The Jasper news., 1922-08-17
!. The Leader-Ezra (7:1-1O).

l. Who he was wv. 1-6. (D A
priest wv. 1-5). The leader of the first
company was Zerubbabel, sort of
military governor. The great need now
was for a religious leader, for the
people had gone far from God, as we
see from the noble reforms which
Ezra effected. (2) A ready scribe
". g.. He was a teacher of the law
of God
2. His high ambition Wv. 7-10).
% "He set his heart to seek the law
of the Lord" ". 10). He definitely set
out with the noble purpose to know
Gods Word. To be successful in any
thing one must set out with a purpose.
Daniel was a success because he "pur-
posed in his heart" Ministers and
Sunday-school teachers should have
this set purpose. (2) He set his neart
to obey the Lord ". 10). He was not
only concerned with knowing Gods
Word, but to obey it. Gods Word can
not fully be known by the intellect !;
1t must be experienced. The essential
qualification for teacher of the Bible,
preacher or Sunday-school teacher
is obedience to Gods Word. (3) He
set his heart to teach Israel Gods
statutes and judgments ". 10). He not
only had love for Gods Word, but a
desire to implant 1t in the hearts of
others. When one has an experiential
knowledge of Gods Word he longs to
teach Ii to others.
3. His commission (7:11-2G). The
king ArtaxerXes gave him a copy of
the decree authorizing him to lead a
company back to Jerusalem. He was
empowered "a to collect funds wv.
10, 16); (2) to levy tribute wv. 81,
22); (3) to appoint magistrates and
judges ". 25); (4) to execute pen
alties ". 26). SO great was the kings
confidence in Ezra that he gave all
these powers into his hand. For this
great honor Ezra lifted his heart to
God in thanksgiving. He was mainly
concerned with the fact that he was
to beautify the Lords house and
acknowledge that God had put this
purpose into the kings heart.
u. The Company (S:1-2O).
1t
males, but including women, children
and servants, there were perhaps 5000
to 1000 people in this caravan.
III. Ezra's Prayer and Fasting
(S:21-23).
The first thing he did was to seek
Gods guidance. Not only Gods lead.
ers, but all Christians should seek
divine guidance and help in every un-
dertaking-every new journey, every
piece of new work, every business al
venture, every relationship. That
which We cannot invoke Gods bless
ing upon should not be undertaken.
Further, success can only be realized
when Gods blessing is upon us. He
did not minimize the dangers attend
ing such a journey, but he had told
the king that the hand Of the Lord
would be upon all for good who sought
him, and now he was ashamed to ask
the king for military escort to pro-
tect them from the marauding Arabs
~. The Successful Journey 1924
S2).
God heard their prayer. The treas
'ure entrusted to them was great. Per.
haps the entire value Of all the money
ETC., was $5,000O00. For a weak cara.
van to 90 on journey requiring -four
months through a country infested by
these robber bands, carrying such ar
amount of money was most perilous
but Ezra knew that God was able anC
would protect them. Note:
/. The care and honesty (vv. 24-30)
The money was weighed unto them a
the start and was to be weighed wheI
turned over to the authorities a
Jerusalem. The incentive to honest!
and strict accounting Of the trust wa
that they were holy men and were en-
trusted with that which was holy be
cause 1t belonged to God. Most exact
ing care should be exercised in haH
ding the Lords money. We shoul
guard sacredly our trust.
=. Their safe arrival (vv. 81, 32l
Some four and One-half months wer
required 10 make the journey. Go
proved himself to be faithful, havin
protected them and brought theT
safely 10 their destination.