Ezra 4:24, “Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
Ezra came back to Jerusalem with a burden to see God’s house rebuilt. The people had the tools, the freedom, and the command to finish the temple, but they ran into fierce opposition. The devil used every tactic possible to wear them down until finally the work stopped.
That was thousands of years ago, but the same devil is still at work today. He uses the same tricks to try to slow down the church and stop Christians from doing what God has called them to do. Ezra 4 shows us seven ways the enemy tried to shut down the work of God.
1. Compromise
Ezra 4:2, “Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do.”
The enemies offered to help build, pretending to serve the same God. But their religion was mixed with idolatry. Compromise would have ruined the work from within.
2 Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”
2. Criticism
Ezra 4:4, “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.”
They discouraged God’s people, making them feel small and defeated. Discouragement can kill more work than an army can.
Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
3. Counsel
Ezra 4:5, “And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose.”
They brought in hired voices to confuse and frustrate the work. The enemy will always use influence to stir trouble.
James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally.”
4. Conspiracy
Ezra 4:5, “All the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
This wasn’t a one-time attack. It was a long-running conspiracy to delay the work. The enemy never gave up the pressure.
Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
5. Charges
Ezra 4:6, “In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.”
They twisted the truth and filed charges with the king. False accusations have always been one of the devil’s sharpest weapons.
Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”
6. Command
Ezra 4:21, “Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded.”
The enemy pushed until they had the law on their side. A royal decree ordered the work to stop.
Acts 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
7. Constraint
Ezra 4:23, “Then went the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased…”
They didn’t just wave a paper; they showed up and stopped the work with force. Fear and intimidation finished the job.
2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Ezra 4:24 leaves us with the sad words: “Then ceased the work of the house of God.” The people let the enemy win for a season. But later, through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, God’s people rose up again and finished what He gave them to do.
The devil may slow us down, but he cannot stop the work of God when God’s people rise up in faith and keep going.
