Ezra 4-6 | The Greater Solution

INTRODUCTION: What’s the biggest problem you are facing right now? Joke about oils and berries.

In this life you will have trouble…bad news. Jesus said that. One of the few statements that we would know is true even if he didn’t. But sometimes we think once we get to Jesus we will stop having trouble, but that is no the case. The good news is though is the next statement: Take heart, I have overcome the world.

MAIN IDEA: God’s Solution Is Greater Than Our Problems

TENSION: God has a plan, but there will be fighting against it. How should we respond to that?

Ezra 4:1–3 ESV

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

adversaries - These were the Samaritans. They ended up hating each other.

we worship your God - Yes, they worshiped Yahweh, but they worshiped others to. Good reminder for us today, most are cool with us, even claim to be Christians, but also add in beliefs of others. We must not be willing to compromise.

ILLUSTRATION: Jehovah witness story.

We must be willing to hold our ground even if it means separating.

Ezra 4:4–5 ESV

4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

First thing they did was discourage them- literally to sink them. Bury them.

Satan will try to bury you.

Made them afraid.frustrate them. - w ear them out.

Ezra 4:6 ESV

6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

The natural progression - discouragement to accusations.

Sitnah - Satan, the accusor.

Accusing you of things you never did. It makes it so much harder to accomplish God’s plan if people are accusing you of things you never did.

ILLUSTRATION - There is a lot of bad things that can be said about me that are true, Surgeon quote: “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be. ”

but Satan is author of lies.

Funny social media comments: “The presenter, what a slimy, self satisfied piece of crap.” This guy clearly doesn’t know what he is talking about, definitely a false teacher that should be avoided. Jr. High camp counselor wanna be...

Ezra 4:7 ESV

7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.

The last portion is all about slander. They lie and make of things to dereail God’s work.

Notice - 3 different kings. Show timeline.

For 100 years they face opposition. God’s people are going to continue to face hardship.

We often feel like the moment when face adversity we question if God is actually using us.

God’s people will face adversity.

Ezra 4:24 ESV

24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

It stopped for 16 years. It took 4 years to complete the rebuilding of the temple. - HAHA you thought it was taking us a long time.

Procrastinatino joke - I’ll stop procrasination tomorrow.

God had commanded them to build it, yet discouragement and fear prevented them from following Him.

Ezra 5:1 ESV

1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.

After 16 years of difficult years. God raised up these two prophets.

ILLUSTRATION - finding answers in God’s word.

Until the 2nd year of Darius -

Haggai 1:13–15 ESV

13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.” 14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

What was the Lord’s message? I am with you. If God is with us, why are scared. Why can’t we accomplished what he called us to.

ILLUSTRATION - Theater blanket over my head.

Often times we face a little hardship we are ready to give up. Marriage has issues. Job is hard, MY family rejected my evangelism. Never going to do that again.

Without realizing that we are a just a few days away from a breakthrough. What could have been finished if 4 years took 16. It took 23 days to change that. God can change things in a hurry.

Let God’s Word be our motivation.

It can’t be if your not reading it.

So many people ask me “where was God when this happens.” Don’t say God is silent if your Bible is closed.

In the rest of Ezra 5 there is a letter sent to Darius, becuase it has been so long saying are they really supposed to be building this. Darius checks the official records and finds that yes. Makes a decree that says stay out of their buisiness, if you don’t your dead. AND makes a donoations from the king to finish the job.

Ezra 6:14–15 ESV

14 And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

They prospered as they heard and obeyed the word of God.

Ezra 6:16 ESV

16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

Finally completed.

They start to celebrate passover afterwards.

In the face of adversity keep going.

Weight illustration - tears it, but the longer you keep going the stronger you are.

16 years. This was God’s plan. We sometimes mistake thinking that God’s plan is quick and easy, but that is often not the case.

No fire though - unlike tabernacle or temple.

Leviticus 9:24 “24 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

2 Chronicles 7:1 “1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”

CONCLUSION:

Acts 2:1–4 ESV

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

You are the temple.

If God took 16 years to complete his temple. He cares more about you. He will see you thought as well.