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Listener, if you follow Christ, you will face conflict and opposition. Join Reverend Daniel as he explores how the conflict and opposition that the returnees faced in Ezra chapter 4 relates to us today and what lessons we can learn from them.

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We left off last week's uh sermon with a note of much joyful shouting and weeping. Pastor Weih preached last week that there was mixed feelings, weeping and rejoicing at the laying of the foundation of the temple. And this is in Ezra 3. So as we pick up pace this morning from Ezra chapter 4, we see actually a very negative picture of uh what's happening because we see conflict and opposition at almost every turn from the adversaries of the returnees. So in terms of structure and flow, today's uh the flow of thought of Ezra chapter 4 uh uh is actually in three parts. I'll bring us quickly through uh the parts and then we'll focus on again the question: what does all this mean to us um today? So Ezra chapter 4, verses 1 to 5, we see conflict and opposition from the time of King Cyrus. So uh it records, it gives us a sweeping record of three kings uh in at different times of their reign in which conflict existed. So if it helps you to read Ezra 4 on your own, uh it's not arranged in a chronological order. So if you read Ezra IV hoping to piece together the time, the historical timing of the event, you'll be disappointed. Because the author, the compiler of the book of Ezra in chapter 4, kind of organized his thoughts in a thematic way to help us focus that on the theme of opposition and uh that the people of God had to experience and what came out of that opposition. So is one opposition smack after the other can be overwhelming. Okay, and I can picture how in the book of Job, you know, uh chapter one to three, when he received news after news of bad things happening, right? And sometimes as people of God, we we wonder, can this really happen to us? Right? So if you look at the outline of the flow of thought, uh Ishrah 4.1 to 5, that was during the time of King Cyrus, the opposition came shortly after the foundation of the uh the temple was being laid. And Eshra 4.6, we have conflict, just one verse that notes down the conflict and opposition in the time of King Ahazus or Zaxus. Right? So nothing is being mentioned about what happened, it just records historically that there was conflict. A letter was written at that time in Aramaic, and from Ashrah 4, 7 to 24, uh that's where the bulk of the text lands on the conflict and opposition in the time of King Atarzexus I. Let's look to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come before you this morning, Lord, trusting that it is your word applied to our lives that brings life. So, Lord, even as we hear your word, even though it may give us a very bleak picture of life of the people of God, and sometimes at the back of our minds, we ask the question can this really happen to God's people? As your word is true, we know it can. Opposition can happen to us at every front, whether in terms of our family situation, our work situation, or even our own personal life. Lord, yet we know that we do not just end there, but there's hope because of Jesus. So Lord, may you um just stir up our hearts once again and fill us with hope in the midst of going through even times of conflict and opposition. That we'll not just end there, uh, but we will find hope through Jesus. So Lord, we pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. So, right now we want to focus our thoughts on Ezra chapter 4, verse 1 to 5. Conflict and opposition from the time of King Cyrus. So the text tells us that when the adversaries or when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to God, they wanted a part in it. So they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the father's houses and said to them, Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, as and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esahadon, king of Assyria, who brought us here. However, according to 2 Kings 17, 24, if you like to just record the reference, 2 Kings chapter 17, verse 24. When the northern kingdom of Israel was overtaken by the king of Assyria, he brought all kinds of people from Babylon, from Kuta, from Eva, from Hammon, and from Zavaviam, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. So there's a migration of people of various lands into Israel. So these were the group that remained, descendants from that group. So we read also according to 2 Kings 17, verse 29, that these nations that the king brought in made gods of their own. Thus we read from 2 Kings chapter 17, verse 30 to 33. Uh, the record of the people in northern Israel that came and resettled there. So these were the different people that came and they made different gods for themselves. So it was a very open kind of worship. Whichever God you worship, you just bring. And yeah, so there was an openness at that time under the Babylonians to just worship any god. So the man uh of Babylon made uh Suko Benov, the man of make Nagar, the man of Haman make Asima, and the Avites make Nibhas and Tatar, and the Sephonites burned their children in the fire to Aramalek and Anamelech, the gods of Sevavim. They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. So the key word is in verse 33. So they feared the Lord, they feared Yahweh, but they also served their own gods after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. So the very reason why Israel went into exile was because they have worshipped other gods, they have mingled the worship of Yahweh with other gods. And 2 Kings verse 17. Uh 2 Kings chapter 17, verse 7 to 12 tells us the people of Israel, the northern kingdom, went into exile because they had sinned against the Lord their God, because they have feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. So they built for themselves high places in their towns and set up pillars to worship uh other gods, and because of that, um they were taken into exile. So when the returnees came back and this group of people, uh the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin said, We are with you, we worship your God. I think all uh their antennas ran up because they realized that they cannot go back the same way again, they cannot allow these people, uh the adversaries to work with them because they can't intermingle with them