The Hand of God

OT: Ezra 7-8
NT: Matthew 9:18-26

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Ezra 7:1, 6-7 — After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah... came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

Six times in two chapters the phrase "hand of the Lord" was used by the author of Ezra, a fact that cannot be overlooked. Ezra was a priest from the line of Aaron, a man endowed by God with wisdom and the knowledge of the Law of Moses. Ezra, years after Zerubbabel returned to rebuild the temple, requested permission from Artaxerxes, the King of Persia, to go back to Jerusalem from his Babylon home with a group of priests to service the new temple. Xerxes gave him permission and so Ezra went about the task of assembling priests to go on the long voyage west. Through a series of circumstances, Ezra collects enough Levites to journey back to Jerusalem. Though it all, "the hand of the Lord" was upon him.

What marvelous things can be said about the hand of the Almighty! When God is blessing our efforts, those efforts will not be thwarted. Sure, road bumps will always come as long as we live this earthly life, but mountains are ground into gravel by the hand of the Lord. He sends forth encouragement, such as he did for Ezra, who was sent a capable Levitical priest by the name of Sherebiah, along with Sherebiah's brothers (8:18). His hand protects us when the enemy tries to attack us and keep us from following God, just as Ezra and company were protected from bandits and robbers (8:32). His hand is all powerful and yet gentle enough to lift us like sheep and carry us in safety. His hand is grace. And His grace is free.

Be God's.