Ezra 4
RileyEzra 4:1-24
THE PROGRAM OPPOSED BUT concluding our last address we dealt with the enthusiasm of age, and listened to the cracked but enthusiastic voices of the old men who wept and laughed and shouted at the sight of even the foundation of the new house. But it is one thing to lay the foundation, it is another to complete the building.Chapters four to six are a report of progress, and they prove the unity of the race and the universality of human experience, in that this report carries both the outline of plans and the description of opponents, the record of progress and the recital of opposition.Such is life! There are instances in which the progress of life is marked, but seldom indeed is it smoothly made or delightfully accomplished. Once in a while we enjoy a solid week of sunshine, but seldom or never a month. The clouds darken, the thunders roll, the lightnings flash, the drenching rains fall; or, if at another season, the winds blow, the snow drives into the face, the hoar-frost bites into the very earth. It is perhaps well that these things are so.
An eternal sunshine would be monotonous, and everlasting summer would thin the blood, sap the strength and result in ennui.The opening sentence of this chapter, “Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard”, is the basis of the above remarks. Life itself is seldom free from adversaries, and constructive plans and material progress are never free from them.
A man who does nothing may be the subject of scoff, even of contempt, but he never experiences opposition. It is when we begin to build either ourselves or institutions that our true enemies arrive, and bitter opposition is known, but the true man will carry on, and the man who yields to Divine leadership will mark progress.This bit of history reveals some essential truths, and they have a wider application than appears upon first reading. For instance, we find here the opposition to the program, the prophet’s appeal, and the king’s final approval.THE PROGRAM OPPOSEDThe first step is a sinister attempt. That certainly is discoverable in the language of Scripture. The opening sentence tells us that these men were the “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin”, and yet “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”.A slight analysis, please! First, these men are “adversaries”; second, these men profess to be friends; third, these men profess to believe in the same God; fourth, these men admit essential differences!Whenever a known adversary professes to be a friend, it is well to sound out his motives, determine if possible his objectives.Again, when a man agrees with us at one point of religion, and disagrees at another, it is well to discover how essential is the agreement, and how important is the disagreement.These people might have been in one of three companies: The remainder of the Israelitish inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom who had remained behind when their brethren were violently expelled by the Syrians, and who had always been enemies to Judah and Benjamin.
Such men were the ancestors of the Galileans of the New Testament times. They might have been the offspring of Israelitish priests who were sent at the request of the captives to teach them the religion of the land when they were alarmed at an incursion of lions (2 Kings 17:25-28).On the other hand, it seems fairly clear from the text that they were neither of these, for the text tells us that Esar-Haddon, king of Assur, had brought them up to that land, a statement which identifies them as aliens and foreigners, with no kinship to Judah or Benjamin, but who by contact with left-over Jews had learned of Jehovah, and probably added Him to their pantheon.There are men not a few who are willing to take up another god.
Polytheists are not annoyed by numbers. Friendliness is their uniform attitude! Having no deep convictions of truth, they can add to their collection without any sense of compromise; in fact, another god is to them all to the good, and their very philosophy of religion renders them friendly, and courteous speech is their religious approach. The devil himself sought fellowship with Jesus on the same ground, and Judas Iscariot, his adequate representative, in the pretense of worship called Him “Master, and kissed Him”.Gentle approach and smooth speech are alike tools of the adversary. The tiger’s claw has a velvet cover. The Modernist’s appeal for “the Fatherhood of God” and “the Brotherhood of Man” shows him to be the religious descendant of the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.There are some men whose assistance in building even the house of God were better not had.
The saloon man on the corner, the scarlet woman across the street, the candidate for mayor, the ward politician—these are all willing contributors to your sanctuary. Only give them a chance, and they will come across with a subscription and lay down the spot cash, and even express their appreciation of being honored by your request.
They say, “Why should we be at war? Jesus was a Prince of Peace. Let us forget our differences, and recall the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, and fellowship. I’ll help you in your great enterprise, and you will at least agree not to interfere in my affairs.”Such is history! Not the history of Ezra’s day, but the history of my day. Such is humanity ! Not the humanity of three thousand years ago, but the humanity of this moment.The sinister attempt is uncovered.“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”.How rude! How unsympathetic !
