Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” Ezra 4:1-2
The captives began rebuilding the worship of God, even without the Temple foundation laid.
They constructed and altar and also kept the Feast of Tabernacles. (Ezra 3:4)
I believe they probably observed Yom Teruah, and Yom Kippur.
However, they began reconstructing the Temple as quickly as possible even though adversaries set against them.
Some even came as wolves in sheep’s clothing and offered their help.
The Jewish leadership refused it!
The message is this – not everyone should help.
Vacation Bible School, Sunday school, Praise & Worship, ushers, the church board, elders, and other offices do not need just anyone to fill the positions.
The church should fill positions with those committed to the church. By that I mean, they come to worship and learn before helping.
My preference is someone regular in attendance, tithing, giving, praying, and Bible reading.
The Bible story continues with Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:3-5
Trust me, when those people don’t get their way – don’t get the position they wanted, they will talk bad about the church and the pastor. They call them names and gossip about what an ungodly lot all of them are. Perhaps call them hypocrites.
But the ministry of God needs protecting from those that will do more harm than good and whose hearts are not right.