Ezra 4King James Version
4 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
There will always be people who try to create a road block unnecessarily. When people have nothing to do, they want company. We investigate PRECIOUS time to understand the mind of people who waste time. The people of God returned home. There were distractions. When God says you can resume or go back home we should focus on the second chance to watch God move for his people.
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
There was a king named Esarhaddon, who brought some people to the land of Judah earlier. Since the land was at rest, did the land produce for them? I can imagine if God told the land to rest, that means you do not have to yield fruit to the sower. Perhaps the people ate no vegetation. If you are a squatter, you do not have the right to expect provision of any kind.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Those in charge said no. Zerubbabel the governor, and Jeshua the priest, and the other leaders said you are not led by God. We will follow God's Word and will do what is needed to build the temple. We have king Cyrus' permission to carry out the building and we will follow the plan given to us by God through him. When God has given clear instructions, we should stay focused on the directions God gave. We waste time entertaining people who are not on God's agenda to erect progress of any sort.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
How did the people who lived on the land weaken the builders? By words. Words can cause people to gain strength or lose strength.
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
The same people who asked to join and were told no did not take hearing no, well. They went from may we help in building God's temple? to, we will stop you from building. They went as far as to hire people to represent their mission. Their effort to stop the building was a continuous effort of an already lost battle. People without God are persistent in their approach to stop good.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
A new king is on the throne. The enemies of God's people wanted to be the first on the new king's agenda. They continued to harass the people building the temple using the new king as a decoy.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
So far the letter is playing on the mentality of the new king. They were simply saying, what you have coming to you won't be as much. When the enemy wants to bring you in on his agenda, he will say whatever it takes, and what he says, will ultimately have a negative effect on you.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
The enemy further stated; After all, we are trying to preserve what is yours. It will be a dishonor to you if we did not tell you what is going on Oh king!
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
Check your records king, they said. These people who told us that we could not help them build, are trifling. They wrote: This is not the first time they have caused trouble; in fact, this is why they were removed in the first place.
The enemy needs a seed of truth to establish a crop of lies. When we know the phrases of the speech of the enemy, we will not be caught in his trap. Here is a clear account of the lies the enemy uses when attempting to stop progress. IF we knew how the enemy sounded, we will recognize what is right before we join hands with the thief.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Are they telling the king that if he allows them to complete the building they will stop doing their part? or are they saying, king if they succeed in building, the other people here won't abide by your rules? When a lie is being told, no matter if it could be interpreted differently, it is still a lie. Their hearts were far from the truth.
17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
The new king responds like the world responds today. Making a decision on half-truths. The church today teaches just enough to keep people in bondage to certain leaders who want to irradicate God's Word to build their own agendas. The king saw a pinch of "I am not going to get all I can get", and I do not want to disappoint you and let you know I am ignorant of how to be in charge.
There is nothing new under the sun. We have different faces, but the same lies.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
The king sends the same message or lies to the writers. I am not just looking out for myself, I am also looking out for the kings! So be careful to get my message out!
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
When the evil men got a reply from the king, they hurriedly ran and stopped the progress of the building of the temple. When the enemy is at work, it seems he has the last word. But he does not. Pausing is not the same as ending. When the enemy tries lies to stop the work God assigned, sing.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
We are to learn from this chapter. If we understood what God has already completed in spite of the attacks of the enemy, we can get more done. Reading this testimony should stir us up to move forward in the things of God.
My Minute Song
In Ezra chapter four
We can learn so much more
If we stop what we're doing and pay attention.
We are taught a simple lesson
that there is a message
and there’s nothing new under the sun
The same lies being told
Were told long ago
Why is it that we don't know?
We can learn a lot
about what is and what's not
if only we will take some time and see what the Word of God has to say.
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