Lesson 4 for October 26, 2019
God's work as always faced staunch opposition from the enemies of the
truth.
The Hebrew people faced opposition since the moment God facilitated the
events that let them rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple.
When the people of Israel were devastated under pressure, God encouraged
them by sending specific people who resumed the work.
Rebuilding the Temple:
The enemies want to help
The work is finished
Rebuilding the city:
The work halts
Nehemiah takes action
Facing opposition
The events in Ezra 3-7 are not written in chronological order as we usually do.
After the opposition of the Samaritans, it is mentioned that Darius allows the
rebuilding of the Temple to be resumed (Ezra 3:1-4:5).
In Ezra 4:6-23, there is opposition to the rebuilding of the city AFTER Darius'
decree.
Then, the rebuilding of the temple continues from Ezra 4:24 on, according to
Darius' decree.
520 –Darius REBUILDING THE CITY
536 –The altar is authorized the
built, and the rebuilding of
foundation of the the Temple 484 –Xerxes stops 450? –Artaxerxes stops
Temple is laid (Ezra 4:5; the rebuilding of the the work (Ezra 4:7-23)
(Ezra 3) 5:1-6:12) city (Ezra 4:6)
535 –The 515 –The Temple is 457 –Artaxerxes 444 –Nehemiah
Samaritans stop finished with the help of sends Ezra and finishes the
the work Haggai and Zechariah authorized the rebuilding of the wall
(Ezra 4:1-4, 24) (Ezra 6:13-18) reconstruction (Nehemiah 2-6)
(Ezra 7)
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE [All dates BC]
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For
what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And
what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)
When the Israelites began to rebuild the Temple,
their neighbors—the Samaritans—offered help: “Let
us build with you, for we seek your God as you do.”
(Ezra 4:2)
That help was rejected because of two main
reasons:
Their worship was actually idolatry: “They feared the Lord, yet
served their own gods.” (2 Kings 17:33)
• The Jews didn't want to become contaminated with idolatry
again.
They were confessed enemies of the Israelites (Ezra 4:1).
• Once their help was rejected, they showed their hidden
intention (Ezra 4:4).
The Samaritans persisted in preventing the rebuilding of
the Temple during the reign of Cyrus, Cambyses and
false Smerdis.
The Jews couldn't bear that crisis. They built their
homes with the wood that was set aside for the temple.
God sent them "signs" to make them
reconsider this (Haggai 1:5-11). They
didn't, so God sent two prophets
whose message was heard: Haggai
and Zechariah.
When they resumed the
work, God encouraged
king Darius to support
them (Ezra 5).
“Throughout the history of God’s people great
mountains of difficulty, apparently
insurmountable, have loomed up before those
who were trying to carry out the purposes of
Heaven. Such obstacles are permitted by the Lord
as a test of faith. When we are hedged about on
every side, this is the time above all others to
trust in God and in the power of His Spirit. The
exercise of a living faith means an increase of
spiritual strength and the development of an
unfaltering trust. It is thus that the soul becomes
a conquering power. Before the demand of faith,
the obstacles placed by Satan across the pathway
of the Christian will disappear; for the powers of
heaven will come to his aid. 'Nothing shall be
impossible unto you.' Matthew 17:20”
E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 48, p. 594)
“Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum,
Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem
against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.” (Ezra 4:23)
The temple was finished by year 515 BC. The rebuilding
of Jerusalem began right away.
Then, the Samaritans put up
resistance again. They made the
Israelites stop during the reign
of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] (Ezra 4:6).
In 457 BC, Artaxerxes sent Ezra
and gave Juda autonomy. The
rebuilding of the city was
resumed.
In 450? BC, the work halted again (Ezra 4:23). The Jews
were filled with fear, as they felt impotent before such
violent opposition.
It took 15 years to finish a 52-day work. It was not easy.
There was much opposition. Nehemiah had to take
action:
They prayed first, then took action. They did their part and God
did the rest.
“So I sent messengers to them, saying, 'I am doing a great
work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work
cease while I leave it and go down to you?’” (Nehemiah 6:3)
According to Nehemiah's account, opposition came in many ways:
a) Mockery: 4:1-3
b) Physical attacks: 4:7-8
North: Sanballat the Honorite
➔ East: Tobiah the Ammonite
South: Geshem the Arabian
West: The Philistines from Ashdod
c) Internal issues: 5:1
d) Conspiracy: 6:2
e) Treason accusations: 6:6-7
f) False prophets: 6:10-13
The false prophet Semaiah encouraged Nehemiah to take
refuge in a holy place to save his life. However, Nehemiah
chose to risk his own life instead of breaking God's Law
(only the priests could enter the holy places).
E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 53, p. 645)
“Like Nehemiah, God’s people are neither to fear nor
to despise their enemies. Putting their trust in God,
they are to go steadily forward, doing His work with
unselfishness, and committing to His providence the
cause for which they stand…
In every crisis His people may confidently declare, 'If
God be for us, who can be against us?' Romans 8:31.
However craftily the plots of Satan and his agents
may be laid, God can detect them, and bring to
nought all their counsels. The response of faith
today will be the response made by Nehemiah, 'Our
God shall fight for us;' for God is in the work, and no
man can prevent its ultimate success.”
