4:5 And {c} 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.(c) They bribed the governors under the king to hinder their work, thus they that hinder cannot understand that God would be purely served. read more
PRETENDED FRIENDSHIP AND OPPOSITION (vv. 1-5) Satan is subtle in the way he attacks a work of God. He appears to be friendly, as is seen in the way the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin came to Zerubbabel and other leaders of Judah, offering to help them to build the temple. They say they have been brought there by the King of Assyria (which was true), and that they had sacrificed to the Lord since that time (v. 2).This may have some semblance of truth in it, but they were Gentiles who had... read more
BACK TO THE HOMELAND CYRUS’ PROCLAMATION (Ezra 1:0 ) Babylon has had its days, and with its downfall has come that of the Assyrian Empire. The Medes and Persians, with Cyrus at their head, are now in power, and in the providence of God, Daniel, the Jewish prophet and statesman, has influence at this court, as in that of Nebuchadnezzar. By a study of the earlier prophets, especially Jeremiah, he has become aware that the time is nigh for the captivity of Judah to end and his people to... read more
Ezra 4:0 1. Now when the adversaries [Samaritans] of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 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 [hypocrisy]; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur [he ended his reign b.c. 668], which brought us up hither. 3. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the... read more
By weakening the hands of the people, perhaps is meant, alarmed some weak minds to relax in their service. And by continually thwarting the people, no doubt it operated to their great discouragement. Such is not unfrequently the case now. But the Lord overrules these oppositions not unfrequently to good. Reader! mark it down as a certain truth, whatever drives a child of God to a throne of grace, and makes his visit's there more frequent than otherwise they would be; these things must be... read more
Counsellors; ministers of the king, (Calmet) or governors of the provinces. (Tirinus) --- Cyrus, who was ignorant of their machination, (Josephus) being engaged in war with the Scythians. We may easily conceive what ill-disposed ministers may do, against the inclinations of their prince. (Calmet) --- Darius, son of Hystaspes, who succeeded the false Smerdis, after five months' usurpation. (Calmet) read more
1-5 Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of Satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, Ezra 4:2. It was plain that they did not mean to unite in the worship of the Lord, according to his word. Let those who discourage a good work, and weaken them that are employed in it, see whose pattern they follow. read more
Ezra 4 IN THE OPENING verses of chapter 4, another striking feature comes into view. As is always the case when a work of God takes place, there were adversaries, and their first move had in it a strong element of flattery, and was therefore a very seductive one. They came with the profession of seeking and serving the true God, and so they offered to assist in the building of the house, as being partners in the work. This brought to light a fifth feature marking this revival a feature of... read more
The Building of the Temple Hindered v. 1. Now, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, the mixed population to the north of Judah, the Samaritans, who had mingled the Assyrian religion and customs with a remnant of the knowledge of Jehovah, besides continuing in their opposition to the members of the southern kingdom, heard that the children of the captivity, the returned exiles, builded the Temple unto the Lord God of Israel, v. 2. then they came to Zerubbabel, the governor of the... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ezra 4:1-24
CHAPTER 4 1. The offer of the Samaritans refused (Ezra 4:1-6 ) 2. The letter to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-16 ) 3. The king’s reply (Ezra 4:17-22 ) 4. The work is stopped (Ezra 4:23-24 ) Ezra 4:1-6 . The adversaries were the Samaritans. (There is an interesting correspondence with the book of Acts. After the Spirit of God had begun His blessed work, the enemy from without and then within started his hindering work.) They had watched silently the work of restoration and then appeared... read more