because they are people of the land that have are living apart from the true worship of God. So therefore, they responded in Eshra 4, verse 3 Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the head of the father's houses in Israel said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God, but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us. Then we see in verses 4 to 5 of Ashraf, for the response from the people of the land was to discourage them, to make them afraid to build, and to bribe counselors against them. It says then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build, and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose. All the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, King of Persia. The verb to discourage in Hebrew means literally means when I discourage someone, it means to weaken the hands of someone. So to discourage means to uh weaken the hands of the builders. The verb to discourage is followed by two participles, which is to make them afraid and bribe. And in in the Hebrew, it carries a durative sense, meaning that these actions of discouraging, frightening, and bribing continued for some time. It was not just one time that the people of God were discouraged and were made afraid and and there was bribery taking place, but it happened over a period of time that intensifies as it goes along, all the way from the reign of Cyrus to the reign of King Darius. So uh repeated discouragement, repeated uh kind of uh scaring the people, making them, intimidating them, and bribing them uh happen over a protracted period of time. Then we read in Israel chapter 4, verse 6, this second part, that there's conflict and opposition from the time of King Ahazurus or King Zexus. So we are told in Ashra 4.6 that an accusation came against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. So we uh they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of the land, but we don't have a record in the text of what the accusation is about, but we know from the text that there is an accusation that came. So, in um other than just discouragement and scaring the people, making them afraid, briding counselors, there was also an accusation that came. Uh and in Ashrah chapter 4, verse 6 to 24, then we see uh in the time of King Atarzexus, two letters under this king, two letters were written against the returnees. So it's not just one letter, but two letters. The first letter tells us is from Bishla, Mireta, and Tapel, which and the rest of their associates. So this letter, written in Aramaic, again, we don't have a record of that, right? But it just tells us that there is a letter that went out against the returning. So what we have is the second letter that was elaborated, that is elaborated in the following verses a letter from Rehum, the commander, and Shimshad, Shimsai, the scribe, and the rest of the associates. So the content of this letter, the uh second letter uh is recorded in verse 11 to 16. So it's it says, This is the copy of the letter they sent. To Athazacsus the king, your servants, the men of the province beyond the river, sent greetings. And now be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. Now, because we eat the salt of the palace, and it's not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, in order that a search may be done in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province beyond the river. So as we try to uh kind of analyze this letter that is being written, it seems that the writers of the letter exerted pressure on the king in two on two fronts. One is they claim to speak for the whole province, not just in Yehud, which is the province where uh they were trying to rebuild uh the temple, but the the rest of the province beyond the river, so it's a whole area. And they are saying that uh when these Jewish people, when they take over uh and rebuild um the whole province will will be will be lost. In other words, the Persian king will have no possession in the province beyond the river, which is somewhat uh an exaggeration because it's just a part of a whole. But the writers uh wrote in such a way that they were trying to accuse them of greater things. They were magnifying the issue that you know that if you were not take action, then you have no possession. Ashra 416, in the province beyond the river. And of course, then they asserted to fear the safety of the realm, of the control of the Persian king. They said, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finish, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. This custom or toll or tribute refers to a fixed tax uh that is paid yearly by administrative districts, and this goes into the royal treasury. So they are just trying to play the political game to say that if these people were to rebuild, uh then you won't. They won't pay their taxes. But how would they know that taxes won't be paid? So again, it's an unfounded accusation, trying to uh in a way threaten the king that if you don't intervene, these people will run loose. They are rebellious, you know, you lose the whole province, you won't get uh money into royal treasury, you know, and and so on and so forth. So, in in other words, the economy of Persia will be damaged. Um so what they did was then they asked the king, go and conduct a thorough investigation in the royal archives and to to check your imperial records, and you will see, again, the they are quite firm in this that when you check your records, uh the the accusers were saying that this city, you will find that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and sedition was stirred up in it from of old. So again, they were playing, they were it's a good political political move because at that point King Atazexus had to deal with revolts at the same time when he received the letter, he's experiencing revolts from Syria and Egypt. So it's a context where he's struggling with, and then this letter came and said, These people are also rebellious. So likely, you know, at your king managing from afar, you wouldn't understand. You know, you would just probably based on the letter and based on some historical uh uh uh fact-finding, um, you probably will consent that this is true. So, in other words, the king Athaseus would could uh possibly think, possibly think that a similar uprising could happen among the Jews since it has already happened. It's happening in Syria and Egypt. So historically speaking, uh