Devotionals

Opposition

by Terry Barlow
06/22/16
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In the 4th chapter of Ezra adversaries of Judah and Benjamin come to Zerubbabel pretending to want to help with the rebuilding of the temple,  but are wisely turned away from the sacred project.   It becomes very evident also in the following book of Nehemiah that Sanballat, and Tobias, and Geshem the Arab are opposed to the rebuilding of the wall and attempt to distract the builders with ridicule and criticism engineered from within and without.

Eliashib the priest was allied with Tobias and had prepared for Tobias a large room in the house of God where formerly the offerings had been stored.  (Nehemiah 13, v.7-9)  Upon Nehemiah’s return it was restored to its proper use.   Sanballat’ s son in law had also to be driven from away in Chapter 13 v 38, and Tobiah’s relative had been serving as an informer in Chapter 6, vs 17-19.  All this to say that there was an intricate system of opposition not only outside but WITHIN the ranks of the God ordained rebuilders of the Temple.

Let it be a lesson for us today,  the worst enemies of awakening and reformation,  and revival in our society and in the church may be those in our very midst,  or soon to be in our midst, in the contemporary organized church!  Precious time and space is being taken up by what does not belong in God's house.