All right. Turn with me to the
book of Colossians chapter 2, verse 16 and 17. It really sets
the tone for our lesson, our message from the book of Ezra
chapter 7 this morning as we look at the third part of our
messages with regard to Ezra, a type of Christ. Ezra, a type
of Christ, part 3. In the book of Colossians chapter
2 and verse 16 it says, let no man therefore judge you meet
or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of the new moon
or of the Sabbath days which Are a shadow of things to come
but the body is of Christ now my friends I that we look for
the body which is Christ. As we look at the Old Testament,
as we look at the New Testament, we're looking for the message
of Christ. So would you join me this morning
back in the book of Ezra, Ezra chapter seven, and I'd like to
read verses 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24. The book of Ezra chapter
seven, beginning with verse 20. And then we'd like to look at
these verses as Ezra is a type of Christ. He is a picture of
Christ. Christ is the reality. Christ is the total revelation
of God's word. Here in the book of Ezra chapter
7 verse 20 it says, King Artaxerxes is saying this and Whatsoever
more shall be needful for the house of thy God Which thou shall
have occasion to bestow bestow it out of the king's treasure
house verse 21 and I even I Artaxerxes the king do make a decree to
all the treasurers of which are beyond the river, that whatsoever
Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of God of heaven, shall
require of you, it be done speedily. Unto a hundred talents of silver,
and to a hundred measures of wheat, and a hundred baths of
wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing,
How much? Whatsoever is commanded by God
of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of God of
heaven. For why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king and his sons? Also, we certify
you that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers,
porters, nephilim, or ministers of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful. to impose toll, tribute, or custom
upon them. Now we're going to stop there
and we have a number of verses left and we hope that next Sunday
we'll be able to cover them, but if not, we'll be there for
another message with regard to Ezra as a type of Christ. If
you notice with me in verse 20 of Ezra chapter 7, King says
whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God which
thou shalt have occasion to bestow Bestow it out of the king's treasure
house now it is the church's rejoices that the rich treasures
of the king take care not only past sin or present sin but all
sin the Lord Jesus Christ as a fulfillment of this passage
of scripture as Ezra is a type and Jesus Christ is the antitype,
we have here that the king said whatsoever more is needful. And
when it comes to our savior and his great purpose of grace, we
find out that he has taken complete care of all the necessities of
the church. Not one thing was left out. In
fact, if it looks like from our standpoint, not God's standpoint,
that more is needed. It's always there. Would you
turn with me to the book of Lamentations chapter 3 for just a short reading?
The church rejoices in the king's care of us, the church, and whatever
there is that has been chargeable to the messenger of the covenant
and his blood Takes care of it all whatever was chargeable his
blood takes care of it all and every day the church is poured
upon by the rich spiritual blessings of Christ every Morning, you
know we may think by 1159 a or p.m.. We've just about wore out
God's grace, but look at what happens at 12 a.m. Lamentations chapter 3 There
we have in the middle of this book of Jeremiah crying with
regard to the concern of his family, crying with concern of
his children, crying with concern of his mother and dad, aunts
and uncles, crying concern with what is in going on in Israel. In Jerusalem, the very center
of worship, and as we heard this morning, they had taken the very
beautiful types and shadows and pictures and had built their
religion upon pictures instead upon the reality. Well, we know
of assurance that unless the Lord give us a new heart, unless
the Lord give us the new birth, these things are just gonna be
built upon pictures and never upon the substance, which is
Jesus Christ. Here in the book of Lamentations,
chapter three, and beginning there with verse 22, notice with
me there, it is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed,
because his compassions fail not. God should regard iniquity
who shall stand well here if it were if it is of the Lord's
mercies That were not consumed because his compassions fail
not now notice verse 23 with me you may think you warm completely
out Yesterday all all the way up to 11 59 and 59 seconds oh
my Lord God I've just I've just wore out your grace,
and I've wore out your mercies, and I've wore out everything.
I've just had such a terrible day of not trusting you. I've had a terrible day of not
having faith in you. I've had a terrible day, and
my prayers have just been like going to brass. But notice here,
they are new every morning at 12 a.m. Guess what? We start over. The mercies, the
grace, the blessings of God are ever present with us. They are
new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. The
God of heaven has determined that we will never wear out the
mercy of God. We'll never wear out the grace
of God. Just as the king said, whatsoever more shall be needful
for the house of God, for the church, I will take care of that
too. If you'll turn with me to the
book of Isaiah chapter 33, Isaiah, just back a couple of books there,
Isaiah chapter 33, it shares with us in Isaiah chapter 33
in verse 2. It says, O Lord, be gracious. Isaiah chapter 33 in verse 2
Oh Lord be gracious unto us We have waited for thee be thou
thou their arm every morning our salvation also in the time
of trouble every Morning the blessings you know we go to bed
in trouble. We wake up the Lord has said
I promise you my blessings every morning whatever is extra, I
will take care of it. I will pay for it out of the
storehouses of the king. I will take care of it plentifully. I'll take care of it, well, where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And over there in
the book of Ephesians, chapter one, verse three, we often are
over in this verse because there's so much contained in it. In Ephesians
chapter one, and there in verse three, it says, The Lord Jesus,
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh,
what wonderful things are found here in Ephesians chapter 1.
