Resistance to Rebuilding

Introduction:

Persecution is a terrible evil; yet all across the world people are persecuted on a regular basis. Our world is broken, because throughout it there are people who are exterminated because they are of a different race, religion, nationality, or culture.

Persecution takes on many different forms, such as:

Ridicule

Embarrassment

Shame

Mockery

Insults

Physical, mental, and emotional abuse

Discrimination

Harassment

Hatred

Violence and deadly assaults

Sexual mistreatment and exploitation

This list could go on and on. I want to stress the simple fact that persecution of anyone made in the image of God is wrong. Because persecution harms our fellow human beings, people who are of equal value and worth as any of us. Every human being is loved by God. Our God longs for all of us (the human race) to respond to His love by loving Him, loving His Son Jesus Christ, and loving one another.

For the believer this is a sad reality of life. Being attacked and persecuted is a theme explored throughout the Bible, and our passage this morning. While we might not be aware of the persecution that takes place through out the world here is a statistic from 2022...

In 2022, advocacy group Open Doors said that at least 360 million Christians experienced “high levels of persecution and discrimination.” This was 20 million higher than 2021. The Group also estimated that the number of Christians killed for their faith rose to 5,898 in 2022, up from 4,761 in 2021.

Recap:

Remember, the foundation of the temple has been completed and the Jewish exiles had held a dedication service to celebrate the wonderful event. Though the were fearful of surrounding peoples they trusted God, recognizing that the walls of the city would not be able to truly save them they needed their God’s protection.

Just as things seemed to be going according to plan, opposition reared its ugly head and halted the project.

vv. 1-3) Attack 1: Cooperate and Compromise

The first attack against the people of God here was a friendly, enticing suggestion to cooperate and compromise with their neighbors. On the surface we might question Zerubbabel’s harsh response. But this was a subtle, deceptive, and very dangerous scheme, for Scripture says that these neighbors were “enemies.” They stood opposed to God’s people and their return to the promised land and the rebuilding of their temple.

Two factors would have stirred opposition from the people or neighbors nearby:

A settlement of nearly 50,000 Jews would have been a threat to the power, control, and authority of the surrounding communities. For that reason, the political and business leaders as well as large landowners would have strongly opposed their arrival.

The setting which the Jews were returning was volatile, as the neighboring people were obviously anti-Semitic, deeply prejudice against the Jews.

As soon as the Jews arrived back in the promise land, strong opposition began to form against them. This opposition was determined to make the Jews’ fail in their effort to rebuild the temple and their cities. When the surrounding people heard about the Jews rebuilding their temple, they saw an opportunity to launch an insidious scheme against the building project.

Pretending to be friendly and cooperative neighbors, they offered to help the Jew build their temple. From all appearances their offer seemed rather reasonable, they even claimed to worship the same God as the Jews. By worshipping the same God, the temple could serve as their worship center as well as the worship center for the Jews. But appearances are not always what they seem, these people were enemies, subversives who were seeking to infiltrate the workforce in order to derail the building project.

These enemies were the people who had lived in the land since the fall of Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. When the Northern Kingdom fell, the Assyrians exiled most of the Israelites and brought in people from other lands to repopulate Israel. Through the generations, the Jews who had been left behind intermarried with the new inhabitants. Thus, the Samaritans became a mixed race, and down through the years their religion became mixed as well.

Although they claimed to worship the same God as the Jews, in truth they worshipped many so-called gods, all false. They did not worship the only true and living God.

2 Kings 17:32–34 NKJV

32 So they feared the Lord, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. 34 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel,

If the Samaritans had been allowed to help them, they would have become close. Friends through socializing and mingling together. Eventually, the wicked lifestyle and false worship of the Samaritans would have influence the Jews. As a result, the Jews too would have turned away from the Lord. They would have become corrupt and disobedient before Him, worshipping other gods and disobeying the commandments of God’s Holy Word.