How coarse! What do you think of such Christianity? A Christianity that will not have the help of men who volunteer the same; a Christianity that will not permit people to engage in a good work; a Christianity that will not accept aid from the world in putting over its great and glorious enterprises!Is that the Christianity of Christ? We rather think so. The Old Testament which He approved, taught that two could not “walk together except they be agreed”, and the New Testament gives very little countenance to worldly fellowships. John writes: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15), and the same John went to a frightful extreme, in the judgment of some people, saying,“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:“For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 1:9-11).Paul wrote, “Be not conformed to this world”.
History seems to be replete with illustrations of the fact that whenever the church invites and accepts the cooperation of the world, it takes into its bosom an enemy, and will be compelled later to discover that fact.Mark the conduct here! These very men who a few hours before were pretending friendship and were keen to make their contributions, are no sooner rejected than their true spirit evinces itself, and they set themselves to the task of weakening the hands of the people of Judah, and trouble them in their building, and hire counsels against them, frustrate their purpose, and finally address an accusation to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, and lodge against them the most serious complaints. It is a fine thing to be free from close fellowship with such pretenders, to be independent of such hypocrites, to be rid forever of such courting rebels (Ezra 4:4-16)Here again history repeats itself. Ecclesiasticism in the last fifteen years has become apostate. Its denominational organizations have almost uniformly corrupted religion, denying the faith and substituting a new god—“Evolution”—for Jehovah, and yet they tell us they believe in our God and want to work with us on “the inclusive basis”. In the name of “brotherhood” they seek for united endeavor on the part of Unitarians and Trinitarians.As one has put it, “They think by these two wings—Unitarianism on the one side, and Trinitarianism on the other, Ecclesiasticism is to mark progress.”But will she?
When did Christianity ever succeed on such a basis? What has Latitudinarianism done for the church of God except to degenerate her?
When and where did “the inclusive policy” bless foreign missions or missions at home? When and where did any church ever accept the compliments and co-operation of the world without at the same time losing its spiritual life? The attempt to thus widen the true channel of Christianity has only resulted in creating swamps in which the very life of spiritual religion is threatened.Charity doesn’t consist in the surrender of convictions; it is not strengthened by the breaking down of all barriers. Life is more exclusive than death. In the cemetery there are no divisions. In the graveyard friend and foe find no occasion of controversy; but among living men debates are possible, even desirable; and there is such a thing as a righteous contention for the faith, and battle even unto the death, in behalf of the truth.I do not know one church in the United States, nor am I familiar with one in the Canadian provinces, nor have I ever heard of one in Europe, or Asia, or Africa, or China, or Japan, that proved itself a power for good and for God after it had compromised with false religions, descended to a modicum of doctrine or none, and proceeded upon a basis of co-operation with and from the world.They carried their case to the highest court.
In this instance it was Artaxerxes, the conqueror, the Persian, who had defeated Cyrus and had come into power. Artaxerxes was not a king who had created a country, but he had captured a country, and the opponents of Judah and Benjamin reasoned that he would be keen about his resources, and would demand the loyalty of his subjects in tax paying.
They appealed, therefore, to his personal selfishness, his honor (Ezra 4:14), his security (Ezra 4:15), and particularly to his interest in “toll, tribute and custom” (Ezra 4:13).Times have changed, but not the customs of men. To this day the two institutions that are most easily excited upon all these subjects are the State and the Church. The administrators of state are very solicitous on the subject of patriotism, and still more determined upon the principle of tax-paying, and when one remembers our misgoverned world is a world of nations that increase tributes, and customs, and taxes daily, and through the power of oligarchy oppress the long-suffering people, he might imagine that if you look to the church, the great ecclesiastical body that now sets itself up as sister to the State, or, as in some instances as the State’s competitor, it would provide another vision; but alas! not so!The Artaxerxes of ecclesiasticism is today a conqueror also, and not a creator; and the interest of ecclesiasticism is not in the good of the people, but in the perfection and continuation of its own organization and in the execution of its own personally selfish program. Alas, for that individual preacher or that individual church that refuses to bow down before the ecclesiastical potentate! He is not always named a pope, nor in all branches of ecclesiasticism is he even called a bishop, but he is making his authority increasingly known, and the weight of his hand to be increasingly felt; and if any individual refuses to pay “toll, tribute and custom”, or any church fails to practice the same, the mailed fist of judgment falls.There was a time when in all Congregational bodies it was supposed, and repeatedly asserted, that they knew no masters, that they recognized no overlords; but alas for the triumph of Modernism! Today no priest-ridden organization is more tyrannized over than Baptist, Congregational, Disciple, and other supposedly autonomous bodies.The preacher who, like Daniel, refuses to bend the knee to that authority, is sent to the lion’s den, and unlike Daniel, is often destroyed, in official standing and employment prospect, by hungry secretaries.
