The word that first came to my mind was “responsibility.”

Ezra is in charge of a great amount of money, given by the King of Persia, to help with the continuance of normal life in Judah, especially spiritual life, worship of God!

Here’s a traveling band of people, thousands of them apparently, “loaded” with silver and gold, copper too.

Watch how carefully (responsibly) Ezra handles these valuables.

“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 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.” Ezra 8:24-30

How much silver? “Six hundred and fifty talents” equals twenty-four (plus) tons of it! (A “talent” is generally said to be around a hundred pounds, though some scholars say seventy-five pounds.)

How much gold? “A hundred talents,” approaching four to five tons!

Yes, it is believed some Persian Kings were that wealthy, and at times that generous!

By the way, in the first line of our Text, “then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them” … that twelve “priests” are clearly involved … plus 12 Levites too! This is because both Sherebiah and Hashabiah were known Levites of that day. See them as such in Ezra 8:18 and 19.

This is because … in ancient Israel the Priests would have sanctified the offering, and the Levites would have transported it to its destination. Ezra is doing everything by the books, in accordance with Mosaic law! After all, he is a “Scribe!”

More than one man handled the money!

Always a good idea!

This procedure would have kept a lot of Preachers out of trouble! Let a treasurer and assistant (or even a finance committee) take care of the cash, the funds!

Group accountability!

Wisdom with that money that belongs to God!

Thus … these valuable gifts were transported (under watchful eyes) from Babylon (Persia) to Judah (Jerusalem) safely. And once the funds arrive at the destination, everything is re-counted in the presence of other officials!

Wow!

“Beyond reproach!”

“The second mile” of accountability!

Or as Paul would have said it, “not greedy of filthy lucre.” (1 Timothy 3:3)

How diligent Ezra was as a man of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Do YOU care that much for the money God has sent your way? Money of which 10% belongs to Him? Or do you faithlessly squander (steal) it from the Lord?

 

Talk about a Book of Scripture that’s heavily “loaded” with practical information and application … and EZRA rises to the top of the discussion!

Surprisingly so!

That’s why I have called today’s Lesson “One More Episode!”

“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.” Ezra 8:21-23

The noun “fast” is “tzsom” in Hebrew, “an abstaining from food.” Dethroning (“afflicting” meaning “humbling”) the flesh in order to exalt God and seek His Will, His Face … in nearly any given matter.

But if you read our Text carefully, it becomes evident that this fast is for a singular purpose, for “protection” as granted by the Hand of God! For His overshadowing Presence and Power! Safety from any enemies along the way, the proposed route back to Jerusalem.

Clearly Ezra’s actions are based on his firm conviction that … “the Hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him.” And fasting here is another way of “seeking” the Lord God.

Apparently … God acknowledged their fast and heard their prayers, based on Ezra’s observation, his pristine faith. “So we fasted and besought our God for this: AND HE WAS INTREATED OF US.” That is, He graciously heard us!

God has guaranteed them protection!

But WHY did Ezra want GOD to protect them?

Had not King Artaxerxes promised them (the Jews) all the help they needed? Surely, including armed guards?

Here’s why …

“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.”

Wow!

Ezra’s concern for the reputation of God!

Ezra’s firmly held belief that they did not need the army of an earthly King … because they had the (protecting) Hand of the Almighty God!

Once you brag on (praise, extol) God … you need to stand by your words!

Literally … “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

Then too, Philippians 4:13 … “I can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Please notice the word I have capitalized.

Pray, fast, trust God … not leaning on any man; and see what God can do!

He, the Lord, safely conducted Ezra and his thousands to the Land of Judah!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

It is believed that Ezra and his company would have sung the Psalms of Degrees as they marched to Zion! Including Psalm 121 which reminds us … “The LORD will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Hallelujah, what protection!

 

I am sorry to be late with the Lesson again today. But it’s another early morning situation, a motel room to be packed and essentials loaded, a sermon prepared (the finishing touches anyway), a shower to be taken, etc. etc.

