finally trusted Ezra with great power and resources, acknowledging his character qualities in writing. He provided all that Ezra needed to get the job done.
Ezra led many Israelites back to Jerusalem during this time of restoration. As a spiritual leader, Ezra had prepared, studied, and connected with many ordinary Jews, and his pronounced influence prompted many to follow him to Jerusalem. Ezra did not utilize his power, intellect and influence for personal gain, but rather to restore Jerusalem.
When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and found that a remnant of Jews had disobeyed God and polluted the bloodlines of his people, he did not shrink from making the tough call (Ezr 9; 10). Throughout his life, Ezra exercised the very best leadership qualities with both passion and zeal, which God utilized to fulfill his call.
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On the basis of King Artaxerxes’ decree, Ezra traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezr 7:1–10). As a priest, he felt committed to establishing spiritual priorities among the people, especially as it pertained to their new temple. One verse reflects the heart of a leader fully committed to his God: “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (7:10). Do you see the order of priorities in his leadership?
1. Learn it: Ezra studied and discovered the truth himself.
2. Live it: Ezra practiced and applied what he had learned.
3. Loan it: Ezra passed on to others what he had already embraced.
Successful leaders must learn to follow Ezra’s model. Dwight L. Moody suggested the greatest tragedy of his day was that Christian leaders attempted to traffic in unlived truth. It is our tragedy as well. We cannot give away what we don’t incarnate. We must import truth before we export truth. God wants to construct our “being” before our “doing.”
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Ezra Shows Us the Law of the Picture
Like all great leaders, we see Ezra demonstrating the number one management principle in the world, the Law of the Picture: People do what people see. When Ezra heard of the sin and compromise of the Israelites, he mourned and fasted. He then took logical steps to bring about change. The steps he took are transferable, and led to the repentance of a nation. Ponder the sequence of events in this example of pure leadership:
1. He felt genuine remorse over national sin (10:6).
2. He issued a proclamation for the Jews to gather in Jerusalem (10:7).
3. He spoke clearly and directly concerning the issue (10:10).
4. He challenged the people to repent and change (10:11).
5. He accepted a plan for leaders to meet with the transgressors (10:13–17).
6. He started with the leaders who failed, then moved to the people (10:18–24).
7. He brought about public repentance and reformation (10:25–44).
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