All was going well with the REBUILDING, and the Israelites had started worshipping, praising God, giving Thanksgiving, and observing all the sacred festivals in accordance with the Law. And then, they encountered RESISTANCE and ultimately RESTRAINT from their enemies, the peoples of the land (many of them Samaritans). This opposition continued through the reign of the Persian kings starting from Cyrus all the way through Cambyses, Smerdis, Darius I, Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), and Artaxerxes II. And "the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill" for 15 years.
This shows us that for RESISTANCE/RESTRAINT:
- It can come when things are going well
- Typically, the "Enemy" is behind it
- It can cause a setback (in this case, it was 15 years)
- However, we have hope that God will ultimately prevail and His Plans and Work will continue
No matter what, there are three P's to remember:
- PERSPECTIVE - keep our eyes on the Purpose and Plan
- PURITY - don't compromise
- PREPARATION - be prepared for any backlash from opposition
What happened in this passage does align with the reality of what we often face in life. When things are going well in our spiritual lives, that is typically when Satan will attack. Sometimes we will suffer a setback; but, we should be encouraged that ultimately God will prevail. It is so true, that we should always keep our eyes on God, not compromise in any areas (even if it seems that it would be "nicer" to allow the adversaries to "help"), and be prepared for anything, especially opposition.
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