The church that does not bend the knee is blacklisted and browbeaten, and by processes of court, as with the Baptists in California, Oklahoma, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and now in New York, the property is taken from the majority and turned over to the use of those who worship the machine, and who recognize no other God.The behavior of ecclesiastical potentates in this matter suffers by comparison with that of Artaxerxes, for while he did demand the cessation of temple building (Ezra 4:17-22), and caused the work to be suspended (Ezra 4:23-24), he did not appropriate that which had been accomplished to personal use, nor turn a totally deaf ear to the true prophets of God, as the present-day ecclesiastical potentate is wont to do.THE ’ APPEALTurn now to the fifth chapter, and new persons appear upon the scene, and new voices are heard in the matter at issue. Haggai and Zechariah become the spokesmen.
They address themselves to “the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the Name of the God of Israel”, and the effect of their words is recorded in this fact, “Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them” (Ezra 5:1-2).Who will say that speakers are useless? Who will say there is no power in preaching? Who will say that in the matter of material building, or a question of platforms, the prophet has no influence? When did the cause of God ever mark progress apart from it, and when did the people ever undertake big things without his leadership?Eloquence is born of conviction, and action is often the fruit of eloquence. The greatest leaders are commonly both seers and speakers, and whenever the cause of God marks progress, you will find the hands of the minister and those of the layman are linked.Politicians are often the opponents of prophets.“At the same time came to them Tatrni, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?“Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building” (Ezra 5:3-4)?How modern that sounds! It is like the chiding of the present-day secretary: “What right have you to lead this church in any direction except that prescribed by us overlords?
What right have you to call a preacher without consulting us? What right have you to determine where your own money shall be spent, and what individuals and institutions shall be supported?
What are the names of the men that dare oppose us, defy our authority, and depart from our prescriptions.”Let no man imagine the politicians work in the civic realm alone. They are also in ecclesiasticism; and as for differences in methods, at present at least, those of lords of state are more considerate than the rulers of ecclesiasticism.The Church of God at this time suffers from two sources, and it is practically impossible to determine which menaces it the most—Modernism, the denial of all Christian essentials, or ecclesiasticism, the present octopus of overlordship.Note now the features of the builders’ defense. First of all, “The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews”. That eye is at times the undoing of men. When sin is in the midst, and the eye of God is turned upon it, the judgment day is come; but when men are in the line of Divine appointment, the eye of God upon them is but the light in which to work, and defense for them against all their opponents.It does for them what the pillar of cloud accomplished in the Exodus. It makes a bright day for the faithful, and an impenetrable night for their enemies.No civil authority, with criminal intent, can compel the cessation of duty faithfully discharged under God’s eye.
No decree is effective against the Divine observation and pleasure. In the Book of Daniel when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are commanded at the “sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimerto” to fall down and worship the image, and are told, “If ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace”, they answer the king,“O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we mil not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:15-18).That is the speech of men who believe that God is looking on.
That is the defiance of temporal authority when it sets itself against God’s command, and that is also the revelation of the true believer’s spirit and the explanation of his loyal and successful service.But it is possible for men in their fury to go too far, and that is exactly what took place in this instance. They sent a letter to Darius, the king, and that letter proved to be their undoing. It demanded an investigation, and that investigation didn’t turn out as they had hoped, but resulted in the discovery of a decree that was not in their favor.How often history repeats itself! More than once have we seen a committee appointed to investigate, and the committee was created for the express purpose of carrying out a certain policy of oppression, but before the facts were all in, it was found that the committee itself was made incompetent, and its intention had been paralyzed, and truth had triumphed.Is it not cannily strange how often God brings out of some hiding place the most amazing witnesses, the most unexpected testimonies? These opponents never imagined that such witnesses lived, or that such testimony existed, but in due time they have appeared, and this day, when Modernists are seeking to discredit the authenticity of God’s Word, how often the spade of the archeologist smites the skeptic into silence, undermines his theories, proves false his conclusions, and throws up a wall of defense for the Word! It was so here!
Out of the archives of the past came the positive proofs of their right to build. Cyrus, in the first year of his reign, had “made a decree to build this house of God” (Ezra 5:13).
