Troubles Upon Troubles
Ezra • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Ezra 4:17-24.
Today’s text highlights the difficulties and opposition facing the returning exiles.
As noted last week-
Whenever God’s people move in God’s will and purpose-
There will always be opposition.
There is one standard that is not changed by the passage of time-
Satan is a liar.
In Job 1.11, Satan attacks Job’s integrity IN THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD
In Acts 6:13, The lying witnesses led to the crowd stoning Stephen and making him the first martyr for the Gospel message.
Even at Jesus’ trial, Mark 14:56, The Pharisees gathered so many lying witnesses together, they couldn’t keep their story’s straight and contradicted each other.
Satan lies.
This is why Apostle Paul reminds us in Eph 6.12
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Satan will attack our motives; remind us of inner weaknesses; whisper that we are hypocrites not worthy to be God’s children, and that God’s grace in our lives is all an illusion.
So the accusations will go on and on, for Satan never gives up.
But we know that such accusations are false, for we have the witness of the Spirit within.
‘The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God’ (Rom. 8:16)
Yet in all of this we need to remind ourselves-
The battle belongs to the Lord.
Just as in the story of Job and Apostle Paul’s thorn in the flesh-
We may face trials and difficulties in life from a variety of sources-
Yet they all serve a purpose if we allow ourselves to see them as a means of refining our faith, reinforcing and strengthening our reliance on God.
To seek God first for direction and intervention in our trials, we undercut to impact that Satan is trying have over us.
In the big picture of the entire Canon of Scripture Christ is the final answer of how to face and overcome intense opposition for the sake of completing God’s mission.
What we must always keep at the forefront is-
That even in the middle of crushing opposition and discouragement-
God has called us all of His people to remain steady in our faith and
Leaning in on knowledge that he will provide the needed strength and guidance to overcome whatever life throws at us-
And all for His glory
So lets begin our look at Troubles Upon Troubles-
1- Exaggerations and Accusations
1- Exaggerations and Accusations
Then King Artaxerxes sent this reply: “To Rehum the governor, Shimshai the court secretary, and their colleagues living in Samaria and throughout the province west of the Euphrates River. Greetings.”
“The letter you sent has been translated and read to me.
I ordered a search of the records and have found that Jerusalem has indeed been a hotbed of insurrection against many kings.
In fact, rebellion and revolt are normal there!
One aspect that gets neglected in our modern society is-
Just how quickly correspondence was moved over a significant distance.
Jerusalem was about 750 miles from the Persian Capitol of Susa.
Relay Couriers on horseback could make the trip one way in 5-8 days.
So within two weeks the Agitators would have their answer from the king. Very efficient for the time period.
Hidden inside the accusations was the false impression that the Holy city of Jerusalem had been a constant hotbed of rebellion, anarchy and general discontent.
The truth was that from the time before King David-
God’s people had been in near constant battle with the pagan empires around them-
Hezekiah’s revolt vs Sennacherib in about 700 BC
Also later rebellions vs the oppressive Babylonian Empire
All trying to overthrow and subjugate the inhabitants of the Holy City.
The lesson here is that it doesn’t take a big lie to distort the truth just enough to fit any one narrative.
Just one more thing that Satan has effectively used throughout history to confuse and discourage God’s chosen people.
Just as the exiles had adversaries and faced accusations
Followers of Christ, today, are confronted by spiritual and earthly challenges.
We must always be walking in wisdom and discernment-
There is always a lesson to be learned in the troubles of our daily lives.
Sometimes those lesson are simple and even mundane.
Other times they can be deeply profound and life-changing.
Regardless, we cannot allow ourselves to become discouraged when life goes sideways on us.
God will never leave us or forget about us-
His ways are far greater then our understanding
And the sooner we begin to rely on Him in the middle of the storms of life-
The less impact those storms will have on our lives.
In ancient times, the people of Israel faced numerous trials as they wandered in the desert.
After escaping slavery in Egypt, they encountered hunger, thirst, and hostile nations.
God provided manna from heaven and water from a rock, yet they often complained about their difficulties.
This cycle of trouble highlights our own struggles; like the Israelites, we might feel overwhelmed by troubles upon troubles.
