When we enter the book of Ezra, we begin the story of the returned captives; we see them in their circumstances and their behavior, and from both we gather instruction. In their condition we read much of our own, and from their behavior, we are either taught, or encouraged, or warned.
Having accomplished their journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, we find them at once in much moral beauty; they use what they have, they do what they can, but they do not assume or affect what they have not, and what they cannot. They have the Word, and they use it. They do their best with the genealogies, so as to preserve the purity of the priesthood and the sanctuary; but they do not affect to do what the Urim and the Thummim would enable them to do, for they do not have it.
An Altar
They are quick to raise an altar to the God of Israel. They need not build their temple first. An altar will do for burnt-offerings, and as a revived people they raise their altar, and begin their worship on the first day of the seventh month. Israel raised no altar in Babylon, but now again in Jerusalem, the altar is built, and sacrifices rendered. But further, as soon as the foundation of the temple is laid, a strange thing is heard. It was a discord of harsh sounds in the ear of nature, but a harmony of hallowed voices in the ear of God, and of faith. There are weepings and cries for sorrow; there are shoutings for joy. But, weighed in the sanctuary, all this was harmony, for all was real; all was “to the Lord.”
The Gentile Power
There is real confusion, however, for now a godly Jew finds himself the subject of a Gentile power. Then, looking at his brethren, he finds some of them with him, but some still far away, among the heathen. Taking a wider gaze at the people of the land, he would see a seed of corruption, half Jew half heathen, in the place which had once been shared only among the seed of Abraham! Light and energy were needed to deal with this strange mass of difficulties and contradictions, but that light and energy are beautifully found among the godly remnant who had returned. They distinguish things that differ, bowing to the authority of the Persian, as set over them by ordination of God, while refusing the proffered aid of the Samaritan, as being themselves untrue to the God of their fathers. They will be subject to the “powers that be,” but repudiate religious impurity. All this is very pertinent to present conditions among ourselves, for the principles which are found in them reappear among the saints of this day. Faith still uses the written word in all things, but does nothing beyond its measure. It does not cast away what it has, because it does not have more. It does not say, “There is no hope,” and sit idle, because power in certain forms of glory does not now belong to us; but it will not imitate power, or fashion the image of what is now departed. And it waits for the day when all will be set in eternal order and beauty, by the presence of Him who is the true light and perfection.
The Confusion
Also, faith still recognizes confusion. If we see it in Israel in the day of Ezra, we see it among the saints and assemblies in the day of 2 Timothy, and the day of 2 Timothy was but the beginning of the present long day of Christendom, or of “the great house.” Strange, inconsistent elements surround us, as they did the returned captives, for we are in the present, great house of Christendom, with its clean and unclean vessels, some to honor, and some to dishonor. We may, however, be encouraged by these captives, for there was more energy and light, and a deeper exercise of spirit, in the returned from Babylon, than in the redeemed from Egypt.
Building Houses
We may also be warned by these returned captives. They need another revival, though now returned to Jerusalem. The decree of Artaxerxes had stopped the building of the temple, and nature takes advantage of this; the captives begin to adorn their own houses, as soon as they are free of their labor in building the Lord’s house. It has been said that it is easier to gain a victory than to use it. We may conquer in the fight, but be defeated by the victory. The returned Jews had gained a victory when they refused the offers and the alliance of the Samaritans, but now the leisure thus generated becomes a snare to the remnant. They use it in ceiling and adorning their own houses. But the Spirit of God is not bound, and can revive His ancient grace in sending His prophets to them. “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?” says the convicting rebuking Spirit by the Prophet Haggai. As a result the house is again attended to; the zeal of the people revives, and they work with renewed earnestness.
The dedication of the house then takes place. And then they keep their Passover, and priests and Levites are alike purified now, as they had not been in the royal time of Hezekiah. So that we may say, though there was a lack of all manifested glory, yet here there is more attractive moral grace and power than in the brighter days of Egypt, Hezekiah and Solomon.
The Story of Ezra
As we enter this next part of the book, beginning with chapter seven, we have passed an interval of about sixty years, and are in company with a new generation of captives; we are about to witness a second exodus from Babylon. This portion of the book gives us the story of Ezra himself.
It consists of two parts; his journey from Babylon, and his work at Jerusalem. In each of these, we find him eminently a man of God. His resources are only what we have in our day—the Word and the presence of God. But he used them, and used them well. All through, we see him in much communion with the Lord, and he will carry the word of God through every difficulty and hindrance. He leads a comparatively small remnant home from Babylon to Jerusalem, but he exercises a spirit of faith and obedience.
The Journey
In starting on the journey, he is careful to preserve the sanctity of holy things. He will look for the Levites to bear them home, though this may delay him on the banks of the river Ahava for twelve days. It is very sweet to see a saint thus in weakness of circumstances, so carrying himself before God through his services and duties. And further, he will not ask help of the king of Persia; He will get strength from God by fasting, rather than from the king, by asking.
The journey was accomplished without any mischief or loss by the way. The treasures were all delivered in the temple, as they had been weighed and numbered at the Ahava. But now Ezra has to look around him in Jerusalem, and the sight is overwhelming. Decline among the returned captives had set in rapidly, and corruption had worked all too well. Ezra blessedly illustrates the godliness of weeping for other men’s sins—a Christ-like affection. Indeed, this sample of it in this man of God may well humble some of us. The holy seed had again mingled themselves with the people of the land: the Jew had joined affinity with the Gentile.
Separation to God
To maintain anything of purity in the progress of a dispensation, reviving power has to be put forth again and again; a fresh separation to God and His truth has to take place. So is it now with Ezra at Jerusalem. But we here pause for a moment, to consider some divine principles. In the day of the flood, God had separated defilement from Himself and His creation by judgment,. But when the post-deluvian world defiled itself, He distinguished between clean and unclean by calling Abraham to Himself, to the knowledge of Him, and a walk with Him, apart from the world. These are samples of what He has ever since been doing, and is doing still. Separation from evil is, in a great sense, the principle of communion with Him.
Ezra soon finds that the returned captives had practically forgotten all this. The children of the captivity had been marrying, and giving in marriage, with the Gentiles. Ezra sets himself to the work of reformation, and the blessing of God waits upon it. There is no miracle; no displayed glory; no mighty energy speaking of extraordinary divine presence; the service is done for the glory of the God of Israel, and in the spirit of worship and communion. Ezra maintains principles, and carries the Word of God through every hindrance.
Deeply do I believe that the saints of God in our day may read the story of the returned captives, as very good for the use of edifying, and find plenty to instruct, to encourage, to warn, and to humble them.
Present Testimony (adapted)