Introduction

One of worst tricks our depraved minds play on us is that we lose perspective on both our greatest hopes and our greatest disappointments. Have you ever watched a child freak out over the smallest injury? He cuts his finger, begins screaming in terror, and asks, “Am I going to die?” Fighting back laughter, you answer, “No, it’s just a little cut.”

As silly as that is, adults do it too. It happened to me many times while trying to get a baby to sleep in the middle of the night. This kid just refuses to sleep, and my mind is foggy, and I begin to be believe that this baby will never go to sleep, and neither will I. I’m going to rock this child for the rest of my life.

At other times we despair because we believe things like, “I’m the only one who has ever faced this,” “This is the worst thing ever,” or “My trial will never end.” But these thoughts are rarely true; therefore, a little perspective goes a long way toward settling our minds and giving us direction.

And that’s what the narrator provides in Ezra 4. I’ll tell you up front that this chapter is probably the most confusing section of the book. This is because the narrator bounces around events spanning up to 90 years of history. If you don’t catch these jumps or put them in the right order, the chapter is hard to follow. But if you keep the chronology organized, it’s not too hard to understand.

But you may still wonder why the narrator jumps around so much and why he makes this chapter confusing? The simple answer is that he wants to provide “Perspective for Trials.” He knew that we are prone to thinking the sky is falling, and we must learn to keep our trials in perspective. That said, let’s jump into the text. The story begins with…

I.  A Bold Stand (vv. 1–3)

Remember where chapter 3 left off (timeline). It’s 536 B.C., Cyrus is the king of Persia, and the Jews just finished laying the foundation of the new temple. Afterwards, they celebrated God’s blessings. And 3:13 states that the celebration was so loud that “the sound was heard far away.”

And 4:1 follows by saying that “the enemies of Judah (literally) heard” the celebration. And news about this grand building created quite a stir throughout the region. We do the same thing. We get curious when we see a big building project, and we want to know what’s going on and what new business is coming to town. But these neighbors were not merely curious. Instead, v. 1 warns that they were…

The Enemies: They tell us a little more about who they are in v. 2 when they say, “We have been…” This statement recalls a story that goes back to 2 Kings 17:24–34. This text provides important context for all of Ezra-Nehemiah but also for understanding the NT. A couple weeks ago, we read about the Babylonian destruction of the Southern Kingdom in 586 B.C. This text describes the aftermath of the Assyrian destruction of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. (read).

The big difference between the two destructions is that the Assyrians moved many refugees into the North. And these people ultimately developed a syncretistic religion that blended Judaism and paganism. They became known as Samaritans, and they play an important role in Ezra-Nehemiah and in the NT.

This context is important because in v. 2 of our text, the Samaritans claim they have embraced Judaism, that they are friends of God. But 2 Kings 17 clearly says they are not. Instead, they worshipped Yahweh alongside many other deities, something the 1^st commandment forbade. Therefore, they were truly “enemies of Judah and Benjamin.” Yet they came to the Jews with a tempting proposal.

The Proposal: “Let’s work together.” Imagine the Jews toiling away at rebuilding the temple. They’re tired, and they’re spending lots of money. One day, a fancy caravan rolls into town. They say what everyone wants to hear when you are struggling with a big project, “Let me help you.”

They probably said all the right things about worshipping God, and it was probably partially true. They had been worshipping Yahweh for a long time (though again, alongside many other gods), and they genuinely wanted to worship him in a rebuilt temple.

And if you are Zerubbabel and Jeshua, it would be hard to reject their offer. They have a small workforce who are still trying to get settled in their new homes. They have limited funds, and they had taken on an expensive project.

If they worked together, they could build a much bigger and more beautiful temple. God couldn’t possibly want them to reject such an opportunity, right?

And don’t forget the diplomatic angle. If you refuse the Samaritans’ offer, you risk starting a war, and the returnees really can’t afford that. Life would be so much easier if they can find a way to get along with these guys and blend in with the other peoples in the region. So, it had be very tempting to say, “Grab a shovel, pull out your wallet, and let’s be friends.”

We often face similar temptations. People who deny the gospel say, “We’re basically the same. We believe in the same God.” It’s tempting to say, “Yeah” and avoid a fight. Or we think, “If I just ignore this little biblical demand, I can fit in so much better at work or school. I’m sure God doesn’t mind.”

And churches and Christian institutions feel this temptation too. “If we make a little compromise, we can reach so many more people, avoid bad press, and keep our bank account full.” It’s hard. We can all relate to the conflict that Zerubbabel and Jeshua surely felt.

Yet the right answer was obvious if they were honest with themselves. They knew the Samaritans were polytheists and that their theology was fatally flawed. The Bible is clear that you either worship God alone, or you don’t worship him at all. God will not tolerate rivals.

Furthermore, the Law was clear about how to worship God. And Israel had been judged many times for adapting to paganism and for partnering with idolaters. So, if they really valued the blessing and nearness of God, there was no way they could partner with the Samaritans.

On top of that, the Samaritans are going to prove to be quite evil in the rest of the story. So, I doubt that all they wanted was to partner in the worship of God. I’m sure they had an ulterior, evil agenda. As a result, notice the stand Jeshua and Zerubbabel take in v. 3.

The Stand: “You have nothing in common with us.” They don’t mince words. The Samaritans didn’t worship the same god because he was not an exclusive god; therefore, they boldly declare, “You have nothing in common with us.” That’s really bold!

And yet it was absolutely true, and it is still true today. “Do not be bound together withunbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ ‘Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you.’ ‘And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:14–18).

We are fundamentally different from the world, and we must prioritize God’s favor and blessing over the acceptance and the friendship of the world.

Yes, it may be costly. Jeshua and Zerubbabel could have really used the help, and they probably knew this would lead to the persecution we will read about in the rest of the chapter. But they valued God’s friendship more than the world’s friendship. So, they boldly remained separate.

And faithfulness to Christ will often be costly for us. It will mean missing out on the pleasures of sin. It may cost you close relationships and cause you some awkward, painful moments. That’s always hard.

But we have to stand, not because we want to feel morally superior or because we are angry and we love a fight. No, we long for the promise that if I remain holy, God says, “‘I will welcome you.’‘And I will be a father to you, and you shall besons and daughters to Me.’” Nothing is worth more than this!

Folks, we don’t pursue holiness because we are cranky or because we want to be better than other people. We do it because we love to be close to God. So, in the strength of God’s grace say no to sin and say no to ungodly partnerships. It will hurt, but Christ is worth it. Moving on in the story, the Samaritans were surely furious about the reply that they received. In response, vv. 4 –5 describe their…

II.  The Opposition (vv. 4–5)

First, the Samaritans “discouraged” the people. The literal idea is that they “weakened their hands.” The text doesn’t tell us how they did this, but they probably blocked trade, and created other economic hardships. It’s a big deal if you don’t have access to food and various supplies. We’ve seen recently how much it affects life when trade doesn’t move freely.

And v. 4 adds that they also “frightened them from building.” They intimidated the Jews. You can imagine them standing outside the city and along trade routes jeering and chanting, doing whatever they can to intimidate the crowd.

Finally, v. 5 adds that they, “hired counselors…” This probably means they bribed royal officials to sway the king against the Jews. Bribery and government corruption are nothing new, but it’s always a big problem. The Jews were a small people with little natural pull in the government. A few adversaries in the royal court could make life difficult.

And the text says this continued “all the days…” We’re probably talking about a 14-year period from the time temple construction began in 536 B.C., through the time when construction paused, and until it resumed in 520 B.C.

It was tough, discouraging, slow time. During these kinds of time, it’s easy to feel the emotions I mentioned in my introduction. You begin to think that you are the only one, nobody understands, it will never get better, my problems are the worst ever, and, “What’s the use of serving God? He doesn’t care about me, and he only rewards my service with hardship.”

Can you relate? How do you get through these times? Well, the author follows in vv. 6–23 by doing something unique but brilliant. He adds perspective by zooming out and looking at this trial in comparison to similar challenges from other historical periods. He describes…

III.  The Pattern of Opposition (vv. 6–23)

As I said in my introduction, it’s much easier to track this section if you keep a historical timeline handy, so that you can visualize how it fits together (timeline). Notice that v. 5 says that the initial opposition extended from shortly after construction began (536 B.C.) through the reign of Darius, probably 520 B.C. when construction will resume.

Opposition During the Reign of Xerxes (v. 6): But then notice that v. 6 jumps to the reign of Ahasuerus. We know this name because he is the king in the story of Esther. He is better known in our day by his Greek name Xerxes. So, there is something like a 40-year gap between vv. 5, 6.

So again, the author, who wrote somewhere around 400 B.C., is stepping back from the chronology of the story to point out that the opposition in 536 B.C. was not unique. It happened again in the early years of Xerxes, probably before the incredible events of Esther which would have effectively squashed opposition to the Jews.

He doesn’t give any specifics about the accusation that was delivered to Xerxes because that’s not the point. Rather, the point is simply to say that we shouldn’t despair when we endure hostility because God’s people have always faced opposition.

Opposition During the Reign of Artaxerxes (vv. 7–23): Then notice that vv. 7–23 makes another chronological jump (vv. 7–16). Verse 7 says these events took place during the reign of Artaxerxes. This is a very important time in the story of Ezra-Nehemiah because both the 2^nd return under Ezra and the 3^rd return under Nehemiah happen during his reign.