Yet in this biblical narrative, we see that God's faithfulness shines through the darkest circumstances.
When troubles pile up at work and stress becomes overwhelming, it’s easy to lose focus and let negativity seep into your performance.
Take a moment to step back and start each morning with a prayer.
Ask God for clarity and resilience in the face of challenges.
Next- The impact of persistent complaining-
2- The Work Delayed
2- The Work Delayed
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and the entire province west of the Euphrates River, receiving tribute, customs, and tolls.
Therefore, issue orders to have these men stop their work.
That city must not be rebuilt except at my express command.
Be diligent, and don’t neglect this matter, for we must not permit the situation to harm the king’s interests.”
Consider the life of Job, a man of great wealth and righteousness. When calamity struck, he lost his health, wealth, and family in quick succession.
Job’s friends believed his troubles stemmed from hidden sin, yet Job maintained his innocence.
His profound suffering teaches us that our struggles may not always have clear explanations.
In the depths of despair, Job’s faith in God remained steadfast, reminding us to trust in divine purpose when faced with relentless trials.
From any human perspective- It would seem that the accusations had their desired effect.
The delay in rebuilding Jerusalem lasted nearly 16 years.
The pause in the restoration project could be seen as, not just a setback-
But a major defeat.
Yet consider that Artaxerxes still left the door open-
He was hedging his own bets-
He does not order the the work to be demolished- Only stopped.
And that, mostly, because of his own self interests.
While he insisted that no situation could allow for the harming of the kings interests.
Artaxerxes was clear that the rebuild would only continue, AT HIS EXPRESS COMMAND!
This will come into play later in the story of Nehemiah.
3- Delayed but not Defeated
3- Delayed but not Defeated
When this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their colleagues, they hurried to Jerusalem.
Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building.
So the work on the Temple of God in Jerusalem had stopped, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
God is never caught by surprise by the actions of man.
We are often shocked by the audacity of some of mankind’s actions.
I have often admitted to myself that, “I did not see that one coming”
God has never had that issue.
God sees and knows all from before time began to beyond the end of time.
Nothing catches God off guard.
When we look at the life of Joseph in Genesis, we find a powerful testament to enduring trouble.
Sold into slavery by his brothers and falsely imprisoned for years, Joseph’s life was a series of trials.
Yet through each setback, he remained faithful, ultimately rising to power in Egypt and saving countless lives during famine.
Joseph’s story encourages us to hold onto hope and trust that God can turn our troubles into blessings, despite our current circumstances.
Just as Joseph related to his brothers,
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.
He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
What practical steps can you take to remain steadfast in faith when faced with opposition in your life?
In your public life, you might find yourself facing constant critiques or misunderstandings that shake your confidence.
When you feel under attack, commit to engaging in a weekly service project or community outreach where you can connect with others positively.
When workplace troubles lead to conflicts with colleagues, it can deeply affect your morale and productivity.
Instead of bottling up frustrations or retaliating, make a conscious choice to initiate a one-on-one coffee meeting with the colleague to openly discuss your feelings.
Approach the conversation with a spirit of reconciliation and humility, reflecting on scripture that advises us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).
This could pave the way for healing and a stronger partnership. Without getting “Preachy” with them.
Jewish historian Josephus and others note that-
The enemies of God’s people, returned to Jerusalem with troops and horses
Although ordered only to stop the work-
it is quite possible that, in their eagerness, they actually destroyed some of it was well.
This could be the situation that eventually found the ears of Nehemiah 1:3
They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah.
They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
The interruption of the rebuilding of the Altar and the Temple was, no doubt, devastating for the people, at the time.
In Acts 9:15-16, We see the Lord speaking to Ananias to go the home where Saul was staying after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus-
...The Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
The Apostle Paul experienced a life filled with hardships: imprisonment, beatings, and shipwrecks, yet he wrote,
'I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'
Paul's letters reveal that he did not view these troubles as setbacks, but as opportunities for God’s power to be displayed.
His example should inspire us to view our own troubles as part of a greater spiritual journey.
We must keep one thing in mind always-
Satan lies.
In Job 1.11, Against Stephen, Acts 6:13, Even Jesus at His trial, Mark 14:56.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
And never forget- The battle belongs to the Lord.
And He has never Failed.
