Calling a Family Meeting

Just about every family has special days on the calendar when they know everybody is getting together. Christmas. Thanksgiving. Easter. The big summer reunion. But there are times when something comes up that must be addressed immediately. There are times when somebody calls a emergency family meeting. And it’s mandatory. No ifs, ands, or buts. The only excused absence is death…yours! Ezra calls for a mandatory family meeting (Ez 10:6-8). There’s a crisis that’s come to everyone’s attention that must be addressed right here, right now. It can’t wait until one of the regular Hebrew holiday get-togethers like Passover, Pentecost, or Tabernacles. You’ve got three days to get your carcass to Jerusalem for the mandatory family meeting.

What should be a time of great celebration as God’s people return to the Promised Land has turned ugly. A large percentage of the Israelites have blatantly ignored the LORD’s longstanding law against hooking up with unbelievers (Ex 34:11-16; Dt 7:1-6). This isn’t just a handful of Hebrew guys. A significant number of the so-called best and brightest have hopped in the sack with local pagan hotties (Ez 9:1-2, 12-14; 10:2). Ezra publicly and passionately prays to God for mercy on His people for following their libido instead of the LORD (Ez 9:5-15; 10:1). A brave dude named Shecaniah steps forward to encourage Ezra to step up and lead (Ez 10:2-4). He lets the Big E know that God is the only hope in the middle of this train wreck. He says the people have Ezra’s back when he has to make hard decisions. A huge number of the people echo Shecaniah’s words and swear to do whatever needs to be done (Ez 10:5). What happens next could well determine the future of God’s people. 

At this point, Ezra leaves the steps of the temple and the huge crowd that’s gathered and heads inside. “Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib” (v6). This isn’t an apartment or condo. It’s one of the many storage rooms inside the temple complex that’s under the supervision of Jehohanan. Apparently Jehohanan sets up some temp space for the priest to seek God’s guidance for what to do next. The ESV says that he “spent the night” there (v6). The original language is probably better translated as “where he went” rather than spending the night. We’re really not too sure of the time frame. It could be for the evening. Could be longer. But at this point, Ezra gets alone with the LORD in order to make some very hard decisions.

One thing Ezra didn’t need was room service. He holed up in this storage room “neither eating bread nor drinking water” (v6). Because this was no ordinary crisis, the priest didn’t settle for an ordinary fast. Fasting from both food and water was radical. Normally you simply avoid solid food but stayed hydrated. The Bible only mentions it happening here and three other times. Moses fasted after rolling down back down the mountain with the Ten Commandments and finding God’s people throwing a toga party in front of the golden calf (Dt 9:18). And he did it a second time when he went back up the mountain to get a second copy of the Top Ten (Ex 34:28). The pagan citizens of Nineveh responded to God’s warning through Jonah by staying away from food and water (Jnh 3:7). 

Any kind of fasting is a way to practically demonstrate your total dependance on God to provide everything you need. It signifies your desperation for Yahweh to move because you don’t know what to do. Every hunger pang reminds you of your reliance on who He is and what He’s done. I think we can pretty much call fasting a lost art. You just don’t hear to many people denying themselves in order to hear from the LORD. Hey, I’m as guilty as the next guy. You don’t see me missing many meals in order to seek God’s will. But you would think that if Jesus felt it necessary to fast (Lk 4:2), we would make it a priority. It’s probably more important for a 21st century follower of Jesus to consider a digital fast. Spend a few days without…wait for it…your smart phone (gasp!)! Shut down your iPad for the weekend. Turn off the TV for predetermined period. Get off the grid and get with God. Is it any reason why we can’t hear His voice clearly with all digital racket going on around us?

Behind the door of the temple storeroom, Ezra is “mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles” (v6). This is the same word (Heb. ma’al) as in Ezra 9:2, 4; 10:2. This is less about some good looking pagan ladies catching the eyes of the Jewish men and more about failing to trust in God’s goodness to provide intimacy and companionship. And the language Shecaniah uses back in Ezra 10:2-4 tells us that these weren’t legit marriages requiring a legal divorce. Guys were simply shacking up with unbelieving women. Their failure to trust in their gracious God absolutely breaks Ezra’s heart. Whatever God leads him to do is going to be hard. 

While Ezra is deep in his prayerful fast, the call is put out for a mandatory family meeting in Jerusalem. “And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble in Jerusalem” (v7). Judah is the larger territory. It’s the basic region of the southern kingdom where the tribes of Judah and Benjamin lived. Remember, the northern kingdom of Israel disappeared when God sent the Assyrians to haul them into captivity (2Ki 17:6-7). Those ten tribes living in the north were never heard from again. And the clock is ticking. Everybody must “come within three days” (v8). They’ve got 72 hours to get there. Because we’re only talking about the territories of Judah and Benjamin tribes, the longest trip would only be 40-50 miles. This is a mandatory family meeting. Be there or be square.

The proclamation makes it crystal clear that absence is no excuse. “If anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited and he himself banned from the congregation of exiles” (v8). This is a HUGE deal. First of all, God is the one who personally gave your family its land back when they rolled into the Promised Land. Failure to appear would result in turning your back on God’s gift. If that’s not bad enough, your lack of attendance would result in getting the boot from the Hebrew people. In other words, you’ve made your choice and you face your consequences. If you want to continue shacking up with your pagan girlfriend, just consider that your new family. Sometimes failing to make a decision is a decision. In this case, failing to appear results in a decision. And it’s not good.

It’s time for a family meeting. A mandatory family meeting. And the clock is ticking.

Rising Up When the Chips Are Down

Leading is easy when life is smooth. When the wind’s at your back. When you’re leading by four touchdowns. When you’ve got the Big Mo. Just about anybody can lead when it’s easy. But what about when times are tough? What about when you can’t catch a break? What about when nobody can seem to do anything right? That’s when real leaders step up. When the fecal matter hits the whirling device, you find out who the real leaders are. Check out Ezra 10:1-5 for a classic example. The wheels have come flying off the next phase of the resettlement of Jerusalem. The people of God have blatantly thumbed their noses at the the law of God and started hooking up with local pagan hotties (Ez 9:1-2, 10, 12-14). 

At this point, good leaders are hard to find. But two men stand up and stand out. The first is our man Ezra. He’s the high priest whom God used to lead the caravan of almost 8,000 Israelites back from Babylon to the Promised Land (Ez 8). The second is a dude named Shecaniah. He’s just an average Joe who joined the big return to Jerusalem (Ez 8:4). An average Joe who comes up big in crunch time. It’s Shecaniah who speaks up even in the face of his father’s own sin. It’s Shecaniah who points the people to the goodness of God even in the middle of the dumpster fire. It’s Shecaniah who pokes Ezra in the chest to tells him to do his job. 

Real leaders rise up when the chips are down.

We pick up the action with Ezra praying for the people. Like a great leader, the Big E understands that he’s accountable for the people God has placed in his care. “Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God” (v1). While he never hopped in the sack with one of the local ladies, Ezra confessed on behalf of those who did. He’s absolutely heartbroken over what has happened. Remember, he’s a priest. As a priest, he represents God to His people and the people to their God. It’s a picture of the role Jesus plays as our ultimate High Priest (Heb 4:14-16). As the God Man, there’s no one better for the position. And as His followers, Jesus has given us each the position of priest. We’re a “royal priesthood” (1Pet 2:9). We don’t need anyone in a collar or robe to approach the God on our behalf.

