Judah thwarts Israel in their desire to build Second Temple (Ezra 4: 1-4)

The enemies of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people had come back to rebuild the temple of the LORD God of Israel. So they went to Zerubabbel and to the family leaders and said, "Let us help! Ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyeria brought us here, we have worshiped your God and offered sacrifices to him." But Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the family leaders answered, "You cannot take part in building a temple for the LORD our God! We will build it ourselves, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us." Then the neighboring people began to do everything possible to frighten the Jews and to make them stop building. This was a foolish error by the families of Judah and Benjamin. The twelve tribes which make up the sons of Jacob divided because the northern tribes asked, "What inheritance do we have with the sons of Jesse?" In other words, they did not want to follow the Davidic lines of kings and divided the country over their own selfishness. When Solomon built the First Temple, he used all of the neighboring nations in its construction. Here, Judah is rejecting fellow Jews in its reconstruction with no attempt to reconcile before God. Daily Prayer: Father, the people of God are not the Sons of Abraham alone, but those who follow the spirit of Abraham and believe in you. Today, plant within my own heart the spirit of reconciliation because this is also the Spirit of God. In your holy name I pray Amen.