Ezra 4:5–7

The effect of the refusal shows the true nature of the offer these adversaries of Judah and Benjamin had made... They had failed to corrupt the work that the people back from captivity were doing. So they now throw off the mask of friendship and try to hinder them by open hostility. Such is Satan's method in every age. He and his servants will often transform themselves into angels of light and ministers of righteousness. It is easier to deceive the saints than to frighten them off. But the moment someone detects and exposes his presence and activity, his rage knows no limits.

Adversaries in the land made them afraid, and so kept them from building. It appears that the Jews did not dare continue. Their adversaries hired counsellors in the Persian court to frustrate the purpose of the Jews. But the first thing was that the adversaries weakened the hands of the people. They did not get the official ban until two reigns later.

The opposition was very persistent, for verses 5-7 name no fewer than four kings. It began at once in the days of Cyrus and continued until the time of Darius, as verse 5 states. Secular history knows this Darius as the one surnamed Hystaspes. In between these kings came Ahasuerus, not the one mentioned in the book of Esther, but the one known as Cambyses.

These two verses (4 and 5) sum up what the enemies of Israel did during the reigns of Cyrus, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes. Verse 24 therefore connects back to verse 5. The passage in between is a parenthesis, giving an account of how the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin succeeded in their plans.

Mark this — it is a very important thing. God does not blame the stopping of the work on the king's command. The king did give in at last, and he did yield to their persistent begging to stop the Israelites. But the Israelites began to stop before the king's order came. It was want of faith, and not the king's authority, that stopped the work. And, dear friends, as a rule, is it not always so? The stopping of blessing among God's people is really never the work of the enemy outside. It is want of faith, and so of faithfulness, within.

The people had been firm and had resisted the tricks and cunning that mark the ancient serpent. But they become frightened when the adversary appears as a roaring lion. They forget that their enemy is a defeated enemy, and that he would have left anyone who stood up to him.

But God is faithful, even when His people so often are not; and He works in His people to recover them by His word. Their circumstances depressed them and their adversaries discouraged them. They slackened the work before their enemies even got a decree to stop them. But God in the resources of His grace raised up servants of His even at that time of weakness to recall them to His will. And hearts were not lacking among the chiefs to respond.

The opposition extended from the days of Cyrus until the reign of Darius, Ezra 4:5. Two kings came between Cyrus and Darius. Ahasuerus (Cambyses) succeeded Cyrus. A letter was written to him (Ezra 4:6), but no answer is recorded. Another was sent to Artaxerxes (Pseudo-Smerdis), and both the letter and the reply are recorded... Ezra 4:6-23 are a parenthesis.

In between these kings came Ahasuerus, not the one mentioned in the book of Esther, but the one known as Cambyses. During his reign the opponents were very active. They wrote up an accusation against the Jews in Jerusalem, but apparently without any definite effect.

This is hardly the place to discuss the question of who Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes were. There is great difficulty in identifying them now with the monarchs of secular history. Probably the first was Xerxes, and the second Artaxerxes Longimanus.

This was the name given to a well dug by Isaac's servants, because the servants of Abimelech seized it. Genesis 26:21. Fürst says it means 'strife'; Gesenius says 'contention'. In Ezra 4:6, where the same word appears as a common noun, it is 'accusation'.

Some asked to share in the building. They called themselves 'worshippers,' but God called them 'adversaries.' The leaders refused their help, and that stirred up their hatred and hostility.

The enemy had presented himself as a friend. That called for special watchfulness and caution. But these men, who were rejected, very soon show their true character quite openly... The people had been firm and had resisted the tricks and cunning of the ancient serpent. But they become frightened when the adversary appears as a roaring lion. They forget that their enemy is a defeated enemy, and that he would have left anyone who stood up to him.

And so, these four hostile forces unite here to ruin the work of God: trickery, intimidation, accusation, and violence. Only faith could have resisted them. But the people had no faith at all. As a result, the building of the house stopped for fifteen years.

But mark this — and it is very important. God does not blame the king's command for the stopping of the work. The king did give in at last, and did yield to their persistent begging. But the Israelites had begun to stop before the king's order came. It was lack of faith, and not the king's authority, that stopped the work. And, dear friends, as a rule, is it not always so? The stopping of blessing among God's people is really never the work of the enemy outside. It is lack of faith, and so of faithfulness, within.

Until today, the work of God must be done by the people of God. If the world offers co-operation we have to refuse. If we do, then those who made the offer will soon show their true colours. But if we don't we will soon spoil the work. We end up being governed by the world's principles in the work we wanted to do for God.

From verses 6–23 we have the details of how the adversaries of God's people secured a royal decree. It was in their favour, and against the building of the temple. Their effort in the reign of Ahasuerus seems to have failed (v. 6). But they were not discouraged. They kept at their object in the reign of his successor, Artaxerxes, and then their efforts were rewarded.

Bishlam, Mithredath and Tabeel wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes. They were Persians and officials of the government, probably closely connected with the Samaritans and living in Jerusalem. (Ahasuerus is a royal title meaning "the venerable king." Artaxerxes is also such a title, meaning "the great king.")

The opposition had not weakened with the passing of time or because of the earlier failure. In fact it had increased, as is clear if we read verses 7–9. The letter went up in the names of certain men who were prominent among the people of the land. Behind it stood no less than nine of the tribes or peoples then living in the country around Palestine. It was clearly a very impressive document.

The verses of chapters 4:18–6:18 and 7:12–26 are not written in Hebrew but in Aramaic. Aramaic is a Semitic language, as is Hebrew. Aramaic was an official and an international trade language in the Persian Empire. The paragraphs mentioned above contain official documents written by or for the Persian court.

This is hardly the place to discuss the question of who Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes were. It is very hard now to identify them with the kings of secular history. Probably the first was Xerxes, and the second Artaxerxes Longimanus.

Ahasuerus (Cambyses) succeeded Cyrus. A letter went to him (Ezra 4:6), but no answer is recorded. Another went to Artaxerxes (Pseudo-Smerdis), and both that letter and the reply are recorded. … Ezra 4:6–23 are a parenthesis.

These "adversaries of Judah and Benjamin" had claimed a desire to help in building the temple, on the ground that they too sacrificed to the God of Israel. Yet in their accusation they leave out any reference to the temple, and speak only of the city. Their reason was obvious. The proclamation of Cyrus concerned the temple. So by accusing the Jews of building the city, they made their hints of rebellion and treason look plausible. The king's answer shows they had not miscalculated.

The letter is a very cleverly crafted document, full of misrepresentation and falsehood. They accused the Jews of building Jerusalem and setting up the wall. This was false, because only the house was being built, not the wall or the city. What they said about the city, its past record of rebellion, was true, and the accuser made use of the nation's past sins.

And so, these four hostile forces unite here to ruin the work of God: trickery, intimidation, accusation, and violence. Only faith could have resisted them. But the people had no faith at all, and so the building of the house stopped for fifteen years.