Ezra doesn’t loose his cool and chew out the people. That sure would’ve been the easy thing to do. But he doesn’t. Instead he prays. And when the Hebrews hear his prayer and see his tears, something incredible happens. “A very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly” (v1). Their repentance doesn’t come about because Ezra turns on the verbal flamethrower. It’s his prayer. His gut-wrenching prayer on their behalf. As the old saying goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” If the returning exiles had any doubts about Ezra’s concern for them before, they don’t anymore. 

That’s when some guy named Shecaniah clears his throat and steps out of the crowd. We need to understand the pressure that he was under. He’s “the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam” (v1). We find out a little later that his own father was one of the men guilty of following his libido instead of the LORD (Ez 10:26). I can’t even imagine the stress he faced given what he was about to say. You see, real leaders rise up when the chips are down. 

Shecaniah speaks directly to Ezra on behalf of the people. “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land” (v2). He understands that this rebellion against God’s command is actually a lack of trust in His goodness and provision. The ESV translators use the phrase “broken faith,” which just happens to be the same word translated as “faithlessness” (Heb. ma’al) back in Ezra 9:2, 4. Just like Adam and Eve believed God was holding out on them when they fell for the lie of the satanic snake, these Israelite dudes began looking for love in all the wrong places.

In his speech to Ezra, the courageous Shecaniah talks about how the Jewish guys “have married foreign women” (v2) and how they must “put away all these wives and their children” (v3). These are not the usual Hebrew words for marriage and divorce. He uses the term yashab, which actually means “we have given a home.” This would be a clear indication that they didn’t really marry these ladies but shacked up with them. These weren’t legit marriages but illicit relationships. And instead of filing for divorce, Shecaniah calls them to “put away” their girlfriends and their kids. This is the word yatsa’, which simply means to bring out or throw out. He encourages the men to kick these local ladies to the curb. Just as the proper term for “married” isn’t used in verse 2, the usual Hebrew word for “divorce” isn’t used here. These weren’t proper marriages. They were to get rid of their girlfriends. Get them out of their house. The kids need to leave too. Again, this is NOT the same as divorce between a believing and unbelieving spouse that the Apostle Paul discusses in his letter to the church at Corinth (1Cor 7:12-14). What’s the modern day application? If you’re married and messing around with someone other than your spouse, end it NOW. Are we clear? 

Sandwiched in between this talk of hooking up and breaking up, Shecaniah points to the only source of healing for this ridiculous soap opera of a situation. “But even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this” (v2). This is bad. REALLY bad. A boatload of the best and brightest have completely shaken their fists at God’s authority. In many ways, this could be and should be the end of this incredible resettlement of the Promised Land. But Shecaniah sees hope. Hope in God. Hope in His grace. Hope in His mercy. As bad as it looks, He sees hope because he sees God. Do you have “but even now” hope? Shecaniah sure does. Real leaders don’t have faith in themselves. They have faith in God. Real leaders rise up when the chips are down.

Shecaniah ends his speech with a direct challenge and encouragement to Ezra. “Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it” (v4). God may have lifted up Shecaniah to speak some very tough but necessary words at a very difficult time, but it was up to Ezra to step up and lead. Ezra has prayed. God used his prayer to move the hearts of the people. Shecaniah calls the high priest to get up off his knees and lead. “Arise, for it is your task” (v4). In other words, Ezra needs to do what God has positioned him to do. He’s the one to lead at this critical moment. “Be strong and do it” (v4). The Message puts it this way, “Now get up, Ezra. Take charge—we’re behind you. Don’t back down” (v4 The Message). Shecaniah lets Ezra know that they’ve got his back. Just like Esther, Yahweh has placed the Big E to lead His people “for such a time as this” (Est 4:14). In other words, real leaders rise up when the chips are down.

Several hundred years later, a radical Rabbi/Carpenter stepped into leadership when there was no one else. He pleaded with His Heavenly Father to see if there was any other way, any other plan. When His own death was the only option, He told His Dad that He was up to the task (Lk 22:42). That’s because, real leaders rise up when the chips are down.

Father Knows Best

TV sitcoms come in all shapes and sizes. All sorts of characters. All sorts of families. All sorts of situations. But there’s one character you’ll find no matter what network you’re watching. The incompetent dad. You know who I’m talking about. From Homer of “The Simpsons” to Phil Dunphy of “Modern Family.” Dad isn’t the authority but the butt of the joke. Now it wasn’t always that way. Back in a previous millennium, we had a parade of great dads on the Philco. Ward Cleaver of “Leave It to Beaver.” Andy Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show.” We even had Jim Anderson on “Father Knows Best.” Week after week, these dads would lovingly come to aid of their families and rescue them in just 30 minutes.

In Ezra 9:10-15, the leader of the Jewish people goes to their heavenly Dad to save their bacon (okay, maybe “bacon” isn’t exactly the most kosher image but you get the idea). The Israelites are in trouble. BIG trouble. They’ve broken one of God’s big family rules. Don’t date and marry someone who doesn’t worship God. It eventually leads to all sorts of problems including idolatry. Don’t confuse hooking up with a local pagan hottie with evangelism. Ezra has just led a second Jewish resettlement campaign from Babylon back to Jerusalem. Seventy years of exile are basically in the rearview mirror. But before they’ve even unpacked their luggage, folks hopping in the sack with non-Jews (Ez 9:1-2). As their leader, Ezra goes to the only One who can help (Ez 9:5-9). God. Yahweh. That’s because our heavenly Father knows best.

As a loving leader accountable for God’s people, Ezra humbles himself before the LORD on their behalf. It’s not “their iniquities” but “our iniquities.” It’s not “their guilt” but “our guilt” (Ez 9:6-7). He goes on to praise God for His overwhelming goodness as the only reason they have been allowed to return to the Promised Land (Ez 9:8-9). But something horrible has happened once they hit the homeland. “For we have forsaken your commandments” (v10). This isn’t exactly breaking news in the throne room of heaven. God is perfectly aware that His people have the hots for the locals. He knows exactly what’s going on. But Ezra knows that confession and repentance are a huge part of the healing. He doesn’t make excuses. He doesn’t blame shift. He admits. He confesses. He repents.

At this point, the Big E gets specific. He says out loud what’s going down. They’re not just breaking any commandment. They’re breaking a very old commandment. This is a law “which You commanded by your servants the prophets” (v11). God had used not just one handpicked spokesman but a series of them to make sure He got His divine point across. Apparently He reminded them a lot because they broke it a lot. Back in Moses’ day, the LORD had specific instructions for dating and marriage for His people before they unpacked their bags in the Promised Land. As Ezra prays, he recalls those commands without quoting them specifically (Ex 34:11-16; Dt 7:1-6). First God makes it clear that while this is a land dripping with milk and honey, it’s also “a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness” (v11). He’s not saying the local residents need a housekeeper. He’s talking about the nauseating practices of their false religions. Prostitutes. Porn. Child sacrifice. It’s some sick stuff. 

Because of that, God warns His chosen people not to get romantically involved with this disgusting dumpster fire. “Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity” (v12). These Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites aren’t supposed to be a target rich environment for dating. And it doesn’t mean  these local folks can’t kick their idols to the curb and bow before the God of Israel. Earlier, Ezra writes about the big Passover feast “was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel” (Ez 6:21). But remember, dating is NOT a means of evangelism. Our heavenly Father knows best.

The reason God gives this critical command is that He knows exactly what will happen. He’s not some cosmic killjoy trying to keep His people from having a good time. It’s for their own good. If they avoid hooking up with the local pagans, “you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever” (v12). Intermarriage with folks of false religions will weaken society. It will compromise a culture focused on God. And it will ultimately ruin what is left for the next generation and the generations to come. The omniscient LORD sees perfectly what will go down once the people head down this pagan path. This command is for their own good. He’s actually protecting them from themselves. Our heavenly Father knows best.

