Fear Mongering has Always been a Thing - Ezra 1-5

Ezra 4:13-16 (ESV Strong's)
Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.”

Fear Mongering has Always been a Thing

In the above passage we are picking up a theme in the middle of chapter four of Ezra.    Ezra is recording the events that surround the re-building of the Temple by the returning Israelites.   They were in captivity for their sins and in the beginning of that captivity the Temple was destroyed.  Those returning had their hearts stirred by God to rebuild it.   But, they had opposition.  God’s work is often opposed.   The men of the land were jealous and imperious.  They wanted to exact their controlling power over these returning exiles.   To do this they had to create a narrative that would strike fear in the king that had released these Jews to begin with.   They want to remind him of the historical “wickedness” of those who once lived in Jerusalem and had this Temple.  The irony here is the God sent the nation into captivity because of the nations rebellion to Him, but these rulers of the land did not want the Temple rebuilt because of the historical rebellion Jerusalem had to other other kings.   To make sure they can stir the heart of the king they create this fearful narrative to make their point.   The world is constantly creating and manufacturing false narratives that make their points.   Fear mongering is a long lasting art for the political minded.  Jesus came to speak truth (John 14:6).  We are sanctified by truth (John 17:17);  We are to arm ourselves with the Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6).   The world deals in fear and falsehood.  Jesus deals in truth and peace (Philippine 4:7ff).