Jerusalem, the Jews, uh the Israel, Israel as a people did uh revolt against Assyria in 701 BCE and Babylon against the Babylonians. Um but to charge the city for sedition stirred up from old and calling Jerusalem a rebellious city is a rather strong accusation that is aimed to put Jerusalem in a bad light. So to cut the long story short, so Ezra 4, 17 to 22 then records for us the reply of the king, and of course the reply of the king uh consented with the investigation. Um it says in Ezra 4 verse 18, and now the letter that you sent to us have has been plainly read before me. And the king says, I make a decree and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it, and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem and ruled over the whole province beyond the river, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. Therefore make a decree that this man be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree, decree is made by me, and take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king? So of course we read that the king consented, agreed with everything that the uh the accusers were saying. So when the copy of the letter was being read uh before the accusers, with brute physical force and power, they acted immediately to stop the work of building the house of God in Jerusalem. So the work of the house of God in Jerusalem was stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, the king of Persia. So, what is the application for us as we consider this very long chapter, uh, 24 verses, and repeated opposition after opposition, and facing issue after issue. I believe one clue into just understanding how we apply this to our lives is in understanding that the accusation, the word accusation that that came by the enemies of the Jews, it actually derives from the same root as Satan. Satan is the accuser, accusation, uh the word uh accuser, uh in Hebrew it translates Satan. Right? Comes from the root word of Satan. Accuser equals Satan, in other words, right? So the adversary or accuser of God's people is Satan, right? So according to the New Testament, Satan, the adversary, is always looking for ways to oppose and devour God's people. You know, we know we read in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 8 to 9. 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 8 to 9 tells us be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kind of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. So the adversary in the New Testament pictures gives us a pain a picture of the devil as an opportunist, waiting to pounce like a lion on God's people, waiting to enter into uh into situations and cause further damage to our lives. And I think uh one take home for us today is is basically this our hearts today can be hardened by opposition. It can be weighted down and we can feel discouraged. And I think it's normal for us to feel discouraged, it's human for us to feel um yeah, down because we things are not looking good and we kind of having to go through things again and again in our lives. Yeah. So one one of the uh challenging things, you know, after um ordained ministry and when I assume uh being the vicar of of YCCA, I mean, at my at the level which I deal with, you know, uh I see a lot of things, uh conflict, disunity, uh things happening, small matters that become big matters escalating, and we hear a lot of things uh happening. So being by nature uh someone who sees uh cup as uh half empty, right? So it's my very natural for me to be pessimistic and harden my heart. So I've I felt one day God telling me to not harden your heart because all this disunity, all this conflict, all these petty quarrels, uh actually is the devil's way of trying to discourage God's people. Because there's goodness that will happen, you know, and there's there's there's something about discouragement, there's something about opposition that happens over a period of time that can make us discouraged, whether it's our work, our family, our ministry, even, or our personal struggles that we go through. So let's recall the reading from Ashrah chapter 4, 4 to 5, that the people of the land discourage the people of Judah, make them afraid to be embryed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose. So again, this was a repeated thing: actions of discouraging, frightening, bribing, discouraging, frightening, bribing, discouraging, frightening, bribing. You know, it happened once, we said, okay, la, maybe we should just girt our teeth and strengthen our skin like that of a rhinoceros and just press on. But if it happens again and again and again and again, um, how do we then cope with discouragement, threats, and bribes again and again and again? Perhaps some of us are in a situation where we are uh in a work situation, we are looking for employment, perhaps some of us are going through uh certain repeated challenges in your family life uh that is not resolved. Perhaps some of us are going through a work challenge that uh opposition and some kind of uh discouragement, uh whether it's work politics or uh what you have not, it just happens again and again. You are constantly discouraged, frightened, and in some way being uh challenged or bribed to take the easy way out. No, how do we cope with such uh cycle of discouragement, threats, and bribes again and again. I believe one of the strategies, at least in Ashraf 4, uh applicable to us today, is the strategy of Satan, the accuser or adversary, is to bring us down, I believe so, so that we will not fulfill God's purpose and will for our lives. And that's the very one reason why you know we we a lot of times abandon sheep. And that was what happened for 15 years. The work of God stopped after this letter came. Fiftees the temple was uh left in ruins, uh, the walls were not built up until God raised Nehemiah, right? He was cupbearer to the king. The king is, yeah, I think it's King Attazexus I. He was cupbearer to the king, and the king said, Why do you look you know sorrowful and hard and you know, uh, why do you look sad? You know, and then he began to tell the story. We have tried, we wanted to rebuild the house, and task and task happened. So he there was a turn of events, but 15 years. So next week, uh Pastor Roger will be sharing the word, and he realized 15 years the work of God stopped, and the people started to get busy, right? Instead of building God's house, but because of opposition, they stepped to build their