Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
of the descendants of David, Hattush 3 of the descendants of Shekaniah;
of the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;
of the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
of the descendants of Zattu,[a] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
of the descendants of Bani,[b] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
of the descendants of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zakkur, and with them 70 men.
I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.
I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.
On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.
Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. They also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.
Ezra 8
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Have you experienced the gracious hand of God in your life?
In our scriptures today, we find Ezra attesting that he had. In his first person account of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, he tells in great detail about the challenges he faced while traveling to the Holy City and how God was actively involved in ensuring that he and his fellow soujourners arrived safely.
One of the first challenges Ezra had was a lack of Levitical leadership. You’ll recall that not everyone was required to depart Babylon with Ezra but only those who volunteered to go. When Ezra assembled the people “at the canal that flows toward Ahava” and set up camp there, he “checked among the people and the priests” and “found no Levites there.” Under the law, Levites were required to transport articles for the temple.
And so Ezra sent “Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam” (mentioned as men who were leaders) as well as “Joiarib and Elnathan” (“men of learning” to “Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia.” The purpose of the mission was to recruit “attendants to us for the house of our God” and it was successful as Ezra’s envoy returned with “Sherebiah...(and his) sons and brothers, a total of 18 people. Additionally, “Hashabiah…and Jeshaiah with his “brothers and nephews” (20 in all) as well as “220…temple servants” came along. Indeed, the “gracious hand of…God was on” Ezra in bringing him the people needed to ensure the trip was conducted in accordance with God’s law and statutes.
We would be well served to remember this as we go through our lives. For how often does the way seem uncertain for us as we try and carry out the Lord’s plan. Often times, we might find ourselves wondering how we will get from start to finish successfully while still adhering to God’s expectations.
Perhaps, we, like Ezra, should look to the gracious hand of God to provide us all that we need to not only carry out His will but to do so in a righteous and holy fashion…a fashion that is completely in step with His word.
With his Levitical requirements more than met, Ezra wasn’t free from further challenge. For the journey was not one for the faint of heart. There would be potential danger ahead over the four months needed to get to Jerusalem from Babylon.
Ezra had not asked King Artaxerxes to provide security for his group as he was “ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road.” Why was he ashamed to ask? Because Ezra had boldly stated that “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” Maybe the feeling of shame Ezra felt was really a feeling of conviction from the Lord. Maybe God was piercing Ezra’s soul, haunting him with the words, “Do you not trust God to help you get to the Holy City Ezra?”
Well, Ezra now was set to do just that…trust God to protect him and his group during their journey. He “proclaimed a fast” by the canal where they camped so that he and his people “might humble (themselves) before…God and ask Him for a safe journey for (them) and (their) children (and)…possessions.”
What was God’s response to the petition of Ezra and his people?
Scripture tells us that God answered their prayer.
And indeed, after Ezra had given the “priests and Levites…the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of…God in Jerusalem”, the group “set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem” on the “twelfth day of the first month” and four months later “arrived in Jerusalem” safely having been “protected us from enemies and bandits along the way” because the “hand of…God was on” them.
What challenges are you facing in life? Does the way ahead seem uncertain and potentially perilous?
I think God’s word from Ezra, Chapter 8, offers us important instruction in how we should proceed.
First, we need to turn our full focus and attention to God, petitioning Him for His help and guidance with a trusting attitude that shows we know He can do all things. Ezra used fasting as a way to show his full reliance on God to provide. This was coupled with prayer and meditation. We can do likewise to fully connect with our Father and ask for His gracious hand to be upon us.
Second, we need to receive God’s graciousness with thanksgiving. Ezra and his people safely traveled to Jerusalem and then “sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel.” They expressed their gratitude through worship. We are to do likewise…to live in a spirit of worship and praise unto our God who can do all things.
Who else can we say that about in our lives?
Provision and protection. All from the gracious hand of God the Father to His beloved.
Have you thanked Him for that today?
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
No comments:
Post a Comment