EZRA'S MISSION TO JERUSALEM. Lesson VIII. November 19. Ezra 7:1 ! 8:36.
O GOD," Psa. 61:10; and "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law," Psa. 119:18. (1) He set out to "seek the law of the LORD," as one who "seeks for hidden treasure," Pro. 2:4. This was what made him, and would make any, "a ready scribe in the law—which the LORD GOD—had given"; v. 10. (2) "and to do it," first, to know It, then, to do It; to know it, do it; and to do it, know it; we, learn it to do it, and we do it to learn it; there is no contradiction in this, some knowl- edge is needed in order to do it; it is need- ful to do it in order to know it more fully. First the lecture-room, then the laboratory (Jno. 7:17) and (Jno. 13:17). But to know and not to do is to be doubly cursed (Luke 12:47; Rom. 1:21, 28-32). (3) "To teach it.' All things reflect the light that falls on them. God's gifts are ouys' to pass them on. And as we learn by doing, so we learn by teach- ing, for teaching is doing, and there is no teacher like teaching; "there Is that scat- tereth and yet incréaseth," Pro. 11:24. There- fore, Seek, Do, Teach. IV. THE KING'S LETTER. l T God had brought Ezra Into tender love with the king (Dan. 1:9). Diligence in seek- ing, doing and teaching the Word will win the good-will of reasonable men. 2. The decree. It (1) permitted all Jews to go with Ezra; none had to go, but all could; (2) commissioned Ezra to convey the offerings of the king and court to the temple of the LORD, w . 15, 19; (3) and the free-will of- ferings of Jews and Persians; none had to give, but all could, v. 16; (4) to draw on the treasury for wheat, wine, oil, and salt, v. 22; (5) to investigate affairs in Palestine, v. 14; (6)- to appoint magistrates and judges, v. 25; (7) to enforce laws and inflict penal- ties, v. 26; (8) to exempt thè ministers of the temple from taxation, v. 24. Ezra was evidently "the man whom the king delighted to honor"; and through him Israel "sucked the breast of kings," and the "milk of the Gentiles," Isa. 49:23. • V. PREPARATION FOR THE JOURNEY. 1. The Rendezvous. The pilgrims encamp- ed on a stream (8:15). A review of the host disclosed the absence of Levites. This shows the low state of loyal religious life among the exiles, even the ministers of re- ligion were among the last to revive. But thirty-eight were secured by special appeal, besides two hundred twanty Nethinim, or temple slaves and servants. 2. The prayer meeting. The journey was long and peril- ous; the way infested with tribes who lived by plunder. A meeting for prayer was held. They (1) "fasted," to indicate their hunger for JEHOVAH'S grace; (2) "afflicted" them- selves, humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God, 1 Pet. 6:6; (3) "besought" GOD, "to seek of him a right way," 8:21: it tnight be rough, long, perilous, but if "of Him," it would prove the right way. We are ignorant, do not see a step before us, nor know what a day may bring forth, how we need to seek God for this! "A right way" (l)"for us," (2) "for our little ones," they did not forget 1 their children, to desire a way for themselves by which thev could secure a safe conduct for their little ones to the
I. DA T E. ' 1. "Now after ihese things," viz., the things recounted in the previous chapter, ending with the dedicatory festivities of the rebuilt temple (6:15-22). 2. "In the second year of Artaxerxes, the king, 458 B. C. Soc- rates was ten, Heroditus 16 years old, and Pericles was soon to begin the adornment of Athens, the rising sun of Gentile "cul- ture." 3. Seventy-eight years had inter- vened since the first return of exiles. II. CONDITIONS AMONG THE JEWS. 1. In Babylon. The majority of the cap- tive people, prospering under the Persian kings, were content to remain in alien lands, and seem not to have concerned themselves, as admass, in their brethren who returned to tife homeland. Some, like Esther and Mor- decai (Est. 8:1, 2), Ezra (Ezr. 7:12), and Nehemlah (Neh. 1:11), were high in royal favor. Synagogues and schools for the study of the Law were established, and companies from time to time passed to and from Jeru- mem.. 2. In Palestine. (1) The first gen- eration of returned exiles passed away, and already their descendants had lapsed from thij early enthusiasm and spirit of reform. Tljeir "goodness was as a morning cloud," Hds. 6:4. Judea so long lying waste was difficult .of culture; the people were very poor; their enemies were persistent in op- position -to their progress; their brethren in wje East were generally indifferent. (2) TOjey, themselves, had anticipated from their understanding of prophecy a complete and glorious return, and re-establishment of the kingdom. Like their successors of Jesus' day, they looked for the kingdom of temporal pojver without spiritual grace, and could not discern the Scriptures which indicated a still wider dispersion and an age-long down- treading of the Holy City as we see it to this time. Their real repentanpe and regenera- tion have not yet come. Bye and bye "all Isrpel" will repent (Rom. 11:26). Only full surrender to the LORD can bring full sal- vation from the LORD. |ll. EZRA. 1. Ezra, by birth a priest of the family of Aaron (7:1-5), was by profession a scribe (v.'ll), one specially'versed in and devoted to "the law of Moses." Ezra, after Moses, stands first "as a servant faithful' In all his house" (Heb. 3:5) with respect to the Law. He" heartily believed and practiced the teach- ings of Deut. 6:4-9; Josh. 1:7-9; Psa. 1:1-6; 19<7-14; 119:1-1-176; 2 Tim. 3:16,17. He, and history have vindicated the truth and prac- tid§ ~ of such obedience. Now note what he did in this matter: "He prepared his heart." v. 10, to do three things, viz.: (1) "To seek the law of .the LORD," (2) "and to do it," (3) "and to teach it." "The preparations of the heart in man—Is from the Lord," Pro. 16:1. (a) A pure heart is needful to SeA God (Mat. 5:8), which is the end of sssrching the Scriptures (Jno. 5:39. (b) As the ¡'deep glories of the starry skies cannot be seen by the unaided eye, but require a lense, so the natural eye cannot discern the deep things of the .word. Ezra, then, must }jave prayed, "Create in me a clean heart,
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