If you make the mistake of tuning into or reading a discussion on infrastructure or property development, you quickly learn a bunch of acronyms. There are NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard), YIMBYs (Yes In My Back Yard), and my particular favourite, BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone). In human relationships, there are competing interests, and they play out in differences and ongoing opposition over what should be built. And that’s just a house or a road!
When it comes to things that glorify God, the devil is the ultimate BANANA. No surprise that he stirred up opposition in the form of adversaries to stop the Temple rebuild after Cyrus’ decree. But this opposition was not a one-time event. Ezra 4 jumps forward and back in time to teach an important lesson – we can expect ongoing opposition to that which glorifies God. Like a worldly NIMBY, the devil will use any lever he can pull to oppose us in building God’s Kingdom.
In the early part of chapter 4 we observed the obstruction and opposition which the returning Jews faced from the occupants of the land who had been resettled there by Assyrian and Babylonian kings in the decades before. Their intimidation and opposition brought the rebuilding of the Temple, itself already slightly tainted by the sad reflection of the elders on the glory days of yore.
This opposition continued during the reign of King Cyrus (to 530 BC) and onwards through Darius the Great’s reign (522-486 BC; v.5).
Lest we get too optimistic, the author immediately jumps fifty years into the future in verse 6 to state “in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” (v.6). Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, reigned from 486-465 BC. Then, in the reign of Artaxerxes (465-424 BC) it continued with “Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates” writing another letter of concern to the Emperor (v.7). These men were not local nobodies hiding behind an incorporated society but were powerful officials.
This letter makes a series of scandalous accusations. They describe Jerusalem as “that rebellious and wicked city” (v.12) and indicate the Jews are rebuilding the walls and city so that they can avoid paying taxes and tribute to the Persian King (v.13), estimated to be in the millions of dollars annually. Since these men “eat the salt of the palace” (are salaried) and want only what’s best for the king, they regretfully wrote to inform him of the problem (v.14) and encouraged him to order a search of records to see Judah’s past behaviour pre-exile (vv.15-16).
The Persians were concerned about the loss of revenue which landed in their vaults, and the threat of a rebellion in an area close to Egypt (always a hotbed of unrest but also wealthy) was sure to get a rise. Sure enough, the king wrote back, after having the records checked, and discovering that Judah’s past days were full of attempts to avoid rule by Assyrians and Babylonians alike (vv.17-20). Never mind that the Jews could not have battled their way out of a paper bag.
The risk to the royal vault was too great (v.22), so “these men [must] be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me” (v.21).
When the letter reached them, “Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates… went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease” (v.23) rebuilding the walls and foundations of Jerusalem (vv.11-12).
Jumping back to the 530s BC, the author tells us work ceased on the Temple until the second year of King Darius (c.520 BC). Whether it was walls and foundations, or a temple, the anti-God BANANAs were constantly at work.
The point of this passage is that the devil is always opposing God’s work. Whether it was in the days of Cain and Abel, Israel in Egypt, or Ezra and Nehemiah’s day, the devil was opposing every venture. Lies, pressure, and intimidation were used to attack God’s salvation plan, and anything that glorifies God. There is no difference in approach today.
For Christians faced with opposition today, in whatever form it takes, this should be comforting. We are not alone or unique. And God has still accomplished great things despite Satan’s NIMBYism. So press on!
As we do so, we must keep our eyes on God. The Jews lost heart, lost hope, and stopped work. Perhaps our day is a day of small things, or of great accomplishments. Either way, God is at work. Do not lose heart!
Trials and opposition are not times to become embittered toward God, but to place our trust more firmly in his goodness and plans. They help us remember that our ultimate destination is not here, but eternity. God promises he is with us through ongoing opposition, even to the end of the age. We’d be bananas to let the devil’s BANANAism win.