Lesson 8 The Hand of God. Ezra 8:9 The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those.

Lesson 8The Hand of God

Ezra 8:9The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him." 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty. Ezra 8:22-23

…A large number of men women andchildren.

….on a desert journey

….through an area known to wildbands of marauders

…with a large amount of valuableproperty

Ezra 8 – The Situation vs. 1-14

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava,that we might humble ourselves before our God to seekfrom Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and allour possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request fromthe king troops and horsemen to protect us from theenemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all thosewho seek Him, but His power and His anger are againstall those who forsake Him." 23 So we fasted andsought our God concerning this matter, and He listenedto our entreaty.

Ezra 8 – The Solution vs. 21-23

The obvious solution – ask the King for an escort.

not a matter of morality/ethics an expression of trust in man an expedient answer

The right solution – ask God for help not a matter of morality/ethics an expression of trust in God a time-delaying solution

Ezra 8 – The Solution vs. 21-23

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava,that we might humble ourselves before our God to seekfrom Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and allour possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request fromthe king troops and horsemen to protect us from theenemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all thosewho seek Him, but His power and His anger are againstall those who forsake Him." 23 So we fasted andsought our God concerning this matter, and He listenedto our entreaty.

Ezra 8 – The Solution vs. 21-23

A source of unity – II Chronicles 30:12 A storehouse for righteous men –

Ecclesiastes 9:1 A place of humility – I Peter 5:6 An instrument of judgement – I Samuel

15:11

Ezra 8:22 – The Hand of God

" The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all thosewho seek Him, but His power and His anger are against allthose who forsake Him."

It’s not what you do or say butwho you are that moves the

hand of God!

Ezra 8:22 – The Hand of God

" The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all thosewho seek Him, but His power and His anger are against allthose who forsake Him."

No Levites volunteered to go! vs. 15Eleven men were selected and sent. vs16

To the right place (Casiphia) To the right person (Iddo) For the right reason With a positive result!

Ezra 8:15 – The Priestly Problem

“Now I assembled them at the river that runs to Ahava,where we camped for three days; and when I observed thepeople and the priests, I did not find any Levites there.”

Ezra 8:28,29 – The Priestly Task

28 “You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils areholy; and the silver and the gold are a freewilloffering to the LORD God of your fathers.29  "Watch and keep them until you weigh thembefore the leading priests, the Levites, and theheads of the fathers' households of Israel atJerusalem, in the chambers of the house of theLORD." Ezra 8:28-29

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted toyou, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and theopposing arguments of what is falsely called"knowledge"-- 1 Tim 6:20

Ezra 8:28,29 – The Priestly Task

“Watch and keep them until you weigh them”

 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells inus, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.2 Tim 1:14 (NASB77)

Ezra 8:28,29 – The Priestly Task

“Watch and keep them until you weigh them”

“Nothing you have is half as much as who you are.”

Ezra 8:28,29 – The Priestly Task

“Watch and keep them until you weigh them”

Your trust, your obedience,our faithfulness…….

What you carry with you whenyour hands are empty.

Nothing is more valuablethan the gospel.

Ezra 8:28,29 – The Priestly Task

“Watch and keep them until you weigh them”

You may be the only “gospel” someone ever sees!

Will you….Live, when the challenge comes, by the maximsyou proclaimed when no cost was required.Beware of making your relationships a matter ofwords.Periodically look at your life from the perspective of an unsaved man/woman.Watch and keep what has been entrusted to you until we reach Jerusalem!

Ezra 8:23 – The Bottom Line