Ezra Chapter 4
Please read: Ezra 4 –
It was the prior king of Persia that had released the Hebrew people to return to their home in the promised land. King Cyrus had given instruction that they were to rebuild the temple to worship God. Now that King Cyrus is no longer in power, there were those that occupied the land and watched as the people rebuilt the temple, and they were not happy about it.
There had been a small number of people who had not been taken captive, but were poor people left behind. And there were those who were outsiders, from beyond the river, who came in to live in the mostly empty country. These people were Samaritans, and they intermarried with the remaining people left behind in Israel. The Samaritans believed in the law of Moses and leaned heavily into the laws are regulations but yet still worshipped other gods.
Let's Reflect
1. According to verse 1 what did these people who occupied the northern kingdom, who were largely Samaritans, attempt to do to the work of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin?
2. What was the response of the two men leading the project, Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the elders?
3. Trying to Infiltrate the building project to cause discord did not work, the building continued. So they tried another method to stop the building of the temple. What did they do according to verses 4-5?
4. They wrote a letter to a king of Persia named Ahasuerus and in that letter they made accusations regarding the men of Judah and Benjamin. They again wrote a letter to the next king whose name was Artaxerxes. In the letter they described the work of the exiled Hebrews that they were rebuilding their temple. What did they call the city of Jerusalem in this letter?
5. In the letter they recommended that King Artaxerxes research the history books written about the previous kingdom of Judah. What did they say he would learn about this prior kingdom?
6. Their biggest claim written to the king of Persia is found in verse 16. What was it?
7. The king of Persia answered their accusatory letter in agreement and ordered a proclamation. What was the proclamation?
8. Using force and power, namely the powerful king of Persia, they effectively caused what to happen?
