The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the LORD, the God of Israel. So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “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.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “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.” 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 4.1-5]
On this day last year (2024) I wrote Enemy Infiltration based on Ezra 4.1-5. On this day back in 2015 I wrote Moles In The Church followed in 2016 by Enemies Of God. The overriding theme among all these articles is that when God's work is done, there will be opposition. And, at times, that opposition will sadly come from within.
The first tactic we might expect when doing the will and work of God is dilution. Without going into great detail, the best prevention against dilution is God's Word. In particular, the first four of the Ten Commandments give ample prophylactic benefit:
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. [Exodus 20.2-11]
First, dilution begins when anything comes alongside God to do what God said He alone would do.
Secondly, dilution becomes effective when it is no longer an "aid" to God's promised benefits, but becomes an "alternative."
Thirdly, dilution becomes lethal when it is attributed to, or outright called, God.
And fourthly, dilution is counteracted only by honoring and submitting to Jesus.
In these four steps of dilution, I encourage the reader to compare each step to the first four of the Ten Commandments. Hint: remember that Jesus is the Sabbath Rest.
Moving on, the second tactic we might expect when doing the will and work of God is fear. Fear is the single most effective tool against a person attempting to follow God. The best prevention against fear is one and the same as the prevention against dilution: God's Word. In particular, Jesus.
The one person that fear is ineffective against is a dead man:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24, Mark 8.34, Luke 9.23]
When we "take up our cross" we die to ourselves and fear has lost its only foothold. But, to be sure, dying to ourselves is a daily task.
So, as we consider our calling to follow Jesus, we must expect dilution and fear to oppose us. If however we are steeped in God's written and Living Word, we are not hopelessly vulnerable, but are instead fully prepared for the task at hand and fully protected from the opposition!
Father, thank You for Your Word and the promises we have in IT and HIM! YES! May we take action to know Your Word and take heart to be victorious! So be it!
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