Ezra-Nehemiah - Then I did it anyway

Ezra-Nehemiah (Where we’re at)

God tells Cyrus to send the Israelites back to build the temple.

After a year they start, but they get resistance, so they say, “it must not be time” and they give up.

13 years later God sends prophets to tell Israel they aren’t prospering because the temple (Their physical representation of their relationship with Him) is in ruin. That’s why they can’t be satisfied.

Israel listens to the prophets and get to work. They are met with opposition, but instead of backing down they just do it anyway.

Then they did it anyway

Israel starts building the temple and their enemies send a letter to the king with a warning that basically reads, Israel was a great kingdom and if you let them grow they are going to rebel against you. The king orders the work to stop. After Haggai comes they started again and were met with opposition but this time… they did it anyway

Ezra 3:1–3 (NIV) Fear didn’t stop them

1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.

Ezra 4:1–4 (NIV) If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em - no thanks (when Israel took the land)

1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” 4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

Ezra 6:6–12 (NIV) They didn’t bow to fear, threats, or deceit - and they were blessed

6 Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. 7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. 11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

Nehemiah was a cup bearer to the king. He was considering the state of Jerusalem and made his demeanor downcast before the king. The king asked, what’s wrong? “How can I have joy when the city of my ancestors is in ruin?!” Alright go fix it. He travels to Jerusalem to rebuild and he’s mocked… but then he does it anyway.

Nehemiah 2:17-20 Mocking and passive aggressive threats

“17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.””

Nehemiah 4:1-3 the quality of their labor put to shame

“1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!””

Nehemiah 4:11-14 They threatened to kill them

“11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” 12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” 13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.””

Nehemiah 4:16–23 (NIV)

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” 21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

All of this added up to God’s glory

Nehemiah 6:16 “16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.”

Application: Holy Rebellion

What we learn from Ezra-Nehemiah is this, when God tells you to do something and someone else tells you not to… you do it anyway. Ready and willing to accept the consequences.

God told me to pray for that person but my fears are telling me they are going to shun me… do it anyway

God told me to share the gospel but I know that person and they aren’t going to accept it… do it anyway

God told me to adopt kids from a place I’ve never heard of but I don’t have the money… do it anyway

God told me to … then these fears, people, thoughts, pains, etc. told me not to … do it anyway

Examples

After Lazarus died Jesus told his disciples they had to go back to Judea and they replied “But Rabbi a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” You’re going to die! Thomas’s reply - well I guess we’ll go die with him then.

The apostles preached Christ crucified in Jerusalem. They were brought before the court and commanded to stop. Beaten. Then released and we’re preaching the gospel in Jerusalem by lunch time.

Who remembers COVID? Who remember WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!? We were told on Easter Sunday that people couldn’t gather together anymore. The leadership prayed and determined God wanted us to. So we did it anyway.

When the government told us that we were going to get sick and !die!, we were going to kill our parents and grandparents - the leadership prayed and determined God wanted us to meet an so we did it anyway.

When the government started running programs so you could report your neighbors for “unsafe” behaviour and shut down businesses. When the Canadian government started putting pastors in prison for holding church gatherings - the leadership prayed and determined God wanted us to meet an so we did it anyway.

And what was the Covid death tole for Faithbridge: 0. How many of our parents and grandparents did we kill: 0. How many of us went to jail: 0. How many days was the church shut down for listening to God: 0.

What does that all add up to? God being glorified. Compare Faithbridge pre-covid to post-covid. Pre-covid, 0 deacons/ Post-covid, 6 deacons. Pre-covid, 2 preachers/ Post-covid 5 preachers. Since Covid we’ve moved into a building several times larger than the last, started a men’s ministry, women’s ministry, partnered with a food pantry, started a mini food pantry, we’ve done 5-6 outreach events with more than 500 attenders. LifeWise started and is going strong. The congregation has grown not only in number but in depth of understanding and zeal for God’s mission.

Action

If God is telling you to do something don’t let anything or anyone stand in your way. It’s all fake power anyway. If He told you to do it He will provide for it.

How do I know if it’s God?

Who’s will does this align with?

Do you want to do it? (no) Does Satan want you to do it? (no) You’re still feeling the conviction, yeah, well who’s left?

EX: The only time I ever heard the audible voice of God was one word: “listen”. When did that happen? When Hogan brought in a Charismatic Pentecostal guy to share his testimony. Why did that happen? Because God knew as soon as I heard this guy’s story I wasn’t going to listen, so He had to speak. I told Sam, “That must say something about me. The only way God could get me to pay attention to someone I disagreed with was to literally speak.”

Israel’s kind of gangster in Ezra-Nehemiah. They have a holy rebellion that says, we respect our king, we respect our neighbors, but if your laws conflict with HIS orders - we’re going with HIM.

Philippians 1:12–21 (NIV) Paul beaten, poor, imprisoned, maligned by the church, completely humiliated had this to say.

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

If you bet on God, follow His lead, when everything is said and done - though you might be humiliated, you might be mocked, you might be threatened, people might laugh at your work - if you continue on you will not be ashamed. You will be glorified in Him and you’ll have part in His work.