In Ezra, chapter four, verse three. Zerubbabel and Jeshua refused to enter fellowship with “the people of the land,” for they lived by the Biblical principle of separation from idolatry and compromise with the world. This refusal to accept a pluralistic religion led to opposition and persecution for God’s faithful people, as in verses four through twenty-four and Second Timothy three, verse twelve, respectively. The adversaries discouraged the people through intimidation, threats, and their intentions, as in verses four to six within this chapter.
The chief of the fathers was soon aware that they meant them no kindness, whatever they might pretend, but designed to do them harm. Although the Israelites had needed enough help, if it had been such as they could confide in, the people of Israel told both the King of Cyrus and King of Persia they could not accept it, nor unite with them, as being of another nation and religion. For you are none of those with whom we dare hold communion. Therefore, we ought to heed with whom we go partners and whose hand we lean.
While we trust God, we must trust people with prudent caution. They do not plead to them the law of their God, which forbade them to mingle with strangers, though they especially had an eye to that urge what they knew would have greater weight with them, the King’s commission, which directed to themselves only. The account in Second Kings seventeen will show that the stern refusal of the leaders was precisely afflicted harmony with the will of God. “You have nothing to do with us” means you have no ground on which to rest your claim of uniting with us in this matter. You do not wish to build to our God, nor were you mentioned in the decree of Cyrus, which is our warrant for what we are doing.