Or, A Witness to God's Good for His People and House
Scripture: Ezra 8:1-36
Date: January 26, 2025
Speaker: Sean Higgins
The Scottish economist, Adam Smith, wrote about the “invisible hand,” his explanation for how men who invest domestically for their own benefit end up promoting the interest of society better than if society was their direct aim. The “invisible hand” is a kind of divine mechanism that causes the pursuit of personal good to result in more public good. Though raised Presbyterian—meaning he had heard about the true and sovereign God—Smith wasn’t a clear witness. We can do better than talk about the “Man Upstairs” or the “Supreme Being.” Ezra also saw an opportunity to prove a point. It was no invisible hand, it was the good hand of God.
God continues to fulfill His gracious promises to return His people to their land so that they can renew their worship and rebuild their nation. Ezra 8 records the second wave of returners, about 80 years after Cyrus’ decree (Ezra 1:1-2) and the first 50k (Ezra 2:64-65). We didn’t meet Ezra himself until chapter 7 though he documented this part of Israel’s history in both Ezra and Nehemiah. On the timeline, he came after Ezra 1-6 as well as the events in the book of Esther. Artaxerxes appointed Ezra a sort of secretary of state/foreign minister, giving him authority and resources to establish Jewish law in the province Beyond the River.
Ezra 7 introduced us to Ezra the scribe and included a copy of the letter that authorized what Ezra needed for the journey. Ezra 8 takes four months, with a focus on the first twelve days and the last three. They gather at the river (verses 1-20), they fast and seek the Lord at the river (verses 21-30), and then they depart the river until we see them safely arrived in Jerusalem (verses 31-36).
Ezra demonstrated himself both a praying and practical man. He carefully counted his men and money. He delegated responsibility. And He didn’t want to give any doubts to Artaxerxes about the power of God. About five-thousand souls depended on God directly rather than depend on God through a military escort. It was no invisible hand, but a witness to the Lord’s good hand for His people and house.
Verses 1-14 give the second genealogy in the book, much shorter than the one in chapter 2 with many less returnees. These are the ones who gathered to the river that runs to Ahava (verse 15), a phrase that repeats two more times in the chapter.
All the family names in chapter 8 are found in chapter 2, but these are a later generation. It’s a different return, under Artexerxes with Ezra (not under Nebuchadnezzar with Zerubbabel). The order is also different, with two priestly families named at the beginning (from the line of Aaron, and without number totals), then a royal connection ( of the sons of David, Hattush, about twelve generations after David), and then twelve families of laity.
The heads of fathers’ houses, and only men explicitly counted, totaling about 1500. We know from verse 21 that children also journeyed, so likely women and children, making close to 5k.
It seems no one knows for sure where Ahava was. Ancient Babylon was known to have multiple waterways, so Ahava may have been a canal-suburb location on the edge of town (like we might say the port of Everett is on the outskirts of Marysville). Preparations, packing, etc. took place for three days.
As Ezra walked around and inspected the camp, he realized that there were no Levites. Levites were necessary for temple jobs. Some Levites were already in Jerusalem (verse 33), but Ezra didn’t want to go without more. This lack of Levites delayed the departure another nine days.
A settlement of Jews were in Casiphia, and Iddo was the leading man. Ezra sent other leading men and men of insight to talk (verses 16-17). Top men, intelligence guys, used their sway.
Ezra attributed the good outcome: by the good hand of our God on us (verse 18). Thirty-eight Levites agree to join, plus 220 temple servants.
As a Levite, you may not want to go back. The journey was difficult, the conditions in Jerusalem not secure, and from a temporal view, it meant a return to narrow duties. But God worked through the discussions and provided what was lacking.
Verses 21 and 23 say what and verse 22 says why.
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. 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 for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. (Ezra 8:21–23 ESV)
They prayed for traveling mercies. A fast is a voluntary forsaking of a good thing in order to seek a good-er thing, and seek it directly from God. They weren’t fasting for health, for fat burning in the ketosis stage, but for humility and faith building. Fasting puts your need in front of your face rather than food. They were seeking a safe journey, a “straight road” (Fensham).
They had a long journey, around 900 miles, and we know it took them around four months. Children made them vulnerable, and so did their valuables. This part gets more attention in verses 24-30.
But more than what they had, it was what they didn’t have the made the fasting crucial. Ezra had not asked for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy (verse 22). Ezra had not asked on purpose. I don’t take the I was ashamed to ask to mean that he now regretted his reluctance, but, as an awareness of a seeming inconsistency that could be avoided. He had told the king that those who trusted in Israel’s God need not fear. Which is, of course, true. Though it’s also true that God often uses means, like men with swords.
Ezra didn’t say, “Don’t give us gold; God will provide.” But there was something at this point that Ezra recognized as an object lesson for Artaxerxes. So we fasted and implored our God for this. These are witness protection prayers.
The priests and the Levites might not have known exactly what they had signed up for.
A talent was about 75 pounds. This was almost four tons of gold and over 24 tons of silver (in today’s U.S. dollars, the gold would be between $243 to $325 million, and approximately $23 million in silver). It’s so much that numerous people assume it’s false. But Ezra delegated responsibility, and said that it would all be weighed again upon arrive to make sure it was accounted for.
We know God listened to their entreaties (verse 23), and we know they had proof of arrival.
Ezra 7:8-9 gave the date, “on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.” No particulars about the trip other than the emphasis that the hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy (verse 31).
They rested three days (verse 32) and then brought the precious metals to the temple (verse 33), weighed it all and logged it into the books (verse 34).
The last two things were offerings to God and communication to the regional governors. Israel received support/aid from the authorities, because God enabled it.
An emphasis on twelve and multiples of twelve connect to the twelve tribes of Israel, even though not each of the twelve are named. It does seem to be an intentional reference to all of them, just as burnt offerings, which were consumed, represented all of the offerer.
Chapters 9-10 present a pressing, practical SIN among the people, so all wasn’t being obeyed.
Sometimes “the hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him” and we know it because He blesses us through other people’s help. Sometimes “the hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him” and other people know it because He blesses us without their help.
Thank God for working through governing authorities, and look for ways to credit God working in front of governing authorities. Nehemiah took the troops (Nehemiah 2:9), and fine. Ezra saw not taking protection as an opportunity for witness. It was no invisible hand.
As God is your witness, you also be a witness for Him. His hand is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him. Seek Him. Tell of His name. His hand is on you.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV)