The worst possible curse which God can place on a prosperous, complacent nation is to permit conditions of continuing prosperity so the believers and the unsaved fall ever deeper into the deceits of the enemy.

Then, when the Spirit of God casts Satan into the Lake of Fire, the "believers" and the unsaved are cast in with him because their nature and their works have become identical with Satan's.

There is only one acceptable answer when the world seeks to cooperate with us, attempting to persuade us to conform to its way of thinking in the building of the dwelling place of God: No!

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. (Ezra 4:3)

When the Lord's people refuse to compromise with the world, the world will turn against them and the spirit of Satan will be revealed.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, (Ezra 4:4)

The remainder of Chapter Four of Ezra speaks of the efforts of the heathen to prevent the restoration of the Temple of God.

Saints, be aware of one fact: "All that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12). It is not all who profess Christ who will suffer persecution, it is "all that will live godly in Christ" who shall suffer persecution.

Satan is not too upset over professions of belief but he is mortally terrified of godly living.

God Builds the Kingdom

Another principle of restoration is seen in the beginning of Chapter Five of Ezra:

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel even unto them. (Ezra 5:1)

God moved on the kings of Persia to help restore the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. God moved on the prophets to announce His will for that period of history. God moved on men who were able to build, such as Zerubbabel and Nehemiah.

There is a time for kings to move. There is a time for prophets to prophesy. There is a time for administrators to build and govern. But God is in control of all.

The kings are not called on to prophesy nor are they always able to do so. The prophets are not called on to build and rule nor are they always able to do so. The administrators are not called on to fight the kings of this world nor are they able to do so.

There are occasions when kings are required to prophesy and prophets are required to build. We recognize this. Our point is that each of us is to perform his own responsibilities with all his heart and not be overly concerned with the areas in which he is not called on to function at the present time.

To be continued.