The Hand of Our God

July 21, 1013

Lesson: Ezra 8:21–23

Key Verse: Ezra 8:22

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Introduction

Matthew Henry introduced this section, writing: “Ezra has procured Levites to go along with him; but what will that avail, unless he have God with him? That is therefore his chief care. In all our ways we must acknowledge God, and in those particularly wherein we are endeavouring to serve the interest of his kingdom among men.” It is a sorrow that many Christians pray after the fact rather than before. In other words, we may have a plan of action to serve Christ, and then ask the Lord’s blessing on what we have done. It is not our will but the will of the Father that must be done; we must seek the blessing of His presence and His Word before we endeavor to serve Him. We must continually pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is the spirit of Christ: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34). Paul wrote to the church at Philippi admonishing them to look to the will of God: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputing: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain” (Phil. 2:13–16).

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The Right Way—Ezra 8:21

At the time of the second return of the people of God from bondage, Ezra the prophet of God saw the need for appointed servants and priests, calling together this assembly: “The assembling of the expedition. When the Israelites who were about to return to Jerusalem had assembled, and were ready for starting, Ezra perceived that there were no Levites among them. He then sent for certain chief men among them, and by means of the influence of Iddo, the chief at the place Casiphia, induced a number of Levites and Nethinim to determine on joining the expedition (Ezra_8:15)” (Kiel and Delitzsch): “Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name” (8:20).

At the Ahava river, Ezra proclaimed a feast, saying, “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.” To “afflict ourselves” reveals our repentant heart, to chasten or to humble ourselves before our Lord against whom we have sinned. We desire, in our self-disciplining before God, to know the “right way for us.” This “right way” can only be found in God as He reveals it to us. This “right way” is shown to us by His mercy alone. Samuel, the last Judge and first Prophet of Israel, testifies: “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way” (1 Sam. 12:23). He then teaches the people of God the beginning of the right way: “Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you” (12:24).

The King and Head of the Church has given to His people ‘under-shepherds’ to feed the sheep of His pasture. They do this through the preaching of the Word of God from the pulpit, and through the teaching or catechizing of the people in the Word. This demands much prayer and a dedicated study of the Word of God, whereby the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Paul’s prayer for the Colossian saints was a desire that they “be filled with the knowledge of (God’s) will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Col. 1:9–11).

Discussion: How do we come to understand what is the “right way” according will of God?

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The Hand of God—Ezra 8:22

Kiel and Delitzsch wrote: “For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against enemies in the way (i.e., to protect us from hostile attacks during our journey); for we had said to the king: The hand of our God is over all them that seek him for good (i.e., for their good), and His power and His wrath against all them that forsake Him.” Ezra, as a servant and prophet of God, desired that it was not his will but the will of the Lord be done: “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.” Matthew Henry wrote that “God’s servants have his power engaged for them; his enemies have it engaged against them. Ezra believed this with his heart, and with his mouth made confession of it before the king; and therefore he was ashamed to ask of the king a convoy, lest thereby he should give occasion to the king, and those about him, to suspect either God’s power to help his people or Ezra’s confidence in that power.” There are many proper means that we can use resting upon the knowledge that we are depending upon our Lord, who will faithfully help us in time of need. Our thoughts should be on Christ that He alone will receive the honor. For we know that the Holy Spirit who searches the hearts “knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:27–28).

The providential care of God is not just a hope, but a reality in the life of the Christian. To place ourselves in the Hand of God is to acknowledge the providential care of our Lord in our lives. This is seen in the words of Scripture: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pe. 5:6–7). John Calvin understood this when he wrote that the Christian’s “mind will always be fixed on the Providence of God alone, and no consideration of present circumstances will be allowed to withdraw him from the steady contemplation of it. Thus Joab, while he acknowledges that the issue of the battle is entirely in the hand of God, does not therefore become inactive, but strenuously proceeds with what belongs to his proper calling, ‘Be of good courage,’ says he, ‘and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the Lord do that which seemeth him good,’ (2 Samuel 10:12.) The same conviction keeping us free from rashness and false confidence, will stimulate us to constant prayer, while at the same time filling our minds with good hope, it will enable us to feel secure, and bid defiance to all the dangers by which we are surrounded.”

Discussion: What does it mean to depend upon the ‘hand of God’?

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Beseeching God—Ezra 8:23

Ezra testified of their full confidence in God: “So we fasted and besought our God for us: and he was entreated of us.” Because they pleaded to God for His assistance, God heard their prayers and so answered them. Matthew Henry commented: “They had some comfortable assurance in their own minds that their prayers were answered, and the event declared it; for never any that sought God in earnest sought him in vain.”

Are our prayers merely afterthoughts to our desires; or do they reveal our earnest supplications built upon the knowledge of the providential care of our Lord? Looking to Christ who understands our infirmities, Scripture encourages us: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Charles Spurgeon, in a sermon titled, The Throne of Grace, said of these words from Hebrews 4:16, that “they are a gem in a golden setting.” He then gave us an understanding of prayer: “True prayer is an approach of the soul by the Spirit of God to the throne of God. It is not an utterance of words, it is not alone the feeling of desires, but it is the advance of the desires of God, the spiritual approach of our nature towards the Lord our God.” When we pray, we seek the will of God, not our will, to be done.

Christ Jesus teaches us the character of a true prayer, a prayer that brings us in communion with our Father in heaven: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall open unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be open” (Luke 11:9–10). Here is a picture of the Christian who lives in the faith that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Spurgeon preached on this verse, saying that “no matter where you find a man, you meet one who in his distress will ask for supernatural help. I believe in the truthfulness of this instinct, and that man prays because there is something in prayer. As when the Creator gives His creature the power of thirst, it is because water exists to meet its thirst; and as when He creates hunger there is food to correspond to the appetite; so when He inclines men to pray it is because prayer has a corresponding blessing connected with it.” Therefore, let us pray with the knowledge that our Lord is already at work, working all things together for our good and to His glory.

The Catechism gives us the spirit of such prayers, of Ezra and encouraged in Christ Jesus: “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit; with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies” (Larger Catechism A. 178).

Discussion: What makes the prayers of the saints of God strong with hopeful confidence?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.