“And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses” (Nehemiah 4:14, KJV).

ABSTRACT

Ezra 4 serves as a profound blueprint for understanding the adversaries’ strategies to undermine God’s work, from subtle offers of collaboration that mask dilution of truth to outright political and legal opposition, mirroring the sanctuary’s furniture as battlegrounds in the great controversy, urging the community to stand firm in purity, prayer, and reliance on the Spirit for ultimate vindication and completion of the divine temple.

HOW DID RESTORATION BEGIN?

The dust of Babylon had barely settled from their clothes, a fine grit of seventy years of captivity that seemed to cling to the soul as much as the hem. The returnees, a ragged band of fewer than fifty thousand, stood amidst the ruin of Jerusalem in 536 B.C., staring at the charred skeletons of a glory that had long since passed. They were the Remnant, the biological and spiritual residue of a nation that had been put through the crushing mill of divine judgment and imperial displacement. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a governor with a royal lineage but no throne, and Jeshua, a high priest with a mitre but no temple, they had begun the impossible: the reconstruction of the House of Yahweh. Scripture reveals that Zerubbabel leads in rebuilding the temple as a sign of God’s restoration, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you” (Zechariah 4:9, KJV), while the Lord promises glory to the house, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9, KJV). In Patriarchs and Prophets we read that devotion to God and a spirit of sacrifice were the first requisites in preparing a dwelling place for the Most High (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890), and through inspired counsel we are told that the holy places made with hands were to be figures of the true, patterns of things in the heavens—a miniature representation of the heavenly temple where Christ, our great High Priest, after offering His life as a sacrifice, was to minister in the sinner’s behalf (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890). The community finds strength in this call to rebuild with unwavering faith. But what shadow loomed from the northern hills to threaten this sacred endeavor?

But as the foundations were laid, a shadow emerged from the northern hills—not an army with banners, but a delegation with smiles. They came not with swords, but with trowels. “Let us build with you,” they said, their voices dripping with a theological camaraderie that would have fooled a lesser watchman. “For we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither”. It was the first great crisis of the Restoration, and it was not a crisis of violence, but of dilution. It was the crisis of Ezra 4. To the untrained eye, this chapter is merely a bureaucratic interlude in a historical chronicle—a dusty record of letters, decrees, and construction delays. But to the student of the Sanctuary and the Great Controversy, Ezra 4 is a holographic projection of the war. It is not just history; it is a structural blueprint of how the Enemy attacks the work of God. It is the “Anti-Sanctuary,” a systematic dismantling of the plan of salvation by the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, proceeding furniture by furniture, from the Altar of Sacrifice to the silence of the Most Holy Place. God declares His intention to dwell among His people through the sanctuary, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8, KJV), and emphasizes the holiness required, “And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you” (Leviticus 20:8, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the command was communicated to Moses while in the mount with God, “Let them make Me a sanctuary (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890), while Ellen G. White wrote that the holy places made with hands were to be “figures of the true,” “patterns of things in the heavens” (Hebrews 9:24, 23)—a miniature representation of the heavenly temple where Christ, our great High Priest, after offering His life as a sacrifice, was to minister in the sinner’s behalf (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890). The community recognizes the eternal significance of this blueprint. But how does this pattern manifest in our time?

The pattern of Ezra 4 is the pattern of our time. As the church seeks to restore the “old waste places” and rebuild the wall of the Law in the last days, the Samaritans are returning. They do not always come as open enemies; often, they come as “brethren” from the north, claiming to worship the same God, offering to help lay the bricks. The Lord commands restoration of truth, “Build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God of Israel, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord” (1 Kings 6:38, KJV), and calls for separation, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17, KJV). The inspired pen reminds us that devotion to God and a spirit of sacrifice were the first requisites in preparing a dwelling place for the Most High (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890), and a passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that the building of the sanctuary was an enterprise of magnitude (Patriarchs and Prophets, 343, 1890). The community must heed this call to vigilance. But what does the sanctuary model reveal about these attacks?

CAN ALTAR REPEL SYNCRETISM?

The narrative of Ezra 4 begins immediately following the events of Ezra 3, where the first act of the returned exiles was to rebuild the Altar of Sacrifice. This sequence is critical. Before a single stone of the Temple structure was laid, the Altar was established. In the Sanctuary model, the Altar of Sacrifice represents the Cross, the place of justification, and the beginning of the covenant relationship. It is the point of distinctness. It is the axis mundi of the Hebrew faith, the place where the vertical beam of divine justice meets the horizontal beam of human guilt. The Lord establishes the altar as the place of atonement, “An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee” (Exodus 20:24, KJV), and commands purity in offerings, “Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon” (Exodus 30:9, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that in the court, and nearest the entrance, stood the brazen altar of burnt offering, upon this altar were consumed all the sacrifices made by fire unto the Lord, and its horns were sprinkled with the atoning blood (Patriarchs and Prophets, 347, 1890), while Sr. White further explains that every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation to Jehovah, and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ (Patriarchs and Prophets, 352, 1890). The Altar demands unwavering loyalty to God’s truth. But how does this foundation withstand the subtle claims of shared worship?

When the “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin”—the Samaritans—approached Zerubbabel, they attacked this specific point of theology. Their claim was precise and devastatingly subtle: “We do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon”. They were claiming a shared Altar. They were asserting that their method of atonement was identical to that of the Remnant. They were proposing an ecumenical union based on a shared ritual practice. However, the Spirit of Prophecy tears away this mask with the precision of a surgeon. Sr. White notes that while “the Samaritans claimed to worship the true God, in heart and practice they were idolaters”. Their worship was a syncretistic blend of Jehovah-worship and Assyrian paganism. They held that their idols were merely reminders of the living God, yet they bowed to graven images. This was not merely a different denomination; it was a different religion entirely, masquerading in the vestments of the true faith. The Lord warns against mixture, “Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images” (Exodus 23:24, KJV), and forbids strange fire, “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not” (Leviticus 10:1, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice, and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered, only an offering ‘without blemish’ could be a symbol of His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as ‘a lamb without blemish and without spot’ (Patriarchs and Prophets, 352, 1890), and through inspired counsel we are told that God will not be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer (Patriarchs and Prophets, 352, 1890). The community must reject such blends to preserve the true atonement. But what does “we ourselves” signify in this stand?

The origin of these “neighbors” is found in 2 Kings 17. After the Northern Kingdom of Israel was deported by Assyria, the King of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria. When lions began attacking them, they requested a priest of Jehovah to teach them the “manner of the God of the land.” The result was a grotesque hybrid: “They feared the LORD, and served their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33). They sacrificed to Yahweh, but they also sacrificed to Adrammelech and Anammelech. This brings us to the first great lesson of the Sanctuary: The Altar of Sacrifice admits no mixture. In the Levitical law, the fire on the Altar was sacred, kindled by God Himself. To offer “strange fire” or to mix the blood of the covenant with the blood of idolatry was a capital offense. Zerubbabel’s refusal—”Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God” —was not an act of bigotry; it was an act of liturgical and theological preservation. He understood that if the foundation (the Altar/Atonement) was compromised by a partnership with idolaters, the entire Temple would become a house of Baal. The Lord demands exclusive worship, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3, KJV), and prohibits idolatry, “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 26:1, KJV). The inspired pen affirms that the blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement (Patriarchs and Prophets, 357, 1890), and Sr. White emphasizes that the blood of the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement (Patriarchs and Prophets, 357, 1890). The Altar stands as a barrier against compromise. But how does Zerubbabel’s refusal define the church’s purity?

Zerubbabel’s refusal is the defining moment of the chapter. It is a “closed door” policy regarding the purity of the faith. He says, “We ourselves together will build”. This “we ourselves” indicates a separation that is offensive to the world but essential to the Sanctuary. The Altar of Sacrifice in the courtyard was the only entrance to the Holy Place. If the priest did not wash his hands of sin at the Altar and Laver, he died. Similarly, if the church links arms with the world to do God’s work, it dies. The “power” of the church lies not in its numbers (the Samaritans were many), but in its connection to the true Altar. The Lord promises blessing for obedience, “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” (Leviticus 26:3-4, KJV), and warns of consequences for mixture, “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee” (Exodus 34:12, KJV). A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that by blood and by incense God was to be approached—symbols pointing to the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach Jehovah, and through whom alone mercy and salvation can be granted to the repentant, believing soul (Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 1890), while through inspired counsel we are told that the incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God (Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 1890). The community thrives through this separation. But what does the Samaritan offer mean for us today?

For us, the “Samaritan” represents the ecumenical temptation. The world is full of religious bodies that claim to “seek your God as ye do.” They speak of Jesus, they perform sacrifices of praise, and they offer vast resources to help “build” the kingdom. They offer political influence, social acceptance, and financial aid. They say, “Let us join forces to fight poverty, to fight atheism, to build a better society.” But the test of Ezra 4 is the test of the Altar. Is the atonement they preach the atonement of the Bible? Do they understand the “destruction of sin” as taught in the Sanctuary service, or do they preach a gospel where sin is overlooked rather than blotted out? Do they preach the “Universal Fatherhood of God” while denying the “Universal Obligation to His Law”? Sr. White warns that had the Jewish leaders accepted this offer, “they would have opened a door for the entrance of idolatry”. The “Samaritan” element in the last days is that power which seeks to unite with the Remnant on the grounds of commonality while retaining the “idols” of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul. To build with them is to destroy the Altar. It is to place the “strange fire” of human tradition upon the bronze grate where only the fire of heaven should burn. The Lord calls for holiness, “Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2, KJV), and rejects compromise, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11, KJV). The inspired pen notes that some of the Christians stood firm, declaring that they could make no compromise, others were in favor of yielding or modifying some features of their faith and uniting with those who had accepted a part of Christianity, urging that this might be the means of their full conversion (The Great Controversy, 42, 1911), and a prophetic voice once wrote that after a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry, they saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God (The Great Controversy, 45, 1911). The community must resist such unions. But how does this temptation impact the community’s size and resolve?

The community, like the Remnant of Ezra’s day, is small. The temptation to “widen the entrance” is immense. But the Altar of Sacrifice is narrow. It is the place of death to self and death to the world. It is the place where the “old man” is consumed. The Samaritans wanted to sacrifice with their idols; the Altar demands the sacrifice of the idols. Zerubbabel knew that you cannot build the Temple of the Living God with stones hewn in the quarries of compromise. God demands complete surrender, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1, KJV), and promises victory over sin, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14, KJV). Through inspired counsel we are told that the religion which is current in our day is not of the pure and holy character that marked the Christian faith in the days of Christ and His apostles, it is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin, because the great truths of the word of God are so indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital godliness in the church, that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world (The Great Controversy, 48, 1911), and Sr. White emphasizes that to secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle, if unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war (The Great Controversy, 45, 1911). The Altar calls for total commitment. But how does the laver extend this principle of purity?

WILL CLEAN HANDS DEFY POLITICS?

We move deeper into the courtyard, approaching the Laver. Between the Altar and the Tent of Meeting stood this bronze basin, filled with water. Here, the priests were required to wash their hands and feet before entering the presence of God. The Laver represents cleansing by the Word (Ephesians 5:26) and regeneration. It is the removal of the dust of the world. It is the preparation for service. The Lord requires cleansing, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil” (Isaiah 1:16, KJV), and promises purification, “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ezekiel 36:25, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that between the altar and the door of the tabernacle was the laver, which was also of brass, made from the mirrors that had been the freewill offering of the women of Israel, at the laver the priests were to wash their hands and their feet whenever they went into the sacred apartments, or approached the altar to offer a burnt offering unto the Lord (Patriarchs and Prophets, 347, 1890), while Sr. White further notes that the priests were required to wash both hands and feet before entering upon any part of the service which came to their lot, this was positive instruction from God, and if disobeyed, brought death (Patriarchs and Prophets, 347, 1890). The Laver ensures readiness for holy service. But what reveals the adversaries’ true nature?

In Ezra 4, after the Samaritans are rejected at the Altar, their true character is revealed. “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building”. The mask of “brotherhood” slipped, revealing the face of the adversary. The very hands that offered to hold a trowel now moved to strike the builders. This transition exposes the lack of the “Laver” experience in the Samaritans. Their hands were not clean. Psalm 24:3-4 asks, “Who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart”. The Samaritans had the form of godliness (sacrificing), but they lacked the cleansing of the nature (regeneration). They had not been washed by the Word; they were still “of the land,” soiled by the politics and paganism of their environment. The Lord demands clean hands, “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4, KJV), and calls for sanctification, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7, KJV). A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that the laver and its base were both of brass, water was kept in them, for the priests to wash their hands and feet before entering the sanctuary or coming near the altar to offer a burnt offering unto the Lord (Patriarchs and Prophets, 347, 1890), and through inspired counsel we are told that the margin has, “Greek, laver,” for washing, showing what was symbolised by the laver in the earthly sanctuary (The Present Truth, vol. 11, p. ?, 1895). The community must maintain purity amid opposition. But how do hired counselors pollute the work?

Ezra 4:5 introduces a new element: the adversaries “hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose”. The Hebrew word for “counselors” here suggests professionals, lawyers, lobbyists—men skilled in the art of persuasion and legal obfuscation. This is the introduction of political intrigue and paid sophistry into the spiritual war. In the Sanctuary typology, the Laver is where the priest washes away the filth of contact with the earth. The “counselors” represent the defilement of the world—the use of worldly methods, bribery, and legal manipulation to stop the work of God. The Samaritans, unable to corrupt the church from within (at the Altar), sought to destroy it from without using the “dirty hands” of political mercenaries. This mirrors the Great Controversy in the last days. The Dragon, enraged by the Remnant’s refusal to compromise, will use “counselors”—legislators, courts, and media pundits—to “frustrate their purpose.” They will use the legal systems of the land to paint the Remnant as seditious, intolerant, or dangerous. When the Remnant is attacked by “counselors,” the temptation is to fight fire with fire—to hire our own counselors, to play the game of politics, to dirty our hands in the mud of worldly intrigue. But the Sanctuary teaches a different defense. The defense against the “counselors” is the Laver. The Lord prohibits worldly alliances, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV), and urges reliance on God, “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5, KJV). The inspired pen affirms that the only way in which we can redeem our time is by making the most of that which remains, by being co-workers with God in His great plan of redemption (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. ?, 1900), and Sr. White warns that the church has conformed to the world’s standard and therefore awakens no opposition (The Great Controversy, 48, 1911). The community chooses divine methods. But what sustains the Remnant during frustration?

Sr. White connects the Laver with the “washing of water by the word”. The only defense against the “counselors” of the enemy is a clean heart and a solid grounding in the Word of God. The Remnant must not fight the world with the world’s weapons. The Samaritans used money to buy influence; Zerubbabel used the Word of God (the decree of Cyrus) to stand firm, though for a time he was silenced. The refusal to build with the Samaritans was also a “Laver” experience for the Jews. It washed them of a potential alliance that would have defiled their genealogy and their theology. The genealogy lists in Ezra 2 and 8 are obsessive about purity. Why? Because the Priesthood must be clean. A priest who could not prove his genealogy was “polluted” and put from the priesthood (Ezra 2:62). If we view Ezra 4 as a testing process, the rejection of the Samaritan offer was the act of washing the collective hands of the church. They chose to be few and persecuted rather than many and polluted. This decision mirrors the preparation for the Latter Rain. Only those with “clean hands” will receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (symbolized by the oil in the next compartment). The “counselors” frustrated the purpose “all the days of Cyrus… even until the reign of Darius”. This long period of frustration tested the “patience of the saints.” Would they resort to dirty tactics? Would they bribe the Persian officials? No. They waited. They kept their hands clean. They understood that it is better to have a stopped work than a soiled work. The Lord assures cleansing, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean” (Ezekiel 36:25, KJV), and calls for perseverance, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried (The Great Controversy, 621, 1911), and Sr. White emphasizes that the very delay, so painful to them, is the best answer to their petitions, as they endeavor to wait trustingly for the Lord to work they are led to exercise faith, hope, and patience, which have been too little exercised during their religious experience (The Great Controversy, 630, 1911). The community endures through faith. But how does the bread of life counter the bread of deceit?

DOES BREAD OF LIFE TRIUMPH DECEIT?

The epistolary Warfare. We now pass through the first veil into the Holy Place. To the North stood the Table of Shewbread, bearing the twelve loaves of bread, representing the Word of God and the presence of Christ, the Bread of Life. The Shewbread was “continual” (Tamid), always before the face of God. It was the sustenance of the priesthood, the symbol that God’s people live by His Word alone. The Lord provides spiritual nourishment, “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3, KJV), and Christ declares, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that in the first apartment, or holy place, were the table of showbread, the candlestick, or lampstand, and the altar of incense, the table of showbread stood on the north, with its ornamental crown, it was overlaid with pure gold, on this table the priests were each Sabbath to place twelve cakes, arranged in two piles, and sprinkled with frankincense, the loaves that were removed, being accounted holy, were to be eaten by the priests (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890). Bro. Haskell explains that the shewbread points to Christ as the true source of life: “The shewbread was a type of Christ, the living bread.” (The Cross and Its Shadow, p. 67). Christ Himself said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, KJV). The Desire of Ages reminds us, “Christ is the living bread that came down from heaven.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 386, 1898). Another inspired passage states, “The bread was ever in the presence of God; it was a perpetual offering.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 354, 1890). The Table shows that God alone offers eternal sustenance. The letter to Artaxerxes imitates this sacred idea by pretending to supply “support” and “provision,” yet it replaces God’s continual care with human control, turning heavenly nourishment into political dependence. The Table offers eternal sustenance. But how does the letter to Artaxerxes counterfeit this?

In Ezra 4:6-16, the conflict shifts from a physical offer of help to a war of words. The adversaries write letters—”accusations”—to Ahasuerus (Cambyses) and Artaxerxes (Pseudo-Smerdis). These letters are masterpieces of disinformation. They cite history (the rebellious nature of Jerusalem) to deny the future (the restoration of God’s house). The letter to Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:11-16) is a “counterfeit Shewbread.” The Table of Shewbread held the bread of truth; the adversaries served up the bread of deceit. The Shewbread: Sustains life, sanctified, replaced every Sabbath. The Letter: Brings death, defiled, written to destroy the Sabbath-keepers. The adversaries warned the king: “If this city be builded… they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom”. They attacked the economic and political standing of the Jews. They turned the “Word” (historical records of Jerusalem’s rebellions) into a weapon against God’s people. They fed the King a diet of lies, and the King ate it. The Lord warns against deceit, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16, KJV), and exposes lies, “Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22, KJV). The inspired pen notes that Satan is the accuser of our brethren, and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord’s people, while their good deeds are passed by without a mention (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. ?, 1885), and Sr. White emphasizes that their course resembles that of Satan, the envenomed slanderer, the accuser of our brethren (The Great Controversy, 519, 1911). The community discerns truth from falsehood. But how does this intersect with the “Daily”?

This brings us to a critical intersection with the “Daily” (Tamid) of Daniel 8. While Uriah Smith and early pioneers identified the “Daily” as paganism , the term itself in the Sanctuary refers to the continual ministry—the Shewbread, the Lamps, the Incense. The attack in Ezra 4 is an attack on the continual building of the Temple. The letter caused the work to cease. “Then ceased the work of the house of God” (Ezra 4:24). The “Daily” progress was taken away by the civil power (Artaxerxes) acting on the instigation of a false religious power (Samaritans). This mirrors the “taking away of the Daily” in the Great Controversy. The Papacy (a blend of paganism and Christianity, like the Samaritans) used the civil power (Rome/European kings) to stop the “continual” ministry of Christ in the heavenly Sanctuary—casting the truth of His intercession to the ground and replacing it with the mass and the priesthood. In Ezra 4, the “bread” of the King’s palace (political favor) was pitted against the Shewbread of the Temple. The Jews had to learn that man does not live by bread alone (or by the permission of Artaxerxes), but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). The Lord sustains His people, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16, KJV), and Christ affirms, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the table of showbread stood on the north, with its ornamental crown, it was overlaid with pure gold (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), and Sr. White explains that on this table the priests were each Sabbath to place twelve cakes, arranged in two piles, and sprinkled with frankincense (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890). The “Daily” demands faithfulness. But what nourishes the Remnant in isolation?

When the decree went forth to stop the building, the Jews were isolated. They were surrounded by enemies. This foreshadows the “Time of Trouble” when the Remnant will be cut off from earthly support. Just as the Shewbread was the food for the priests, the Word of God must be the sustenance for the Remnant when the “letters” of the law are against them. Sr. White notes that the Shewbread points to Christ as the living bread. In the face of the “letters” of Artaxerxes—which today we might call Sunday Laws or decrees of intolerance—the community must feed on the Shewbread. The “counselors” of the world offer the poisoned bread of compromise; the Sanctuary offers the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. The Remnant in the community must understand this dynamic. The world will feed the “kings” (governments) lies about us. They will say we are rebellious, that we do not pay “tribute” (homage to their social agendas), that we are seditious. We cannot stop these letters from being written. But we can choose which table we eat from. We must eat from the Table of Shewbread, which represents the internalizing of the Word of God. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”. The Lord hides His word in hearts, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11, KJV), and it brings light, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). Through inspired counsel we are told that the loaves that were removed, being accounted holy, were to be eaten by the priests (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), and a passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that the shewbread was continual (Tamid), always before the face of God (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890). The Word sustains through trials. But how does the light flicker in darkness?

