Or, The Continuity of Conflict
Scripture: Ezra 4:1-24
Date: October 27, 2024
Speaker: Sean Higgins
Hudson Taylor, well-known missionary to China in the 19th century, once said:
“Depend on it. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply. He is too wise a God to frustrate His purposes for lack of funds, and He can just as easily supply them ahead of time as afterwards, and He much prefers doing so.”
The beginning part especially is good and faith-strengthening. It’s also catchy, but it’s not quite complete. The context is here on earth before Christ comes back; of course when He’s here we won’t question the supply. But in that context before the King of kings returns, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack resistance from haters.
From Ezra 4 until the end of Nehemiah (remember, originally one book), including the events of Esther (which remember, took place between Ezra 6-7), there is opposition to the work God promised He would do. It’s not just that the work was difficult and the historical situation relatively primitive, it’s also that enemies at various levels in a variety of ways tried to hinder God’s people doing God’s work.
That’s true reading through history, and it’s emphasized reading through Ezra 4 on the literary level. What I mean is that verses 6-23 do not fit the chronology of verses 1-5 and verse 24. The “in-between” accusations happen after Darius, and Darius is ruling in verse 5 and still in 24, then into chapters 5-6. Ezra had the documents to tell the story from before his return, and he organizes this material to explain, even emphasize, the continuity of conflict.
Look at how the approachers are labeled at the beginning: adversaries, “enemies” (NASB). At first their offer seems legit. They want to join the work. Word of the returners and their worship had gotten around; the “sound was heard far away” (3:13).
These adversaries were “the peoples of the land” (3:3), but they were not natives. It was typical policy when one kingdom conquered another to deport the inhabitants to a new place. It was kinder than killing them, plus you could get taxes from them, while making them more uncomfortable than back home where they might get ideas of pushing back. These had come since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.
They claimed that they had been sacrificing to the same God. And this is not entirely false. Ezra would have known the history in 2 Kings 17:24-33. People were transplanted into northern Israel and they needed a priest who knew the God of the land. But they worshipped all the gods rather than worship the Lord exclusively. “So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away” (2 Kings 17:33).
Zerubabbel and Jeshua rejected any partnership. Maybe the response seems rude. But Israel’s identity in worship was distinct and their purity as a people was to be different, which becomes a problem later in Ezra. It’s also true that in Zerubabbel’s wisdom the true nature of this group were enemies not allies.
The adversaries didn’t just go away.
Verses 4-5 summarize how they discouraged the Jews and made afraid to build and frustrated their purpose. Discouraged is an abstract translation of “weakened the hands.” Threats, taunts, bribing others to threaten.
They did it from Cyrus’ reign (when they first returned) to Darius’ reign (when they finally finished the temple), almost two decades.
There are a few ways to understand this section. It could be that Ezra just made a mistake. Or, it could be that Ezra referred to one king by another king’s name. Or, as I said at the beginning, Ezra inserts some post Darius opposition examples to show the continuity of conflict.
Ahasuerus (486-465) is the first king after Darius, also known as Xerxes, the king in the book of Ezra. Ahasuerus got complaint letters from the neighbors. Plus we know Haman took great pains to kill all the Jews in all places throughout the Persian kingdom.
There’s even more specifics examples during the rule of Artexerxes (464-423), who was king during the return of both Ezra and Nehemiah. Starting in verse 7 through the end of chapter 6, the original writing is Aramaic not Hebrew. Ezra had and included one of the originals.
TWO letters of accusation are referred to, sent from different groups, one in verse 7 (a letter mentioned but not included), and another in verses 8-9. The sniveling, ring-kissers wanted to crush the Jews with the king’s authority. Ezra had a copy of their letter, and this is the third reference to tattle-tales in three verses.
The Associates are complaining about the walls (verses 12-13, 16), not the temple. This is further evidence that this section is brought in from later history. Up through Ezra 4:5 it’s a concern only with the temple (which was completed by Artexerxes’ reign).
They exaggerate at imaginative and silly proportions, finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. To charge that if this city is rebuilt…they will not pay was made up, political lies. At the end again, if this city is rebuilt…you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River; the Jews were nowhere near being this kind of threat.
The Associates were ones who eat the salt of the palace, a phrase that referred to being in someone’s service. “Our word ‘salary’ is derived from Latin salarium, ‘salt money’” (Breneman). They feigned concern for the king’s dishonor.
The Associates mention tribute, custom, and toll, three sources of taxation revenue. It resonated with Artexerxes because he needed money. Persia had spent a lot of its resources battling Greece (starting with Ahasuerus), and so the whiners are touching on possible loss of taxes more than anything. That got attention in the palace.
Artexerxes replied with a cease and desist. Make a decree that these men be made to cease. It should be observed that no king had given explicit permission to rebuild the city walls.
Verse 21 closes the door but doesn’t lock it. That little line, until a decree is made by me leaves open a policy reversal. For now he urged them, take care not to be slack in this matter.
The Associates wasted no time flexing their muscle. It is very likely that this over reaction led to Nehemiah’s sadness which led to Artexerxes’ commissioning of Nehemiah to return to build the walls (444 BC). See Nehemiah 1:3.
We can see that Nehemiah was in a tricky spot, to get permission to leave, and even more to have Artexerxes reverse his previous decree.
The timeline picks up again in verse 24. It’s a “repetitive resumption” (Williamson), tying back to verse 5. The temple building in chapters 5-6 overcame no small resistance.
Verses 6-23 may be out of order chronologically, but they are no digression from the point. Adversaries started discouraging the building and successfully got the Jews to cease. There were accusations, distortions, hostility and threats and force, rumors and discouragement.
Why does God make (some) promises that don’t remove all resistance? Why does He (often) prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies?
We must live by faith, until we won’t need faith because we see Jesus. The Great Commission will be fulfilled in the continuity of conflict, not eliminating the conflict. The “fulness of the Gentiles” is better than the finishing of the temple, but the success of the Gospel Light will happen amidst the darkness of enmity.
Until the King of kings returns, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack resistance from haters, NOR lack God’s supply of mercy that we would not lose heart.
Again, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack resistance from haters, NOR will it lack God’s supply of mercy so that we would not lose heart. Hold fast, beloved. Strengthen the hands of your brothers. When you have done the will of God you will receive what is promised.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23–25 ESV)