Ezra 7

Ezra 7:1-28

Ezra 7THE KING’S : EZRA GUIDED“NOW after these things”. The Bible is not a Book of minute details. One might imagine that this was a reference to an hour later than the conclusion of chapter 6, but it is some sixty years instead, a fact revealed in the phrase, “In the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia!”, for Artaxerxes, or the son and successor of Xerxes, was the Greek “Macrocheir” or the Roman “Longimanus.”Zerubbabel was gone, his memory almost forgotten, but Israel remained. Kings have come and kings have gone, but the people of God abide. That is why it happens that though the names of rulers are passed over, the son of Seraiah, Ezra, is given prominence. He represents a permanency.

God’s people, like God’s Word, never pass away. The king therefore, here introduced, is subsidiary; his name is called merely to show the part God permitted him to play in the restoration of His people.

The figure of prominence and permanence is described instead. Through the four chapters that remain, 7 to 10 inclusive, Ezra will hold the spotlight; he will receive the commission; he will select the companions; he will demand separation.THE KING’S It was given to Ezra, the ready scribe. His antecedents are recorded in Ezra 7:1-5. They link him to the family of the high priest. It is not so much an attempt to trace blue blood as it is to prove spiritual descent. Ezra is in the line of Aaron; but after all, the Bible does not major upon physical descent so much as upon mental competence and a surrendered spirit.

Evidently Ezra approached both. The text calls him “a ready scribe in the Law of Moses”; that is, a man well versed in the same, both familiar with his text and competent in its interpretation.

What prominent part have such men always played in the spiritual revival; and what possible progress would God’s people have made without the leadership of such!The king’s grants are carte blanche.“The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him” (Ezra 7:6).The copy of the king’s letter (Ezra 7:11-20) is a document remarkable in its expression of confidence. Seldom in human history has any king put such trust in a humble subject, and more rarely still in a man of another faith and, in fact, of another people.Objection has been urged to the character of this commission, saying that it savored of forgery, and sounded little like the language of a man unschooled in Israel’s terms.The answer to this objection is easy. In the first place, the decree is marvelously akin to those that had been put forth by the king’s predecessors, and to deny its validity would be to doubt, not only the work of Artaxerxes, but of Zerubbabel and Cyrus and others.Again: It is not to be forgotten that Ezra was in touch with the king, and was doubtless consulted as to what he wanted, and by Ezra the king was made familiar, not alone with their needs, but with their sacrifices and ceremonies as well.Intelligent sovereigns seldom put such absolute confidence in men as Artaxerxes here expresses without first having cultivated their acquaintance. Particularly is this true when they are to be entrusted not alone with their own personal religious and national affairs, but with great treasures, as recorded in Ezra 7:20-21; still less common is it for a king to entrust the execution of law to appointees of whom he has but partial knowledge (see Ezra 7:25-26). The truth is that in all such movements, mutual understanding and mutual confidence provide a basis for big endeavors.Ezra keenly and properly appreciated this favor. His language is significant in the last degree (Ezra 7:27-28).

Seldom in Scripture is such abruptness met as here without a word of warning, in fact, without those ordinary explanations that pave the way. He bursts into a veritable shout of praise:“Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem:“And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.

And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me”.There are two classes of people who stoutly maintain they have Divine guidance in all that they do. The first class is that all-too-common company who mistake their easily-stirred emotions for the workings of the Spirit, and who imagine that every word they speak and every act they do is Spirit-guided, and who are extremely vocal concerning the known will of the Lord—a class of spiritual irresponsibles as a rule. Such people constitute a company within the church, and their explanation is largely temperamental. These are the people who make the rise of cults easy, and account for the success of those dramatic, emotional and spectacular leaders who are forever starting new movements, and whose chief results are large crowds, fine collections, and disturbed churches.Over against this class is another company, spiritually represented by Ezra, who saw in the spiritually-enforced favor of kings, and in the clear progress of God’s cause in the earth, the providential hand of the Father Himself effecting it all; and who, humbled by these evidences of Divine love and grace, gratefully acknowledged God’s hand and gave Him the glory. Such men are the salt of the earth, exponents of the true faith, and lights in the world.The 8th chapter brings us toTHE SCRIBE’S It is in order to call attention to three features of these companions: They were the chief sons of their father; they were reinforced by religious leaders; these leaders were entrusted with the king’s treasures.They were the chief sons of their father!“These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.“Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershorn: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hat tush.“Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.“Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.“Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.“Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.“And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.“And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.“Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.“And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.“And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.“And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.“And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.“Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males” (Ezra 8:1-14).In life there are certain sons, descendants of great sires, who seem to inherit from a father’s ability, and who hold first place among their fellows. It is often said, and quite often truly, that the sons of great men are seldom a success, but just as there are exceptions to all rules, so here.

