ADVERSARIES
Ezra 4

The Word of God commands us, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) Every Word of God is to be approached with seriousness. None of His Word is more serious than another, but all is to be approached with the same level of seriousness. Violating His Word of command will undoubtedly violate our world. The children of Israel while in captivity were to go back and rebuild the temple when the Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus King of Persia. The Bible records that, “when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, ‘Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’” (Ezra 4:1-3) Let it be known that the adversaries did not present themselves as adversaries; it was their intention to later on be revealed as adversaries. Those adversaries wanted to join with the children of Israel in helping to build not because they loved them, but rather to tear down their attempt to build. After having been denied joining in helping to build, they began to discourage the children of Israel. It is recorded that, “…they troubled them in building, and hired counselors 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) The people of the land (the adversaries) had no good plan in their attempt to join with the children of Israel that were coming out of captivity. The point here is that if the children of Israel had agreed and became unequally yoked together with them, the building would not have been completed. In every attempt of your build up for the glory of God, your adversaries will pretend and persist, but you will respond and resist just like the children of Israel. Some adversaries persist for long, but we are to resist as long as it demands. As a believer, in your building process pay attention and be not unequally yoke just as the Word of God commands. Imagine the children of Israel coming out of captivity and ending up in an unequal yoke? Are you experiencing any agent of adversaries in your building process? Pay close attention in your building process; adversaries will pretend and persist. Be encouraged in the Word of God, resist and you shall prevail at the end.

Prayer for today: Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me.