Refusing To Compromise Their Beliefs

Ezra 4:1-6

“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, 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.” (Ezra 4:1-2)

The Assyrians had systematically relocated people they conquered, mixing various groups in order to weaken them and prevent uprisings, much as the United States did witht eh various Indian tribes.  In the ensuing two hundred years, they had intermarried and their cultures had become closely entwined.

God had designated the land of Israel for a place to worship him.  When Israel was taken the Assyrians had relocated other groups into the area around the capital, Samaria.  II Kings 17:25 declares,  “And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.  Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.  Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.  Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.”

Their religion was a mixture of Jewish and traditional beliefs, although they saw themselves as serving God, and wanted to be involved in restoring the temple and the Jewish religion.  The captives returning from Babylon knew that the collapse of Judah and their captivity was the result of mixing in other beliefs.  

“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.” (Ezra 4:3) 

Though their goals appeared the same, the Jews feared that an effort to collaborate would lead to adopting other beliefs again, and refused to unite with the other groups.  They decided they would rather not take the chance, but would build the temple themselves, acting on Cyrus’ authorization, and trusting God to enable them to do what was needed.  Sadly, history is replete with Christian groups who thought they could collaborate in such cases.  

Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” in Matthew 6:24.  Though these other groups considered themselves as serving God, they were in reality placing their other gods ahead of God.

 In II Corinthians 6:14-18, Paul warned Christians, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 

While compromise in other things is often good or necessary, God's word is not negotiable, and must not be compromised.

“Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, And 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.” (Ezra 4:4-5)

For two hundred years the resentments about being relocated had festered, even though it was not the Jews who had relocated them.  The Jews refusal to accept their offer infuriated the other groups, who would try to block construction of the temple throughout the reigns of Cyrus, his son Ahaseurus(the Cambyses, of secular history), Artaxerxes, and into the reign of Darius II, of Persia, a forty nine year or seven week period prophesied in Daniel 9:25.  Had the Jews accepted the help, construction would undoubtedly proceeded more rapidly, but God would not have been pleased.

Since Cyrus had given the order to rebuild, their enemies were limited to raids, interference, and obstruction until his death.

“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.” (Ezra 4:6) 

When Cambyses ascended the throne, taking the title Ahaseurus, about 528 BC, an official complaint was filed to try to block construction of the temple, but he took no action to stop them.  About 525 BC, Cambyses conquered Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy in Ezekiel 29:12-16.