own houses. So Haggai and uh Zechariah came in uh because the people were living in paneled houses, they were having uh uh looking after their own welfare because of all this discouragement that are happening. So that's happening around, so they say, uh, forget about this. You know, let's just mind our own affair, build our own houses, you know. And but 15 years later, the temple of God, the walls are still not being built up. The work of God stopped for 15 years, and that was the scheme of the devil: opposition after opposition, intimidation after intimidation, to bring God's people down so that we will not fulfill God's purpose for our lives. And I believe today, perhaps you are not activated because of discouragement, but God has a purpose for you. He has purpose to bring you here to YCCA, he has purpose for you to rise up above the discouragement, the threats, and the opposition and accusations to fulfill his purpose for your life. So if you are not walking in God's purpose, if you feel a certain sense of discontentment, perhaps the Lord is asking you to deal with the discouragement that you are facing. Yet the irony of this is that all of us, including myself, we will not be completely fulfilled until we fulfill God's purpose for our lives. And part of that purpose is to commit ourselves, of course, to build God's house and find our purpose therein. Right? But God also has purpose for us individually, and sometimes because of the strategy of Satan, the evil one, we are disempowered and disactivated. So I'm reminded uh in closing of the words of Martin Luther. Um he wrote a famous hymn, right? Uh it's a very majestic hymn. So if you have time, uh go to YouTube, just type a mighty fortress is our God and the song. I've heard some of us, I see some of us smiling. I think you all are familiar with that hymn. Uh so interesting to know that Martin Luther often fights the devil with music, right? Uh, something that I didn't know until I read about it, uh watched a video on it. It says, he this is what he writes, and I quote, music uh is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of man. Thus, it dries out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices. The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the word of God. Right? So, those of us who are musicians love music, noteworthy to take on this coat by Luther, because music has a power, right? You know, remember King Jehoshaphat when he was fighting the armies uh in the Old Testament, right? They went before with trumpets, you know, and they fought. Right? So, what's the answer, I believe, to discouragement is praise. You know, when we are able to enter into a time of making music, singing praises to God, reminding our own soul of God's faithfulness is the beginning of victory. Right? And of course, um, maybe at some point some of the worship leaders may want to attempt to sing this song. Mighty fortress is our God, but I wouldn't I wouldn't attempt to sing it. Yeah, but um we were some of the words of the song are so meaningful, right? Just to read uh just to read it along. A mighty fortress is our God, a boat walk, a boat walk never failing, our helper, he amid the flood, of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confine, our striving would be losing. We're not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing. Thus us, who that may be, Christ Jesus, it is he. Lord Saba'o, his name, the Lord, the warrior, the one that is the king of the armies of God is his name. From age to age the same, and he must win the battle. And like this one, it says, and though this world, with devil's field, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God had willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grimmed, we tremble not for him, his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him. So interesting if uh the story of how this song, A Mighty Fortress is our God, came to pass is actually Luther, Martin Luther drew his inspiration from Psalm 46. How many of us can recall Psalm 46? Have read it, have meditated on it. Psalm 46 is actually an psalm for today, uh, in terms of the application. He drew, and uh apparently when he's down or when he's fighting the devil and the demons in his mind or external uh forces, he will always tell his assistant, let's sing Psalm 46, right? Let's recall Psalm 46, and of course uh the song is taken as an inspiration from Psalm 46. I just read a couple of verses, Psalm 46, verse 1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters foam, roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its dwelling. There is a river whose streams make glad, the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms torter. He utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. So through Christ we can overcome the devil and all adversaries and the threats, intimidations, accusations, and discouragement it brings. Christ is the right hand. Sorry, pardon me, Christ is the right man on our side, according to Luther, the man of God's own choosing. And one little word shall fail him, the word of truth. And we know according to Ephesians 6, that part of the armor of God is we use the word of God, you know, to fight Satan, right? So declaring God's truth. Psalm 46 over our lives, when you go through trials, go and listen to a mighty fortress is our God. Just go to YouTube and have your earphones, and I think you'll be blessed, right? For those of us who are going through a time of discouragement and opposition. I pray that the Lord will speak to you as you meditate on Psalm 46 and as you re-listen to uh the hymn by Martin Luther, A Mighty Fortress is our God. Shall we pray? Father, we want to thank you this morning for your word to us. Thank you that we can fight the devil with music. Lord, that there's power in declaring your word over our life, there's a power in reading your word, there's a power in uh declaring our victory over Satan because of Jesus. And Lord, we know the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, to intimidate, to discourage, to oppose He's our adversary, but we know that through Christ, who is the right man on our side, that we have overcome the evil one.

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And help us to live as overcomers. We pray that you've been ministered to by the Word of God today. If you'd like to know more about each Christian church, please visit our website at yccanglican.com. Have a blessed day.