Vol.6, No. 02 – January 10, 2021
Lockdown Now!
Ezra 4:11-24
To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. –Ezra 4:11-12
How would you react if the opposition party wrote the following letter to the leadership of the nation?
Greetings from out West.
Do you realize that this area is a hotbed of insurrection against you? There are those of the opposing party who fortify their positions, their cities, and build churches with zeal! We hear that they are going to refuse to pay their IRS taxes, and further will refuse the 6% add on sales tax.
We are only writing this because we are your loyal followers and hate to see you taken advantage of. It is like history! Go to the Euphrates Gazette office and use the microfiche to see the headlines of 50 years ago, JERUSALEM IS IN REBELLION. About a month following, CORRUPTION IN CANAAN. Things have not changed. Unless you in Babylon take action, you might as well forget about this part of your nation. It will be totally lost.
The top man, Art A. Xerxes, immediately wires through Eastern Union’s wires: STOP ALL BUILDING. STOP. WE MUST NOT ALLOW THIS SITUATION TO GET OUT OF CONTROL. STOP. . . .
There is a current axiom of the political strategy: Desperate measures demand desperate remedies. What does Ezra do? It takes no testy prophet to realize some serious action must occur.
Perhaps Ezra gives an straight-forward speech: We are living in a time when survival is number one on our agenda. We need men and women who care deeply, sufficiently in order to accept tough training in the faith and in the strategy that Jews are here in The Promised Land, and headed for destruction unless we become a redeemed people for God.
Sounds like some commentators today, does it not?
They did care deeply, and sufficiently—in spite of the letter (executive order) of opposition. They continued to build.
How would you respond?
Life Application
During the Russian Revolution, a bright young American lad was in the City of St. Petersburg. He knew his family would be anxious. He cabled his father: Not involved. Am only an innocent bystander. His father wired back. Nonsense, son. Join God or the Communists. No such thing as innocent bystanders!
One must choose where they will stand! It is no different for us today.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. –1 Corinthians 15:58
