They used tactics like today's . . .

This week, our studies have been focused on the tricks and strategies that the devil will use against us. When we make a new beginning with God, when we attempt a fresh start, that is when the devil gets worried. (Grin) He will start first with subtle plans, and keep moving to more aggressive strategies as he needs to.
We've seen that the Jewish people who returned to the fallen city of Jerusalem started out with purpose and with vigor. They were full of enthusiasm and ready to work hard at this new beginning. And that was the signal for the devil to take notice -- and to work against them. Subtly at first, with local people offering to help..... to dilute their efforts because they only worshiped God as one of their many deities. Then, when the leaders rejected compromise, the devil stepped up his efforts with a whisper campaign to cause fear and discouragement. When this didn't have the desired effect, officials were bribed to cause problems and throw in obstacles in the Jews' pathway to a rebuilt Temple and city. (We've noted that all of this sounds remarkably similar to the strategies the devil uses against believers today!)

Gotta say, I still admire the fact that they kept on goin'. They must have still been working, because the devil pulled out all the stops! The people who wanted the work to stop decided to use sheer force -- government edicts and proclamations (like our laws today) to block the work. These tattletales deserved a special title, I think. Tattletale Supreme Club or something like that. They wrote a letter to the king and said, "hey, we're on your side!"....

               "under obligation to the king" or in some translations "eat the salt of the palace"

.....they said, "we are looking out for you, too"......

               "don't want to see the king dishonored"

......and appealed to his desire to have a peaceful kingdom....

               "city is rebellious and troublesome, .... history of sedition"

......and made him worry about his pocketbook, too (the royal treasury)....

               "no more tribute or taxes will be paid"

......it was quite a letter, don't you think?
The king commanded his peeps to look in the record books, and he saw enough there to make him believe the half-truths that the letter writers had laid out. He issued a decree to stop the work.
And the work was stopped by force of arms:

As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop. (v 23)

So the devil had his way for a time. The work stopped for about sixteen years.
The enemy today works through judicial cases and government channels to enact laws that oppose Christianity and to prohibit Christians from living as we believe God tells us to live.
We have no-fault divorce laws that undermine the lifelong commitment of marriage. Couples can split up for any reason - not because of infidelity or abuse, but because we don't like the way they make the bed, leave their shoes lying around, or forget to buy our favorite flavor of coffee creamer.
We have laws that say mothers can kill unwanted children up to the point of birth, and in some states, after birth.
We have laws that say in spite of our faith telling us that same-sex marriage is not the right way to raise a family, we must honor them in every way that we honor heterosexual marriage.
We have lawmakers that want to oppose Israel instead of supporting them.
We have laws that regulate displays at Christmas.
We have laws about prayer in school and prayers in public meetings.
The list goes on and on and on.
And we need to be vigilant, because the devil will not give up in his opposition to our spiritual progress. If we are blessed to be able (with God's help) to deal Satan a setback, we must be aware that his opposition will be unrelenting. He will keep on countering whatever the Lord's people try to do in order to keep moving ahead spiritually.
You see, if he can get us to kick back, throw up our hands and give up, he has achieved his objective.
Yes, there are many wrong ways to respond to his attacks.
Sometimes we give in to the discouragement and stay at the bottom of the hill. We just sit in the roller coaster car and mope.
We'll talk more about this next time -- and we'll talk about climbing back up, too!