Ezra 4
Chuck Smith on Ezra 4
Verse by verse, the C2000, 1979 to 1985 and C3000, 1985 to 1999 series. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
C2000 · 1979 to 1985
Verses 1–4
And when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity [had built the towers,] started to build the temple of the Lord unto the LORD God of Israel; they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and they said, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assur, which brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, You don't have anything to do with us to build a 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. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building (4:1-4),
Now when the northern kingdom was destroyed by Assyria, the Assyrian king took the people of the northern kingdom and scattered them throughout the world, and they had brought other people that they had conquered and settled them in the land of the northern kingdom. Became known as Samaria. But that was the capital city. And the people ultimately became known as the Samaritans. Now when they came into the land, the wild animals began to turn against the people, and many of them were devoured. And they came to the king and they said, "Hey, we can't get along with the gods of the land. The animals are turning against us. So send us some priests that they may teach us how to worship in order that we might worship these gods of the land so that these wild animals won't be eating our kids and all."
So the king of Assyria found some priests and they brought them to these people who the priests taught them the worship of God. And so they feared Jehovah, but they worshipped their own gods. In other words, He was just made a part of their whole total worship program, but it wasn't a true worship of Jehovah, nor were they truly descendants of Abraham or Israel. So they did, however, as a part of their total worship worship Jehovah, even as they were taught, they did have the sacrifices; they did offer the sacrifices and all because the priest taught them the burnt offerings, the peace offerings and these things, so they did do that. And so when these fellows came and were going to build their temple, they said, "Hey, we'd like to help you because we worship your God, too." But they worship God as a mixture, with a lot of other gods. And so Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the chief men decided that they didn't want their help.
Now it would be great if the church would maintain that same attitude today. We don't need the help of the world in doing the work of God. But not all churches see it that way, and many are trying to conscript Satan to come help them in their building programs or whatever. But God doesn't need any help in accomplishing His program, especially from those who are not true servants of God. And I feel that it is wrong to go to worldly people to try to conscript aid for the work of God.
They refused to accept their help. Now these are the same people that in the time of Christ were called the Samaritans. And the Jews would not have any dealings, even after they returned, they would not have any dealings four hundred years later when Christ came, they still would not have any dealings with the Samaritans. And you remember when Jesus met the woman of Samaria at the well and said, "Would you give me a drink of water?" She said, "How come you're asking me for a drink? You're a Jew, I'm a Samaritan. The Jews don't have dealings with the Samaritans."
It is true the Jews would usually, when they were coming to the feast from Galilee, go clear on down to the Jordan River and come all the way along the Jordan River and then come up from Jericho rather than take the shorter route directly through Samaria, because they just didn't like to be around the Samaritans. There was a lot of bad blood between the two.
Now the Holy Spirit came upon the church, and in one of the early persecutions, the church was sort of scattered, and Jesus had said to His disciples, "When the Holy Ghost comes upon you, you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." So in the persecution, as the church was scattered, Philip went up to Samaria and began to preach Christ to the Samaritans. And many believed and were baptized when they saw the miracles that were wrought through the hands of Philip.
Now when the church in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had also received the Gospel, they sent unto them Peter and John for as yet the Holy Spirit had not come upon them. And when they came, they laid hands on them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. And that's when Simon said, "Hey, I'd like to buy this power that whoever I lay my hands on they would receive, too." And Peter said, "Your money perish with you because you think that the gifts of God can be bought with money." And told him to pray that God would forgive him the bitterness, the gall that was in his heart.
So the Samaritans received the Gospel, a great revival. Now at the present time there are still about two hundred Samaritans still living. They're almost extinct. There's only about two hundred of them living today. They still live in the area of Nablus(???), which is at the, in the valley at the base of mount Ebal and mount Gerizim. And they still believe that mount Gerizim is the place where God should be worshipped. You remember the woman by the well said to Jesus, when she realized that He was a prophet, "Sir, I perceive that you're a prophet, our fathers say that we are to worship God in this mountain, Gerizim," right above them there, for they were at Shechem which is the present-day Nablus(???), in that area. "Our fathers tell us we're to worship God in this mountain, Gerizim. You say in Jerusalem. Where is God to be worshipped?"
And so they still today have an annual Passover sacrifice, and they sacrifice a lamb at the top of mount Gerizim still to the present time. They are called the Samaritans, as I said there are only about two hundred of them left and they are pretty much imbecilic. They're pretty much imbeciles now because of the close cross breeding. They won't marry outside, and so their numbers continue to reduce. And they have just a lot of idiocy among them because of this cross, close cross breeding. But they still exist, which is about two hundred Samaritans left.
So these were the people that came to Jeshua and Zerubbabel and they said, "Hey, we will help you because we worship your gods, too. We'll help you build this temple." And they consulted together and they said, "Nope, we don't want your help." Well, their help being spurned, then they turned against them and did their best to defeat their purposes of rebuilding. They started really hassling them and hindering in every opportunity.
Verse 5
So they hired attorneys, to frustrate their purposes (4:5),
To file injunctions, to get the court to file injunctions. Make them have an EIR report and all this kind of junk, you know, to just frustrate their building efforts. I'm sure that no matter what they did, they couldn't foul things up as much as things can be fouled up with our present governmental systems today. If you want to build anything, it is just unreal what they make you go through. We are, we are just governmentalized to death. It seems to be the government's purpose to put everybody out of business and to make everybody dependent on the government. That sounds good, but then who's going to pay the bills? If the government makes, try and be independent, so difficult, more and more ordinances, OSHAs and everything else to come and harass you. I'll tell you, they couldn't harass them nearly as much as the government harasses building projects today. It's a... Some of you may be government employees and>... But oh, the bureaucracy today is something horrible. We're just going to sink under bureaucrats.
So they sought to frustrate the purposes.
all of the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the time that Darius took over the throne. So in the reign of Ahasuerus [who is the Cambesis(???) of secular history], at the beginning of his reign, they wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Ahasuerus Artaxerxes [who is also Ahasuerus the previous verse, Cambesis(???) of the secular history] they wrote him a letter in the Syrian tongue. And they said, Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side of the river, and at such a time. Be it known to the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come to Jerusalem, and they are building the rebellious and bad city, they have set up the walls, and they've joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city is built, and the walls are set up again, then they will not pay their toll, or their taxes, or customs, so that you will be endangered in receiving revenue. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and certified to the king these things; [And we suggest] That you search the book of records: and you will find in the book of 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 in old times: for this cause this city was destroyed. We certify the king that, if this city be built again, and the walls are set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river. 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. The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. And I have commanded, and a 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. There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all the countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and to his companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 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 (4:5-7,11-24).
So during the time of Cambesis(???), the Artaxerxes, the work was stopped. The period of perhaps ten years or so. They have started, they laid the foundation, they were building, and they got this order to cease and desist. So they stopped the building, and in stopping the building, they got then involved in their own houses, and fixing up their own places. And they started fixing up their houses very nicely, just forgot and left desolate the house of the Lord. And so if you will read Haggai, chapter one, he is crying out against the people for their forsaking the house of the Lord. "Is it time for you, O Israel, to dwell in your ceiled houses, while the house of the Lord lies desolate? Behold, take a look at things because you have sowed much, but you're gathering little" (Haggai 1:4,6).
It seems like your pockets have holes in them. You can't keep your money. And you're always broke and you never have enough. And the reason is, is that you've been spending everything for yourself and you've just been letting God's house go desolate. And so Haggai is encouraging the people, "Let's get back and let's start building the temple once again."
C3000 · 1985 to 1999
Chapter introduction
In our last study, at the end of chapter three, they had just laid the foundation for the new temple with the mixed emotions. The young people shouting for joy and excitement over the fact that they were rebuilding now the temple. The older people who remembered the glory of Solomon’s temple, they were weeping. So much noise was going up, you couldn’t tell the difference between the noise of those that were rejoicing and shouting for joy and those that were weeping over the contrast of the pitiful beginnings compared with the tremendous glory that was Solomon’s temple. The noise was heard afar off.
Verses 1–2
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; Then they came to Zerubbabel, (4:1-2).
Who was the governor that was placed by the Persian king over Judah.
Verse 2
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 Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither (4:2).
When the Northern Kingdom of Israel was captured and destroyed by the Assyrians, the Assyrians repopulated the populations in other areas. They brought foreigners in to live in the cities of Samaria. However, the wild animals went on the rampage and many of the people were destroyed by the wild animals and so they sent to the king of Assyria and said, “look, we don’t know the customs of the gods of this land, we need some people who have lived here and knew the customs of the gods. That we might worship those gods so we wont be attacked by the animals”.
So the Assyrians sent back some of the priests and some of the people of Israel, back into the land in order to teach the people the customs of the Lord and the worship of the Lord. These people then sort of amalgamated their worship with the worship of the Lord. Tried to combine their pagan forms of worship with the worship of God. These people were later known to be Samaritans; they were a mixture, not true and full Jews. They were a mixture of the other races and they were rejected by those Jews that returned from captivity.
As a result, a tremendous animosity developed between the Samaritans and the Jews. Remember that during the times of Christ that animosity existed. That Jesus would rarely pass through the country of the Samaritans. Coming from Galilee to Jerusalem, would usually come down the Jordan Valley to Jericho and up from Jericho because they didn’t like to pass through the land of Samaria because of the strife and the friction that existed. When Jesus did pass through the land of Samariah, you remember when he asked the woman for a drink of water. She questioned and challenged him and said, “Why do you ask me for a drink? You’re a Jew, I’m a Samaritan, we don’t deal with each other”. Later on, however, Philip went to Samariah and preached the gospel of Christ unto them and there was a tremendous revival; many believed and were baptized at the preaching of Philip.
Today, there still exists, in the area around Nablus, Samaritans. Their ranks have diminished, there’s only about two hundred and ten or eleven Samaritans left in the world today. They are looked upon as an off-brand religious sect. They still, interestingly enough, on Passover offer a Passover lamb on Mount Gerizim. They still have animal sacrifices on Passover there on Mount Gerizim. You remember the woman that questioned Jesus said, “Our fathers say we’re to worship God in this mountain, you say in Jerusalem”. On Mount Gerizim they still worship God. However, because they are so small now and they will not marry outside of the Samaritan group or culture, most of the Samaritans today are sort of idiots because of the inbreeding. So they are mentally deficient, they are rather weird and odd and they feel that this will probably be the last generation of Samaritans because of the difficulty the inbreeding has created. They expect the Samaritans to die out within the next generation.
This was really the beginning of the animosity. They came and offered their help to Zerubbabel but Zerubbabel rejected their offer for help. They said, “we seek your God as you do,” (4:2). Not fully, they sought Jehovah but as it says, “they offered sacrifices unto Jehovah but they served their other gods”. They were not sole in their worship for service for God. They honored God, they respected God, they acknowledged the God of Israel, YAWEH, but still they served their other gods.
There are people today who acknowledge Jesus Christ, they believe in Jesus Christ. They believe that he was the Son of God, that he died for their sins and yet they serve, when it comes to the actual service, their other gods. Jesus said, “You can’t serve two masters,” and yet how many people are endeavoring to do that today as they pay lip Amish to Jesus Christ. Really, if you look at their lives, it isn’t a life of real total commitment to Jesus Christ. They serve their other gods; they serve Asherum, Baal, Molech or Mammon, though yet honoring Jesus.
Samaritans and Zerubbabel wanted nothing to do with a watering down or a weakening of the worship of the Lord. It is true that they were offering the sacrifices but still, they were also worshiping their other gods.
Verse 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 (4:3).
That, as I say, began the friction between the Samaritans and the Jews. That’s when they said, “Hey, Jerusalem isn’t the place anyhow, Mount Gerizim is the place that God placed his blessing. It was Mount Gerizim where Abraham brought Isaac and offered Isaac as the sacrifice and this is the place where we should worship God”. Thus this is the beginning of that division that has continued to the present day.
Verse 4
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building (4:4).
It really indicates that their hearts weren’t in serving or worship God or helping them. The moment that their help is rejected, they turned against them and seek to hinder the building of the temple.
Verse 5
And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia (4:5).
This Darius is not the Darius that we dealt with earlier this is a second one whose name was Darius and he came along later in history. During this period of time there was the effort to hinder. We have what is actually a misconception, I think, in that we often times believe if I’m serving the Lord and doing my best to serve the Lord, then everything ought to be easy and smooth there ought not to be any problems. You can be sure, if you’re on the right track; Satan is going to try to throw the switch. If things are really going smooth and there are no problems and things are just rolling along, then you better examine the road that you’re on. “They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” I hate that promise. Nonetheless, it’s a statement of the scripture.
