Their building now completed, the children of Israel came together with joy to the dedication of the house of God. It was for this that they had been brought back from Babylon. They had sown in tears, now they could reap in joy. Accordingly they offered 100 bullocks, 200 rams and 400 lambs, a small offering indeed compared to that of Solomon, who had slain 22,000 oxen and 124,000 sheep at the dedication of the first house. But the little remnant, like the poor widow who cast but two mites into the treasury (Luke 21), did what they could; and they could rejoice in knowing that the Lord was no less mighty and no less merciful for them than Solomon. In a day of small things it is precious to know that Christ remains the same for His people, and this gives courage to press on whatever the difficulties of the path might be.
Then they offered a sin offering of twelve he-goats according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. It is nice to see that though they were but a small remnant of the two tribes, their faith took in all Israel. The Lord would have us in faith to take in the whole Church of God, though it be ever so divided up and in ruins.
Next they kept the Passover, the sweet remembrance of their redemption out of the land of Egypt. As believers, we ever need to remind ourselves that the only ground on which we stand before God, the foundation of all our blessings and of His actings in grace toward us, is the precious blood of Christ, the slain Lamb. They also kept the feast of unleavened bread, which followed the Passover, seven days. This would remind us too that the moment we are redeemed, we are not our own; we belong to God. If by His grace we have been washed in the precious blood of Christ, He surely looks for us to walk in holy separation unto Himself, and that we should keep our garments undefiled. Seven days would speak of that whole period of our lives.
It shows how all this was a real work of God for their consciences were aroused because of the defilement which had crept in from the heathen around, and they separated themselves from the filthiness of the heathen of the land. The feast of unleavened bread was not one in which nature would delight, but here, it says, they kept it “with joy,” for there was much rejoicing because the Lord had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God. It was indeed a wonderful deliverance that the king of Assyria should recognize the God of Israel and desire prayers for himself and for his sons.
In the opening of chapter 7, after an interval of about 50 years, we have the record of the second exodus from Babylon. The name of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, is mentioned, but he is a different king from the one who stopped the building in chapter 4.
Then we are introduced for the first time to Ezra who wrote the account which we have in this book. Very likely the decree of Cyrus went forth either before he was born or while he was very young. Some thirty years later, we find him still serving the Lord with Nehemiah, so it appears that he devoted his whole life to the Lord.
ML 04/12/1959