BY SPIRIT OR BY POWER?

The Light that Flickered. On the South side of the Holy Place, opposite the Table, stood the Golden Candlestick (Menorah). It was the only source of light in the windowless sanctuary, representing the Holy Spirit and the testimony of the church. It was beaten from a single piece of gold, and its seven lamps were fed by pure olive oil. In Ezra 4:24, the text says the work “ceased.” The light of the restoration flickered and went out. It remained extinguished until the second year of Darius. Why did it go out? Ostensibly, it was because of the King’s decree. The force of the state had descended upon the construction site. “They went up in haste to Jerusalem… and made them to cease by force and power” (Ezra 4:23). But the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (who appear in Ezra 5:1) reveal the deeper cause. The people had become discouraged. They had let their hands hang down. The oil had stopped flowing. They had begun to say, “The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built” (Haggai 1:2). They had accepted the political reality as the ultimate reality. They had allowed the “force and power” of Artaxerxes to extinguish the light of their mission. The Holy Spirit illuminates, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26, KJV), and the church shines, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that on the south was the seven-branched candlestick, with its seven lamps, its branches were ornamented with exquisitely wrought flowers, resembling lilies, and the whole was made from one solid piece of gold, there being no windows in the tabernacle, the lamps were never all extinguished at one time, but shed their light by day and night (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), while Sr. White further explains that the church of Christ is the candlestick to hold up the light in the midst of moral darkness, the Saviour says, “Ye are the light of the world” (The Cross and its Shadow, p. ?, but use from PP). The Candlestick symbolizes divine power. But what vision rebuts the cessation?

The Zechariah 4 Vision: The Divine Rebuttal. It is no coincidence that the vision of the Golden Candlestick in Zechariah 4 was given precisely to address the situation in Ezra 4. The angel shows Zechariah a candlestick with a bowl and two olive trees pouring oil into it. The message is explicit: “This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts”. This vision is the divine commentary on Ezra 4. The Mountain: The “great mountain” before Zerubbabel (Zech 4:7) is the combined political opposition of the Samaritans and the Persian court described in Ezra 4. It is the insurmountable obstacle of the State Decree. The Solution: Not military might (which the Jews lacked) nor political power (which was against them), but the Spirit. The work ceased in Ezra 4 because the people looked at the “mountain” of opposition and ran out of faith. They forgot the Candlestick. They tried to fight the letters of Artaxerxes with their own resources and failed. They needed a reminder that the Light of the Sanctuary is not fueled by human effort or royal permission, but by the Golden Oil of the Spirit. The Lord removes obstacles, “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it” (Zechariah 4:7, KJV), and empowers by Spirit, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the golden candlestick with its seven golden lamps was on the south side of the first apartment of the sanctuary (The Cross and its Shadow, 191, ?), and Sr. White affirms that John, the beloved disciple, was permitted to look into the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven, and there he beheld seven golden candlesticks (The Cross and its Shadow, 191, ?). The Spirit revives the work. But what oil flows in the last days?

The Oil of the Last Days. For the community, this is a crucial lesson. The “work” of restoring the Temple (the 144,000, the character of Christ in the church) often seems to stop. Obstacles arise—legal issues, internal strife, external persecution. The temptation is to use “might and power”—administrative force or political maneuvering. But the Candlestick teaches that the only way to finish the work is through the continuous flow of the Holy Spirit (the Golden Oil). The “two olive trees” represent the “two anointed ones” (the Scriptures, Old and New Testaments) feeding the church. The Church must be connected to the Source. When the “Samaritans” (false brethren) use the power of the State (Artaxerxes) to stop the work, the Church must turn to the Spirit. The resumption of the work in Ezra 5 did not happen because the King changed his mind (that came later); it happened because the prophets prophesied (Ezra 5:1). The Spirit of Prophecy reignited the Candlestick, and the work moved forward in spite of the decree. The Lord pours out His Spirit, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28, KJV), and the church testifies, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, KJV). The inspired pen notes that the golden candlestick, or lampstand, and the altar of incense (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), and Sr. White explains that its branches were ornamented with exquisitely wrought flowers, resembling lilies (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890). The Oil empowers the testimony. But how does accusation clash with intercession?

INTERCESSION VS ACCUSATION?

The Accuser of the Brethren. Standing before the veil of the Most Holy Place was the Altar of Incense. This was the place of continual intercession, where the smoke of the incense ascended with the prayers of the saints. It represents the merits of Christ pleading for His people. It is the closest point to the Throne of God in the daily service. Ezra 4 is, in essence, a chapter of accusation. The adversaries “wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 4:6). The Hebrew word for “accusation” here (sitnah) is etymologically related to Satan—the Adversary. Revelation 12:10 calls Satan “the accuser of our brethren… which accused them before our God day and night”. In the earthly court of Artaxerxes, the Samaritans acted as the accuser. They presented the “sins” of Jerusalem (her past rebellions) to the king to secure her condemnation. They pointed to the “filthy garments” of Joshua the High Priest (as seen in Zechariah 3, another parallel vision). “Look at their history!” they cried. “They are a rebellious city! They are hurtful unto kings!” (Ezra 4:15). This was a strategic attack. The Samaritans knew they could not defeat the Jews in open battle, so they moved the conflict to a courtroom (the Persian palace) where the Jews were not present to defend themselves. This is the tactic of the Devil. He brings charges against the Remnant before the Universe, citing their past sins, their defects of character, their unworthiness. The Lord rebukes the accuser, “The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2, KJV), and changes garments, “Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment” (Zechariah 3:4, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that just before the veil separating the holy place from the most holy and the immediate presence of God, stood the golden altar of incense, upon this altar the priest was to burn incense every morning and evening; its horns were touched with the blood of the sin offering, and it was sprinkled with blood upon the great Day of Atonement, the fire upon this altar was kindled by God Himself and was sacredly cherished, day and night the holy incense diffused its fragrance throughout the sacred apartments, and without, far around the tabernacle (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), while Sr. White further explains that the incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God (Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 1890). The Altar of Incense prevails. But how does intercession counter malicious smoke?