So how do you see God and His commands? Is some supernatural wet blanket that doesn’t want you to have any fun? Or is a loving parent who sees the land mines in your life and is guiding you around them? I may not realize it but God’s commands protect me from myself. They protects me from my own destructive choices. What looks like a hoot is actually harmful. And even crazier, obedience to His law brings me the greatest joy. Yup, our heavenly Father knows best.

Meanwhile Ezra continues to pray for himself and the people. He knows that God should have really dropped the hammer on them for what they’ve done (v13). He’s talking about the sin and rebellion that led to their exile in Babylon. Yahweh would have been in the right to wipe the Israelites off the face of the planet for what they’ve done. But He didn’t. He’s allowed a remnant of the original nation to return. And now what have they done in return? “We break Your commandments again, and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?” (v14). After this latest epic fail, who would blame God if He nuked His people once and for all? After all, our heavenly Father knows best.

The Big E praises God as the only One in the universe who always does what is right. “O LORD, the God of Israel, You are just” (v15). He knows he’s praying to One who knows what to do. He trusts in God’s goodness. He trusts in God’s justice. Because God is just, He must punish sin. But here’s the crazy thing. He won’t just be just, He’ll do the justifying! A few hundred years later, the Apostle Paul writes to his Roman friends about how “He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). Ezra places the fate of the Israelites in the hands of the very same good God who will justify those who trust in the grace of Christ.

Our heavenly Father knows best.

There's No "I" in Team

Teams win together. Teams lose together. An individual may play well in defeat. He may have even set a record. But in the end, his squad still lost. That’s really all that matters. The last thing a losing team needs is one of its players bragging about all the stats he piled up in defeat. Great leaders understand that you win as a team and you lose as a team. Flip back to Ezra 9:6-9 for a classic example of great leadership in defeat. Despite successfully leading somewhere between 7,000-8,000 people nearly 1,000 miles from Babylon to Jerusalem and delivering a multimillion dollar amount of gold and silver to the temple, Ezra sits in utter horror over the sin and disobedience of God’s people (Ez 9:1-5). All sorts of Israelites have turned their backs on the LORD and hooked up with local pagan hotties. It didn’t take long before their new girlfriends and wives had them worshiping false gods. Honestly if I were in Ezra’s sandals, I would probably shake my head at this dumpster fire of idolatry and tell them “it sucks to be you!” Thankfully, Ezra is not me. He knows a great leader is accountable. He knows there’s no “I” in “team” but there is in “sin.”

We all know plenty of coaches, bosses, and supervisors who blow their stacks when their people fail. Ezra certainly had every opportunity to chew out the people, priests, and Levites for allowing their libido to override their obedience to God’s commands. But that’s not how he handled it. That’s not what he did. Instead of going ballistic, he goes to God in prayer. Remember, the Big E tore his clothes, yanked out his hair and beard, and sat down in awe at what was going down. And there he sat, “until the evening sacrifice” (Ez 9:4). Hungry from a day of fasting, Ezra dropped to his knees and spread his hands to pray (Ez 9:5). There’s a time and place to get mad. Even Jesus kicked butt and took names at the temple, not once but twice (Jn 2:13-17; Mk 11:15-17). But this time, Ezra takes the situation straight to God. As leaders, we should consider doing the same. Don’t freak out. Don’t blow your stack. Take the problem directly to Jesus. Do not pass “go.” Do not collect $200. 

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to You, my God” (v6). Ezra readily admits to the LORD his shame over what’s just happened. He uses the Hebrew word buwsh, which not only his humiliation but an extreme level of confusion. Here at what should be a high point of celebration at God’s provision for their return, this spiritual train wreck occurs. Ezra is so embarrassed that he is “blush (Heb. kalam) to lift my face” in prayer. As the leader of the people, he would rather be anywhere but in the presence of God right now. But as their leader, he’s accountable for what they’ve done. They win as a team. They lose as a team. 

Then something happens that you might not expect. Ezra confesses the incredible sin of the people as if he was right there with them the whole time. “Our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (v6, emphasis added). No pointing fingers. No blaming. Ezra understands that they win as a team and they sin as a team. He looks back on the history and heritage of the Israelites and knows that sin like this is a family tradition. “From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt” (v7, emphasis added). He goes on to say that the whole reason they’ve been in Babylonian captivity until now is because of their blatant disobedience. “And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today” (v7, emphasis added). They’ve brought it on themselves. As MacArthur writes, “Ezra knows that the sin of a few contaminates the many.” There’s no “I” in “team” but there is in “sin.” 

Suddenly, just when you think Ezra might expect God to drop the hammer of His holy wrath on His disobedient people, this humble leader knows the grace and goodness of the God of Israel. “But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within this holy place, that our God may bright our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery” (v8). Despite all of the rebellion of His chosen people, Yahweh has been radically awesome to them along the way. In the middle of the utter darkness of their slavery and exile, the bright light of God’s grace sparkles and dazzles. He’s allowed a remnant, a small handful of survivors to remain so that He can still deliver on His covenant promises to bless the earth. Despite the sin of the situation, Ezra sees the grace of God. Don’t let anybody tell you that the Old Testament is about His wrath and judgment and the New Testament is about His love and grace. The OT absolutely drips with God’s descending, one-way love.

Ezra continues praying, “For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery” (v9). In the face of the amazing resettlement of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple, he understands that the Hebrews are still under the thumb of the Persian king. He thanks the LORD for His overwhelming goodness to not turn His back on His people while they were in Babylon in what amounted to a divine “time out” for disobedience. Once Jesus saves you, He never, ever leaves you swinging in the breeze by yourself. He didn’t forget the Jews in Egypt. He didn’t forget the Israelites in Babylon. And He won’t forget you and me when we make self-destructive and sinful choices.

In the middle of their 70-year exile, God “has extended to us His steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem” (v9). Everything that’s happened as part of this incredible return and resettlement is because God made it happen. It’s because of “His steadfast love” (v9). God made a promise to Abraham to bless His people and eventually bless the entire planet through His people. Just because they disobey, God faithfully fulfills His promise to bless and love. His love doesn’t burn hot for a moment and then He moves on to somebody else who catches His eye. His love lasts. His love has legs. His love hangs in there. As the song says, “His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.” Ezra knows that God’s love lasts. Despite everything that the people have done, despite hooking up with pagan hotties, despite worshiping false gods, His love never fails. 

Loving leaders who are willing to take the sin of others as their own and intercede on their behalf is a familiar theme throughout the Bible. A brokenhearted Daniel pleads to Yahweh to forgive the rebellion of His people that led to their deportation into Babylon (Dan 9:1-20). A few years after Ezra, tears streamed down the face of Nehemiah as he was overcome by the Israelites continual disobedience (Neh 1:4-11). But these men simply point to the ultimate example found in the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee. The night before His murder, Jesus prayed for every one of His followers that they would know the same unity as He and His Dad (Jn 17). The sinless Christ willingly took on the sin and rejection of the entire world and was held accountable for it (2Cor 5:21). And even as He was executed, He prayed to His heavenly Dad to forgive them because they had no clue what they were really doing (Lk 23:34). But Jesus was able to do something that Ezra, Daniel, and Nehemiah could never dream of doing. He is able to take our filthy sin and exchange it for His absolute perfection. Our rebellion for His obedience. Our faithlessness for His faithfulness. 

