The Book of Ezra

Word Study

"viewed," Hebrew va-avinah (וָאָבִינָה) from bin, to discern, consider carefully, look attentively. Before setting out, Ezra "gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava" and there, over three days, "viewed the people." The word bin means more than a glance; Ezra carefully considered and took stock of the company. Ezra's attentive "viewing" of the people, and his refusal to proceed with a gap in the ministry, shows a shepherd's heart and a reformer's care for the worship of God. He would not lead a company to Jerusalem that was not properly equipped to serve the LORD there.

"the sons of Levi," the Levites, ministers of the house of God. In viewing the people he noticed a lack: "found there none of the sons of Levi." There were priests, but no Levites, the assistants essential to the service of the temple. Ezra did not shrug this off. As the following verses show (v16-20), he sent for leaders and ministers, and by "the good hand of our God upon us" they brought Levites and Nethinims to serve. The detail reveals Ezra's care as a leader: he attended to the spiritual staffing of the restored community, for what good was a rebuilt temple without those to minister in it? A journey home was not enough; the house of God needed servants.

Explanation

As Ezra gathered the returning company by the river Ahava and carefully reviewed them, he noticed that although there were priests, there were no Levites, the ministers needed to serve in the temple. Rather than ignore the problem, he sent for suitable men, and by God's good hand they secured Levites and temple servants to come along. Ezra's careful attention to this detail shows his concern that God's house be properly served. A rebuilt temple was of little use without those to minister in it; the worship of God needed dedicated servants.

Gospel Focus

Ezra's care that there be "sons of Levi," ministers for the house of God, reflects an abiding concern: the work of God needs dedicated servants. Ezra "viewed the people" and would not proceed with a gap in the ministry. So the Lord Jesus saw the need and said, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38). God's work has never lacked importance, but it has often lacked willing workers. Ezra's example calls leaders to attend carefully to the raising up and equipping of ministers, and calls all of us to pray for and support those who serve in God's house. Under the new covenant, every believer is a priest (1 Peter 2:9) and is called to "minister" his gifts to others (1 Peter 4:10), so the "sons of Levi" needed today are all of God's people taking up their service. Do not assume the work will staff itself; like Ezra, look attentively at the need, send for laborers, and offer yourself. The house of God, His church, still needs servants, and the God whose "good hand" supplied Ezra's need will supply laborers for His harvest when His people ask.

Word Study

"afflict ourselves," Hebrew le-hithannoth (לְהִתְעַנּוֹת) from anah, to humble, afflict oneself, the language of true fasting. The journey was long and perilous, some 900 miles, through territory full of robbers, and Ezra's company carried a fortune in gold and silver for the temple. The natural thing would have been to ask King Artaxerxes for "a band of soldiers and horsemen." But Ezra "was ashamed to require" it, and his reason is deeply instructive: "because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him." Ezra had testified to the pagan king about the protecting hand of God; now to ask for soldiers would be to contradict his own witness, to say with his actions what his words denied. He would not dishonor God's name by acting as if God could not protect His own. So instead of soldiers he "proclaimed a fast... that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way." He backed his testimony with prayer and fasting, humbling himself and seeking God for the very protection he had claimed.

"he was intreated of us," va-yeather lanu (וַיֵּעָתֶר לָנוּ), He let Himself be entreated, yielded to our prayer. And the result: "So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us." God answered. This is faith that matches its walk to its talk, that will not lean on the arm of flesh after boasting in the arm of God, and that seeks God earnestly rather than presuming.

Explanation

The journey to Jerusalem was long and dangerous, and Ezra's group carried great wealth for the temple. He could have asked the king for an armed escort, but he was ashamed to, because he had already told the king that God protects those who seek Him. To request soldiers now would contradict his own testimony and dishonor God. So instead, Ezra called a fast, humbling the people before God and seeking His protection for the road. They prayed earnestly, "and he was intreated of us", God answered. Ezra would not let his actions deny the God his words had proclaimed.

Gospel Focus

Ezra's refusal of the king's soldiers, lest he contradict his testimony that "the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him," teaches that our walk must match our talk. Ezra had witnessed to God's protecting power; to lean on an armed escort would have been to trust "an arm of flesh" (2 Chronicles 32:8) after boasting in the arm of God. So he "proclaimed a fast" and sought God, and God "was intreated." This is not a blanket rule against using ordinary means, God often provides through means, but a matter of integrity and dependence: Ezra would not act in a way that denied the God he confessed. "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17); let our actions never contradict our confession. And the passage commends the discipline of prayer and fasting to seek God earnestly in times of need: "that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way." The Lord Jesus assumed His followers would fast, "when ye fast" (Matthew 6:16), and the early church fasted and prayed for guidance and protection (Acts 13:2-3). When you face a dangerous or uncertain "way," follow Ezra: humble yourself, seek God earnestly, and let your dependence on Him match your profession of Him. The God who was entreated for Ezra is the same God who invites us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).

Word Study

"the hand of our God was upon us," Hebrew ve-yad Eloheinu haithah aleinu (וְיַד אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָיְתָה עָלֵינוּ). The prayer was answered exactly. Ezra had testified that "the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him" (v22); now, having sought Him with fasting, he can report: "the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way." Note the beautiful correspondence: the "hand of our God" that Ezra had confessed to the king, and sought in the fast, was the same hand that now brought them through. His testimony was vindicated; his faith was honored; his God proved faithful. Faith that seeks God and refuses the arm of flesh is not disappointed; the hand of God is indeed upon all them for good that seek Him.

"delivered," va-yatzileinu (וַיַּצִּילֵנוּ) from natzal, to snatch away, rescue. The very protection Ezra had claimed and prayed for was granted. The dangerous road, full of robbers and ambushes ("such as lay in wait by the way"), was traveled safely, and Ezra gives God the credit: it was God's hand that delivered them. This is the reward of the integrity and dependence shown at Ahava: God did exactly what Ezra had trusted Him to do. The company arrived safely in Jerusalem with all the treasure intact (v33-34).

Explanation

The journey's outcome vindicated Ezra's faith. Having sought God rather than the king's soldiers, the company traveled the dangerous road safely, and Ezra testifies that "the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy." The very protection he had claimed and prayed for was granted. Robbers and ambushers lay in wait along the way, but God brought them through, and Ezra gives Him all the credit. His testimony to the king was proven true; the God who is a good hand upon those who seek Him did not fail.

Gospel Focus

"The hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy" is the joyful vindication of a faith that sought God and refused the arm of flesh. Ezra had staked his testimony on God's protection, and God proved faithful. So the believer learns that God honors the trust of those who seek Him: "they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing" (Psalm 34:10); "the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry... the LORD delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34:15-19). This does not promise a life free of danger, "such as lay in wait by the way" were real, but it promises the faithful presence and deliverance of God for His people. And the deliverance from the earthly enemy points to the greater deliverance: God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13), and "shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom" (2 Timothy 4:18). The hand of our God upon us on the dangerous road home is a picture of His keeping of every pilgrim bound for the heavenly Jerusalem. Seek Him, trust Him, refuse to lean on the arm of flesh, and you too will testify at journey's end: the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us.