Note this fact: if the deceptive scheme of the enemy had worked, then the distinctiveness of the Jewish race would have been lost. But as Scripture says:

John 4:22 NKJV

22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

The gift of the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and the coming of the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ , was to come through the Jewish race. Therefore, the Jewish returnees rejected the offer of the Samaritans and remnant was preserved as Isaiah had prophesied:

Isaiah 10:20–21 NKJV

20 And it shall come to pass in that day That the remnant of Israel, And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, Will never again depend on him who defeated them, But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God.

It is clear the Jews saw through the enemy’s devious offer to help them rebuild the temple. And they gave two reason for rejecting the offer.

The Samarians had nothing to do with the temple , had no part in it. they were not true worshippers of the Lord, for true worshippers worshipped the Lord and Him alone. The Samaritans did not acknowledge that there is only one true and living God, only one true and living Savior of the world.

King Cyrus of Persia had commissioned the jews alone to build the temple.

Application:

There is a strong lesson for us here. compromising our faith and what we stand for to mingle, socialize, have fellowship with, or even forming partnerships with unbelievers will undermine our Christian lives. I find it fascinating that the world wants to be involved in the worship of God. However an unbeliever doesn’t worship the same God as you and I do.

So be careful guard yourself.

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 NKJV

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

vv. 4-5) Attack 2: Threatened, Harassed, and Frightened

The second attack by the Samaritans was to use intimidation and to strike fear in the hearts of the Jews. If enough fear could be aroused, perhaps they would stop the projects of rebuilding the temple and the city of Jerusalem.

In day-to-day contacts, the Samaritans apparently threatened and hassled the Jewish workers. It is only natural for any Jew who was spiritually weak and lacked commitment to the project would quit and go home. If that wasn’t bad enough the Samaritans actually bribed Persian officials to agitate and intimidate the exile returnees.

The specifics of the harassment isn’t stated. Most likely they sought to persuade the officials of Tyre and Sidon to refuse the requests of the Jews for building materials and supplies for the temple. Also, they clearly sought to influence the Persian court against God’s people too.

Notice something here… The opposition was not temporary, it wasn’t one or two attacks. It was a persistent opposition, that began during the reign of King Cyrus and continued through the reign of King Darius.

Ezra 4:24 NKJV

24 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.

This means there was over 20 years of opposition, and the conflict would become so fierce that construction of the temple and city would stop in 530 B.C. and not resume again until 520 B.C., which was the second year of Darius’ reign.

The harassment by the Samaritan enemies was successful, at least for a period of time. And it will be further discussed in their third attack.

Application: Family, we are promised by Jesus, that we will go through hardship, difficulties and even persecution.

John 15:18–25 NKJV

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

I know that while we are coming up against opposition there can be a fear and a sense of dread. We must not be overcome by fear, and neither by the harassment or threats of our enemies… Whether the enemy is a man, spiritual foe, or a culture we must not allow fear to dominate our lives.

The fear that we are discussing is not the fear you might experience coming across and snake. God allowed us to have a healthy fear. The fear we are talking about here is the fear that drives us further from God and further from His Word and further from trusting Him.

This type of fear must not be allowed to dominate our live, to defeat us, to discourage us, or to make us feel helpless. This is the clear teaching of God’s Holy Word.

God loves us and cares for us. He promises to give us the strength to stand up against those that oppose Him.

I pray that these verse encourage your soul:

Matthew 10:30–31 NKJV

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

2 Timothy 1:7–8 (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

Psalm 91:2–6 NKJV

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Isaiah 12:2 NKJV

2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ”

vv. 6-24) Attack 3: Falsely Accused and Slandered

From verses 4-23 is a broad overview of Samaritan resistance to the word of rebuilding the temple and the city of Jerusalem, extending into the days of Nehemiah. It is these two sections that in itself, somewhat interrupt the flow of the this chapter.

By taking out this section and simply (vv. 4-23) we see that the work of the building of the temple was interrupted for several years during the reign of Cyrus till the reign of Darius.

Darius ruled from 522-486

There are two other kings described in this chapter and that is what we are seeing in vv. 4-23.

Xerxes or Ahasuerus ruled from 486-465

Artaxerxes I ruled from 465-424

This third attack against the Jews was being falsely accused and slandered. Even after the temple had been completed, the opposition toward the Jewish returnees continued.

This opposition was launched not only against the rebuilding of the temple but also against rebuilding of Jerusalem and its wall. As long as God’s people were attempting to resettle in the promised land, rebuilding their cities, nation, and temple, the enemy was going to continue attacking them.

Right after Ahasuerus took the throne, the Samaritan enemies wrote a letter to the king falsely accusing the Jews of an unlawful act. Just what the false accusation was is not discussed, nor is Xerxes’ response to the letter is given. It seem that the mention of Ahasuerus here simply marks the passage of time, which goes to show you that the enemy’s antagonism has not cooled.

[7-16] During the reign of King Artaxerxes, another letter making false accusation was sent. Three local Samaritan leaders took the initiative in launching this serious complaint. But they seem to have the support of all the local leadership too, their names being Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel.

Seeking even more support, these three convinced the two highest ranking Persian officials of the local province to write the letter. What this means that that this letter of complaint against the Jews had the highest authority possible from the local province of which Judah was a part. The letter no doubt carried great weight with the king.

[9] In the beginning of the letter, the governor and secretary stated that the grievance was not from just a small, isolated group. On the contrary, it was from leaders and officials from all over the Persian Empire.

In addition, the complaint was coming from the local residents the very people who had been relocated in the city of Samaria and through the province of Trans-Euphrates. These people had been relocated to populate the area some 200 years earlier by the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal.

2 Chronicles 33:11 NKJV

11 Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.

The writers of the letter suggest that they are only concerned with the welfare of the king and the empire, they make 5 accusation against the Jews:

v. 12 The Jews were rebuilding the rebellious city of Jerusalem, restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

v. 13 If the city and its walls were rebuilt, the Jews would rebel and refuse to pay their taxes.

v. 14 The honor of the king was at stake; therefore they were informing him of danger on the horizon if the Jews continued to rebuild their nation.

v. 15 A search of the royal records would reveal that the Jews were a rebellious people, which was the very reason that Jerusalem had been earlier destroyed.

v. 16 the rebellious Jews might lead a revolt and the king might lose all the land west of the Euphrates River.

After receiving the letter, King Artaxerxes responded by greeting all the officials of the complaint and informing them that the letter had been translated and read to him. He also took their advice and ordered the royal records searched and found that Jerusalem had indeed been a hotbed of rebellion.

Also not surprisingly, the search also revealed that Jerusalem’s kings had been powerful rulers, dominating the entire land west of the Euphrates. In light of all the king had read and heard, the king agreed with the complaint. The governor was to issue an immediate order to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

As soon as the Kings response reached the local governor and secretary, they took immediate action. Sadly the returned exiles were compelled to stop rebuilding Jerusalem. And that military forces was used to stop the work. Apparently this also included destorying the sections of wall that had already been rebuilt:

Nehemiah 1:3 NKJV

3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

It is important to note that long before the work order was given to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls, the rebuilding of the temple had been brought to a halt. For a period of about 10 years, no work whatsoever took place on the temple. It had been stopped at the end of King Cyrus’ reign.

Application: Family when we are walking rightly with God accomplishing the work that He has given to us. We can and should expect persecution. We will suffer some degree of persecution:

Falsely accused

lied about

Slandered

ridiculed and mocked

rumors and gossiped about

we will be embarrassed and shamed

Persecution may also involve physical violence, assault, or perhaps even call upon to pay the price with our lives. We need to keep this in mind when we seek to keep the commandments of God, living righteous and holy lives, those who live in sin and wickedness are bound to oppose us.

Righteousness always stands opposed to sinful behavior, and the commandments of God condemn wicked behavior. God warns us against sin death, and judgement to come. God’s message is a holy and righteous.

John 3:18–21 NKJV

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

2 Timothy 3:10–12 (NKJV)

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Romans 14:7–9 NKJV

7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’