말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Verse]
“Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.”
— Ezra 6:6–7 (NIV)

[Our Story]
In The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis, there is a story about an elderly gentleman in England. Once a week, he visits the library. One day, he happens to pick up a book about faith. As he begins reading, a sense of divine curiosity stirs within him. “Who is God?” he wonders. “What kind of relationship should I have with Him?”Just then, the devil approaches. While the elderly man is touched by a sudden awareness of God, the devil whispers, “It’s lunchtime. Aren’t you hungry? Why bother with all these heavy thoughts?” The man brushes aside his spiritual stirrings and heads to the cafeteria. As he eats, that gentle stirring returns. But the devil speaks again, “You’ve got so many things to do at home—this is no time for silly ideas.” Gradually, the sense of God fades. He boards a bus, opens a newspaper, and returns home as if nothing had happened. Behind him, the devil smiles—a smile of victory. His plan to thwart the man’s spiritual awakening had worked.

[Bible Story]
Ezra 4-6 depicts how God’s temple was completed despite fierce opposition. After returning from exile, the people of Judah began rebuilding the temple. But opposition arose quickly (Ezra 4:1–10). The Samaritans wanted to join in the construction, but Zerubbabel and Jeshua rejected their offer, knowing their history of idolatry. In retaliation, the opponents wrote to King Artaxerxes, falsely accusing Jerusalem of being a rebellious city (Ezra 4:11–16). As a result, the work was temporarily halted (Ezra 4:17–24). However, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people to resume construction (Ezra 5:1–5). At that moment, Tattenai, the regional governor, and his officials came questioning who had authorized the rebuilding. They wrote to King Darius, reporting that the people were rebuilding the temple by the decree of King Cyrus (Ezra 5:6–17). Upon reviewing the royal records, King Darius confirmed Cyrus’s decree and ordered the work to continue without interference (Ezra 6:1–12). The temple was eventually completed, dedicated with joy, and the Passover was celebrated once again (Ezra 6:13–22). No matter how persistent or strategic the opposition, nothing can thwart the will of God.

[Your Story]
Have you ever failed to complete something because of opposition? When people actively try to block your efforts—especially with false accusations or manipulations—it can be deeply painful. Anger rises. Discouragement follows. Eventually, you may even be tempted to give up. But know this: no scheme of the enemy can alter God’s plans. However clever or calculated the interference, God’s purposes cannot be stopped. He is the one who plans, the one who enables, and the one who fulfills. If it is His will, He will see it through.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
— Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

Grace and peace,
Pastor Hyung Joong Kim
Copyrightⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim