HANDLING RESISTANCE TO GOD’S WORK – EZRA 4:1-5
By Ezekiel Kimosop
In Ezra 4, we are introduced to circumstances that brought conflict and subsequent stalemate on the Temple reconstruction work. We shall examine the first five verses in this exposition and conclude with practical moral lessons that apply to the religious life of a Christian community.
We learn from the opening verse of Ezra 4:1 that some of the adversaries of Israel heard that the Jewish returnees were reconstructing the Temple at Jerusalem. It is not immediately clear if they lived within the vicinity of Jerusalem or had traveled from Northern Israel which is identified as their native settlement.
These unnamed enemies of God's people came up with a two pronged approach. First they tactfully offered to be enjoined in the works under the guise that they too worshipped the God of Israel and had “sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here” (Ezra 4:2, NKJV).
The second strategy was to frustrate the works if the Jews failed to cooperate with them.
Their statement recorded in Ezra 4:2 was a flat lie. It is nothing short of a charm offensive intended to convince the returnees that they were blessed with godly neighbours! Sadly, these adversaries were not part of God's covenant people. Even if, for argument sake, they happen to have been, two questions beg for answers.
First, if they truly served the God of Israel, why had they not reconstructed the Temple in the preceding 50 years since the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC?
Secondly, what was now motivating their interest at this point in time, if not sheer jealousy and illwill?
Historical sources attest to the fact that the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC after which he carried the temple treasures to Babylon where he placed them in the house of his gods (Ezra 1:7-11).
Again, the mention of Assyria as the kingdom that settled the adversaries is evidence that their ancestors were originally settled in Northern Israel by Sargon II or his successor after the fall of Samaria to the Assyrians in 722 BC. They had therefore surreptitiously crossed into Judah from Samaria during the long captivity period.
Zerubbabel’s response recorded in Ezra 4:3 was informed by godly wisdom. He and the leaders rightly discerned the mischief of these adversaries and flatly rejected their offer for joint workmanship. There was nothing to suggest that these heathen people had embraced Judaism or even honored the God of Israel. They were therefore up to no good. Notice the parallel between this incident and the story in Nehemiah 4 relating to the notorious pair, Tobias and Sanballat, who scorned and laughed off the works instituted by Nehemiah under the reign of Darius.
The emphatic response by Zerubbabel in the Ezra case is instructive: “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” (Ezra 4:3).
The mandate for the temple works was from God. He had stirred up and commanded Cyrus, the Persian king, to facilitate it. This assignment was specifically and exclusively intended for the returnees whom God had chosen for the purpose and no help was contemplated from unrelated parties.
There are responsibilities that God assigns to specific people and only those who have been called to that service should discharge that mandate. Those who have no such calling should keep off or otherwise face God's judgment.
In Ezra 4:4, the adversaries, having realized that they were unwelcome, decided to resort to their plan B. They threatened and discouraged God's people with the intention of stalling the works. They temporarily succeeded in their schemes.
This regrettable scenario was sustained through the reigns of Cyrus to Darius. It is instructive that both imperial monarchs were sympathetic to the reconstruction works but for unknown reasons, word either never reached them or some evil advisers colluded with the adversaries of Israel to conceal the status of events in Judah.
Bible scholars estimate that the reigns of Cyrus and Darius stretched through 559 BC – 486 BC. This implies that the resistance to the Temple works possibly continued until the reign of Artaxerxes (Xerxes I) who permanently stopped the works during his 20 year reign between 485-465BC. He was possibly the monarch mentioned under the correspondence in Ezra 4:7-23.
We also learn from Haggai 2 that the temple work was finally completed under Darius the Great whose reign is estimated to fall between 522-486 BC.
God’s call by Haggai came approximately 520 BC, about 18 years after the first set of returnees led by Zerubbabel arrived in Judah and managed to build the altar but did not progress further because of the opposition from the Canaanite people. The period described in Haggai therefore falls into the longer period covered under the Book of Ezra.
MORAL LESSONS FROM THE PASSAGE
We can draw a number of moral lessons from this passage. I have identified a few which I hope would inspire the reader in dealing with external conflicts that are introduced into ministry by people who are not committed to the things of God.
A) Not all who name the name of God are necessarily true followers of Jesus Christ. This is not to suggest that those who hold conflicting views in congregational leadership are necessarily adversaries from Satan! We should be specifically concerned about people who have no calling from God but yet purport to speak His mind.
Some of these evil people may have been planted by the enemy in the midst of God’s people with the objective of frustrating ministry. Only the discerning and spiritual in the midst of God's people will identify these imposters (cf. Matthew 13:24-30; Ephesians 4:14-15).
Acts 20:28-31 says "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
1 Timothy 5:22 warns Christian leaders never to hurriedly lay hands on [or appoint] anyone into ministry positions lest they partake in their sins.
It is important to satisfy the prudence of the church leaders whenever a critical ministry assignment or appointment is desired so that only those who have the true calling can be identified. We should not affirm strangers in a congregation without sufficient background reference.
Jesus taught in Matthew 7:21-23 saying, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (NKJV).
Neighborhood acquittance or blood relationship are not of themselves a ticket to communion in Christian ministry. Only those who know Christ and satisfy the requirements of Acts 6:3; 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and other relevant passages of Scripture should be considered for ministry duties.
B) Believers are a distinct community of God’s people who are spiritually separated from the people of this sinful world. They have no communion with those outside the body of Christ. 2 Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”.
We are to evangelize the lost and not merely assimilate them among us!
C) It is the responsibility of God’s covenant people to use their resources, skills and opportunities to advance the work of God. This mandate cannot be delegated or assigned to people who are outside God’s covenant community. I am aware that our African "ujamaa" culture values the "harambee" or socio-communal support for community programs.
Many church sanctuaries have been constructed with the support of the political class. This is not the same thing as Christian ministry service [even though it can be understood that way]. The responsibility for Christian ministry squarely falls on the shoulders of the Christian community and its leadership. This will never be delegated to the people of the world.
D) We should not be surprised or discouraged by opposition to God’s work. Satan will always send his agents to interfere with the work of God. The Bible is replete with illustrations on the suffering and affliction of God’s people in the hands of their adversaries both from within and without the Church. However, God never abandons His true people through all ages of human civilization, even under the fiercest persecution! His divine hand powerfully weaves through our circumstances of life and ultimately breaks the enemy barriers in the end.
Jesus said in Luke 6:22-23, " Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets" (NKJV).
E) No matter how long the enemy stands in the way of God's work, God's kingdom will always be advanced by those who courageously stand out to be counted in serving God. God’s purposes will ultimately be achieved through them.
Are you passing through fierce opposition from the enemy camp?
Be encouraged. Greater is He [Christ] that is in us [by His Spirit] than he [Satan] that is in the world (1John 4:4).
© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020