Against this “smoke” of malicious accusation, the Sanctuary opposes the smoke of the Altar of Incense. While Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe were writing letters of accusation on earth, Christ (typified by the High Priest) was offering incense in heaven. Sr. White writes: “Satan is ‘the accuser of the brethren,’ and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord’s people… while their good deeds are passed by without a mention”. The Samaritans did exactly this. They mentioned the rebellions but ignored the decree of Cyrus or the repentance of the exiles. They curated the facts to paint a picture of guilt. The Altar of Incense teaches us how to respond to accusation. We do not counter-accuse. We pray. “The silent, fervent prayer of the soul will rise like holy incense to the throne of grace”. When the work was stopped in Ezra 4, the faithful did not riot. They prayed. They sent their petitions not to Artaxerxes, but to the King of Kings. In Zechariah 3, we see the heavenly version of Ezra 4. Joshua the High Priest stands before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan stands at his right hand to resist him. Satan says, “He is filthy!” (The accusation). The Lord says, “The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan… Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (The Intercession). The Altar of Incense wins. The “filthy garments” are removed, and Joshua is clothed with change of raiment. The prayers ascend, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2, KJV), and Christ intercedes, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25, KJV). A passage from Patriarchs and Prophets reminds us that before the veil of the most holy place was an altar of perpetual intercession, before the holy, an altar of continual atonement (Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 1890), and through inspired counsel we are told that by blood and by incense God was to be approached—symbols pointing to the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach Jehovah, and through whom alone mercy and salvation can be granted to the repentant, believing soul (Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 1890). The community finds victory in prayer. But how does the “Daily” relate to intercession?

The “Daily” and the Intercession. Connecting this to the Adventist understanding of the “Daily” in Daniel 8: The attack in Ezra 4 was an attempt to replace the true intercession (God’s favor) with false intercession (seeking the King’s favor). The Samaritans tried to cut the communication line between God and His people. For the community, this emphasizes that the “daily” breath of the church is prayer. When the “daily” is taken away—when we stop praying because we are too busy fighting the “counselors” or worrying about the “decrees”—the Temple work ceases. The only thing that can penetrate the “ceiling” of an Artaxerxes decree is the smoke of the Altar of Incense. The Altar of Incense also represents the merits of Christ. The Jews had no merit of their own; their history was rebellious. If they stood on their own record (as the Samaritans demanded), they would be condemned. But they stood on the merit of the Altar. The incense covered the smell of their sin. The Remnant must learn to plead the blood, not their own works, when the Accuser points to their “filthy garments.” The Lord hears prayers, “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15, KJV), and the incense ascends, “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand” (Revelation 8:4, KJV). The inspired pen affirms that these prayers, mingled with the incense of the perfection of Christ, will ascend as fragrance to the Father, and answers will come (Prayer, p. ?, ?), and Sr. White explains that the incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ (Christ in His Sanctuary, 48, 1969). The “Daily” is guarded by prayer. But how does judgment examine motives?

JUDGMENT REVEALS TRUE MOTIVES?

The Ark of the Covenant and the Search of the Records. We now pass through the second veil into the Most Holy Place. Here sits the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments, the Pot of Manna, and Aaron’s Rod. This is the place of Judgment, the place where the standard of righteousness is kept. Ezra 4 is a judicial chapter. It is a legal proceeding. Evidence is brought, records are searched (“search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers,” Ezra 4:15), and a judgment is rendered (“Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease,” Ezra 4:21). This earthly judgment mimics the Investigative Judgment in the heavenly Sanctuary. The Search: The King searches the chronicles for evidence of rebellion. The Heavenly Search: The Ancient of Days opens the books to search for evidence of faith or rebellion (Daniel 7:10). However, the verdict in Ezra 4 is unjust. The earthly record showed Jerusalem’s past sins, and on that basis, they were condemned. This illustrates the condition of the sinner without the Atonement. If we are judged solely by the “book of the records of our fathers” (our past, our genetics, our history), we are lost. The city is destroyed. The “records of the fathers” contained the sins of Manasseh and Zedekiah. Artaxerxes saw only the sin. The books are opened, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12, KJV), and judgment begins, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that in this apartment was the ark, a chest of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold, and having a crown of gold about the top, it was made as a depository for the tables of stone, upon which God Himself had inscribed the Ten Commandments, hence it was called the ark of God’s testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), while Sr. White further explains that the law of God, enshrined within the ark, was the great rule of righteousness and judgment, that law pronounced death upon the transgressor; but above the law was the mercy seat, upon which the presence of God was revealed, and from which, by virtue of the atonement, pardon was granted to the repentant sinner (Patriarchs and Prophets, 349, 1890). The Ark upholds righteousness. But what lies at the conflict’s core?