In practically every notable family there is one son or grandson who will exhibit the qualities of his great sire, and become himself a leader. Such men are conspicuous in the business life in every great city, leaders in its social affairs, and ofttimes capable officers in the church of God.This list of almost unpronounceable names represents a company of that character, and Ezra illustrates the definiteness of Divine guidance in associating them with him in the return to Jerusalem, and the discharge of the great tasks that lay ahead of him and of them.

The man who can wisely choose official leaders and associate fellows of ability, poise and loyalty, with himself is commonly a success.Ezra’s cause was reinforced by his selection of definite religious leaders.“And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.“Then sent I for Elieser, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.“And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.“And 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; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;“And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;“Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name” (Ezra 8:15-20).No cause undertaken in the Name of the Lord will eminently succeed apart from the direction of those who are spiritually devoted. It has long been the custom of men to speak contemptuously of priest, prophet and preacher, but if history has illustrated anything, it is that God’s work rests with their leadership. Ministers for the house of God are an absolute essential for the success of His cause. This is not because God could not move without them, but rather because He has elected to move with them and even through them.Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians reminds us that “After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). Lest that men should charge God with folly in making His cause to rest with ministers, let it not be forgotten that the Apostle further remarks. “The foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25); in fact, if our knowledge of God’s reasons were greater, we would discover that there is no foolishness with Him; that every agency of His appointing represents perfect wisdom, and that when Christ ascended up on high, He rested His cause with apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11), that His objects—the “perfecting of the saints, * * the work of the ministry, * * the edifying of the body of Christ”—were the better assured.These companions in labor were trusted with the entire treasure.“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.“For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him.“So we fasted and besought our God for this: and He was intreated of us.“Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,“And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:“I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents;“Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.“And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the Lord God of your fathers.“Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.“So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.“Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and 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.“And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.“Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels 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; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;“By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.“Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord” (Ezra 8:21-35).In this matter who will question the Divine guidance of Ezra? The country through which they would pass was infested with roving bands of Bedouins, who would not hesitate to attack and rob, if, as was extremely likely, news should leak to them that a rich caravan was making its way to Jerusalem.

Ezra would not depend upon an armed escort, because such seemed to him to be a distrust of God. However, that he should commit this great treasure to these priests indicated at once his confidence in their character, and even his shrewdness of method.

Ministers as a class are poor, and seldom indeed is it that any one attempts to hold them up and rob them. The Old Testament priest was proverbially without accumulated riches, and even the bandit was less likely to attack him.Then again, it seems to be a fact that men never drift so far from God as to lose all sense of the sacred, and become utterly indifferent to the spiritual, and it is doubtful if the highwayman would attack, if he knew it, a man under Divine appointment. Ezra, therefore, reveals a marvelous combination of trust in God, with sound reasoning as to the best method of least tempting the greedy godless, and most honoring the man in office of Divine appointment. Mark the fact fully recorded that his faith was disappointed in nothing. The trip was safely made, and the men to whom this treasure was committed accounted for the last ounce of the same.Their safe arrival was celebrated by the sacrifices that signified a full consecration to the God of Israel, and prophesied the coming sacrifice of the ages, the Son of God an offering for sin. “And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God” (Ezra 8:36).THE CALL TO The 9th chapter gives a full and faithful record of the compromised conduct of the remnant.These sinful coalitions brought sorrow to Ezra.“Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.“For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.“And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice” (Ezra 9:1-4).That this condition was contrary to the Law of God no instructed Israelite could doubt. That reason could defend this violation of revelation none dared assert.