It is not easy to live the Christian life. The Christian life is not without it’s difficulties; it’s not without it’s hindrances. You could be sure the moment that you make a real commitment to follow Jesus Christ, there’s going to be all kinds of stumbling blocks placed in the road. Satan is going to try to detour you from that commitment. He’s going to try to hinder the work of God in your life or the work you seek to do for God. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against these spiritual entities and forces”. Satan will always seek to hinder the work of God.
So we find that the people of the land sought then to hinder the work, “they hired the counsellers to frustrate the purposes, all the days of Cyrus all the way until the reign of Darius” (4:5).
Verse 6
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, (4:6).
Now this is not the husband of Esther which we will get to when we study the book of Esther. This is the Cambyses of secular history. He reigned from about 529 to about 521.
Verses 6–7
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. 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 (4:6-7).
This Artaxerxes is called, in secular history, Sudo Smerdes. Sudo, because he was an usurper to the throne who followed the Cambyses and he took over the throne of Persia but reigned for only a period of ten months, very short-lived reign and was succeeded then by Darius who we will come to in chapter six.
During this time of this Artaxerxes that is not the Artaxerxes that we’ll get to when we get to the book of Nehemiah; who gave the commandment to Nehemiah to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This is in secular history, this guy Smerdes.
During the reign of Smerdes, they wrote this letter and this basically is the essence of the letter. They said all of these groups that have inhabited this land, and we get a bunch of names here that I’m not going to try and mess with in verse nine. These were the names of the ethnic groups that dwelt in the land that had come in and populated the area at the time of the Assyrian empire and their names describe the ethnic area that they had come from and their nationalities.
Verses 10–11
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time. 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, (4:10-11).
Probably meaning the river Euphrates.
Verses 11–12
and at such a time. 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 (4:11-12).
There is nothing that we know of from scripture to indicate that they had started work on the wall, however, it is quite possible that they did. Nehemiah was the one that was commanded to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Zerubbabel and Jeshua came with Ezra with orders to restore the temple, to rebuild the temple. That’s what Cyrus felt that his mission was is the helping of the rebuilding of the temple. They said that they actually started to build the walls and joined together the walls.
Verse 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 (4:13).
You’re about to lose out on money that would be forthcoming.
Verse 14
Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, (4:14).
In other words, we’ve been set here as governors to oversee this and we are paid by the king to take care of the kings business and to protect the kings business; “we have maintenance from the king’s palace” (4:14).
and it was not meet [right] for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king; (4:14).
They sent this message to certify to the king the things that are going on. They come off as men who are concerned for the king’s welfare. We’re hired by you and paid by you so we felt it was necessary to write to you and warn you about these things because we see a danger developing if they build the walls, they’re going to rebel and it’s going to be bad news.
Verse 15
[We suggest] 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 (4:15).
True if he searches the records he’ll find that after Nebuchadnezzar conquered the city of Jerusalem, three different times they rebelled against the Babylonians until Nebuchadnezzar finally in the last siege of Jerusalem destroyed the city and the temple and broke down the walls of the city and broke down the houses; just left the city a rubble. The first two times he just took captives and he took treasures but the last time, because they continued to rebel, he destroyed the place. So if he searches the history books, he’s going to find that they are correct in this assertion.
Verse 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 (4:16).
These guys are gonna lead a rebellion and you’re gonna lose this big chunk of your province.
Verse 17
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, (4:17).
The word chancellor there is the governor. Rehum was the one who sent the letter.
Verses 17–20
and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 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. There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, (4:17-20).
Probably as a reference to David and Solomon’s reigns.
Verse 20
which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; (4:20).
That is on that side of the Euphrates and both under David and Solomon’s reign, the extension of the kingdom was all the way to the river Euphrates and the people paid their tolls and tribute unto David and Solomon.
Verses 20–21
and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. 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 (4:20-21).
Don’t let them do anything until you hear from me.
Verse 22
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? (4:22).
So this fellow Smerdes sent a cease and desist order; they put up a red tag and ordered the building of the city to cease. Notice it was the city ceased building the city.
Verses 23–24
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. 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 (4:23-24).
As I said, Smerdes only reigned for ten months and then he was deposed and Darius became the king over Persia. In the second year of the reign of Darius we find a change of decree and so the work only ceased for a little over a year.