The returning remnant of Judah got off to a great start by reinstituting the sacrificial system and celebrating the feasts that Yahweh had ordained. But it would not be long before they had trouble with the local residents. During the 70 years the exiles spent in Babylon, the land of Judah and Jerusalem had been overrun with squatters. These unwelcome invaders took advantage of the situation by moving into the abandoned towns and villages. Even the vacated homes of Jerusalem became rent-free housing for whoever wanted to occupy them. So, when the exiles began to return in ever-increasing numbers, the local occupants viewed them as unwanted invaders. Their presence was not wanted or welcomed.

In 722 B.C., the Assyrians captured Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel. The fall of Samaria marked the end of a 20-year campaign against the Israelites that had been sanctioned by Yahweh Himself. The fall of the northern kingdom was His punishment for their ongoing unfaithfulness and refusal to repent. He had sent countless prophets to plead with the people to change their ways and return to the worship of Him alone. But the calls to repent and the warnings of coming judgment fell on deaf ears and during the 20-year-long Assyrian conquest, tens of thousands of Israelites were captured and deported to serve as slaves to their new masters. As the Book of 2 Kings reveals, the former occupants of Israel were replaced with people from a variety of different nations.

Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day. And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. – 2 Kings 17:23-24 ESV

The text goes on to reveal that “at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them” (2 Kings 17:25 ESV). God was going to protect the integrity of the land He had given to the Israelites as their inheritance. He would not allow it to become a spiritual wasteland occupied only by pagans who worshiped false gods. So, He used natural means to torment the land’s new occupants with supernatural judgment. The news of this “natural” disaster reached the ears of the king of Assyria.

“The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” – 2 Kings 17:26 ESV

In response, the king sent an Israelite priest to “teach them the law of the god of the land” (2 Kings 17:27 ESV). The common belief among the ancient polytheistic nations was that gods were localized deities who ruled over specific geographic domains. So, Yahweh was seen as the local God of Israel and was to be treated with dignity and honor. The Book of 2 Kings reveals that the king’s plan was only partially successful.

But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived.

They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. – 2 Kings 17:29, 32-33 ESV

These equal-opportunity idolaters were the ones who had moved into the villages and homes of the people of Judah during their absence. They would have intermarried with the Judahites left behind after the Babylonian invasion. The author of Ezra describes them as “enemies” (Ezra 4:1 ESV), and while they initially display a desire to cooperate with the returning exiles, it doesn’t take long for their true colors to show.

The first interaction between the Judahites and their “enemies” appears cordial. After watching the Judahites offer sacrifices to Yawheh, “the people of the land” approached and presented themselves as fellow God-followers.

“Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” – Ezra 4:2 NLT

They failed to acknowledge that they were actually pagan idolaters who only worshiped Yahweh as one more god among many. They had no allegiance to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Most of these people were non-Hebrews who had merely adopted the Israelite God out of duress. If He could protect them from the ravaging lions, then they were more than willing to add him to their long list of deities.

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua wisely turned down the offer of these pagan posers. They could tell that “the people of the land” were not the people of God, so they rejected any overtures of cooperation and cohabitation. The remnant that returned was made up of card-carrying members of the tribe of Judah and they were not about to jeopardize their chances of rebuilding and reoccupying the land of promise by joining forces with the opportunistic people of the land. The leaders of the remnant were unapologetic and uncompromising in their response.

“You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” – Ezra 4:3 NLT

This was not the answer the local residents wanted to hear and it didn’t take long for their disappointment to turn to outright disdain.

Then the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. This went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne. – Ezra 4:4-5 NLT

They viewed the returning Judahites as a threat to their way of life and were willing to do anything to thwart their relocation efforts.

What makes this scenario so interesting is that God had sovereignly ordained the return of His people. He had orchestrated all the events leading up to their arrival in the land, including Cyrus’ decree and the funding of their relocation plans. When they arrived in the land, they immediately revealed their faithfulness by reinstituting the sacrificial system and the annual festivals. They offered sacrifices to Yahweh and laid the foundation of the Temple. So why would God allow them to undergo the constant harassment they endured at the hands of their enemies?

From the moment they returned, they suffered a daily barrage of verbal attacks. They were libeled, slandered, and falsely accused by their enemies. As will become evident, the verbal campaign would only intensify, as the local residents became increasingly more frustrated by the Judahites and their relentless rebuilding campaign. And, with each passing day, new caravans arrived bearing additional exiles who added to the numbers and increased the chances that the Judahites would be successful.

This animosity for the people of Judah would last for decades and increase in intensity. Verse 5 mentions that subversive efforts of the people of the land “went on during the entire reign of King Cyrus of Persia and lasted until King Darius of Persia took the throne” (Ezra 4:5 NLT), a period of nearly four decades. Verses 6 and 7 reveal that the opposition campaign extended through the reigns of two additional Persian kings: Xerxes (Ahasuerus) and Artaxerxes.

Years later when Xerxes began his reign, the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Even later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, the enemies of Judah, led by Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel, sent a letter to Artaxerxes in the Aramaic language… – Ezra 4:6-7 NLT

This was a long-term and relentless effort to demoralize and defeat the people of Judah. Their enemies used words, bribes, threats, and official letters to undermine God’s plans for His people. Yet, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the people remained committed to the cause. They continued to build even in the face of ongoing opposition. The work was difficult and, at times, discouraging. At times, the people would lose heart and become distracted by the constant harassment. The presence of resistance sometimes overwhelmed God’s promise of success. There must have been days when the weary Judahites wondered if it was all worth the pain and persecution. Would they ever complete the Temple? Would the persecution ever stop? Was Yahweh not powerful enough to deal with this ragtag collection of idol-worshiping pagans?

The people of God could not envision what He had in store for them. But the apostle John shares an insight that would have been an encouragement to them in their plight.

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. – 1 John 4:4-6 NLT

The Judahites would continue to face opposition and endure moments of desperation but they could eventually learn that God was in control. The persecution they faced will only make their eventual success that much sweeter and more significant.

“Without this foretaste of history to reveal the full seriousness of the opposition, we would not properly appreciate the achievements recorded in the next two chapters (5 and 6) nor the dangers hidden in the mixed marriages which Ezra would set himself to stamp out (chaps. 7-10).” – Derek Kidner, Ezra and Nehemiah. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series