It was the natural revolt against exclusiveness. Why live among a people and not become of them?

Why attempt to continue an existence in the state and not identify yourself with the same? Is it not better to find a middle ground with your possible opponents than to be at war with them, or even at outs? Is not the “inclusive policy” better than “the exclusive” one?If such reasonings characterize the church of today, and is eloquently indulged in by ecclesiastical leaders, so much so that we no longer have “an exclusive Gospel” nor even an “exclusive Christ,” and no longer “an exclusive church,” was it surprising that ancient Israel should lapse after a kindred manner, and defend their conduct with a fervor equal to that of present-day ecclesiastics?However, the text reports the deep feeling of Ezra the scribe when this matter was brought to his attention, “I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied” (Ezra 9:3). Such conduct cannot be understood by the shallow soul. The man of unwavering conviction is always an enigma to certain of his fellows. He who would walk by the Word would necessarily become a madman in the eyes of the world, and even an unhappy extremist in the eyes of an apostate church; but let it be noted that the cause of God always retains its true advocates, and whenever such a leader is raised up, there will assemble unto him those that tremble at the words of the God of Israel, and who fear when the same is transgressed; and that company will provide a prayer band and go with their leader into the Divine Presence and there abide until the Divine Law has been rediscovered in answer to prayer.“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God,“And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.“Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day: and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.“And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.“For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.“And now, O our God, what shall we say after thist for we have forsaken Thy commandments.“Which Thou hast commanded by Thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land, with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.“Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;“Should we again break Thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not Thou be angry with us till Thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?“O Lord God of Israel, Thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before Thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before Thee because of this” (Ezra 9:4-15).Exclusiveness is not acceptable to the world, but has always been and will forever remain the will of God. The present paralyzed state of the church is due to the fact that it has made friendship with the world; in truth, has become married to the same.If two thousand years ago, when the church was in its comparative youth and still entertained a large degree of spiritual purity, Paul had occasion to write to the Corinthians,“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?“And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you,“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons, and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), how much more now, when the coalition between believers and non-believers is such that the very world itself is being welcomed into the body of the church, and the church is daily giving itself to the conduct of the world.The sight of Ezra’s tears effected penitent confession.“Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.“And Schechaniah the son of Jehial, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.“Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the Law.“Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it” (Ezra 10:1-4)Is it not true that the spiritual leader often determines the spiritual state of those led? Is it not true that when he gets right the result is felt in the entire body? Is it not a fact that the need of the present hour is not so much a revival among the churches as a revival among the ministers? Peter had to be recovered to his fellowship with Christ before the Pentecost could come.The reform that followed was great and genuine.“Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.“Then Ezra rose from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.“And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem.“And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.“Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days.“It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.“And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.“Now therefore make a confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do His pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.“Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.“But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.“Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.“Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahasiah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.“And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.“And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.“And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliczer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.“And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.“And of the sons of Immer, Hanani, and Zebadiah.“And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah.“And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Eldsah.“Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.“Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.“Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.“And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.“And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.“Of the sons also of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.“And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth.“And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.“And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,“Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.“Of the sons of Hashum; Matteniah, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.“Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, “Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh,“Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,“Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau,“And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei,“And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah,“Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,“Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah,“Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.“Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah.“All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children” (Ezra 10:5-44).We are told that Mussolini is now demanding that the government have entire control of education in Italy.

Beyond all question, in America the Russian propaganda of infidelity is also marking progress as it is in practically every country in the world. The time may come when parents will not be consulted by the government as to the character of the education to be accorded their own children, and when the Church of God will be ignored and its rules and regulations relegated to the ash heap of antiquities. When that time arrives, the Anti-christ will come with it. A government without religion is not only godless in name, but destined to be graceless in character. The king or president who favors the church is the conservator of civic morals.The finest thing that can come to any nation on earth is repentance of its sins, and the determination to cease from them. With this condition rests not alone the redemption of the individual, but the redemption of the State.