Based on Ezra 4 (New King James Version)
“Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, ‘Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’ But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, ‘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.’ Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. In the days of Artaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language. Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion: From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions—representatives of the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond the River—and so forth. (This is a copy of the letter that they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and so forth: Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations. Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished. Now because we receive support from the palace, it was not proper for us to see the king’s dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king, that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. And you will find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition within the city in former times, for which cause this city was destroyed. We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River. The king sent an answer: To Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and to the remainder beyond the River: Peace, and so forth. The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me. And I gave the command, and a search has been made, and it was found that this city in former times has revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition have been fostered in it. There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them. Now give the command to make these men cease, that this city may not be built until the command is given by me. Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings? 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. Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
As long as Satan and beings that allow to be seduced by him exist, there will always be opposition to the Lord’s work. This has been since the origin of sin, since the fall of many of the heavenly hosts that are now demons and evil spirits, to Adam and Eve, and until now, and will be until Almighty God casts the devil and everything that follows him to the lake of fire which is the second death. In today’s passage, we read one of the many times that the enemy has opposed what belongs to God. And we need to be very careful because evil opposition can come in many ways and forms, sometimes in very direct and daring ways, just like very subtle and nearly undetectable ways also.
We see these attempts to intervene in both ways in this passage, as an example. First, God’s enemies try to introduce themselves in a friendly manner, like if they had the same intention to rebuild God’s temple, and to such an extent that they offer themselves to rebuild together with the Jews. They even pretended to be of the same faith. Anyone would say, “If the Jews would have accepted the offer, they would not have had the problems they had after.” But that was not true. They did not have good intentions. If they had good intentions, they would not have opposed the work after. It was not an act out of spite, but rather, their true intentions were revealed. This is what the Word warns us about, and it applies today more than ever: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. The devil and his followers will not always present themselves directly, but rather many times, as something very innocent and that seems good. Who would flee from an angel of light? As the saying goes: “Not everything that shines is gold.” One of the enemy’s greatest weapons is deceit, and many times, he will introduce himself through nice appearances, through people that are pleasing, with pretty smiles and convincing words. When you are able to understand the nature of something, then you can understand what they are capable of. The enemy is all evil, the total opposite of God, and as such, he will do everything possible to try to destroy or stop God’s work. But this is what the Word says: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! ‘If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” Matthew 18:6-9. Therefore, if there is something that is trying to take you out of the Lord’s things, no matter how nice and wholesome they might seem, abandon it. Get rid of it. Take it away from you. Otherwise, you may wind up in hell.
So then, and meanwhile, there will always be problems for the Lord’s things, but in the end, it is your decision if you allow yourself to be influenced, if you give up, if you let yourself deviate, or even, if you decide to join the opposite side (those that allow themselves to guided by the flesh and their sin). But the only ones that will enter God’s kingdom and live forever are those that do the Father’s will. So, are you a part of God’s work despite the circumstances? Lord bless! John