The search ordered by Darius (Ezra 6:1-5) revealed that fact, and reversed the king’s decision, effectingTHE KING’S Truth has a custom of coming abroad. Designing men often forget that fact, and their schemes suffer in consequence. In nine cases out of ten, where ulterior motives control, those entertaining them are hopeful that the truth can be covered up; but that thought is often in vain.The poet has told us, “Truth crushed to earth will rise again,” but the inspired pen declares even a greater fact, “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).He had a proper estimate of values who penned the inspired sentence, “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 25:25). More than once in recent years opponents of the truth have found themselves facing defeat. In ecclesiastical circles such opponents have captured our colleges, and by political manipulation, now man our denominational organizations; but those colleges are proving an increasing liability, and in some instances they have had to unload in disgrace that which they shouldered by theft; and all across the American continent, at this moment, there are missionary organizations trembling on the brink of bankruptcy because the truth has come abroad concerning the apostacy of leaders, and the propaganda of falsehood.What a suggestion this of God’s intervention in human affairs and even His influence over apostate ecclesiasticism! What an encouragement this to the faithful! “If God be for us, who can be against us”?We sometimes debate the question as to whether Modernists or Fundamentalists are in the majority.
That is not a debatable question, for where God is there the majority always exists; and the powers that be with those that are loyal to Him are more than they that be against Him. The important question then for every Christian is not how he may stand in with the human powers that be, but rather how he may abide a friend of truth, and under the favor Divine.There are not a few men who are telling us what faithfulness to God is costing them.
They are saying that their loyalty has resulted in official opposition and oppression, and in consequence they have lost office and salary and standing, but what are these as against the loss of God’s favor; and which, pray, would such prefer?You say, “That is all very well for the man who has kept his feet under him, retained his job, has a good income, and can care for his family, but right philosophies and even righteous courses do not feed hungry children, nor clothe the wife and little ones.” So? Then God has failed, and the text is not true—“The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalms 84:11).There are many men whose lack of tact, whose indifference to essential things, whose indolence in discharge of Divinely appointed tasks, whose failure to be sound and intelligent managers, effects unfavorable results that they would fain assign to “Fundamentalism,” but we still believe with the Psalmist, “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart, shall abide in Thy tabernacle” (Psalms 15:2; Psalms 15:1).I grant you that for quite a time it looked very bleak for Judah and Benjamin, and the prospects were all in favor of their opponents; but there is here another essential suggestion, namely,Truth often reverses situations. This whole sixth chapter reveals that fact. The discovery of Cyrus’ decree converts Darius into a friend. The enemies of Israel have his sharp command, “Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place” (Ezra 6:7).Can you imagine the joy that swept the tents of Israel when that sentence had reached them? But even that was only a fair beginning.
Follow with Ezra 6:8-12, inclusive. Whoever imagined that it could be so—in one day—the king whose decree had been most feared, becoming the friend of friends, and speaking the very words that cleared the whole situation and practically killed the entire opposition?
Yes! Some of us know that to be possible. We have seen it done in life. We have gone against enemies ourselves. They have been so big, their voices so loud, their threats so furious, that fear took hold upon us, and it looked like all our future plans were doomed; and then we have seen a change over night. The next morning our enemies were in dishonor, their sinister hopes exposed, and their godless plans thwarted; yea, even made to become contributory, as here (see Ezra 6:13-14). “The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice” (Psalms 97:1).Truth and time complete God’s projects.“And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.“And the Children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,“And offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.“And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the Book of Moses.“And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.“For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.“And the Children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,“And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel” (Ezra 6:15-22).How marvelous!
How much like God! How perfectly in keeping with Christian experience!
What project does He indict in our hearts that cannot be carried to successful completion if we are faithful?It is impossible to complete any great task without meeting opposition. The more Divine the project, the more furious the opponents. Satan has his emissaries a multitude. They are ever ready to set upon the man who builds for God, but that is never an occasion for discouragement; it is rather, when properly understood, a reason for rejoicing.Opponents to Christian endeavor are a practical demonstration that one is in the Divine will. Christ Himself has gone before us here.“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed, saying,“Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalms 2:1-3).That is because they are heathen; that is because they hate God; that is because they do not propose to have His Son rule over them. But, what of it?“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.“Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.“Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.“I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.“Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.“Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.“Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.“Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalms 2:4-11).God with you, you are more than conquerors!