Ezr 4:17-24 | KingComments | STEP | The answer comes ( ). After the usual introduction the king announces that the document has been read before him ( ). Then the king mentions that he has issued a decree to investigate the matter ( ). The findings of that investigation ( ) and the decree he gives ( ) show that he was misled by the deceit and lies of the writers of the document. He did not carefully examine their statements about the Jews and what they are doing now. He has accepted the accusations as proven. As a result, he is prepared to send them a decree to stop the work. He urges the enemies to carry out his command quickly. He motivates the command with the words the enemies have used to incite him to act ( ; ). Kings are extremely sensitive to loss of income. The enemies have used this sensitive point cunningly and successfully.

‏ Ezra 4:17-24

The King’s Answer

The answer comes (Ezra 4:17). After the usual introduction the king announces that the document has been read before him (Ezra 4:18). Then the king mentions that he has issued a decree to investigate the matter (Ezra 4:19). The findings of that investigation (Ezra 4:20) and the decree he gives (Ezra 4:21) show that he was misled by the deceit and lies of the writers of the document.

He did not carefully examine their statements about the Jews and what they are doing now. He has accepted the accusations as proven. As a result, he is prepared to send them a decree to stop the work. He urges the enemies to carry out his command quickly. He motivates the command with the words the enemies have used to incite him to act (Ezra 4:22; Ezra 4:13). Kings are extremely sensitive to loss of income. The enemies have used this sensitive point cunningly and successfully.

The Work Stopped

The enemies immediately go to work with the king’s answer (Ezra 4:23). They go in haste to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and force them to stop building the temple in a harsh way. The Jews let themselves be forced to do so, though the desire of the LORD must prevail over the command of this king. The deceit succeeds because the first workings of God’s Spirit are no longer present through the seeking of one’s own interest (Hag 1:2-4 ; 9). They have also forgotten the command of Cyrus, which is according to the will of God. Love has cooled down, the first love has been left.

Thus the building comes to a standstill for a period that will last around fifteen years. In the time that the building stops, the people must have occupied themselves with something else. What else will it be but with their own interests (Hag 1:4; Phil 2:21)? The work is stopped because of a lack of faith and trust in God, instead of the opposition bringing them to prayer.

The fact that the people finally put the work down is therefore not the result of the king’s command, but the result of a lack of faith. Perhaps they blamed the circumstances. If their faith had been directed toward God, He would have been with them. Spiritual prosperity, the power of faith, incites the (Christian) world to enmity. When searching for its own interests, the (Christian) world does not care about us. The light through which they are discovered in their true nature does not shine.

From Haggai it becomes clear that it is not only the opposition of the enemy that makes them lay down the work. In Haggai the enemies are not active, but God speaks to them. Their fear of the enemies is greater than their faith in God. Because they lose courage and think of themselves, they start looking for their own interests and start building and decorating their own houses.

God, in accordance with the times of the Gentiles, does not rise up in strength for His people, but He is going to do His work in the heart and conscience of the people (Zec 4:6). Likewise, we too have no position of power or means of power. Our power is: faith.