For seventy years the city of Jerusalem, with its temple, had lain desolate, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord by the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah. This desolation was a striking evidence of the result of Sabbath-breaking, and also by contrast of the blessings which true Sabbath-keeping ensures; for if the Israelites had been faithful in the observance of the Sabbath, the city would have stood for ever. "And it shall come to pass, if you diligently hearken unto me, says the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever." (Jeremiah 17:24-25)
No enemy could have done anything against it. As it was, Jerusalem fell, not because of the superior force of the enemies that besieged it, but by its own weight, since it had rejected the Arm that was its defense and support.
But although Israel had rejected God, He had not cast off His people. Even before the fall of Jerusalem, God had foretold its restoration, and had named the man who should fulfill His pleasure in that respect. Soon after the beginning of the captivity this message came: "Thus says the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:10-11)
It was God himself who gave Jerusalem into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, (Daniel 1:1-2; Jeremiah 27:1-7) and He did it as the very best thing that could be done for its people. In allowing calamity to come upon them, God had only thoughts of good for them. There are no accidents in the history of this world. "[God] works all things after the counsel of His own will." (Ephesians 1:11)
Men imagine that they are the makers of history, and that by their counsels and their skill they make and unmake kingdoms; but the truth is that: "The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will." (Daniel 4:25,32) "He removes kings, and sets up kings." (Daniel 2:21)
Not the smallest and seemingly most insignificant thing takes place without His knowledge and consent. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:29-30)
The nations may chafe and rage under God's rule, desiring to break the power of His Government, but God will only laugh at their vain struggles. (Psalm 2:1-4) They may hate the righteous, and plot their destruction; but they can have no power except what is given them from heaven. (John 19:9-10) It is therefore to God, and not to any human power, that the people of God are to look for help and protection.
Many years before his birth, and while the temple at Jerusalem was standing in all its splendor, and the city was glorying in its independence, God had named Cyrus, King of Persia, as the one whom He would use as His instrument in the restoration of the city Jerusalem and its temple after the destruction. (See Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-4) Accordingly, "In the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus, King of Persia, The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is the God), which is in Jerusalem." (Ezra 1:1-3)
Cyrus himself recognized that in this act he was but the agent of the King of kings.
For a time the work went forward rapidly; but soon the enemies of Israel began to interfere. First they asked to be allowed to help in the work, but this was not allowed. (Ezra 4:1-3) The favor of the enemies of the Gospel is worse than their open opposition. Unconverted men in the church are a thousand-fold more dangerous to its prosperity than they could possibly be if fighting it from without.
Unfortunately the builders of the temple did not hold fast the beginning of their confidence, but allowed their adversaries to weaken their hands. The Jews had a direct decree from King Cyrus, to restore the city and temple, and this decree could not be changed even by the king himself. (See Daniel 6:8,9,13,16) Moreover, they did not receive any contrary decree from the king to whom their adversaries wrote false reports. These adversaries simply received permission to command the Jews to cease work, and the Jews yielded to their power. (Ezra 4:7-24)
That the work of building might have gone on in spite of this opposition, is evident from the fact that in the second year of Darius, under the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews again began to build, without any further royal decree. The word of the Lord, which had been their warrant in the first place, was sufficient authority. Again their enemies sought to restrain them, and would doubtless have been as successful as before, if the Jews had not been emboldened by the prophets of God. "The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius." (Ezra 5:5)
Then search was made, and the original decree was found, in consequence of which Darius issued a decree to the adversaries of the Jews to "Let the work of the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover I make a decree that you shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of the house of God; that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given to these men that they be not hindered." (Ezra 6:7-8)
Thus the wrath of man was made to praise God, and it was demonstrated that all efforts against the truth can result only in its advancement. From this time the work of restoration went forward, although of course the minds of the evil-disposed ones were not at all changed.
In the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezra, a scribe of the law, was commissioned by the king to go up and complete the work, and was given full power and unlimited command of all necessary funds. It is worthy of remark, however, that in every decree made by the kings of Persia, the God of heaven was especially named as the One whose orders they were carrying out. We have read the decree of Cyrus. Darius, in commanding the adversaries to abstain from hindering the work, referred to God in almost every sentence, and said in closing: "And the God that has caused His name to dwell there, destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter it to destroy the house of God which is at Jerusalem." (Ezra 6:12)
So likewise Artaxerxes said in his letter to Ezra, "Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?" (Ezra 7:23)
And so Ezra, accompanied by a great company of Jews, found himself on the way to Jerusalem. The river Ahava was appointed as the rallying place, and there he halted for three days to view the people.
But there still were many enemies who, although forbidden to interfere with the work of building, would gladly steal upon the company of men, women, and children, and cut them off and plunder their camp. This they could do without their identity being known, and thus they could as effectually hinder the work as before. So we come to the words which contain the substance of this lesson. These are the words of Ezra: "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way; because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and He was entreated of us." (Ezra 8:21-23)
What a grand thing it would be if there were more of that same shame now in the leaders of the church. Then, instead of Governments thinking that they are the supporters and protectors of religion, they would know that the ambassadors of Christ are clothed with power infinitely greater than theirs. Every request made by the church and its leaders for Government protection to missionaries, or for any kind of support is a denial of their claim that they are servants of the God who is above all. That which God himself stirred the king up to do, Ezra would accept as coming from God; but he would not ask armed protection. He knew that "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." (Psalm 118:9)
And he was not disappointed. The account ends thus: "Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way." (Ezra 8:31) "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them." (Psalm 34:7)
Notice that the hand of God was upon them, and thus they were delivered. It is common to suppose that the hand of God upon one means some punishment, but we may see that it means deliverance. Therefore whoever can say with the full assurance of faith: "You compass my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, You know it all together. You have beset me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me," (Psalm 139:3-5) can also say, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalm 118:6)--Present Truth, October 12, 1899--Notes on the International Sunday-School Lessons--Subtitle: A Lesson of Truth in God--Ezra 8:21-32
E.J. Waggoner