For those reasons, I will not be able to write the Ezra Lesson until sometime this evening. Likely after I get home tonight. (A six hour drive, looks like right now!)

But I do get to preach this morning in the Jubilee Meeting at Canaan Baptist Church here in Salisbury, North Carolina. Verse by verse Bible exposition, too!

Wow!

My Grandson Andrew has been  my driver this week, and here’s his picture (taken last night after the Service) with Brother Joe Arthur. Andrew really wanted to hear Brother Joe preach, but the singing lasted from 7:30 until right at 9:00 and Joe felt it was too late for a full sermon. He spoke about 5 minutes and gave the invitation … and by the way, God wonderfully blessed!

Andrew is 21 years old now! And his job (construction, concrete) didn’t have work for him this week, so he drove Papa to the Revival! We feel we’ve both grown in the Lord … and closer to each other!

The Lord is good!

Until tonight …

Dr. Mike Bagwell

In Ezra 8:1-15 … after listing all those names (a rather large group of returning Jews, upwards of 7,000 I have read), a trait (name listing) with which both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are heavy, Ezra “pauses” for a brief time.

Hence today’s Text … “And I (Ezra the leader) 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.” Ezra 8:15

I plan to call this (nearly) half-week “break” a time of rest and thoughtfulness … just before the long four month journey (back to Jerusalem) begins. (Do remember, even God Himself “rested” on the seventh day of creation!)

Plus … the command “to rest” is built right into the middle of the Mosaic legislation. One day in seven! (Exodus 20:8-11, the longest commandment! “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it THOU SHALT NOT DO ANY WORK, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and RESTED the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” One of the Ten Commandments.)

Ezra had his thousands of followers “rest.”

Why?

Here … apparently a time of inactivity … to “view” the people.

To “take inventory” of the situation!

To, as Paul would have said it … “Examine yourselves!” See 2 Corinthians 13:5 in the New Testament for the whole verse.

Wow!

How often do WE do this?

Paul again, 1 Corinthians 11:31 … “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged (of God).” Folks … God wouldn’t have to judge us (at least not as often) … if we more frequently “judged ourselves!”

Now here’s David, praying virtually the same idea: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23

Maybe even Daniel 5:27 would “work” here! “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” Daniel 5:27

Anyway, this is the general idea!

“And I (Ezra) gathered them (the Jews returning to Jerusalem) together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed (“biyn” meaning “discerned, analyzed, considered”) the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.” Ezra 8:15

Wow!

By so taking time to stop and “look at themselves” … the people here averted a major mistake! (As in: “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” 2nd John verse 8)

Look, astoundingly … “We found none of the sons of Levi!”  We are still our Text today … Ezra 8:15, its last clause.

Someone was missing.

A whole Tribe of Jews, the sons of Levi, not a single one was present!

Priests, yes (of the sons of Aaron).

But technically no Levites, servants of the House of God!

(Half of solving a problem can be detecting that problem!)

So Ezra takes action!

And resolves the issue!

God work will NOT be impoverished, after all!

“Then sent I (still Ezra) for Eliezer, 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 (servants of the Temple of God), at the place Casiphia, THAT THEY SHOULD BRING 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 (a lot): all of them were expressed by name.” Ezra 8:16-20

Levites were found.

And Levites enlisted!

And a problem solved!

BECAUSE … of a three day rest and time of introspection!

Wow!

I “rest” my case! (Pun intended!)

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Jesus DID SAY to his disciples one day … “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and REST A WHILE: for there were many (people) coming and going, and they (the disciples) had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6:31

Amen.

 

Yes, due to our travel schedule and morning preaching engagement, I will be writing today’s Bible Study Lesson this afternoon sometime. (And if not by the afternoon, early this evening.)

But I am excited about looking further into Ezra chapter 8.

Right now I must pour myself into the Text God has laid on my heart for the morning Service here in Salisbury, North Carolina.

And if you miss today’s Lesson … it will be archived right here for you to read anytime!

Ezra, that little Bible Book of history is proving to be more spiritually nutritious that I ever imagined!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell