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EZRA

CHAPTER 8

1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king. 2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush. 3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. 4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. 6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. 7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males. 11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. 12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males. 13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. 14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.

As in Chapter 2, these men are "chiefs" of families, and are representative of many, rather than one.
The total of this company who returned with Ezra was 1,496.

15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. 17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; 20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

Ezra gathered all these together and "viewed" them for three days. After having looked, he noticed there were none of the "sons of Levi."
Therefore he sent messengers to inquire if there weren't some of the priests and Levites who would return with him.
It seems these were content to dwell in Babylon at the first. But when specifically asked, 38 of the Levites joined the returning company; and 220 of the Nethinims.
To me, it is amazing that so many Christians are content to live in their pleasure rather than be involved in God's work. However, most Christians just need to be asked, then they willingly join in for service to God.

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

Now that these had been gathered, Ezra was impressed to call upon them to "fast" and to seek God's protection and guidance on the trip to Jerusalem.
Verse 22 tells us that he did not desire to ask the king for a company of soldiers to protect them. The reason being that he had already told the king that he believed it God's express will that they return. If indeed it is God's express will, then God will provide the protection and guidance. Nevertheless, the people needed a sense of sincerity in seeking God.
When the people fasted and prayed in sincerity, God showed them that He indeed would bless their venture (verse 23).
In any mission endeavor, we should genuinely seek God for His express will and for His protection and guidance.

24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellers, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: 26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; 27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. 28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. 30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

Ezra divided the gold and silver "vessels" (that Artaxerxes was returning to be used in the temple) among the chief men of the families. He also divided among them the free-will offerings that had been gathered from many others.
In the work of the ministry, there are many burdens which should be shared.
Ezra solemnly charged these men with the responsibility of accounting for all they were given when they came to Jerusalem (verse 29).
When the church sends people on mission for the Lord, and provides funds for the work, there should be an accounting of how that money was used in service for God.

31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites; 34 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.

In chapter 7, verse 9, we read where Ezra "..began to go up.." to Jerusalem on the 1st day of the 1st month. Here we read that he actually left Babylon on the 12th of the 1st month.
The procedure described in the first 30 verses of chapter 8, then, took a total of 11 days.
In any mission endeavor, there must indeed be time taken for extensive planning and preparation.
Having apprised the reader earlier of the trip consuming 4 months, Ezra skips the term of the trip in this account. However he tells us that "God delivered us from the hand of the enemy," and of highway robbers.
We had been told that they fasted and prayed and sought God for protection and guidance (verse 23). We had also been told that they realized God's promise of blessing for this venture (verse 23). Now Ezra is careful to give God praise for having performed His promise (verse 31).
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, and resting for three days, they all came to the temple place. Then the Levites who had been given the "vessels" and money gave an "accounting" of all they had received. ALL was given over to the priests at the temple site.

35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD. 36 And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God.

The people gathered at the temple site also offered "burnt offerings" to God. The "burnt offering" was specifically for sin. This offering symbolized consecration on the part of the believer and forgiveness given on the part of God. This offering symbolized in the Old Testament what Jesus accomplished in the New Testament. He willingly and obediently gave ALL of Himself to pay for our sins and purchase our forgiveness.
After having sought God for His blessings of forgiveness and renewed relationship, then they delivered the decrees of Artaxerxes to those in charge.
Having received these decrees, Ezra points out that the public officials "..furthered the people and the house of God."

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