Ezra 4

Ezra 4:1

ARTAXERXES’ DECREE HALTS REBUILDINGOpposition to the rebuilding program did not come from the inside but from the outside. This is a rather detailed section, and I am not going to spend much time in it except to call attention to what is taking place. I will have occasion later on to call attention to the fact that not only two tribes returned to the land (Judah and Benjamin), but all twelve tribes actually went back. These people are saying that they returned to the Promised Land during the days of Esar-haddon, king of Assur (Assyria). It was Assyria, you remember, which had taken the northern tribes captive. Some of these people apparently had trickled back into the land and had mixed with the Samaritans. As a result they wanted to join up with those who had come from Babylon. The enemies’ first effort to hinder the work of rebuilding the temple is to offer to become allies. That has always been the subtlety of Satan in his work through the liberal wing of the church. Liberalism divided the church and then said, “You fundamentalists are always fighting. Join with us.” Because we did not join with them, they call us the troublemakers. Liberalism split the church in the beginning, and now they want us to come back on their terms. Here the “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin” said, “We have been worshiping God here all along, and you folk have just gotten back. Let us join with you, and we’ll worship Him together.” That sounds very good on the surface, but they were not genuine, as we shall see.

Ezra 4:3

The chief fathers of Israel were not very nice, were they? They absolutely rejected the enemies’ offer to become allies. The Israelites do not seem to be interested in the ecumenical movement at all. In fact, they seem actually rude. But the very interesting thing is that they were right. The important thing is to be right. When the psychological approach comes in conflict with the Bible, the Bible must prevail for the child of God.

Ezra 4:4

Now we can see that they were enemies, not friends. As soon as they were turned down, they began to actively oppose them.

Ezra 4:7

They decided to compose a letter to the king of Persia with false accusations against the remnant that had returned to rebuild Jerusalem. Here is a copy of the letter they sent:

Ezra 4:11

Their argument is that Jerusalem was a rebellious city and that Artaxerxes will have trouble with it again if he allows the city to be rebuilt. So the king of Persia took their advice. He searched the records to see if their accusation was accurate. In his letter of reply, he said:

Ezra 4:19

When this letter comes back from the king of Persia, the so-called friends who wanted to cooperate with the building program hurriedly bring the letter to the building site.

Ezra 4:23

They were forced to halt the building program.