Before leaving the river, Ezra chose twelve chief priests, Sheremiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren and weighed unto them the silver and the gold and the vessels, charging them to keep them safely. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were to weigh them again in the presence of their brethren in the house of the Lord. In this Ezra was acting on the principles laid down in Deuteronomy 19:1515One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. (Deuteronomy 19:15) where it is stated all must be done in the presence of two or three witnesses. It is the principle of righteousness and something to be remembered at all times. In 2 Cor. 8:22How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. (2 Corinthians 8:2)1 The faithful Apostle speaks of “providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
On the twelfth day they left the river Ahava and started on their journey across the desert. Having trusted God for His protection, Ezra’s faith was answered, for he adds, “the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and of such that lay in wait by the way. And we came to Jerusalem.” On the fourth day after their arrival they offered offerings unto the Lord — an expression of their grateful hearts for His mercy to them. Then Ezra delivered the king’s commissions unto the lieutenants and governors on the west of the Euphrates, and it is said, “they furthered the people, and the house of God.”
While it is not mentioned here, surely Ezra and his company must have rejoiced now that their journey was completed and they could now appear before the Lord at His house in Jerusalem.
But this has no sooner taken place than Ezra is overwhelmed by the sad news concerning the conduct of those who, a few years earlier, had preceded them in coming back to the land. It appears that some of the people had been saddened by what had taken place, but were either unable to do anything about it, or feeling themselves to be so much in the minority, they were afraid to say anything. Whatever may have been the cause for their silence, they see in Ezra’s life and devotion to the Lord that which encourages them to confide in him, and tell him their shame and sorrow over the real state of the people.
The cause of the sorrow was that the people as a whole had disregarded the word of the Lord and had not separated themselves from the people of the lands, but did according to their abominations. They had intermarried with those nations which thing God had forbidden saying that it would bring in the worship of their gods. The princes and rulers had been leaders in this trespass, and the priests and Levites having fallen by their example, the rest of the people followed them. This always results in bringing down to the level of the world that which God has instituted. In the New Testament we are told, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Cor. 6:1414Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14). There has to be first a lowering of conduct before the Lord for one to contelate such a step. May the Lord help each of us who are His own ever to remember that our bodies are “the temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 6:19, 2019What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19‑20)), and that in Scripture the Church is presented “as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:22For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2)).
ML 05/03/1959