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Ezra7-8

Thursday Evening Bible Study

May 30, 2013

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved?

The nation of Judah has been in the process of restoration.

After seventy years in Babylon, they’ve begun to make their way back.

There are three main characters involved in the restoration.

Zerubbabel would be the man responsible for rebuilding the Temple. It was finished in 515 BC.

Nehemiah would be the man responsible for rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls in 444 BC.

Ezra was the man behind the restoration of the spiritual life of the nation.

He shows up in our text in 457 BC.

7:1-10 Mr. Ezra goes to Jerusalem

:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

:1 Ezra – ‘Ezra’ – “help”

He was a priest, a direct descendent of the line of Aaron. He could have functioned as a high priest. Yet he is known more as a “scribe”, as a teacher of God’s Word.

Ezra is often called the “father of Judaism” and ancient rabbis said that if Moses had not received the law of God, Ezra would have.

Jewish tradition has it that he was the one responsible for pulling together the books of the Old Testament, settling the “canon” of the Old Testament.

He was the author of the books of 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Some have suggested he may have written Esther as well.

One tradition states that Ezra organized an institution around 450 BC called the Great Synagogue, which consisted of 120 members. Tradition has it that Ezra was president, and at various times Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Zerubbabel, Mordecai, Jeshua, Nehemiah and others were members. It was established for the purpose of reconstructing the religious life of the returned captives. It is thought to have been a continuing body, governing the returned Jews till about 275 B.C. It is said to have had an important part in gathering, grouping, and restoring the Canonical books of the Old Testament.

He was responsible for the establishment of the synagogues. This was to be a system to help the people learn the Law of Moses in a setting near to their homes on a weekly basis rather than just going to Jerusalem three times a year. This would become the basis for us having church each week.

In the book of Ezra we see Ezra bringing correction to the nation when they had begun to wander from the ways of God. In the book of Nehemiah, we will see him teaching the people, with the first occurrence of the word “pulpit”. We believe this would be a precursor to what we call a “sermon” today.

:1 the son of Seraiah

This was the high priest when Jerusalem was wiped out in 586 BC, some 129 years earlier. Ezra is probably not a direct son of Seraiah, but he is one of the direct descendants. Seraiah was put to death by Nebuchadnezzar.

(2 Ki 25:18–21 NKJV) —18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.

Skip to …

:2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

:3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

:4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

:5 the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—

:6 the son of Aaron the chief priest

Ezra has the genealogy to be high priest.

This list of ancestors is not a complete list because it skips some generations. The point is to establish Ezra’s credentials.

If you wanted to be a priest according to the Law of Moses, you had to be able to trace your genealogy back to Aaron.

If you read the historical account of Korah’s rebellion and what followed (Numbers 16-18), God made it very clear that all priests must be descendants of Aaron. God told Aaron:

(Nu 18:7 NKJV) Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

The Jews today are planning on following this command as well. They have even isolated a certain genetic fingerprint that can show whether or not an individual is a descendant of Aaron. The Jewish name “Cohen” means “priest”, the priests are called the “Kohanim”.

I see this as one of the many flaws in Mormon theology. It seems that Joseph Smith wasn’t too keen on all the details of the Scriptures. In his fictitious story in the book of Mormon, he tells of a group of people who are from the tribe of Joseph. These people supposedly end up traveling to America. One of the things that one of the main characters does is to make some of his sons to be “priests” (2Nephi 5:26). Yet in doing this, this character was violating the Law of Moses.

The Mormon church claims that on May 15, 1829, John the Baptist conferred the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The Mormons today believe that they have a revived form of the Aaronic priesthood. The problem with all this is, you can’t be a priest is you’re not a descendant of Aaron.

:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

:6 he was a skilled scribe

The scribes were experts in the Scriptures. It’s possible that they got their start as those who made the copies of the Scriptures.

:6 the hand of the Lord

This phrase “the hand of the LORD” and variations of it is something that is used a couple of times in this period of history. We’re going to see it several times tonight.

(Ezr 7:9 NKJV) On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

(Ne 2:8 NKJV) and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

Lesson

God’s Hand

The hand of God is synonymous with His power.

I see it as a picture of the Holy Spirit, who comes to empower us.

(Ac 1:8 NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

From Ezra, we see several things that come from “God’s Hand”

Lesson

Success

(Ezr 7:6 NKJV) this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

Ezra accomplished some pretty wonderful things in his lifetime and he saw it all happening because of God’s hand upon him. It was God’s power at work in and around Ezra that brought him success.

Success doesn’t mean you get everything you want. It means you get everything that God wants.

Lesson

Strength

These next verses come after the pagan king Artaxerxes has written a letter giving Ezra permission to go back to Jerusalem and giving him all sorts of authority and help for the work of rebuilding the nation.

(Ezr 7:27–28 NKJV) —27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28 and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

encouraged – chazaq – to prevail, harden, be strong, be courageous, be resolute

Ezra saw his own strength coming from God’s hand.

Lesson

Solutions

Before Ezra actually made his trip to Jerusalem, he realized he had a problem.

(Ezr 8:15–18 NKJV) —15 Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there…

Ezra’s desire was to bring spiritual revival to the people. His aim is to build up the spiritual part of the nation, but he’s short a few guys. He sends word to some leaders to send him some helpers.

17…that they should bring us servants for the house of our God. 18 Then, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;

Ezra saw that because God’s hand was upon his group, these leaders responded in sending just the right guys for the problem.

Lesson

Security

Ezra was afraid of what might happen on the way to Jerusalem. It was a dangerous trip full of thieves and robbers. And to make things worse, they’d be carrying millions of dollars worth of treasures with them. How would they keep safe? First they fasted and prayed …

(Ezr 8:31 NKJV) Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.

Sometimes life can be pretty scary. We need God’s touch.

Illustration

THE SMELL OF RAIN

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband David held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency cesarean to deliver the couple’s new daughter, Danae Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound and nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor’s soft words dropped like bombs. “I don’t think she’s going to make it,” he said, as kindly as he could. “There’s only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one.” Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Danae would likely face if she survived. She would never walk; she would never talk; she would probably be blind; she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation; and on and on. “No! No!” was all Diana could say. She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four. Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away. Through the dark hours of morning as Danae held onto life by the thinnest thread, Diana slipped in and out of drugged sleep, growing more and more determined that their tiny daughter would live - and live to be a healthy, happy young girl. But David, fully awake and listening to additional dire details of their daughter’s chances of ever leaving the hospital alive, much less healthy, knew he must confront his wife with the inevitable. “David walked in and said that we needed to talk about making funeral arrangements,” Diana remembers “I felt so bad for him because he was doing everything, trying to include me in what was going on, but I just wouldn’t listen, I couldn’t listen. I said, “No, that is not going to happen, no way! I don’t care what the doctors say Danae is not going to die! One day she will be just fine, and she will be coming home with us!” As if willed to live by Diana’s faith, Danae clung to life hour after hour, with the help of every medical machine and marvel her miniature body could endure. But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Danae’s underdeveloped nervous system was essentially “raw,” the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort - so they couldn’t even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Danae struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl. There was never a moment when Danae suddenly grew stronger. But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there. At last, when Danae turned two months old, her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later - though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero - Danae went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted. Today, five years later, Danae is a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She shows no signs, whatsoever, of any mental or physical impairments. Simply, she is everything a little girl can be and more - but that happy ending is far from the end of her story. One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Danae was sitting in her mother’s lap in the bleachers of a local ball park where her brother Dustin’s baseball team was practicing. As always, Danae was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, Danae asked, “Do you smell that?” Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.” Danae closed her eyes and again asked, “Do you smell that?” Once again, her mother replied, “Yes, I think we’re about to get wet, it smells like rain.” Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, “No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.” Tears blurred Diana’s eyes as Danae then happily hopped down to play with the other children. Before the rains came, her daughter’s words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Danae on His chest - and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

~ Author Unknown

:7 Some of the children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

:7 the seventh year of King Artaxerxes

That would be 457 BC. The Temple was complete in 515 BC (Ezra 6:15), 58 years earlier.

Show Persian Kings slide.

Artaxerxes was the king mentioned back in chapter 4:6.

At the beginning of his reign, he was asked to research how rebellious the Jews were, and to stop the building of the city walls.

Now in his seventh year he is warming up to the Jews and will be allowing Ezra to go back to Jerusalem and help with the Temple.

In his twentieth year, Nehemiah will be sent to finish rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

:8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

:9 On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

:9 he came to Jerusalem

Show Babylon to Jerusalem map

It took them four months to get to Jerusalem. The journey covered 900 miles.

:9 the good hand of his God upon him

If we follow the flow of verses 9-10, there is a reason that God’s hand was on Ezra to bless and protect him on his journey.

What moves the hand of God?

The interesting thing about the hand of God being on Ezra was that Ezra didn’t just think this was some sovereign move of God of which he had no part in. He realized that there were certain things that move God’s hand.

:10 prepared his heart

Lesson

A prepared heart

It all starts with your heart. If you don’t want God to work in your life, He won’t. I believe that if you want God to work in your life, you’ll consider getting serious about the next three things. Do you want Him to move in your life?

John the Baptist’s life verse was:

(Is 40:3 NKJV) The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

John’s ministry was telling people to repent, to turn around.

When you are having guests over to your house, do you “prepare” the house for them? What does that look like?

If you are planting a garden in your back yard, it is helpful to “prepare” the soil. Make it easier for the plants and seeds to grow. Remove the weeds. Add fertilizer. Water.

(Ezra 7:10 NASB) For Ezra had set his heart to study …

(Ezra 7:10 NLT) This was because Ezra had determined to study …

(Ezra 7:10 NIV) For Ezra had devoted himself to the study …

:10 to seek the Law of the Lord

Lesson

Seeking God’s Word

to seek – darash – seek with care, enquire; study, follow, seek with application

the law – towrah –This is the Hebrew word Torah, God’s Word.

For Ezra, the Torah was God’s Word.

God’s power is tied very closely with His Word.

Compare these two passages:

(Eph 5:18–20 NKJV) —18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The focus of the passage is the command to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to let Him empower you. What follows are the results of being filled with the Spirit, things like teaching, singing, thanks, etc.

(Col 3:16–17 NKJV) —16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Here the emphasis is on God’s Word. As you study this passage, you’ll notice that it’s laid out exactly the same as Ephesians 5. The same things are listed as results, but not because of the filling of the Holy Spirit, but from God’s Word being in your heart.

God’s hand is connected to His Word. You and I need to spend time daily in God’s Word.

:10 and to do it

Lesson

Obedience

to do it – ‘asah – to do, fashion, accomplish, make

Ezra knew enough that it wasn’t enough just to know God’s Word. He had to live it as well.

James wrote,

(Jas 1:22 NKJV) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

If we think it’s just enough to read or learn about God’s Word, yet we don’t let it affect our behavior, we are fooling ourselves.

We need to learn to obey what God says.

The continued power of God in your life is directly related to how you allow God to work through you in obedience.

You see a picture of this in the life of Samson. As he continued to live a life of willful disobedience to God, there came a day when God turned off the power.

:10 and to teach statutes

Lesson

Sharing God’s Word

Ezra’s relationship with the Word wasn’t just about living a better life for himself. He knew He needed to share God’s Word with other people.

We have a message to share. God loved this world so much that He gave His only begotten Son for us. We have been cleansed from our sins by the blood of Jesus. God wants to work in people’s lives. We need to share.

These are the kinds of things that can “move” God’s hand. That’s what we want, God’s hand on our lives.

“The Touch of the Master’s Hand” By: Myra Brooks Welch

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile.

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who will start bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar”—then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, twice;

“Going for three—“ But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings.

He played a melody pure and sweet

As sweet as a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said what am I bidden for the old violin?

And he held it up with the bow.

A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once; three thousand twice;

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth?” Swift came the reply:

“The touch of the master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scattered with sin,

Is auctioned off cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine;

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and “almost gone.”

But the Master comes and the foolish crowd

Never quite understands

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand.

7:11-26 Artaxerxes’ Letter

:11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel:

:11 the letter that King Artaxerxes gave

It’s interesting to track what happens through Artaxerxes.

Back in chapter four (4:7-23), in the beginning of his reign, he tells the Jews to stop building the city.

Now in his 7^th year, he is sending Ezra with gifts for the Temple.

In his 20^th year, he will send Nehemiah to finish rebuilding the walls.

Some have suggested that Artaxerxes’ change of heart may be due to the fact that he’s suffered some big defeats at the hands of the Greeks. Perhaps he’s looking to get all the “gods” rooting for him.

Others suggest that Artaxerxes writes this letter simply because Ezra asked for it.

:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth.

:13 I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you.

:14 And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand;

:14 the king and his seven counselors

Apparently this was some sort of governmental group in the Persian Empire. Ahasuerus also had the same group:

(Es 1:14 NKJV) those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom):

:15 and whereas you are to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem;

:16 and whereas all the silver and gold that you may find in all the province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests, are to be freely offered for the house of their God in Jerusalem—

Some money would be donated by Artaxerxes, other money would be donated by Jews.

:17 now therefore, be careful to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.

:18 And whatever seems good to you and your brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do it according to the will of your God.

Artaxerxes wants the money spent on sacrifices in Jerusalem. Beyond that they can spend the money on whatever else God would want.

:19 Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.

:20 And whatever more may be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to provide, pay for it from the king’s treasury.

:19 the articles

When Zerubbabel led the first return, they brought back some of the utensils used in the worship at the Temple. Ezra is supposed to bring more with him.

:21 And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently,

:22 up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit.

Artaxerxes gives some limits to how much he’ll help. But if you look carefully, he’s quite generous.

one hundred talents of silver = 120,000 oz (3.75 tons).

one hundred kors of wheat = 600 bushels.

one hundred baths of oil – no, these are not baths with soap suds. This is 600 gallons of olive oil.

:23 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

:23 why should there be wrath

This may not be talking about God’s “wrath”, but the people’s wrath.

Artaxerxes is hoping to buy some goodwill from the Jews.

:24 Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God.

:24 not be lawful to impose tax

All the workers in the Temple are going to get a tax exemption.

:25 And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them.

:26 Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.

:25 set magistrates and judges

Ezra is given authority by Artaxerxes to set up a judicial system and hand out punishment when required.

7:27-28 Ezra’s Thanks

:27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem,

:28 and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.

:27 Blessed be the Lord God

Ezra sees all that the king has done in the letter as being from God.

God can move on hearts, even of unbelievers.

8:1-20 Those who return

:1 These are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of King Artaxerxes:

:1 those who went up with me

The total of men mentioned in verses 2-14 is 1,499.

The men are mentioned by families rather than individually. Skip to …

:2 of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush;

:3 of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and registered with him were one hundred and fifty males;

:4 of the sons of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males;

:5 of the sons of Shechaniah, Ben-Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males;

:6 of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males;

:7 of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males;

:8 of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him eighty males;

:9 of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males;

:10 of the sons of Shelomith, Ben-Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males;

:11 of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males;

:12 of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males;

:13 of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah—and with them sixty males;

:14 also of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

:15 Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.

:15 Ahava – ‘Ahawa’ – “I shall subsist”. (not the same word as the Israeli cosmetics company, based on the Hebrew word for “love”, ahab)

Play Ahava map clip.

Ahava is about 100 miles northwest of Babylon, along the Euphrates River, on the way back to Jerusalem.

:15 found none of the sons of Levi there

When Zerubbabel came to Jerusalem with the first group, there also was a much higher number of priests than Levites.

The Levites were the chief helpers to the priests. Ezra is concerned because he is a bit short of help.

:16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leaders; also for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding.

:17 And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia—that they should bring us servants for the house of our God.

:17 at the place Casiphia

We are not sure where this is. Some think there was a colony of Temple servants living there, that’s why Ezra sends a message to them.

:18 Then, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;

:19 and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty men;

:20 also of the Nethinim, whom David and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them were designated by name.

:20 also of the Nethinim

These were a class of Temple servants, descendants of the Gibeonites (Josh. 9).

8:21-23 The Fast

:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.

:22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

:22 I was ashamed to request … an escort

The road to Jerusalem would be filled with many dangers. There would be many thieves on the road. They would be carrying huge amounts of valuables.

Lesson

Reckless faith

Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between recklessness and faith.

We might think that Ezra should have just done what was safe and asked for a military escort.

It’s not wrong to have a military escort:

When Nehemiah went to Jerusalem 14 years later, he would ask for a military escort:

(Ne 2:9 NKJV) Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

But it seems that Ezra has been witnessing to the king about how great God was.

Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t put ourselves in situations like that a little more often.

Illustration

In his book Miracles in Black, Dr. John C. Wengatz tells of an African convert who was left at a new mission station to carry on the Lord’s work with a cannibal tribe. It was the dry season when Joao Mbaxi took over, but soon the tropical rains would be coming. Month after month went by, however, without a cloud appearing in the sky. Then came the time for the normal dry period. By now everyone was suffering, and many were on the brink of starvation. In all the years they had worshiped their ancient gods, the rains had never failed them, and so Joao was told that he must leave the country and take “the white man’s God” with him. The courageous Christian refused to go. Then, flushed with anger, the chief sullenly warned, “If your God is as good as you say and so powerful that He rules the sky, why doesn’t He send us the needed showers? If it doesn’t rain by sunrise tomorrow, we will drink your blood and eat your flesh!”

Recalling the Biblical account of Elijah, Joao went to his hut and prayed for divine help with the same urgency as that of the ancient prophet. Meanwhile the members of the tribe waited for the dawn when the Christian leader would become the victim of their horrible feast. Just before daylight, thunder was heard in the distance, lightning flashed across the sky, and abundant rain refreshed the entire region! As a result, the believer was able to continue his work for Christ.

:23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

:23 So we fasted and entreated our God

Lesson

Fasting and prayer

There are times when we need to do more than pray, we need to take action.

But there are also times when we simply need to pray.

I’ve been accused more than once of being someone who just thinks that praying will take care of everything.

I’m kind of glad I have that reputation, though I don’t like people thinking that I don’t take my responsibilities seriously and pray when I should act.

God’s hand is moved when His people pray.

God’s hand is moved when His people fast.

If you have some things that are pretty serious in your life, then you ought to be praying seriously about them. One way we can “pray seriously” is by learning to fast and pray.

Fasting is not about twisting God’s arm, it’s about refining the person that prays. When you fast you will most likely find out just how strong your flesh nature is, because it won’t like fasting. The value in fasting comes when we learn to say “no” to the flesh for a period of time and replace the feeding of the flesh with spiritual things, like praying and reading God’s Word. Each time you feel those hunger pangs, pray for the thing you are seriously praying about.

Do you have a need for God’s hand to be moving in your life?

We need to pray. I’d like to challenge some of you to consider fasting as well, even if you just give up one meal per week. Seek God’s hand.

8:24-30 Treasure Delivery

Ezra takes all the treasure they are carrying and divides it up among twelve leaders to protect the treasure on the journey to Jerusalem.

:24 And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests—Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them—

:25 and weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles, the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel who were present, had offered.

These men will be entrusted with protecting the treasure.

:26 I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, silver articles weighing one hundred talents, one hundred talents of gold,

:27 twenty gold basins worth a thousand drachmas, and two vessels of fine polished bronze, precious as gold.

Summary, they are bringing TONS of silver and gold to Jerusalem. Where’s Brinks when you need them?

silver – 780,000 oz (24.4 tons)

silver articles – 120,000 oz (3.75 tons).

gold –120,000 oz (3.75 tons).

gold basins – 297 oz (18.6 lbs)

:28 And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord; the articles are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.

:28 the articles are holy also

It’s important that we do things correctly and uprightly when it comes to the gifts that people give to the Lord. We take it very seriously at church.

:29 Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.”

:30 So the priests and the Levites received the silver and the gold and the articles by weight, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

:30 the priests and the Levites received …

Rather than put all the treasure in one big wagon, they split the treasure up. Perhaps if they were to be raided, they might not lose it all at once.

8:31-32 The Road to Jerusalem

:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.

:32 So we came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days.

:32 we came to Jerusalem

Play Road to Jerusalem map clip.

As we saw back in chapter 7:9, it would take four months to get from Ahava to Jerusalem.

(Ezr 7:9 NKJV) —9 On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

It was a trip of over 900 miles, travelling northwest along the Euphrates River, then south to Jerusalem.

8:33-36 Treasure Delivered

When they get to Jerusalem, they count all the gold and silver and found that it all made it to Jerusalem safe and sound.

:33 Now on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the articles were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui,

:34 with the number and weight of everything. All the weight was written down at that time.

:34 All the weight was written down

Money is such an attraction for bad things. It’s so important that all that we do that involves money be done above reproach.

When they arrived in Jerusalem, everything was accounted for.

:35 The children of those who had been carried away captive, who had come from the captivity, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

:36 And they delivered the king’s orders to the king’s satraps and the governors in the region beyond the River. So they gave support to the people and the house of God.

:35 twelve bulls for all Israel

It doesn’t appear that Ezra and his group think there are any “lost” tribes.