But almost 500 years before Jesus comes on His jaw-dropping rescue mission on our behalf, Ezra drops to his knees and pleads to this God of non-stop love. He knows that while he may not have jumped in the sack with these local women, his sin isn’t much different. He knows that as the leader of the the people, he’s accountable. They win as a team. They lose as a team. There’s no “I” in “team” but there is in “sin.”

Here We Go Again

It’s incredibly frustrating when you see folks making the same mistakes over and over again. How about when you see them making the same mistakes their parents made? And grandparents made? And great grandparents made? History has the habit of repeating itself. Over and over and over again. You’ve heard the expression, “Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it.” That’s the situation Ezra and the Israelites face here in Ezra 9:1-5. After 70-plus years of slavery in Babylon, God’s people are resettling the Promised Land once again under the leadership of men like Zerubbabel and Ezra. But before you can blink your eyes, the Israelites are up to the same garbage that got them hauled off into captivity in the first place. Blatant disobedience to God. Hooking up with local hotties. Worshiping false gods. Here we go again.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Ezra has just hit town with a total traveling party somewhere between 7,000-8,000 people. That’s the number you get when you total the number of men listed in Ezra 8:2-20 (more than 1,500) and the best guess at the women, children, and elderly that would have come with them. They’ve traveling as a large caravan from Babylon to Jerusalem for almost four months. Despite carrying millions of dollars worth of silver and gold for the temple (Ez 8:26-27), God protected them through some of the most dangerous deserts in the ancient Near East (Ez 8:31). The returning exiles kick back for three days after their grueling road trip before delivering all of the holy hardware to the folks at the temple (Ez 8:33-34). They thank God by offering up burnt offerings of all sorts of livestock (Ez 8:35). There were just a couple more things on the arrival list. First, deliver all of the various royal documents to local governing officials and Persian bureaucrats (Ez 8:36). Second, help anyone needing immediate assistance whether they were part of the general population or workers at the temple.

It was at this point that some of the leaders broke the bad news to Ezra. “After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations’” (v1). The Big E hadn’t even had a chance to kick off his sandals when it hit the fan. This is going to be bad. REALLY bad. The corruption ran throughout the entire population. From top to bottom. Listing the people, the priests, and the Levites lets us know this is systemic sin. You would think leaders like the priests and Levites would set the standard for holy behavior among God’s people. Instead they’ve led the way INTO sin! “And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost” (v2). The leaders led…but in the wrong way!! They were actually the worst of all. Never underestimate the power of leadership, especially BAD leadership. 

Once again, the “people of the lands” are problem. Earlier they had caused all sorts of problems for Zerubbabel when his crew arrived a few decades before (Ez 4:4). The local people groups did everything they could to sabotage the rebuilding of the temple, eventually delaying the project for 16 years (Ez 4:5). Ezra runs down the roster of the local tribes that are causing problems. “The Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites” (v1). These are infamous names for God’s people. Many have been a pain in the Hebrew backside for thousands of years. More on that in a minute.

Israelite leaders report to Ezra that there’s all sorts of dating and intermarriage going on between God’s people and the local yokels. “For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands” (v2). Let’s make sure we know what is NOT going on here. God is NOT warning against intermarriage between races. This is not some racist scene out of the Jim Crow American South. The LORD isn’t about separating people but bringing them together. Solomon’s wife clearly had very dark skin (SoS 1:5-6). The Gospel spread like wildfire after Jesus’ resurrection throughout the Mediterranean rim. Paul made it clear that Christ has torn down every ethnic, racial, cultural, and societal barrier (Gal 3:28; Col 3:1). Before you make Ezra the grand dragon of the local KKK chapter, let’s make sure you know this has NOTHING to do with race. 

What has Ezra so freaked out is that all of these folks have chosen sex and companionship over devotion to God. When we make dating and marriage a priority over our relationship with Jesus, we’re on a VERY slippery slope. Craig Groeschel goes makes the point by telling the followers of Christ to look for their “two.” When we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, He’s our “One.” Everyone else can rise to no higher than number two in the polls. Clearly this order was WAY out of whack for the people, priests, and Levites. They didn’t must date and intermarry with people who didn’t worship God, they soon found themselves bowing to idols as well. Intermarriage with unbelievers results in pagan worship. That’s at the core of Paul’s warning against being joined to others (2Cor 6:14). Any sort of serious intentional partnership such as marriage to someone of another faith will compromise your worship of God. 

It’s not like these local people groups couldn’t turn away from their gods and worship the God of Israel. Earlier Ezra describes how not only the people of Israel celebrated Passover and were joined by “every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel” (Ez 6:21). This isn’t about racial discrimination. This is NOT about ethnic purity. This is about worshiping the same God.

Ezra didn’t have to see the end result to know where this was headed. He was fully aware of history. Way back when Moses was leading God’s people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land that very first time, Yahweh warned the Hebrews of what would happen. “Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and  you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods” (Ex 34:11-16). Just in case you’re wondering, whoring is not good. We see almost the same list of other people in Ezra. Just call them the usual suspects. Here we go again.

Despite God’s warning through Moses, the Israelites began hooking up with local pagan hotties and before you know it they were worshiping idols with their new wives (Num 25:1-3). Yahweh warns them a second time to stop fooling around with people who don’t worship and follow the God of Israel (Dt 7:1-2). “You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me to serve other gods” (Dt 7:3). It happened before and it’s happening again. 

In many ways, it was sort of stuff that led to God sending them into Babylonian captivity in the first place. That all started when the great King Solomon hopped into the sack with every beautiful woman he saw, no matter who she worshipped (1Ki 11:1-13). He turned his palace into the Playboy Mansion of Jerusalem. Even more disgusting than his shameful sexual escapades was the fact that Solomon lost his passion to serve and follow the LORD. Instead he ordered the construction of altars to the various idols for each of his honeys. And sadly, it won’t be the last time. In the coming years, both Nehemiah and Malachi will deal with the very same garbage (Neh 13:23-27; Mal 2:10-16). Yup, here we go again.

While we can’t be exactly sure what happened when “the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the land” (v2), Scripture gives us a few clues. Back during Moses’ day, local idolatry included child sacrifice. “They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods” (Dt 12:31). I’m not an expert in family ministries, but this sure seems to be the wrong way to go when it comes to children’s church. Remember, God made a promise to Abraham to bless the world through His offspring (Gen 22:17-18). I’m pretty sure He wasn’t talking about burning them in the fire as child sacrifices. 

The people’s rampant unfaithfulness absolutely ripped apart Ezra’s heart. Twice he uses the word “faithlessness” (v2, 4).This is the Hebrew term ma’al, which describes a conscious unfaithful or treacherous act, a breach of trust, or infidelity. The people have failed to trust in the ultimate goodness of God to provide what they need. They’ve taken it upon themselves to get what they want. This is the sin of Eden all over again (Gen 3:1-7). The local ladies are forbidden fruit. Instead of letting the LORD provide something or someone better, they listened to their libido instead. Here we go again.

With his heart torn in two, Ezra shows his frustration in a very public fashion. “As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled” (v3). These are customary responses by an exasperated leader back in the day. And I’m sure it also hurt like the dickens. Twice the Big E describes his reaction as being “appalled” (Heb. shamem). It’s being stunned, stupefied, and devastated. Think of Col. Kurtz’ infamous words from “Apocalypse Now.” “The horror.” After all that they had been through together. After a lifetime of exile in Babylon. After a 1,000 mile expedition through the desert. After being an eyewitness to the very hand of God to make this all happen. After all of that, they turn their backs on the One who has been so good to bring them home only to start shacking up with local ladies who don’t know Yahweh. At the end of the day, he pleads with God over the gut-wrenching sin right in front of his eyes. The horror. Here we go again. 

Ezra has every reason to be shocked and outraged. It’s happened before. And it will happen again. But one day, One will come who is completely faithful. A little less than 500 years later, God will personally take on human flesh and do what we could never do for ourselves. He’ll live the perfect life that we failed to live. He’ll died the death for our sin that we should have died. He’ll rise to a spectacular new life that we don’t deserve. Christ Jesus will exhibit a trust in His Father that will never waver or wobble. I can’t say that about my faith. I place my trust in Who He is and what He’s done on my behalf. He’s faithful even when I’m not (2Tim 2:13). As a matter of fact, Jesus is the perfect Husband. His care and sacrificial love for His bride is the example for hubbies everywhere (Eph 5:23, 25-32). The faithlessness of the Israelites points us to the One who is perfectly faithful. One day, Ezra’s prayer will ultimately be answered in the form of a Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee. Until then, here we go again.

Up in Smoke

You’ve heard the expression, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” That certainly makes sense. When you see a column of smoke on the horizon, you can take it to the bank that there’s something burning that you don’t see. The US Forest Service built thousands of fire towers above the tree tops to spot smoke and prevent valuable and beautiful timberland from going up in flames. Smokey Bear’s been spreading the word against preventing forest fires for 70 years. 

But in the Old Testament, smoke meant something else entirely. It was a symbol of praise to God. Back 2,500 years ago, the adage may well have stated, “Where there’s smoke, there’s worship.” That’s the scene in Jerusalem here at the end of Ezra 8. Ezra and his expedition have successfully completed their return to the Promised Land from Babylon (Ez 8:31-32). They’ve successfully delivered millions of dollars of precious metals to temple officials (Ez 8:32-34). As an act of worship, they fire up the holy grill and make a sacrifice. Where there’s smoke, there’s worship.

The author reminds us just who made up the 7,000-8,000 people in the caravan. They were “those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles” (v35). About 130 years before, God used King Nebuchadnezzar to get the attention of His chosen people. Once again, they had turned their backs on the One who had given them everything. It’s an ongoing cycle. God rescues His people. They worship for a while. Then they get bored. They go running to the hot new idol in town. He gets their attention. They repent. He rescues His people. It happens over and over and over in the OT. That’s the cycle we’re reading about here in Ezra. God used the Babylonians to put the Israelites in “time out,” or as the Bible calls it “capivity” and “exile.” 

These returning exiles have lived their entire lives nearly 1,000 miles away from their homeland. Not only are they back in the Promised Land, they have the privilege to worship at the temple for the first time. There was no tabernacle or house of God in Babylon. Their hearts ached to offer God the sacrifices and offerings prescribed in their Bible. Now the exiles are back in Jerusalem. And now it’s time to worship! 

Ezra gives us a glimpse of what it was like that day on the temple mount. Fresh back from exile, they “offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD” (v35). It’s easy to read this as some sort of cookout to end all cookouts. And it was in a way. But there’s just one problem. There’s nothing to eat. Despite the amount of beef, mutton, and goat meat listed, it’s all completely burned by the priests. I know we don’t spend a lot of our Bible reading time digging into Leviticus (if you do, you deserve some sort of medal!), but you’ll find some critical info on worship. God gives Moses VERY specific instructions for worship, especially burnt offerings. The entire first chapter is full of smoke and ashes. Take an entire bull “and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering” (Lev 1:9). Do the same or a male sheep or goat and “the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar” (Lev 1:13). The priest burns “all of it.” How much is left? Nothing. It all goes up in smoke.

The term used in both Leviticus and Ezra for “burnt offering” is the Hebrew word ‘olah. It describes a burnt sacrifice, but more specifically that which goes up to heaven, something that ascends, and an item that is going up in smoke. In other words, it’s all given to God. The fire consumes the entire carcass. It takes several hours for it to burn. Then it all rises back to Him. Every last bit of it. The smoke rises to heaven. The smoke ascends to the throne of God. That’s the picture of the burnt offering. For the first time in their lives, these worshipers ascended to the temple mount so that their burnt offerings could ascend into the sky. Where there’s smoke, there’s worship. 

So what in the world does this seemingly smoky ritual have to do with someone living in the 21st century? So very glad you asked. This system of worship in the Old Testament gave the people a picture of the One who would come as the ultimate sacrifice and offering for sin. The people were to offer a “male without blemish” (Lev 1:3, 10). In other words, return to God the best of the best. No leftovers. No junk. It was offered to cleanse and atone for sin so that we could be restored temporarily in our relationship with God. The offering was completely consumed and there was nothing left. It ascended to heaven. Where there’s smoke, there’s worship. 

These sacrifices pointed to the day when God would send His best as an offering for our sin. Jesus would live the perfect life that you and I failed to live. He would die the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to heaven as an offering to give us new life that we don’t deserve. His life was completely consumed and there was nothing left. His sacrifice atoned for our sins once and for all and restored our relationship with God for all time. The author of the book the Hebrews spends verse after verse explaining the connection between sacrifice in the Old Testament and Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for you and me. The best way to sum up Hebrews is that God is telling everybody, both Jews and Gentiles, “GET OUT OF THE TEMPLE!” Jesus was completely consumed for you and me. 

While the smoke no longer rises from the temple like it did during Ezra’s day, we’re to let our praises rise from wherever we are. Not surprisingly, we find this truth in the book of Hebrews. “Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name” (Heb 13:15). Instead of rising smoke, let’s continually speak of who He is and what He’s done. Let’s let His fame rise! Let’s make sure the world hears us praise the only One worthy of the applause! That’s the kind of smoke that should be rising from our lives. You may have heard the expression that someone is “on fire for the Lord.” It’s someone who just can’t hide their excitement and thankfulness for all that Jesus has done. If you’re a fan of the Fantastic Four, you know the Human Torch. Let’s be like Johnny Storm, completely consumed by Christ. Let His praise by our smoke. Because where there’s smoke, there’s worship.

Joe & Mary's Christmas Vacation

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk 2:4-7).

Holiday Travel

I really hate traveling over the holidays. The roads are jammed. So much of your life is out of your control. You’re sleeping in a strange bed (if you can even find one). It seems that if anything can go wrong, it will. 

The amazing thing is that God can and does do miraculous things in the middle of the mess. 

You Think YOU Have Travel Problems?

Just ask Joe and Mary. Smack dab in the train wreck of a trip, God shows up in a big way. Despite a ridiculous government order, despite a 70-mile trip through mountains with a pregnant teenage fiancee, despite “no vacancy” signs everywhere they turn, despite feeding trough for a basinett, God shows up. 

So you think you’re the first one to with travel problems over the holidays? This is the story of Joe and Mary’s Christmas vacation.

The Boondocks of Palestine

We pick up the story 2,000 years ago in the boondocks of Palestine. Welcome to Nazareth. It’s really no more than a bump in the road in the Galilee region of Israel. The population is maybe 500 (if you count every chicken and goat). 

We’re talking about the boondocks. Nazareth may not be the end of the world, but you can see it from there. It’s a convenient punchline for the rest the country (Jn 1:46). Want a modern day equivalent? Try Appalachia. 

Ready to Hit the Road

At the end the dirt road, somebody is busy. Very busy. It’s Joe the carpenter and he’s loading up the family donkey. Looks like he’s about to hit the road. He says he’s headed to Bethlehem for the big census. 

Oh yeah, the census. Because some Roman dictator wants a head count for taxes, every person living in the empire has head for their hometown. 

Bethlehem Bound

For Joe, that’s Bethlehem, a suburb of Jerusalem. It’s 70 miles away. Growing up, he’s always been proud to be a descendant of the great King David. And it was in Bethlehem that God originally sent the prophet Samuel to find Saul’s royal replacement (1Sam 16:1). 

Joe also knows that the Scripture says that one day the little town of Bethlehem will be the birthplace of Messiah (Mic 5:2-5). But that’s not really important right now. He needs to finishing packing. He needed to be on the road an hour ago.

Small Town Scandal

Roads are going to packed. Finding a place to sleep is going to be a bear. If that’s not enough, he’s not traveling alone. His fiancee Mary is going with him. His pregnant teenage fiancee. In the ancient Jewish world, she is his “betrothed” (v5). 

This first century betrothal was as legally and religiously binding as marriage. At this point, Joe and Mary would need a divorce in order to end their relationship. And that idea certainly crossed the carpenter’s mind when she told him that she was pregnant. You see, you it’s quite the small town scandal when your “betrothed” is “with child.” 

A Visit from Gabriel

For heaven’s sake, Joe and Mary had never even slept together (Mt 1:18). This Galilean laborer is having a hard time wrapping his blue collar brain around what his fiancee has told him. It’s not his child. It’s God’s. 

She says that the legendary angel Gabriel dropped by to tell her personally (Lk 1:26-38). While Joe was trying to figure out what to do, an angel dropped in on one of his dreams with some very important information. And you thought Christopher Nolan came up with the idea of “Inception.” Yeah, right. 

Divorce No, Adoption Yes

The carpenter was strongly considering doing what he needed to do to end their relationship when God sent a messenger to talk him out of it. 

“‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will be a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins’…When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Mt 1:20-21, 24-25). 

Divorce was no longer an option. He was going to be the adoptive dad of the Savior of the world. 

Traffic Is Terrible

Joe and Mary load up and hit the road. Despite the fact that she’s in the third trimester, they take the longer and safer road through the Jordan Valley. They can’t take a chance on the much more mountainous and dangerous route through Samaria. 

Traffic is terrible. Huge crowds heading to their various homes choke the roads. But Joe remembers what the angel told him the dream. He remembers what Gabriel told Mary. He’s not going to let a few problems stand in the way of what God is about to do. 

Hitting the Big City

Eventually they hit the metro Jerusalem area. There’s the temple. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Herod the Great may be a self-absorbed jerk but he’s sure done an incredible job of restoring the house of God. 

Finding a Room

The carpenter and his very pregnant fiancee make their way to the other side of city to the town of Bethlehem. It’s late and it’s been a very long trip. 

Finding a room is priority one. Remember, Joe doesn’t have a cell phone and there’s not exactly a Motel 6 leaving the light on for them. 

Beggars Can't Be Choosers

There’s only a handful of boarding houses for travelers here and there. And with the Roman census, even finding a rollaway is going to be next to impossible. 

Just as he fears, there’s just nothing available. Zip. Zilch. The Big Fat Zero. One motel manager tells the young tired couple they are more than welcome to find a place out back if they like. 

There’s a small cave where the livestock bed down at night. Well, beggars can’t be choosers. Especially pregnant beggars.

Going into Labor

They settle in somewhere between the cattle and the sheep. And not a moment too soon. “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth” (v6). This teenage Jewish girl goes into labor. 

Bible scholars say she could have been as young as thirteen. Imagine how scary would have been for her. Miles away from home. Traveling with a man she probably didn’t know all that well. Going into heavy labor in some cave used as a barn. 

God's Descending One-Way Love

But somehow she remembered the amazing words of Gabriel. He called her the “favored one” (Lk 1:28). She had “found favor with God” (Lk 1:30). Both terms actually describe being on the receiving end of God’s grace, His descending one-way love! He's handpicked this humble chick from the sticks to be the mother of His Son.

It's a Boy!

Suddenly, the cry of a newborn baby in the barn/cave. “And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (v7). 

It’s her first child. She and Joe will go on to have other children (Mt 12:46). Jesus’ mother and kid brothers may have doubted who He said He was at first but eventually place their trust in Him as their Savior. 

Let’s face it, that may be the greatest proof of His divinity. I’m not sure what I would have to do to get my brothers to believe I was God. But I guess rising from the dead is probably right up there. 

A Feed Trough for a Bassinet

As if this crazy story isn’t crazy enough, Joe and Mary end up using a feed trough as a bassinet. Maybe that’s not so whacky after all. In about 30 years, Jesus will tell folks that He’s actually the kind of food sent straight from heaven (Jn 6:35). But that’s another story for another time. 

We take one last look at the scene behind the motel. The Son of God squirms in a manger. A young couple looks in wonder at what Yahweh has dropped in their lap. They’re pretty sure their lives will never be the same. 

Just the Beginning

While they have no idea of the suffering their Son will face, they also can’t even begin to fathom the blessing He will bring. It’s been a crazy trip. But the journey is really just beginning. 

And you thought the Griswold’s had a wild “Christmas Vacation.” Please.

©2017
Jay Jennings

Right on Time

My lovely bride has a wonderful saying whenever we’re on vacation. “Wherever we are, we’re right on time.” After spending most of year trying to stay on schedule, it’s refreshing to realize, for a few days at least, you’re not living under any deadlines. While I’m not saying schedules and deadlines are evil, they can fool us into thinking we’re in the driver’s seat. Here in Ezra 8:31-34, we read all about the Hebrews’ return to the Promised Land. It was already way past the originally scheduled departure. But the funny thing is that God’s hand was still on them the entire way. He was still in control. Wherever they were, they were right on time. On God’s time.

Let’s back up a few days and see how Ezra and his posse fell so far behind. Having set up base camp along the Ahava River in Babylon, the Big E realized he’d forgotten to include any Levites or temple servants as part of his team (Ez 8:15). That’s kind of a big deal since the focus of their trip was temple worship. It takes three days before God hand delivers 240 of just the right folks at just the right time (Ez 8:18-20). Now three days late, Ezra then pumps the brakes once more and declares a fast. Without any military escort from the Persian army, he realizes it might be a good idea to seek God’s protection for a safe journey to Jerusalem (Ez 8:21-22). They were making an almost 1,000-mile trek through some of the most dangerous deserts with several billion dollars of silver and gold (Ez 8:26-27). That fast apparently takes another eight days before it became clear that God “listened to our entreaty” (Ez 8:23). As a dad who has tried to herd my wife and kids into the minivan for the family vacation, I feel for Ezra. We can’t make any time if we’re still in the driveway. We need to get on the road. The clock is ticking. There’s just one little thing. Ezra may be more than ready to hit the road but he knows the Israelites are right on time. On God’s time.

Finally it’s time to get on the road. They leave “on the twelve day of the first month” (v31). That’s Nisan 12 on the Jewish calendar which is sometime in March or April. Combining the info we read back in Ezra 7:9, we know they’ve been they’ve been trying to get out of town for eleven days. Next stop: Jerusalem. Ezra lets us know once again “the hand of God was on us” (v31). He’s been telling everyone who will listen, including King Artaxerxes, that God’s fingerprints are all over this amazing expedition (Ez 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22). Clear evidence of Yahweh’s grip on the trip is seen because “He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from  ambushes by the way” (v31). Any doubts about God hearing the people’s prayer for protection? Anyone? Anyone? We’re not really sure if there were any attacks or ambushes. But we can be sure the LORD got His people back to Judah safe and sound.

Don’t miss a couple of interesting points here. First of all, Ezra takes absolutely no credit for the success of the trip. He shines the spotlight on the One who deserves all the applause. “The hand of our God was on us and He delivered us” (v31). When describing God’s action in bringing His people out of captivity, Ezra uses the very same verb “deliver” (Heb. natsal) Moses uses for God’s rescue of the Israelites from Egypt (Ex 3:8; 6:6). The author is pointing to one of the Bible’s mega-themes: God the Rescuer. Just as He rescued His people from slavery in Egypt and Babylonia, He continues to rescue us from our slavery to our own sin and our own selves. Jesus is our Hero. Jesus is our Rescuer. The other point are all the hands at work. God’s hand has a firm grip on His people. He fights off “the hand of the enemy” (v31). There’s spiritual warfare going on here. Hand-to-hand combat. But rest assured. While the enemy will attack, our Hero will always win. Always.

One verse later, the trip is over. “We came to Jerusalem” (v32). Once again, flip back to Ezra 7:9 to get some perspective of time. They hit town on the first day of the fifth month, or Ab 1. That’s July or August. This nearly 1,000-mile trip took almost four months. When you do the math, that’s about eight miles a day. Not exactly a blistering pace. But remember, the traveling party included women, children, and the elderly totaling between 7,000-8,000 people. We’re not exactly talking about the mobile of travelers here. Again, if Ezra was like any man hoping to make good time once he was on the road, that was NOT happening. I’m feeling ya, Big E. But then again, he understood that they were right on time. On God’s time.

Once the Hebrews hit Jerusalem, they immediately took a load off. “There we remained three days” (v32). Ezra doesn’t say why there was a three-day delay but you can probably assume a few things about the situation. It’s the first time just anybody making the trip has ever seen the holy city. Remember, they were there 70 years before Zerubbabel and his team returned. Now fast-forward another 59 years for this second expedition. It’s hard to fathom what they saw. They had read and heard all about the glory of Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple. While the people had rebuilt the temple, the city still bears the scars of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian blitz. These three days give everyone a chance to take a load off and catch their breath after four months in the desert. Finally, it gave the priests time to check the inventory of silver and gold they escorted for the temple. And remember, there’s no hurry because they are right on time. On God’s time.

On day four, it was time to deliver the goods. The priests are honored to make the handoff of the holy hardware to their counterparts serving on the temple mount (v33). Just as Ezra had weighed all of the precious metals before leaving Babylon, it was time to do the same on the back end of the trip in Jerusalem. Remember, Ezra had given these dozen priests the very specific and holy role of being the caretakers of this costly cargo. This accounting was done at the temple to make sure everything arrived safe and sound. “The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded” (v34). In other words, it was all there. Mission accomplished. Everybody could take a deep breath. And why not. They were right on time. On God’s time.

Riding Shotgun

The idea of riding shotgun is much more than calling dibs on sitting in the right front seat on the next road trip. Back in the wild west, stagecoach companies would sit a hired gun next to the driver of the carriage. His job was simple. The protection of the passengers and cargo. If any banditos threatened the trip, they would face the business end of a shotgun. Here in Ezra 8:24-30, we read about twelve priests taking on a similar assignment. The Israelite wagon train is about to hit the trail for Jerusalem. There’s not only 7,000-8,000 people but almost 30 tons of silver and gold that’s headed straight for God’s rebuilt temple. Just before heading out, Ezra taps a dozen priests to keep an eye on this massive amount of precious metals. 

The year is 458 BC. The place is Babylon. Specifically, a campsite along the Ahava River. A Hebrew high priest named Ezra is leading a resettlement of the Promised Land. God has prompted the Persian King Artaxerxes to bankroll the entire project (Ez 7:6, 27). This has to be divine intervention because a pagan dictator doesn’t just hand out blank checks to fund something that doesn’t benefit his kingdom (Ez 7:18-20). At the last minute, Ezra suddenly realizes that he doesn’t have any Levites or temple servants on his team (Ez 8:15). God provides a small but critical squad to fill that need (Ez 8:18-20). At the riverside campsite, the Big E asks everyone to fast and pray for safe travels (Ez 8:21). They are about to make a 1,000-mile trip through some of the most dangerous desert in the region without any sort of military escort. Ezra thought asking for security detail would probably not be the sort of request to make after making it so clear that they are firmly in the grip of “the hand of our God” (Ez 8:22).

The people fast and pray for God’s protection “and He listened to our entreaty” (Ez 8:23). We’re just about good to go. But there’s just one more important item Ezra must do before they put the pedal to the metal for Jerusalem. “Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them” (v24). God has just provided these one dozen priests as a result of the great Levite shortage. Now they have been called to office to receive a very special assignment. Ezra gives these men the very special responsibility of watching over all of the gold and silver that is being returned to the temple. There’s a lot of bling. I mean a LOT!

Ezra tells us how he weighed all of various pieces of precious metal before the trip to get an idea of what they were taking. Remember, King Artaxerxes told the Israelites to swing by the royal treasury and grab everything they want or need (Ez 8:15-20). I’m thinking Ezra was more than a little shocked when he saw this mother lode. “I weighed out into their hand 650 talents of silver, and silver vessels worth 200 talents, and 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics, and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold” (v26-27). Those 650 talents of silver weighs in at more than 25 tons. Not pounds. TONS! And 100 talents of gold tips the scales at just under four tons. No wonder Ezra was sorry he didn’t ask Artaxerxes for a military escort!

Each of the dozen priests take responsibility for one twelfth of the gold and silver. At this point, Ezra tells them, “You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy” (v28). This doesn’t mean that they are super spiritual and holier-than-thou. It means that serving God on behalf of His people is their priority. The idea of holiness is one of the more sticky ideas in the Bible to wrap our brains around. It can certainly describe sinless and spotless purity. God says that’s a great description of Himself (Lev 11:44-45). The angels flying around the heavenly thrown are so blown away by God’s utter perfection that they sing it not once, not twice, but three times (Is 6:3)! Certainly, God expects all of His people to be perfect just as He is perfect. Even Jesus said so (Mt 5:40).

The idea of holiness Ezra’s talking about here is somebody or someone set aside for a very specific or special purpose. Think of a closer in baseball. He’s that one relief pitcher that the manager will only use in the ninth inning win the game. A team won’t waste their closer in the seventh. He’s got a very specific role. Enter the game in the ninth inning and bring the heat. He’s set apart for a unique purpose. He’s, in a sense, holy. Think about that the next time your favorite closer struts in from the pen to “Enter Sandman.” Another example is your mom’s special china that she only busts out for the holidays. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? That antique set of dishes she inherited from her grandmother who inherited it from her grandmother. She’s not wasting the good dishes on your PB&J. It’s set apart. It has a special assignment. It’s holy.

Ezra tells the not-so-dirty dozen and the bling in their care that they are holy. They are set apart for a special assignment. He makes the priests accountable to the transport of the holy hardware. That’s their role. That’s their unique purpose. The vessels are to be used only when they arrive at the rebuilt temple upon arrival in Jerusalem. Nobody’s going to unpack them for a picnic on the journey back to Judah. The priests are holy because they have a special purpose. The various pieces of silver and gold are holy because they have a special purpose. 

Just in case the priests may have missed the main message, their leader gives them very specific instructions about what they’ll be doing with the silver and gold on the trip. “Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the LORD” (v29). With no military escort, it’s up to the priests to ensure the delivery of the bounty to the temple. This is their day-to-day duty. Their special assignment. Their unique purpose. These twelve priests are riding holy shotgun. If I was one of these dudes, I would be absolutely shaking in my sandals at the responsibility. Just a couple of days ago, I was minding my own business in Casiphia (Ez 8:17). Now I’m making a 1,000-mile journey through the desert and it’s my responsibility to guard multi-billion dollars in cargo. Sometimes these holy assignments can blindside you.

