1.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
THERE ARE MANY ADVERSARIES
‘The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.’
Ezra 4:1
I. The return from captivity would be viewed with mingled feelings by the Samaritans and those transplanted from the East by Esar-Haddon, king of Assyria.—Since they are termed ‘the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin,’ it is not necessary to suppose that the offer made to Zerubbabel to join with him in building the Temple was sincere, as some have supposed. It was rather a crafty endeavour, as the sequel reveals, to join in the work with the intention of effectively blocking it. It was their selfish aim to keep Jerusalem weak. Even yet nations too readily assume that the prosperity of others must mean disadvantage to themselves, and try to retard their development.
II. The claim that they, too, sought Jehovah and sacrificed unto Him was specious.—It contained an element of truth which made it the more dangerous. ‘They combined their own idolatrous religion with that of the newly adopted indigenous divinity of Palestine.’ Therefore co-operation would have meant deterioration. Such an addition in the number of helpers would have meant subtraction of real devotion to Jehovah, multiplication of faction, and division of power. Zerubbabel and the chiefs of Israel were wise, therefore, to decline co-operation so fraught with material and moral danger. The Christian must ever be on his guard against dubious co-operation which means the sacrifice of truth on the altar of charity. To compromise integrity of devotion and simplicity of truth in order to augment the number of associates is to court certain failure and just condemnation.
III. Failing in their first cunning attempt, the veil of conciliation was cast off.—They revealed the real hostility of spirit by hindering in every possible way the erection of the Temple. They sought that a decree should be made to stop the work. In this clever stratagem they were successful. The people were made to cease ‘by force and power’ from building, and their purpose was frustrated, until the days of Darius, the king of Persia, fifteen to twenty years after. Evil is active to hinder the good in every generation. No man ever attempted a good work without finding opposition in some form or other. Still, in the end the Temple was built. If evil is powerful, God is all-powerful. Whatever difficulties and adversaries arise, God’s Will is the greatest force this world knows, and to Him belongeth victory.
Illustrations
(1) ‘We must beware of the proposal to join in with the ungodly. Their arguments may sound very fair, and appeal to a false liberality of sentiment, but the golden cup contains poison, and beneath the kiss is the traitor’s hand. This is why so many fair enterprises have miscarried. They have afforded common ground for co-operation between the true and counterfeit Israel, whilst God has been alienated.’
(2) ‘ “Ye have nothing to do with us.” That is the answer we must make to men who want to co-operate with us externally before they have co-operated with us spiritually and sacrificially. When they would assist us in our works of benevolence and in spreading some particular practical aspect of religion our reply should be, “Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God.” Grander would be the Church, more virgin in her beauty and loveliness, more snow-like in her incorruptibleness, if she could say to every bad man who offers her assistance, “Ye have nothing to do with us in building the house of our God: the windows shall remain unglazed, and the roof beams unslated, before we will touch money made by the sale of poison, or by practices that are marked by the utmost corruption and evil.” ’
2.
Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3.
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5.
And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6.
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7.
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9.
Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10.
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
11.
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12.
Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
14.
Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15.
That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16.
We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
17.
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18.
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19.
And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21.
Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23.
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
24.
Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.