2 Chronicles 4
Ezra 4 records how external opposition and interference arose at the point when the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple began. The chapter is broadly divided into three main parts, through which the storyline unfolds. First, the enemies of Judah and Benjamin try to join the rebuilding of the temple, but the people of Judah refuse. Next, the foreigners directly interfere with the construction and send a written accusation to the governor. Finally, the work is halted by the order of the Persian king, Artaxerxes. This chapter describes how interference from the outside—and the trials that God’s people face as a result—develop.
1verseThen he made an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high.
2verseAlso he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim. It was round, five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference.
3verseUnder it was the likeness of oxen, which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast.
4verseIt stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hindquarters were inward.
5verseIt was a handbreadth thick. Its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It received and held three thousand baths.
6verseHe also made ten basins, and put five on the right hand and five on the left, to wash in them. The things that belonged to the burnt offering were washed in them, but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
7verseHe made the ten lamp stands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand and five on the left.
8verseHe made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold.
9verseFurthermore he made the court of the priests, the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze.
10verseHe set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.
11verseHuram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Huram finished doing the work that he did for King Solomon in God’s house:
12versethe two pillars, the bowls, the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars,
13verseand the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks—two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars.
14verseHe also made the bases, and he made the basins on the bases—
15verseone sea, and the twelve oxen under it.
16verseHuram-abi also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for King Solomon, for the LORD’s house, of bright bronze.
17verseThe king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.
18verseThus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance, so that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.
19verseSolomon made all the vessels that were in God’s house: the golden altar, the tables with the show bread on them,
20verseand the lamp stands with their lamps to burn according to the ordinance before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold;
21verseand the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold that was purest gold;
22verseand the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.
Key Contents and Meaning of the Text
- The Beginning of the Interference (Verses 1–5): The foreigners suggest building the temple together with the people of Judah, but the Judahite leaders refuse. They did not compromise in order to preserve pure faith; as a result, they end up facing even greater interference.
- Political Pressure and Accusations (Verses 6–23): The adversaries repeatedly accused the people of Judah to the Persian government. Even during several kings (Xerxes, Artaxerxes), this ongoing opposition affects not only the temple but also the rebuilding of the city walls. The governors and officials submitted negative reports to the king, causing the rebuilding of Jerusalem to be viewed as national rebellion.
- The Halt of the Construction (Verse 24): In the end, construction is stopped by the command of King Artaxerxes. In this way, it may seem as though realistic obstacles are interfering with God’s will, but this can be understood within God’s providence and plan.
Meditation Points
- What choice should we make between keeping the purity of faith and compromising with the outside?
- Let’s remember that the interference and difficulties we face when doing God’s work can become an opportunity to examine our own decisions and perseverance.
- In the face of real hardships, what attitude and posture should we take?
Apply It to Me
- I also reflect on whether I have experienced outside pressure or interference while living a life of faith or doing good work.
- Am I able to check whether I have the faith and courage to hold on to God’s will and move forward even amid difficulties and interference?
- I feel that I need time to think about what I should decide in my life today in order to keep the purity of my faith—to stay focused on God without compromising with the world’s values.
As part of Coupang Partners activities, this post may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
