June 6, 2024

It doesn't matter how good you are at doing the work of God; you will always face opposition. The people of Judah, who were sent back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and the temple, dealt with the enemy who pretended to be like them, wanting to help with the temple. They were sinister in their plan, much like we see today; they were usurpers of the Jewish belief, sullying the reputation of the genuine Jewish people, the ones who love God. Many of the Jewish people we see today are not genuinely Jewish and have continued worshipping false gods and idols, much of which is hidden from the view of the general public. It's best not to take sides in holy wars because we don't understand the truth. The enemy has a way of distorting what we see and hear through fake media. Solomon was right when he said there's nothing new under the sun. Don't get me wrong, Christians are the same; some are true believers, but others are in it for a profit. 

These fake believers sent a letter to the king of Persia, Artaxerxes, who was from Esther's timeline, telling him that the people of Judah would stop paying taxes to the king. The king replied with a cease-and-desist order until he decided whether to allow them to continue. It doesn't say this, but it makes you wonder if Haman, the villain from Esther, had something to do with these orders.  

The lesson is to be careful of what you believe to be accurate; things are not as they seem. The devil can confuse the truth and spin it to his benefit. The people inhabiting Judah and Jerusalem didn't want the actual Jewish people there. However, the captive found favor with God and the previous king, who released them from captivity. 

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. Ezra 4:23