Verses 7–10 say that once again the Samaritans (v. 10 describes them as those the Assyrians “deported and settled…”) rallied a large group of people to send a stern letter to the king regarding the Jews.

This time we get to read the text of the letter in vv. 11–16. It’s full of mudslinging, half-truths, and emotional manipulation. Does that sound at all like modern political speeches? Some things never change!

They start by warning that “the Jews who came up from you” were rebuilding Jerusalem and the walls around the city. Based on what follows, they are probably referring to the people who came with Ezra in the 2^nd Apparently, they rallied the Jews to begin rebuilding Jerusalem after little had been done for almost 80 years. That angered the Samaritans.

They are determined to stop the Jews, so they make harsh and ridiculous charges against them. They call Jerusalem a “rebellious and evil city” (v. 12). And they shrewdly make their way to the king’s heart by claiming that if construction continues, the Jews will stop paying taxes (v. 13). No politician wants that.

Verse 15 invites Artaxerxes to search the record books and see how threatening Jerusalem could be because in past times it had been a powerful city that resisted foreign domination. That’s certainly true. David, Solomon, Hezekiah, and others had enjoyed great glory.

But at this point time, Jerusalem was a long way from its former glory. It wasn’t a threat to Persia. But they claim that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, Persia will lose the entire region west of the Euphrates (map). That’s a huge area. There’s no way the Jews could lead this entire region into rebellion.

However, the king listened intently to the letter and searched the archives. He read about Jerusalem’s former glory, and he sent the reply that is recorded in vv. 17–22. Sadly, he agreed with the Samaritans, and he gives the Samaritans exactly what they want—permission to stop construction.

You can imagine how happy the Samaritans were to read this letter. Verse 23 says, “The went in haste…” You can also imagine how devastating this would be. The Jews have a renewed energy to build their country. But suddenly an armed force shows up in town with a royal decree and stops everything.

The text never says this explicitly, but it is highly likely that these events provide the backdrop for Nehemiah. Ezra inspired the people to build. Then the Samaritans didn’t just stop them; they destroyed their work on the city and its walls.

When Nehemiah hears about it, he’s devastated (Neh 1:1–4). It doesn’t make sense that he would be so devastated about the Babylonian destruction, because that was 130 years in the past. It makes better sense that he is grieving this recent Samaritan destruction. And v. 4 says it really devastated him. Just imagine how discouraging it was for the workers in Israel.

In sum, vv. 6–23 are a long parenthesis in the story of the 1^st return, and it’s all there to provide perspective for what comes next in v. 24.

IV.  The Defeat (v. 24)

Notice the time stamp on v. 24. This verse extends through “the 2^nd year of the reign of Darius” (timeline). That marker clearly tells us that the parenthesis is over and we need to go back to the reign of Darius and to the time of Zerubbabel and Jeshua.

They started construction in 536 B.C. Verses 1–5 say that the Samaritans made their lives difficult. And now v. 24 simply ends the story by saying that they succeeded in stopping the construction until the 2^nd year of Darius, which is 520 B.C.

Again, think about the joy 3:10–11 and contrast that with the emptiness of 4:24. These people had boldly attempted to serve the Lord, but God didn’t make their way easy. Instead, they endured great opposition.

And the narrator knew that reading this account may potentially discourage his readers also. That’s why he includes vv. 6–23, to add perspective to the hardships of following Christ. So, I’d like to pull all of this together into 4…

V.  Conclusions

Evil always resists God’s work. The point of vv. 6–23 is to say that v. 24 is nothing new. Evil always resists God’s work. We often think that if life is easy, I must be doing something right, but the opposite is generally true. I love the perspective of 1 Corinthians 16:8–9, “But I will remain inEphesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” A wide door does not mean there are no adversaries. Instead, expect that they will show up.

Keep perspective through hardship. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard Christians say, “Jesus must be coming soon because it can’t possibly get worse.” I hate to be discouraging but open a history book. It’s been worse many times. But you know what? This also means you are not alone. Hebrews 12:1 says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have been where you are, God sustained them, and they made it.

Don’t be shocked by hardship and don’t believe Satan’s lie that your trials are the worst ever and that you can’t make it. Get some perspective and draw strength from the testimony of godly saints throughout history and from the testimony of those sitting next to you. Keep perspective through hardship.

Be holy as God is holy. Do not compromise your faith for temporary relief from the hardships of life. The nearness of God is worth far more than anything you will gain by compromising his will.

Anticipate the victory of Jesus (Ps 2). By far, the most helpful perspective for facing opposition is to remember that evil forces also resist Jesus, but someday, he will crush them all. Psalm 2 looks forward to their final resistance at the end of time (read).

The whole world will oppose Jesus. But God will laugh, and Jesus will win, and so will we. So, take heed to that last line, “How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”