You’ve mapped out your journey. The car is packed. The children are buckled in. But before you embark on a cross-country road trip, what else do you do? If you were Ezra, you would stop and plead yet again for the Lord to give you a safe and successful journey. In 8:21, Ezra said: “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.”

We’ve already seen Ezra trust the Lord time and again during his preparations to return to Jerusalem. Today’s reading gives us insight into Ezra’s thought process. He was “ashamed to ask the king” for protection on the journey. Why? He had already assured the king that “the gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him” (v. 22). Ezra didn’t want to appear to dishonor the Lord by asking for human help when he’d already been clear in saying that God would care for him. So, Ezra says, “we fasted and petitioned our God about this” (v. 23). Just as we’ve seen God do many times throughout the book of Ezra, God answered their prayer (v. 23).

The rest of today’s passage lists the many valuable items that Ezra and the returnees brought with them to Jerusalem. Here we see Ezra’s practical wisdom again. He entrusts “twelve of the leading priests” with care of the valuables and charges them to deliver the items safely to their destination (v. 24). For all the details involved in this journey, Ezra trusts the Lord, fasting and praying. He also takes appropriate steps to ensure success. Both were needed.

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Reaching the end of a long journey is a beautiful thing—you step out of the car, stretch your legs, and look forward to some rest and relaxation. In our study of the book of Ezra, we’ve seen this godly leader and his co-travelers reach the end of their long trip to Jerusalem—all without the benefit of planes, trains, or automobiles!

Earlier in chapter 8 Ezra refused to ask the king for protection on the journey, even though the returnees were bringing with them an enormous amount of silver and gold. In today’s market, the value of the materials listed in 8:26–27 reaches $604,081,991.20. Ezra was wise to proclaim a fast and ask for the Lord’s protection on their trip home!

In verse 31 we read that the Lord indeed answered their prayers: “The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.” As we’ve seen many times already since meeting Ezra in chapter 7, he is quick to credit the Lord for his success. He never took credit for himself but rather consistently acknowledged God’s grace and kindness toward him. Ezra and the returnees rested for three days (v. 32). Then they “weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest” (v. 33). The men proved faithful: “Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time” (v. 34). The exiles then worshiped the Lord. They sacrificed “twelve bulls for all Israel” (v. 35), again reminding us that the people returning from exile represent all Israel and not just the ten tribes of Judah (see discussion on September 19). Now in Jerusalem, Ezra and his group of Levites and temple servants “gave assistance to the people and to the house of God” (v. 36).

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From time to time my wife and I leave our three young sons with a babysitter. On the way home I always feel the same anxiety—did our children torment this sweet girl who watched them for a few hours? I’ve never gotten a bad report, but I still worry. Ezra, unfortunately, received a bad report about the behavior of the people living in Israel.

Chapter 9 begins, “After these things had been done.” This was after the delivery of valuables and the sacrifices mentioned in yesterday’s passage—the leaders delivered their report to Ezra. “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices” (v. 1). In fact, they’ve gone so far as to take “some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons” (v. 2). What’s even worse, “the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness” (v. 2).

Remember—God had long ago commanded the Israelites not to intermarry with the surrounding peoples. Why? Because “they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you” (Deut. 7:4). This is how God’s people ended up in exile in the first place! Now they had disobeyed again, returning to the practices that had caused God to judge them nearly a century ago.

When he heard this report, Ezra was “appalled.” He says, “I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard” (v. 3). Then Ezra did what we’ve come to expect: “I...fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God” (v. 5). God’s people had sinned, but Ezra remained faithful and turned to the Lord in his devastation.

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Have you ever heard the saying that God has no grandchildren? It’s a simple yet powerful reminder that we cannot depend on our Christian heritage for our salvation. We must personally trust in Jesus and turn from our sins.

Ezra had confessed Israel’s sin to God. But that was not enough—the people responsible also needed to confess in order to be made right with God. In Ezra 10, we are told that the prophet had led the people faithfully. In verse 1 we see him “praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God.” During this time, a large crowd gathered around him including “men, women and children” (v. 1). The inclusion of women and children is significant and countercultural for the ancient world. Women and children would not typically be included in such a group, yet the Scripture makes clear that God’s salvation is open and available to all.

A leader arose from the group, confessing their sin to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us” (v. 2). The people of Israel recognized their sin and confessed it in clear, plain language. There were no excuses, only a clear statement of the facts.

As we’ve seen throughout the Bible, “there is still hope for Israel” (v. 2). Upon their confession, Ezra withdrew to seek the Lord and issued an order for all the people of Israel to “assemble in Jerusalem”; whoever failed to appear would “forfeit all his property” (vv. 7–8). This was a reminder that sin is serious, and the people must deal with it seriously.

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There’s a vast difference between being sorry that you got caught doing something and being sorry that you did something. In the book of Ezra, after God’s people acted wickedly, Ezra approached God in repentance. He reflected genuine sorrow—even though he personally had not participated in the sin.

Ezra’s prayer of confession for the people highlights the concept of corporate solidarity. The apostle Paul uses the metaphor of the body to discuss corporate solidarity in the church: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor 12:26). Ezra’s suffering shines clearly through these verses—and Ezra is deeply concerned that even greater suffering is on the horizon. “Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?” Ezra asks the Lord (v. 14).

Ezra begins by confessing his shame “because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens” (v. 6). He then briefly recounts Israel’s history of sin that led to the captivity in Babylon. They’ve only returned, Ezra says, because “the Lord our God has been gracious” (v. 8). God “has shown us kindness,” “granted us new life,” and “given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem” (v. 9). Yet the returnees “have forsaken the commands” God gave regarding intermarriage with the surrounding peoples (vv. 10–12). Ezra confesses that the exile happened as “a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt,” and yet their punishment was “less than our sins deserved” (v. 13).

Ezra does the only thing he can do—the only thing any of us can do. He confesses the people’s sin and throws himself on the mercy of the God who has been faithful over and over and over again.

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Mob justice often becomes injustice. There is no judge, no jury, no presentation of evidence or a trial—just the accusation, the mob’s confidence in their own righteousness, and the punishment of perceived evil. At the close of the book of Ezra, we see a situation that could very easily have veered toward vigilantism. Instead, Ezra shows godly wisdom in laying out a plan to ensure just judgment.

Responding to the decree in verses 7–8, “within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem” (v. 9). “All the people were sitting in the square before the house of God,” and all of them were “greatly distressed” (v. 9). Ezra stood to confront the crowd. He pulled no punches: “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt” (v. 10). Ezra then tells them what they must do: “Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives” (v. 11).

This was a tall order that required radical obedience. But the people responded well: “You are right! We must do as you say” (v. 12). They asked for time to obey because of the poor weather and the extent of their sin. Ezra agreed and “selected men who were family heads” to investigate each case (v. 16). The book of Ezra ends with a list of people who had sinned. Imagine having your name and your sin memorialized in this way!

It may feel like the book of Ezra ends unsatisfactorily. While we have witnessed God’s great acts on behalf of His people, the book closes with a list of sinners. Be reassured, however, that these are sinners who repent, so “there is still hope for Israel” (Ezra 10:2).

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A seventeenth-century German prince created a garden in which he collected all the shrubs and flowering plants known at that time from throughout the world. Then he commissioned a lavish illustrated book of them, titled Hortus Eystettensis(Garden of Eichstätt), using elaborate copper engravings. Published in 1613, it “was and is the greatest botanical picture book ever created.” The prince may not have known it, but his garden and picture book were merely tributes to God who had created all those plants and so much more. In this month’s study, we will consider literal and figurative images of agriculture in the Bible, including farming, seeds, cultivation, crops, and harvests.

Human beings, created in the image of God, were given authoritative stewardship by and under Him over the created world, including the plant and animal kingdoms (vv. 26–27). As David wrote: “You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” (Ps. 8:6). This is called the “creation mandate,” which is summarized as a command: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (v. 28). Many commentators see this mandate as including the work and responsibility of cultivating creation until the whole earth became like the Garden of Eden—a mandate that we’re to finish during the Millennial Kingdom. The idea is that God created Eden as a model, and to “subdue” or “rule” meant to work on making the rest of the earth like this paradise. In imitation of God Himself, human beings were to care for that over which they ruled. God indicated that seed-bearing plants and trees would be sources of food for both humans and animals (vv. 29–30). Finally, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (v. 31).

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John Milton first published the Christian epic poem Paradise Lost in 1667. But while previous epic poems featured heroes and battles, this one focused on the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The battle was spiritual not physical—and our first parents lost it by sinning against God.

Adam and Eve suffered the costs of their disobedient choice. Sin and death entered the world (Rom. 5:12), and they and the serpent (Satan) were cursed. Part of the curse, focusing on Adam, concerned work (vv. 17–19). The relationship with nature would no longer be harmonious. Even just to grow food to eat would require “painful toil.” Ironically, Adam would “work the ground from which he had been taken” (v. 23). He would struggle against thorns, thistles, and the ground itself. And at the end of the struggle waited death (see Gen. 2:16–17): “to dust you will return” (3:19).

All hope was not lost, however. God remained graciously involved (vv. 21–24). He made Adam and Eve clothing from animal skins, much better than the fig leaf coverings they had made for themselves (Gen. 3:7). Then He exiled them from the Garden of Eden so that they would not eat from the tree of life and live forever in their sinful condition. Later, He ordained the birth of Noah, a “comfort” against the curse (Gen. 5:29) and the reason humanity survived the Flood. Even so, there were consequences. Adam and Eve lost a well-ordered and fulfilling relationship with nature and would from then on experience it mainly as conflict and struggle. Adam would spend most of his time in the fields working by the sweat of his brow in order to survive. All creation has in fact been groaning for redemption from then until now (Rom. 8:19–22).

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