The work was delayed

Ezra 4:11-24

11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)
To King Artaxerxes,
From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:

12 The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. 14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, 15 so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

17 The king sent this reply:
To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:
Greetings.

18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?

23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

4:11 奏本的內容是：「河西省的臣民上奏亞達薛西皇帝。4:12 「我們希望陛下知道：從陛下治下的其他地區遷來住在耶路撒冷的猶太人正在重建那座可惡叛逆的城。他們已經開始建城牆了，很快就要完工。4:13 陛下啊，這城一旦建好，城牆完工，那些人就不肯納各種捐稅了；陛下的國庫收入一定減少。4:14 因為我們是公務員，對陛下有義務，不願看見這事發生，所以向陛下建議，4:15 請陛下吩咐人查閱先王的記錄。這樣，你會發現這城一直是叛逆的，自古以來，一直損害列王和各省的首長。這城的居民一直都是很難治理的。因此這城被拆毀了。 4:16 我們相信，如果這城重建起來，城牆完工，陛下就再也不能夠控制河西省了。」
4:17 皇帝的回諭如下：「利宏省長、伸帥省書記，和住在撒馬利亞及河西省地區的官員平安：4:18 你們呈上的奏本已經有人翻譯，讀給我聽了。4:19 我下令調查，的確發現耶路撒冷自古以來反叛王權；那城充滿了造反和搗亂的人。4:20 大能的先王們曾經統治過那裏和整個河西省，並徵收各種稅捐。4:21 因此，你們要發佈命令，阻止那城的重建，直到我頒發指令。4:22 你們要立刻辦這事，不可疏忽，免得我再受更重的損失。」4:23 利宏、伸帥，和他們的同僚一聽到宣讀亞達薛西皇帝的回諭，立刻到耶路撒冷去，用武力迫使猶太人停工。4:24 重建耶路撒冷聖殿的工程被迫停止，無法繼續進行，直到波斯皇帝大流士統治的第二年。

一、中心內容：

內容：
1>利宏省長、伸帥省書記，上奏皇帝，控訴全文。（v11-16）The letter of accusation was sent to king Artaxerxes. (v11-16)
2>皇帝回函，表明接受其控訴，並吩吩咐立即勒令停工。（v17-23）King’s response to their letter was to command a stop to the work. (v17-23)
3>耶路撒冷聖殿重建工程於是遭延宕，直到波斯皇帝大流士統治第二年才又復工。（v24）The work of rebuilding the temple had been put to a stop, until the second year of king Darius did they resume the work. (v24)

主題：
1>邪惡勢力終得逞。The evil prevailed.
2>建殿工程遭延宕。The work was delayed.

二、上帝、耶穌基督、聖靈是誰？

1>暫時默不作聲的上帝。God temporarily remained in silence.
2>實際掌管一切的上帝。God is in control of everything.

三、給我的教訓（命令、應允、榜樣、責備、警告）是什麼？

1>詭詐的敵對勢力 The power of the scheming rivalry
敵對勢力，化暗為明，親自出手，公開擾亂，削減士氣；同時，賄賂官員，編造理由，上奏皇；且將猶太人污名化---「住在耶路撒冷的猶太人正在重建那座可惡叛逆的城」。
甚至奉勸皇帝翻閱、查考歷史，為其污名化猶太人（耶路撒冷城）為佐證。即指出：耶路撒冷城，是一個不順服的城。尤其提醒皇帝，若不制止該工程的進行，當完工之後，因這座城的背叛，皇帝將面對雙重損失。即：
a.失去稅收（v13）
陛下啊，這城一旦建好，城牆完工，那些人就不肯納各種捐稅了；陛下的國庫收入一定減少。
b.失去國土（v16）
我們相信，如果這城重建起來，城牆完工，陛下就再也不能夠控制河西省了。敵對勢力不僅詭詐，而且永不休止的攻擊。當時鄰國的民，不斷找機會攻擊猶太人，今天 撒旦也一樣，不斷找機會攻擊上帝的子民。彼得前書5:8說：務要謹守，警醒。因為你們的仇
敵魔鬼，如同吼叫的獅子，遍地遊行，尋找可吞吃的人。因此，我們應該隨時謹慎防備。

The power of the opposition had gone from undercover to being a public disturbance. They discouraged the Israelites and bribed the officials and wrote a letter to accuse them before the king. They defiled the Israelites by saying, “Those live in Jerusalem are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city.” In order to prove their words to be true, they even requested the king to search in the archives of the kings before his reign. They pointed out that Jerusalem was a rebellious city, and it would rebel against the king if the construction was not stopped. Two consequences concerning loss would be facing the king:

Loss of revenue (V13)
If this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer.

Loss of territory (v16)
If this city is built and its walls are restored, the king will be left with nothing in Trans- Euphrates.

They were not only cunning, but they also kept attacking. They continuously looked for opportunities to attack the Israelites. Satan does the same thing to God’s people. I Peter 5:8 says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Therefore, we should stay alert.


