Word
of God
Man
does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from
the mouth of God
Matthew
4:4
The
Book of Ezra 7:27-28
27
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which so hath put in the
king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in
Jerusalem, 28 And hath inclined mercy toward me, before the king and
his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty Princes: and I was
comforted by the hand of the Lord my God which was upon me, and I
gathered the chief of Israel to go up with me.
Brethren:
Ezra
cannot proceed in his story without inserting his thankful
acknowledgement of the goodness of God to him and his people in this
matter. As soon as he has concluded the king’s commission, instead
of subjoining, God save the king (though that would have been proper
enough), he adds, Blessed be the Lord; for we must in every thing
give thanks (See 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Colossians 3:17), and,
whatever occurrences please us, we must own God’s hand in them, and
praise his name.
Two
things Ezra blessed God for:
1.
For his commission. We suppose he kissed the king’s hand for it,
but that was not all: Blessed be God (says he) that put such a thing
as this into the king’s heart. God can put things into men’s
hearts which would not arise there of themselves, and into their
heads too, both by his providence and by his grace, in things
pertaining both to life and godliness. If any good appear to be in
our own hearts, or in the hearts of others, we must own it was God
that put it there, and bless him for it; for it is he that worketh in
us both to will and to do that which is good. When princes and
magistrates act for the suppression of vice, and the encouragement of
religion, we must thank God that put it into their hearts to do so,
as much as if they had granted us some particular favour. When God’s
house was built Ezra rejoiced in what was done to beautify it. We
read not of any orders given to paint or gild it, or to garnish it
with precious stones, but to be sure that the ordinances of God were
administered there constantly, and carefully, and exactly according
to the institution; and that was indeed the beautifying of the
temple.
2.
For the encouragement he had to act in pursuance of his commission:
He has extended mercy to me. The king, in the honour he did him, we
may suppose, had an eye to his merit, and preferred him because he
looked upon him to be a very sensible ingenious man; but he himself
ascribes his preferment purely to God’s mercy. It was this that
recommended him to the favour of his prince. Ezra himself was a man
of courage, yet he attributed his encouragement not to his own heart,
but to God’s hand: "I was strengthened to undertake the
services, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me to direct and
support me.’’ If God gives us his hand, we are bold and cheerful;
if he withdraws it, we are weak as water. Whatever service we are
enabled to do for God and our generation, God must have all the glory
of it. Strength for it is derived from him, and therefore the praise
of it must be given to him. (See Romans 8:37; Philippians 4:13)
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