Sunday, April 13, 2014

Be ware of the enemies of Christ, let us not into temptation.

Ezra 4:1-24
Opposition to the rebuilding from the enemies of Judah and Banjamin. They tried to help them to build because they seek God also.
But Zerunbabel, Jushua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel refused them. " You have not part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus commanded us."
They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
V 6-23 interrupt the chronological sequence to carry the account of the opposition through to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, early 100 years later. Here the bone of contention is the rebuilding of the city walls.
Ezra and Nehemiah describe the three stage return: the main party, who returned with Zerunbabel in 538/7, the exiles who returned with Ezra 80 years later, in 458; and Nehemiah's party in 445. Because it is difficult to put the events of the two books in time order.
Why?
The settlers offer help. They too now offer sacrifices to the God of this land. But the Jews will have none of it, and so the settlers stir things up, managing to stop the work for 15 long years, until Darius is king.
The enemies of God were working against them,frustrated their plans, even they are working against Christian in this generation.
How?
Our enemies is in the Spiritual fighting. Be ware of the enemies of Christ, let us not into temptation.


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