反省：在事奉的過程中，我是否經歷過撒旦無孔不入的攻擊？甚至無所不用其極的手段？
Reflection: In my service, have I ever experienced Satan’s attack from every side, even to the extreme?
2>加諸叛亂之罪名 Accusation in the name of treason
陛下啊，這城一旦建好，城牆完工，那些人就不肯納各種捐稅了；陛下的國庫收入一定減少。（v13）

13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. (V13)


建造耶路撒冷城牆的事件，事實上是為了讓上帝的子民，可以有一個安定，不受干擾的環境，為的是要敬拜上帝。但是卻被曲解成為圖謀獨立、背叛的目的。因為在第十三節，他們向皇帝上告說：陛下啊，這城一旦建好，城牆完工，那些人就不肯納各種捐稅了；陛下的國庫收入一定減少。

The purpose of rebuilding the city wall was to give God’s people a peaceful and stable environment to worship God. However, by what they proposed to the king in verse 13, it was distorted into treason of standing against the king.
一個國家對殖民地區，宣示宗主國的主權，最主要的指標就是收稅。凡拒絕繳納稅金的，就等同於背叛一樣。因此，可以逕行以叛亂犯處理。主耶穌就是被猶太人的領袖，以「煽動人民，不要向羅馬帝國繳稅」的罪名被控告的。（路加福音23:2）
所謂：欲加之罪，何患無詞？的確就是如此！

The governing authority claimed its power through tax collecting on the colonial territory. Thus, refusing to pay tax is considered rebellion and it will be treated as treasonous criminals. Jesus was once persecuted under the accusation of enticing the Israelites not to pay taxes to the Roman Empire. (See Luke 23:2)

In fact, if you intend to accuse a person, there is always an excuse.
反省：我是否曾經誣賴他人？是否曾經擁有遭誣賴的經驗？感受如何？
Reflection: Have I ever accused anyone? Have I ever been accused? How did I feel?
3>敵人詭計終得逞Finally the enemy’s scheme prevailed
皇 帝的回諭如下：「利宏省長、伸帥省書記，和住在撒馬利亞及河西省地區的官員平安：你們呈上的奏本已經有人翻譯，讀給我聽了。我下令調查，的確發現耶路撒冷 自古以來反叛王權；那城充滿了造反和搗亂的人。大能的先王們曾經統治過那裏和整個河西省，並徵收各種稅捐。因此，你們要發佈命令，阻止那城的重建，直到我 頒發指令。你們要立刻辦這事，不可疏忽，免得我再受更重的損失。」利宏、伸帥，和他們的同僚一聽到宣讀亞達薛西皇帝的回諭，立刻到耶路撒冷去，用武力迫使 猶太人停工。（v17-23）

17 The king sent this reply:
To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:
Greetings. 18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests? 23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop. (v17-23)


當利宏省長、伸帥省書記，和住在撒馬利亞及河西省地區的官員，針對猶太人的控訴文上奏皇帝之後，竟然得著皇帝的認同。並且回函給他們，吩咐他們要發佈命令，阻止耶路撒冷城的重建。他們立刻到耶路撒冷去，用武力迫使猶太人停工。顯示：敵人的詭計，終於得逞了！

They received the king’s letter of approval and succeeded in plotting against the Israelites. The king commanded them to issue an edict to stop the work of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem by force. The forces of evil had prevailed.
反省：在事奉的過程中，我是否敏感到敵對勢力的兇惡？我要如何來防備？
Reflection: In the process of service, am I sensitive to the enemy’s vicious power? How will I prepare for it?
4>重建工程遭延宕 The rebuilding work was delayed
重建耶路撒冷聖殿的工程被迫停止，無法繼續進行，直到波斯皇帝大流士統治的第二年。（v24）

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (v24)
聖殿重建工程，從塞魯士時代（即：主前五三六年）破土動工，但是非常可惜，由於遭到擾亂與控訴，整個工程卻延宕下來。
根據第廿四節的記載，由於利宏省長、伸帥省書記，和住在撒馬利亞及河西省地區的官員向皇帝提出的控訴已經生效，重建耶路撒冷聖殿的工程及被迫停止，無法繼續進行。一直到波斯皇帝大流士統治的第二年才又重新開始。

The reconstruction of the temple started from the time of king Xerxes (536BC), but it was interrupted and stopped by those officials’ intervention and accusation.

According to verse 24, because the officials’ accusation was approved by the king, the reconstruction was forced to stop. It did not resume until the second year of the reign of king Darius.
這乃是主前五一九年，先知哈該得到上帝的啟示，要猶大省長所羅巴伯、大祭司約書亞，以及人民重新建造（哈該書1:13-14）根據推算，聖殿重建工程，約延宕了十六年之久。

In 519 BC, God’s word came through Haggai to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, Jeshua the high priest and the Israelites to rebuild the temple. It was delayed for 16 years.
反省：在事奉的過程中，是否曾經因為撒旦的攻擊，導致事工遭延宕的經歷？
Reflection: Has there been any work in the ministry that has been delayed by Satan’s attacks?
四、我的禱告 / 實際應用