The King Orders the Work to Cease

 

Ezra 4: 17-24

 

February 28, 2021

 

 

 

The King Orders the Work to Cease

The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me.   And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.   And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.    Therefore, make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt until a decree is made by me.   And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”

Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.   Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

 

I often fall back on my experience as a salesperson and the many things I learned from what looks like a defeat.  First, no does not always mean no, it often means you did not do a good job of helping me see the advantages of your product.  So far the competitor we will refer to as the neighbors of the Jewish people did a better job of getting the ear of the king.

 

This happens often in a salesperson's career, they have worked hard for a company to earn their business, and new management comes in and does not know the relationship, may even have a relationship with the competitor and overnight he out in the cold.

 

It sure looks like the Jewish people have lost the sale, but God, and those of us who are so upset over what is happening in our nation, need to pray and confess the sin of our nation, and with on God to change hearts of the people of this great nation.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice