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Re: Enemies of God Must not Build (Ezra 4:2-5)

"Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have
sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who
brought us here." (vs2)

Oh wonderful! Let us join your church, teach your Sunday school
classes, staff your nursery, sing in your choir; ever since I went
forward at the Billy Graham meeting, and at camp (several summers in a
row), made committments to Him, gave my life to Jesus; I've been a
Christian and have become spirit-filled. I've been doing all sorts of
exploits for God, performing miracles, and worshiping every chance I
get. I love to worship. I just love to praise the Lord!


"But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers of
Israel said to them, It is not for you to build a house for our God
with us; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of
Israel.." (vs3)

Sad-to-say, today we don't see the equivalent of this verse very much.  
Instead, churches are having car washes and bake sales to get money 
from their unsaved 'customers'. When some other unbeliever offers to 
help with something, they are welcomed with open arms, with boasts of 
how "the Lord led that person to us to help". While the so-called 
Believers are worshiping, they pay unbelievers to watch over their 
babies in the nursery. To lure others in, they get them to sing in the 
choir...'con' them in, to hear the Gospel-by-stealth. We don't see much 
of "IT IS -NOT- FOR YOU". Churches are not content to trust the Lord
and say, "..WE OURSELVES TOGETHER WILL...serve the Lord".

But... didn't you hear them? They -said- that they've been worshiping
God. They -said- that they are "Christians". Aren't you being awfully
"judgmental"? Just who do you think you are, to reject them
out-of-hand; to -rebuff- them so; when they make "claims-for-Christ"!

Notice what happened when the offer was refused: "Then the people of
the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah. They troubled them
in building..." and goes on to described how they tried to frustrate
the work. (vs4-5)

Indeed, when unbelievers are labeled for what they are, "Unbelievers",
they certainly stir things up. I dare say the greatest compromise in
church congregations is the choir. And also; where do most
congregational conflicts begin? Having been choir director a lot in my
younger years, I can tell you: the -CHOIR-!  They are allowed in, and
they behave like "counsellors" to -rebellion- against God's holiness.

Always remember: "Holy" is NOT a -feeling-. Holiness is a -position-.
Holiness is a position of "separation". 'Cut' away from, and unto. Away
from the world and sin; and unto God. If we have the world in-amongst
us when we serve God, we are not holy... BY DEFINITION. Isaiah saw the
"Holy, holy, holy.." God. (Is6:3)  Peter reminds us that it is written,
"Be holy, because I [God] am holy". (1Pet1:16)  Holiness is not walking
along, head upturned at a certain angle, hands placed palms-together
pointed upwards, eyes in a blank-empty stare, moaning and groaning
chants and pious cooings. Holiness is being pure from sin, and keeping
sinners away when we are in the presence of the Holy God, the Most High.

OF COURSE the unregenerate stir things up if you do not pacify them by
inviting them in! Why? vs1 answers this. In spite of their claims to
having been worshiping God, who/what were they? "..the ADVERSARIES.."

They follow their god, satan. Who/what is satan? "..your -ADVERSARY- 
the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 
(1Pet5:8) If you don't invite them in, certainly they will be angry.  
But if you let them in, they will stir things up. That is satan's 
purpose, to try to "devour", like the "vicious wolves" Paul warns 
about. (Acts20:29) They can't devour if you don't let them in! If you
claim to worship God, how could you possibly -DARE- to invite God's
enemies in to join in fellowship!

Oh, that there might be more like Zerubbabel and Jeshua, who will be
willing and bold enough to say:  It is not for you (Stay away!)...we
ourselves together...will serve our Holy God in purity.

Amen!

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