Opposition

Opposition- Ezra 4

INTRO

• Biblical timeline N. & S. Kingdoms 
  • Cyrus’ Decree –  RESTORE “the house of the LORD”
    • Zerubbabel- Worship
    • Ezra- Word
    • Nehemiah- The Church 
  • Please turn to Ezra 4:1, page 391

 Vs. 3-4, Adversaries of “Judah & Benjamin”

• 2 Kings 17
  • Northern kingdom taken by Assyrians
  • Resettles Samaria as a multi-cultural city
    • Lions attack 

So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD. 2 Kings 17:26–28

So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.

To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel.   2 Kings 17:33–34

• We will worship God “as it is written”
• “True Worship will face Opposition”
  • God is a jealous God, but it’s because there are no other Gods. 
    • 10 Commandments
      • 1. No other God’s before me
      • 2. No idols

So these nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day. 2 Kings 17:38–41

• Vs. 4 & 5
  • Discouragement
    • Collapsed courage 
  • Fear
  • Frustrate their purpose, continually 
• Vs. 24- Letter, forced to stop
•  John 4:7, page 888 in the Pew bibles 
  • Read 4:1-26
  • “True Worship will face Opposition”
    • What is stopping us, opposing us to worship? 
      • 1. People will oppose us
        • John 14:6, I am the way, the truth… 
        • What will take away your worship is compromise of one thing, the GOSPEL. 
          • Wrong Jesus, works based legalism, 

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 2 Corinthians 11:3–4

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:13–15

• Discouragement?  Courage in Christ 
• Fear?  Not given us a spirit of fear, 
• Frustrate our purpose? Yes, continually… BUT we preserve

“True Worship will face Opposition”