EZRA 4
As soon as God starts to bless, the enemy starts to battle. Satan is a destroyer, and he gets angry when God’s people unite to build. He has three favorite weapons.
Cooperation (1–3). The people were descendants of the Jews who intermarried with the Gentiles the Assyrians brought to the land (
Intimidation (4–5). Discouragement and fear are effective weapons, especially when the work is already difficult. When you start to experience fear, lean on
Legislation (6–24). The people of the world will use “official influence” to hinder God’s work. From their viewpoint, Jerusalem had been a rebellious city, and the king would certainly be concerned about taxes. The tactic worked, and the construction had to stop.
But God was still at work!
“There is no need to fear; if we keep within the moral frontiers of God, we can say boldly, “The Lord is my helper.’”
Oswald Chambers