What is the meaning of Ezra 4:5? They hired counselors “They hired counselors…” (Ezra 4:5) • The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin didn’t rely on occasional harassment; they engaged professional lobbyists and legal experts to block the work. • This shows deliberate, strategic opposition—echoing Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers convene together, against the LORD and His Anointed One.” • Like Absalom recruiting Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 15:31, the enemy understands the power of shrewd counsel. • For God’s people, it’s a reminder that resistance may come through sophisticated channels, not merely open hostility (Ephesians 6:11-12). against them to frustrate their plans “…against them to frustrate their plans…” • The goal was to “frustrate,” literally to break the momentum of rebuilding the temple (Ezra 4:1-4). • Similar tactics appear in Nehemiah 4:7-8, where Sanballat and Tobiah “plotted together to fight against Jerusalem and create confusion.” • In 1 Thessalonians 2:18, Paul speaks of Satan hindering his mission—showing that God’s work often meets calculated obstruction. • Yet Proverbs 19:21 reassures, “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia “…throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia…” • Cyrus issued the decree for the return and temple rebuilding (Ezra 1:1-4; Isaiah 44:28), but local officials exploited imperial bureaucracy to counteract his intentions. • The opposition began almost immediately after the foundation was laid (Ezra 3:10-13). • Daniel 10:12-13 offers a glimpse of spiritual warfare occurring alongside political maneuvering during the Persian era. • The lesson: a God-given mandate does not eliminate sustained resistance; obedience must persevere. and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia “…and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.” • The harassment stretched from roughly 536 BC (Cyrus’s first year) to 522 BC and beyond, into Darius I’s reign—about sixteen years of nonstop pressure. • Ezra 5:1-2 records that only when prophets Haggai and Zechariah stirred the people did the work resume under Darius. • Haggai 1:2-4 highlights how prolonged opposition tempted the exiles to delay God’s house while attending to their own. • Perseverance paid off: Ezra 6:14-15 notes that “the elders of the Jews continued building and prospering… and they finished it… in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius”. summary Ezra 4:5 unveils an intentional, long-term campaign to derail God’s rebuilding project. Adversaries invested in expert counsel, orchestrated confusion, and leveraged political change, yet they never overturned the divine plan. The verse encourages believers to expect organized resistance, remain steadfast over time, and trust that, as in Ezra’s day, God will ultimately vindicate His purposes. |
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