How about you? What’s your special assignment? What’s you’re unique purpose? Has Jesus put you in a specifically assigned role? Have you found yourself in a humbling position of responsibility and accountability that has rocked your world? God’s Spirit has given each of us specific gifts and talents to build up fellow believers (Rom 12:4-8; 1Cor 12:4-11, 27-28). Maybe you teach God’s Word. Possibly you’re a pastor. Do you like helping others? You could be one of those who simply likes to serve behind the scenes and do the little things. And then there are those very special folks for whom God has given a burden for kids. We need to remember that if this is your unique purpose for right here and right now, God has given you everything you need. So what’s your holy assignment?

Does this idea send a shiver down your spine (I know the thought of facing a roomful of middle schoolers would sure freak me out!)? The Bible is full of folks who felt totally unqualified for what God had for them. A stammering fugitive killer named Moses was to lead God’s people out of Egypt (Ex 3:7-12, 4:10-14). A cowardly farmer by the name of Gideon would lead a special forces squad of 300 to whip a multinational army (Jg 7). A teenaged peasant girl named Mary would be the mother of the one and only Son of God (Lk 1:26-38). Remember, God loves picking rejects, goofballs, and weirdos and using them to turn the world upside down (1Cor 1:26-31). For these dozen priests, I have little doubt that Ezra made it clear to them how God’s hand is on this mission (Ez 7:7,9; 8:18, 22, 31).

These men may be some of the best of the Hebrew best, but they point us to another Priest who will come one day. Jesus is our ultimate High Priest (Heb 4:14-16). Now we’re talking about a HOLY High Priest! Christ is completely, totally, and absolutely without sin. Because of His own holy-holy-holiness, Jesus traded us straight up. Our sinfulness for His righteousness (2Cor 5:21). Just like Ezra’s priests, Jesus also rides shotgun. He makes absolutely certain that once He saves us that we make it to our final destination. The Apostle Paul told his friends in Philippi “that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). Here’s the deal, when the Son of God is riding shotgun on your salvation, you have nothing to worry about.

Put Up or Shut Up

There are times when talk the talk of faith in our great God. Times when we’re really not pushed to the limit to trust in His goodness and grace. Most of us don’t live in situations where our lives depend on nothing but our faith in Jesus. Most days, life is rather routine. Same old, same old. On those garden variety days, we’ll talk about trusting in Christ for who He is and what He’s done but there’s rarely a reason for the rubber to meet the road. But one day, the bottom falls out. One day, sky crashes in. One day, we realized that when it comes to our faith, we have really put it into practice. We have to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. We have to put up or shut up.

Flip your Bible to Ezra 8:21-23 and that’s exactly what’s going down. Our man Ezra has assembled his expansion team of Israelites for a return to Jerusalem nearly 150 years after Zerubbabel’s original team returned from Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple. The scene is a campground along the Ahava River in back in Babylon. The expedition numbers right at 1,500 men. Including women and children, you’re looking at 7,000-8,000 people. The resettlement has not been without hiccups. Just before hitting the road, Ezra realized that he had no Levites or temple servants to assist the priests in worship (Ez 8:12). Once again, God comes through and provides a small but essential team of temple workers for the mission (Ez 8:18-20). Now it’s about to get real. It’s just about time to hit the road. The clock is ticking down to liftoff. It’s at this point that Ezra realizes it’s time to walk by faith. Ezra realizes that he needs to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. 

It’s time to put up or shut up. 

At the riverside campground, Ezra puts out the word that before anyone takes one step for Jerusalem, everyone needs to get focused on what’s about to happen. Better yet, Who is about to happen. “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods” (v21). The leader of the expedition announces that everyone who’s going back to the Promised Land will avoid food and drink in order to prepare their hearts for what’s ahead. I’ve always wondered why they call it a “fast.” There’s nothing fast about it! Seriously, fasting isn’t something you hear many followers of Jesus talking about today. And that’s a real shame. Specifically, it’s the conscience decision to not eat anything for a period of time in order to focus our dependance on God for everything we need. As I fast, my growling stomach reminds me that what I really need is the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35). My hunger pangs remind me of my Savior’s own fast during his showdown in the desert with the devil (Lk 4:1-4). The ache in my gut reminds me of that amazing dinner party Jesus invites us to called the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). Ezra proclaims this riverside fast to remind the people of the One who is really behind their return. 

These Jewish returnees fast and pray for their journey home. They declare their absolute dependance on God for what’s ahead. The Israelites are on the verge of a 1,000-mile trip through some of the most dangerous deserts and wilderness. Only Yahweh can truly protect them from what’s ahead. There’s no GPS. There are no Google Maps. There are no drive-thrus. A safe journey is in His hands. It’s interesting to see who and what Ezra tells the people to put on their prayer lists. Pray for each other. Pray for your children. Pray for everything you’re taking with you. Maybe this is the biblical precedence for praying to Jesus that your luggage doesn’t get lost. 

Then Ezra lets us in on a little “Inside Baseball” on his reason for this fast. “For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, ‘the hand of our God is good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him’” (v22). So the truth comes out. Ezra didn’t ask King Artaxerxes for a security detail for the expedition. On one hand, he certainly could have. The king made it absolutely clear that he was giving the Israelites the royal blank check to bankroll the trip (Ez 718, 20-21). Certainly Artaxerxes wouldn’t have blinked if Ezra would have asked for a military escort through some incredibly treacherous territory. 

But while the Big E knew that he could have asked for some Persian muscle, he also knew Who was truly behind this entire project. He’s reminded everyone who would listen, including the king, that God has His fingers all over the return of His people to the land He’s promised them. If Ezra asks Artaxerxes for a security detail, what would that say about his trust in his God? What would the king and the other Persian officials believe about the Israelites’ faith in the LORD? You see, it’s time for Ezra and the children of God to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. 

It’s time to put up or shut up.

You know this day is coming for each one of us, don’t you? That day when we have to stop talking about our faith in our great God and start walking in faith in our great God. Many of us don’t need a reminder. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Some of us haven’t quite gotten there. Trust me. The day is coming. The pink slip at work. The diagnosis from the doctor. The betrayal of a friend. The funeral of a child. It’s on those dark days when our faith in Jesus is truly put to the test. When life is on cruise control, I’ve got everything in a bag with a little twist tie. But when things hit the fan, when things get really messy, that’s when my faith gets real. We need to always remember that when we walk through Death Valley, we never walk alone (Ps 23:4). Our Savior is right there by our side.

But what about those times when our faith wobbles? What about those times when we’re hanging on by a thread? We need to remember that we’re trusting in the One who’s faith never wavered. Paul tells his buddy Timothy, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 2:13). It’s not about the strength of our faith, but in the strength of the Object of our faith! We trust in Jesus’ faithfulness to His Father’s will and His commands because ours continually falls short. Even on that darkest of nights when He asked His Dad for a way out of what was ahead, our Savior stepped out in faithfulness for each one of us. “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Lk 22:42). Jesus didn’t just talk the talk, He walked the walk.

Meanwhile back at the Ahava compound, Ezra tells us that God answers their request. “So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty” (v23). Let’s be very clear about what did NOT happen. Ezra’s order of fasting and prayer didn’t work like some sort of magic incantation to get the LORD to respond. He’s not a genie in a bottle. He’s not a divine vending machine that spits out just what you and I want when we give Him what He demands. No, what happened here is that Ezra and the people acknowledged their absolute and utter dependence on God. This time of fasting and prayer didn’t change God’s heart. It changed theirs. You see, there are times when we have to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk.

It’s time to put up or shut up.