EZRA LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in Ezra 4:1 "Now when the adversaries
of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded
the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;"

     The enemy of God's people would try to stop the building of the
temple. Noah had the same problem from the world around him, when he
was building the ark. Any person, or group of people, who decide to do
something for God will face opposition from the devil. In this
particular instance, the devil was using the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin.

     Ezra 4:2 "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."

     This has been another weapon the enemy used from the beginning.
The serpent was in the garden with Adam and Eve. The enemy will
infiltrate the church any chance he can get. This was no different. He
tried to join in the building to sabatoge the work.

     Ezra 4:3 "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."

     The Bible is very plain in warning believers not to be un-equally
yoked with unbelievers. It was good that Zerubbabel and Jeshua saw
through their offer to help, and refused to let them help. Cyrus had
not insisted on them helping, and they knew better than to include
those of the world in building the temple to the LORD.

     Ezra 4:4 "Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the
people of Judah, and troubled them in building,"

     The people of the land, here, are speaking of Samaritans. They
were a constant hindrance to the building of the temple by Judah and
Benjamin.

     Ezra 4:5 "And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their
purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of
Darius king of Persia."

     These counsellors were bought to side in against Judah and
Benjamin. In our day, this hindrance would be things like not being
able to get building permits, or something of that order. They were
trying to make it as difficult as possible to keep the temple from
being built. The temple would bring a unity of the people. This is one
of the things their adversaries did not want to happen.

     Ezra 4:6 "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."

     Many believe this Ahasuerus to be the same as Xerxes mentioned in
the book of Esther. They were trying to turn him against the people
that had been allowed to return to Judah.

     Ezra 4:7  "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."

     This is speaking of them having an interpreter write this letter
in the Syrian language to prove to the Syrians they were part of them.
Part of the reason the building had slowed down, was because of the
change of kings. The people of Judah would not know whether the new
king still would help with the building of the temple, or not. He
would not remain king very long.

     Ezra 4:8 "Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a
letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:"

     Rehum and Shimshai were not Hebrews. They were not for the
building of the temple. This Artaxerxes was easily swayed against
Jerusalem.

     Ezra 4:9 "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,"
Ezra 4:10 "And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble
Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest
[that are] on this side the river, and at such a time."

     There is not much known about Asnapper. These are speaking of
people, who were not of Judah and Benjamin. They would like very much
to run them off, if they could and take this area for themselves. They
were afraid of the temple being built, because it would give a
permanence to the re-taking of the land by Judah.

     Ezra 4:11  "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."

     These letters were for no other purpose but to stir up trouble
between Artaxerxes and Judah.

     Ezra 4:12 "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."

     It was not actually this king who had sent them. Cyrus was the
king of Persia at the time they were sent to Jerusalem. The Jews had
rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, and that is what they were reminding
this evil king of here. They were not rebelling now, but doing what
Cyrus sent them to Jerusalem to do.

     Ezra 4:13 "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."

     They were trying to get this new king to stop Jerusalem from
building a wall of protection around it. The easiest way to get the
attention of this new king was to appeal to the loss of money from
taxation of this province. Of course, there had been no rebellion, but
they were not bothered with facts. They were trying to help themselves
and not the king of Persia.

     Ezra 4:14 "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;"

     They are pretending to look after the interest of the king of
Persia. They eat salt that he had provided, is perhaps what is meant
by maintenance. They are pretending to be protecting the king's
interest.

     Ezra 4:15 "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."

     Nebuchadnezzar had come against Jerusalem, because the LORD had
turned him against His people. Their being unfaithful to God was what
caused their destruction. The records would, possibly, show a
rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, however.

     Ezra 4:16 "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."

     These evil men were trying to convince the king that he would
lose all control over Judah, if he allowed them to continue this
building program. These evil men were not really trying to help
anyone, but themselves. They believed, if the king destroyed Judah,
they would be able to receive this land.

     Ezra 4:17   "[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."  Ezra 4:18 "The letter which ye
sent unto us hath been plainly read before me." Ezra 4:19 "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."

     This evil king had received their letters, and believed what they
had said. He looked in the records, and saw where Jerusalem had
rebelled against them. He had believed a lie.

     Ezra 4:20 "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."

     The mighty kings, spoken of here, could be David, Solomon, or
Josiah. This was a true statement, that they did collect tribute. The
remnant of the people in Jerusalem now, was not large enough to be a
threat to anyone, however.

     Ezra 4:21 "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."

     He, now, gave orders that the building was to cease.

     Ezra 4:22 "Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the kings?"

     They were to act immediately upon this, so the king would suffer
no loss.

     Ezra 4:23  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.

     It appears, that these two men were the representatives of the
king in this land. Even though the Jews had been freed and returned
home, they were still under the rule of Persia. These men were
speaking for the king of Persia, and forced the building to stop.

     Ezra 4:24 "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."

     Artaxarxes reigned for less than a year. He was replaced by king
Darius. Darius would allow the work to continue on as originally
planned. This speaks of a period of less than 2 years interval, before
the work on the temple would be legal to start again.









                             Ezra 4 Questions


1.  The enemy of God's people will try to stop the __________ of the
    _________.
2.  Who did Noah have difficulty with, when he was building the ark?
3.  Any person, who decides to do something for the LORD, will have
    trouble from the ______.
4.  In this particular situation, the devil was using the adversaries
    of _________ and ________.
5.  What did these adversaries ask Jerubbabel?
6.  Why did they want to join the building force?
7.  Who answered their request?
8.  What was the answer?
9.  Who had commanded the building of the temple?
10. The Bible is very plain about believers not being _________ yoked
    with those of unbelief.
11. Who weakened the hands of the people of Judah?
12. Who are the people of the land in verse 4?
13. Why were the counsellors hired?
14. Why did they not want the temple built?
15. In the reign of ___________, they wrote accusations against Judah.
16. Who wrote the letter to Artaxerxes?
17. Who were the chancellor and the scribe that wrote a letter?
18. Why were all of these people so opposed to Judah and Benjamin?
19. What was the purpose of the letters?
20. Who had the Jews rebelled against in the past?
21. What reason do they give this evil king for stopping them from
    building?
22. How did the king answer Rehum and Shimshai?
23. Who were the mighty kings mentioned in verse 20?
24. What did the king tell them to do?
25. How long did the work on the house of God cease?