Opposition and Deceit - ANB W1, D6 - 3.9.13

Saturday, Mar 9                                                               Opposition and Deceit

Ezra 4.7-24

Satan is never pleased to allow the work of God go unimpeded. He is always up to something, seeking some form of disruption in the task to be done. See, he had just sent some fake help to the people of Israel. We read this yesterday, so I won’t go into tremendous detail. But Zerubbabel was full of Godly discernment and turned them away. Satan’s plans were thwarted. Do not make the mistake of thinking that Satan will simply say, “Wow, I guess they are tougher than I thought. I had better let them continue on their way and find someone else to annoy.” We see this clearly here in Ezra 4. In spite of his attempts at disrupting the work in Jerusalem and discouraging the people of Israel, they pressed on toward the goal that God had given them, which meant that Satan would press on in his wicked ways of distraction.

Satan realized that he could not get into the hearts and minds of the people of Israel, for they were committed to God. But, Satan did know that he could get into the hearts and minds of people who did not know the God of Israel, so that is exactly what he did. Ezra 4.7-10 gives us a list of the men who Satan was able to bring into his plan of disruption. We do not know much about these men other than where they came from and what they say to Artaxerxes, who was now the king in Persia. Read the description that these men give the king of what the people in Jerusalem were about. These men did not know the God of Israel, so the Hebrew allegiance to this God and the customs that were apart of that dedication were strange to them. Not only were they opposed to the work in Jerusalem, but their blindness to the truth of who God was and what He did deceived them into thinking that the people of Israel were a wicked and insubordinate people.

They make an appeal to the fact that Jerusalem had stood for years on the rebellion of its people to the kings and civil authorities of the land. They ask Artaxerxes to look through the records at the fact that these people were continually provoking other kingdoms, had remained insubordinate to the authorities, and refused to be taxed by the governing authorities. So, Artaxerxes hardens his heart against the plans of God and orders that the building of the city be stopped until he, himself, okay’s the work. We are left with the house of God sitting and waiting.

What does this mean of us at Hopewell? How does this story translate to our lives? First, and foremost, we must understand that Satan will use whatever power he can to interrupt the work that God has for us here. We have seen the attempts he has made in Ezra, and we would be foolish to think that his opposition to what God wants for us would be any difference. The fact stands that he IS opposed to the good work that God wants to do through us in this community. Second, we must not be deceived. Artaxerxes was a king not under the covenant of God, so his understanding of the history of Israel would be limited. Satan knew that, so he was able to deceive the king into thinking that the Israelites were evil and rebellious people. Had he submitted himself to the authority of God, this deception would have been avoided. Here it becomes impeccably clear that we must submit ourselves to God and to God alone, lest we be deceived. Satan is looking for whatever deceptive tool he can use to keep you and me from doing what it is that God has called us to. Purity and devotion to the Word of God is a must for us to be who we need to be and to do the work that we need to do.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we submit ourselves to You. We know that Your work is opposed by the devil and that he will stop at nothing to distract us from what it is that You would have us to do. Please let us not be deceived. We know You and we love You and we know that You are good. Please give us clear eyes to see the plans of the enemy and to stand strong on Your promise.