Click above to watch video.
OR
Click below to play audio and read along.
Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
‘Upheaval’ is a troubling word, especially when applied to leadership transitions, do you agree? “Upheaval” leaves people anxious, unsettled, fearful and maybe even terrified. “Upheaval” characterizes a time of anarchy and mayhem. Yesterday we looked at the closing verses of the wonderful story of Queen Esther.
We considered that 8 years of peace and prosperity apparently followed the remarkable “PURIM” miracle of God which spared the Jewish people from annihilation on March 7, 473bc.
But while the Bible does not address the specifics of the death of King Xerxes nor the transition of leadership from Xerxes to his son Artaxerxes, I’ve done some research and discovered that the reign of King Xerxes ended in “upheaval”! King Xerxes was assassinated by one of his officers. Xerxes’ eldest son Darius claimed the throne but within two or three months he too was killed by the same officer who had killed his father.
King Xerxes’ youngest son was Artaxerxes, and he evidently learned of the internal revolt and the traitor officer was killed, raising King Artaxerxes to the throne, in late 465bc. King Artaxerxes reigned for 41 long years, until 424bc.
Please remember how the record of Esther concludes: “Mordecai, the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.” (Esther 10:3) Susa, the capital city of the Persian kingdom, from which King Xerxes reigned, was a very long way from Jerusalem, perhaps 900 miles by trade route.
But Mordecai’s influence was so great all across the Persian empire, and his determination to support the Jewish people was so well respected by all leaders, we can assume a significant effort was being made in Jerusalem and the surrounding region to continue the rebuild of that great city and other towns in the area, during those last years of King Xerxes.
The Biblical chronology goes from Esther 10:3 to Ezra 4:7 and there we find ‘upheaval’ in those months after the death of King Xerxes; the brief reign and death of his eldest son Darius; and the ascension to the throne by his youngest son Artaxerxes.
Ezra 4:7-16 describes a letter drafted by officials in the Jerusalem region who were totally opposed to Jerusalem being rebuilt or repopulated by returning Jewish exiles. Seems they heard of the ‘upheaval’ in Susa and took advantage of the turmoil by drafting and sending this letter to the new King Artaxerxes in Susa.
In fact, this famous letter makes this accusation: “King Artaxerxes should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city! They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.” (Ezra 4:12) Oh my! Jerusalem identified as a rebellious and wicked city. I wonder what comes to your mind when you think of Jerusalem?
The letter, sent to King Artaxerxes, goes on to make both radical claims and a strong recommendation to the King: “The king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes or tribute or duty will be paid and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.” (Ezra 4:13)
It should not be difficult to imagine the anxiety of a new king in receiving such a letter, when of course peace, prosperity and especially the financial stability of the kingdom is a priority to all national leaders, right? Did that statement stir something in you when you consider the huge deficit America and other countries face as their leaders unwisely spend far more than the resources provided by the people?
When a nation is indebted to other nations which are funding their excess spending, a great fiscal implosion is on the horizon, isn’t that true? King Artaxerxes understood the danger of fiscal instability and was therefore shaken by the warning words of this letter from Jerusalem!
The authors of this letter went on to make a strong recommendation to the new king in Susa: “let a search be made in the archives of your predecessors…and you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed. We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls restored, you will be left with nothing in the Trans-Euphrates region!” (Ezra 4:14-16)
WOW, what a dramatic, radical accusation and recommendation. As you can imagine King Artaxerxes was stunned! But he was a man of action, as his father had been before him, and so Artaxerxes issued an immediate order that research be done, and a report be brought to him as quickly as possible regarding the history of the great city of Jerusalem in Israel.
While that research was taking place, I imagine King Artaxerxes was seeking counsel from his royal advisors. I find it fascinating there is NO mention of Mordecai! It would be quite normal for Mordecai, the second in rank, to also be killed in the assassination ‘upheaval’ which took the life of King Xerxes, but we have no record of that. Evidently King Artaxerxes did as so many other new leaders do and rallied around him new advisors.
As the research was completed, of course they found the same story of Jerusalem that the Bible gives us in the books of the Kings & Chronicles. As you think about what you know of the history of Jerusalem from the days of King Solomon all the way to its destruction by King Nebuchadnezzar, how would you characterize the all too frequent turmoil in the city of Jerusalem?
King Artaxerxes hastily wrote a letter in response with this command: “Now issue an order to stop all work, so that this city will NOT be rebuilt until I so order. Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow to the detriment of the royal interests.” (Ezra 4:17-22)
Of course, those who wrote the letter to King Artaxerxes were delighted with his response and quickly they went to Jerusalem to stop all rebuilding work, by force if necessary! The record says: “they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop their work.“ (Ezra 4:23) Oh my how quickly things changed in this season of ‘upheaval’ following those wonderful years after “PURIM”. Once again Jews were fearful, unsettled, uncertain and began crying out to God.
Let’s pause right here friends for reflection. Have you ever found yourself in a time of great ‘upheaval’? If so, how did you find God’s answers? Join me again tomorrow and we’ll see what God did in this ‘upheaval’. Here’s a worship song that calls us to trust God especially in times of ‘upheaval’.
Today’s Scripture: Ezra 4:7-23.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.