Journal Through the Bible: Week 98 Thursday

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Ezra chapter 4

God's people were doing God's work when they were interrupted by enemies posing as friends. This ruse and the plots that followed it resulted in the work being stopped.

The chapter tells of the request the people living in and around Samaria made to the king in letters petitioning him to stop the Jews from completing the work. Work was stopped for several years.( Read my synopsis of the book of Ezra by clicking here that helps identify the kings listed in this passage and their role in Persian history. )

Does God issue any commands?

• God does not speak.

Does God make any promises?

• God does not speak.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• The people of Samaria were foreigners that the Babylonians moved into the land when they conquered Judah. These foreigners intermarried with the few Jews that had been left in the land. These would be "the people of the land" mentioned in verse 4. In this chapter Zerubbabel tells them that they have no part in Israel's God even though the Samaritans wanted to claim Him. When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman He told her that salvation was of the Jews and that the Samaritans had no idea what they worshiped! Yet Jesus explained to the woman Who she should worship. And she did! He also told her that the time was coming, and in fact already was, when all who worship God would do so in spirit and in truth. (See John chapter 4.)

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• Not that I identified.