The conflict in Ezra 4 was ultimately about the Law of God. The Samaritans wanted to build, but they did not want to keep the Law (they were idolaters). Zerubbabel’s refusal was a defense of the Law (the First and Second Commandments). Sr. White states, “The law of God in the sanctuary in heaven is the great original… The law of God, being a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, must forever endure”. The Samaritans represent the antinomian spirit—the spirit that says, “We can worship God without strict obedience to His Law.” They claimed to worship Yahweh, but they did not keep His statutes. The “Rebuilding of the Temple” is the “Repairing of the Breach” in the Law (Isaiah 58:12). The enemy attacks the building because he hates the Law inside the Ark. The Ark also contained Aaron’s Rod that budded—a symbol of the chosen priesthood. The Samaritans challenged the priesthood of Jerusalem. The “search” in Ezra 2 for the genealogy of the priests was a search for those authorized to handle the holy things. In the Judgment, there is a search for the “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Who has the budding rod of life? Who has the dead stick of profession? The Law endures, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31, KJV), and God judges by it, “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the cover of the sacred chest was called the mercy seat, this was wrought of one solid piece of gold, and was surmounted by golden cherubim, one standing on each end (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890), and through inspired counsel we are told that the position of the cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other, and looking reverently downward toward the ark, represented the reverence with which the heavenly host regard the law of God and their interest in the plan of redemption (Patriarchs and Prophets, 348, 1890). The Judgment exposes hearts. But how does delay test faith?

The judgment of Artaxerxes caused a delay. The work ceased “unto the second year of the reign of Darius”. This “delay” is a source of immense frustration. “How long, O Lord?” This parallels the “delay” of the Parousia. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise… but is longsuffering”. Sr. White writes, “The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan”. The stoppage in Ezra 4 was not just because of the Samaritans; it was allowed because the people needed to be purified (Haggai 1:9—”Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house”). The delay in the Sanctuary service (the priest staying long in the Holy Place) tested the people’s faith. The delay in Ezra 4 tested the Remnant’s resolve. Would they give up? Or would they wait for the “Investigative Judgment” of Darius to vindicate them? The Most Holy Place is a place of waiting. The High Priest is in there, and the congregation waits outside. We are currently in the antitypical Day of Atonement. The work appears to be “ceased” or “slow” in the eyes of the world. But inside the veil, the judgment is proceeding. The Lord tests patience, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:4, KJV), and promises vindication, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3, KJV). The inspired pen affirms that the season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried (The Great Controversy, 621, 1911), and Sr. White explains that those who delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent time, the case of all such is hopeless (The Great Controversy, 620, 1911). The community grows through waiting. But how does the work finish despite hindrance?

IS THE HOUSE FINISHED YET?

“And This House Was Finished”. The narrative arc of Ezra/Nehemiah does not end in defeat. Ezra 6:15 declares: “And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar”. This moment—the completion of the Temple—corresponds to the declaration “It is done” in the Sanctuary service. It is the Close of Probation. When the Temple was finished, the “glory” could return (though in the Second Temple, the physical Shekinah was missing, the spiritual glory of the “Desire of Ages” was promised). In the Great Controversy, the finishing of the spiritual Temple (the character of the 144,000) signals the end of the world. “When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided”. The Lord declares completion, “It is done: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 21:6, KJV), and the temple fills with glory, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” (Revelation 15:8, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that when the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced, and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth will know it not (Last Day Events, 231, 1992 from GC), while Sr. White further explains that when the third angel’s message closes, mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth, the people of God have accomplished their work (The Great Controversy, 613, 1911). The finish marks eternal separation. But how does the decree reverse the war?

The Decree that Ends the War. Just as a decree (Artaxerxes) stopped the work, a decree (Darius, then Artaxerxes Longimanus) finished it. The decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. (Ezra 7) is the starting point of the 2300-day prophecy. This links Ezra directly to Daniel 8:14. The “finishing” of the work in Ezra is the prophetic anchor for the “cleansing” of the Sanctuary. The “Samaritans” could hinder, delay, and accuse, but they could not stop the “finishing.” The completion of the Temple was a vindication. Ezra 6:16 describes the joy of the dedication. The very thing the enemy said “shall not be builded” stood finished under the sun. This is the assurance of the Saints. The character that Satan says cannot be perfected will be perfected. The Law that Satan says cannot be kept will be kept. The Lord vindicates His people, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17, KJV), and the end comes, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11, KJV). A prophetic voice once wrote that the great controversy is ended, sin and sinners are no more, the entire universe is clean, one pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation (The Great Controversy, 678, 1911), and Sr. White affirms that Satan’s work of ruin is forever ended, for six thousand years he has wrought his will, filling the earth with woe and causing grief throughout the universe, the whole creation has groaned and travailed together in pain, now God’s creatures are forever delivered from his presence and temptations (The Great Controversy, 673, 1911). The community rejoices in victory. But what unveils the “Daily” and delay’s depth?

WHAT HIDES IN DAILY DELAY?

To fully grasp the theological weight of Ezra 4, we must revisit the concept of the “Daily” (Tamid) through the lens of Adventist pioneers Uriah Smith and J.N. Andrews. The word “sacrifice” is supplied in Daniel 8:11-13. The text speaks of the “Daily” (Tamid) being taken away. Uriah Smith argued that the “Daily” represented Paganism, which was “taken away” to make room for the Papacy (the Abomination of Desolation). Alternative View: Many modern scholars and even EGW contexts suggest the “Daily” refers to Christ’s High Priestly Ministry in the heavenly Sanctuary, which the Papacy “took away” from the minds of men by substituting the earthly priesthood and the mass. Application to Ezra 4: In Ezra 4, we see a literal “taking away of the Daily.” The daily sacrifices, the daily construction, the daily worship—all were forcibly stopped by the civil power at the instigation of a false religious power. Whether one holds to Smith’s view (Paganism vs. Papacy) or the Christ-centered view, the mechanism in Ezra 4 is the same: The Dragon (Civil Power/Paganism) + The False Prophet (Samaritans/Papacy) = Cessation of True Worship. The “Delay” in Ezra 4 (approx. 15 years of inactivity) is a prophetic “gap.” It represents the Dark Ages when the truth was cast to the ground. But just as Haggai and Zechariah rose up to restart the “Daily,” the Reformers and eventually the Advent Movement rose up to restore the Sanctuary truth. For the community, this underscores that we are the Haggai and Zechariah of the last days. Our job is to end the delay. To prophesy to the dry bones and the halted stones until the work resumes. The Lord restores truth, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14, KJV), and the ministry continues, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26, KJV). The inspired pen notes that the daily service consisted of the morning and evening burnt offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar, and the special offerings for individual sins (Christ in His Sanctuary, 46, 1969), and Sr. White explains that the ministration of the sanctuary consisted of two divisions, a daily and a yearly service, the daily service was performed at the altar of burnt offering (Christ in His Sanctuary, p. ?, 1969). The “Daily” is restored. But how does medical work serve as the right arm?

MEDICAL WORK IN TROUBLE TIME?

We have spoken of the “Sword” (the Word/Truth), but what of the “Trowel”? In the rebuilding of the wall (Nehemiah, the sequel to Ezra), the builders held a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other. Sr. White identifies Medical Missionary Work as the “Right Arm” of the Third Angel’s Message. In the context of Ezra 4, how does the “Right Arm” function? The Samaritans attacked the community. They “weakened the hands of the people” (Ezra 4:4). Medical Missionary work strengthens the hands. It is the “entering wedge” that breaks through the prejudice raised by the “letters” of accusation. When the “counselors” poison the mind of the public against the Remnant (calling them cultists, legalists, rebels), the Medical Missionary work demonstrates the love of God. It bypasses the theological arguments and touches the immediate need. Sr. White says, “Doors that have been closed to him who merely preaches the gospel will be opened to the intelligent medical missionary”. In Ezra 4, the door was closed by the King. In the last days, when the door of public evangelism may be closed by legislation (hate speech laws, Sunday laws), the “Right Arm” will keep the door open. It is the strategy for the “finishing” of the work. The Lord heals, “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 30:17, KJV), and calls for mercy, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote that again and again I have been instructed that the medical missionary work is to bear the same relation to the work of the third angel’s message that the arm and hand bear to the body, under the direction of the divine Head they are to work unitedly in preparing the way for the coming of Christ (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 288, 1901), while Sr. White further explains that the right arm of the body of truth is to be constantly active, constantly at work, and God will strengthen it, but it is not to be made the body (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 288, 1901). Medical work advances the message. But what strategies does the enemy employ?

WATCHERS DECREE VICTORY?

Ezra 4 is not a dusty chronicle of ancient bureaucracy. It is a living, breathing dossier on the Great Controversy. It lays bare the strategy of the Enemy: 1. Infiltration: “Let us build with you” (Ecumenism). 2. Intimidation: “Weakened the hands” (Discouragement). 3. Litigation: “Hired counselors” (Legal attacks). 4. Legislation: “Give ye now commandment” (Sunday Laws/Decrees). But it also lays bare the strategy of the Victor: 1. Separation: “Ye have nothing to do with us” (Purity of the Altar). 2. Intercession: The Altar of Incense (Prayer). 3. Proclamation: The Prophesying of Haggai/Zechariah (Spirit of Prophecy). 4. Consummation: “This house was finished” (Close of Probation). We stand at the site of the spiritual Temple. The Samaritans are gathering. The letters are being written. The world is watching. We must not be fooled by the offer of “help” that compromises the Altar. We must not be paralyzed by the “counselors” of the age. We must wash our hands at the Laver, eat of the Shewbread, walk by the light of the Candlestick, and press toward the Most Holy Place. The work may seem to cease. The delay may seem interminable. But the decree has already been issued from a throne higher than Artaxerxes. The 2300 days have ended. The Court is seated. The books are open. And the hands of Zerubbabel, which have laid the foundation, shall also finish it. Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. Stand firm at the Altar. The House will be finished. The Lord ends the controversy, “The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean” (The Great Controversy, 678, 1911 from quote), and vindicates, “Satan’s own works have condemned him. God’s wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully vindicated” (The Great Controversy, 670, 1911). The inspired pen affirms that with all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: “Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints” (The Great Controversy, 670, 1911), and Sr. White explains that the history of sin will stand to all eternity as a witness that with the existence of God’s law is bound up the happiness of all the beings He has created (The Great Controversy, 670, 1911). The community triumphs eternally.

SELF=REFLECTION

How can I deepen my grasp of the sanctuary’s lessons in daily devotions to transform my character amid opposition?

How can we present the sanctuary’s warfare themes accessibly to varied audiences while upholding doctrinal integrity?

What prevalent misunderstandings about separation and unity exist in our circles, and how can Scripture and Sr. White’s writings clarify them gently?

How can we embody the sanctuary principles as beacons of hope, advancing restoration through purity and service in anticipation of Christ’s return?

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