Ezra 4-6

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” (Ezra‬ ‭4:1-3‬)

Here is a case of “us versus them” thinking, perpetuating the old conflicts and prejudices between the Israelis of the North and the Israelis of the South. Why not join forces to build the new temple? Why not unify?

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm‬ ‭133:1‬)

The renewed rivalries reported in Ezra, chapter 4, are perhaps one root of the mutual animosities between Samaritan Jews and other Jews persisting for hundreds of years. We see evidence of the mutual dislike in the New Testament Era, reference John 4:9, for example.

Please, let’s just get along...