The work stopped

Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. – Ezra 4.24

Sometimes the discouragement and opposition and fear and despair and disappointment just get to be too much. That's what happened here – the work in Jerusalem ceased. It wasn’t just an overnight date. The worked stopped for fourteen long years.

Fourteen years is a long time. Day after day the construction site would have looked worse and worse. Dust and dirt and rubbish would have gathered there. It would be overgrown. Everyday when the people walked by they would have seen the result of their stopping the work.

Quitting can have devastating effects as it did here. Once we quit it is really had to get back on track. Sometimes we never get back on track and our efforts are wasted. To be honest the only time we ought to get is when we are on the wrong track to start with.

I wonder if Paul was thinking about this when his missionary team was suffering intense opposition. Something motivated him to say, in the midst of the severest battles, ‘seeing that we have this ministry we will not lose heart.’ He also wrote later on that we ought not be weary in well doing because when the time is right we will reap if we don’t give up.

These folks had forgotten the words 'be not afraid and don’t be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you.’ Let's be warned by their example and keep on keeping on.