I've said this before. I'll say it again. In religion,
I never read this chapter once. And if I did in my cursory travels
of reading the Bible through in a year, this was a much like
Leviticus. It was a flyover chapter. I would
land in chapter two and say, oh, that's great. But notice
here, in Ephesians chapter one, verse three, blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings. spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ every all without exception all Spiritual blessings
are in Christ and he has poured them out on the church without
measure So whatever else is necessary? The king will take care of it.
Remember that passage over in Luke chapter 10 about a man that
was traveling along and fell among thieves, Luke chapter 10?
Would you turn there with me? Luke chapter 10, there was a
traveler that fell among thieves and they stripped him and left
him half dead. Well, the law came by, the Levite
came by, they could do nothing. Do you know they couldn't touch
a person like that? There was no help in the law,
never has been any help in the law. They passed by. There was no way that they could
offer assistance. They couldn't touch the man.
They couldn't deal with the man. Now if he was in fine shape,
they could deal with that. Or if he was a leper, they could
deal with that. But a man half dead, that's just right out.
Well here in Luke chapter 10, notice with me in verse 35. Luke
chapter 10 and verse 35. We find that Good Samaritan,
as we know him, and there is the anti-type of the Good Samaritan. He's a type. The anti-type, the
anti-type, is our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the
Good Samaritan. He's the one that came by, poured
in oil and wine, and wrapped up the wounds. That's his business
in doing. And we notice there in verse
35, It tells us in Luke chapter 10 verse 35 and on the morrow
when he departed he took out two pence That was a lot of money
at that time took out two pence and gave it unto the host at
the end where he placed him take care of him and Whatsoever thou
spendest more when I come again. I will repay thee hold him accountable
for nothing Do not trouble him with reckoning don't come to
him in the middle of the day and say you're going to have
to pay for your room and board I Am taking care of it completely
take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come
again I'll repay it do not trouble him with reckoning. I will repay What a blessing that we have
no one that can bring a claim against us. whatsoever is necessary
and above, we find that the Lord has taken care of completely. So, as the king instructs those,
and Ezra as a type, whatsoever else, whatsoever else, is going
to come out of the king's treasury, out of the blessings, the rich
blessings, the rich grace, the rich hope, the rich peace of
the Lord Jesus Christ. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities
who should stand but since you don't all the church will meet
at your feet and Worship you and sing worthy is the lamb that
was slain to receive glory and honor and praise So nothing is
held against the church who shall bring anything to the charge
of God's elect is what we find in the scripture now would you
join me back in the book of Ezra and As we look further in this
great chapter, chapter seven of the book of Ezra, and there
in verse 21, we find another rich blessing about Ezra, a type
of Christ. We have in Ezra a picture, but
oh please, let's not build our spiritual life on a picture.
Let us build or let us be built on the solid rock which is Jesus
Christ the Lord. He is the real, We heard this
morning that blessed lesson on the Sabbath truly the Sabbath
was a picture of relying upon Jesus Christ alone for all our
salvation and not relying upon anything else he is our rest
well here in the book of Ezra chapter 7 and verse 21 and I
even I are desert cease the king do make a decree that All the
treasures which are beyond the river that whatsoever Ezra the
priest the scribe of the law of God of heaven shall require
of you It be done speedily it be done speedily You know as
we look at this verse of scripture. We find what Ezra requests is
a command from the king that And it is with the, he is with
the antitype, our savior. What the king requests, now what
Ezra requests, is a request from the king. Now, would you turn
with me to the book of Matthew 21? This is an illustration of
that great point. Whatever Ezra requests, it is
a request of the king. Whatever Jesus Christ requests,
it is first of all and foremost a request of the covenant of
grace. Whatever the Lord requires is a request of the covenant
of grace of the king of kings, of the thrice holy God, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The king, Artaxerxes, says, whatever
Ezra requests, that is my order. Don't take it shallow. That's
what the Lord brought up so often. And he had a bunch of Pharisees
that just said, you can't be the son of God because we know
your brothers and sisters, and we know your mom and dad. You
cannot be the son of God. Well, with eyes of faith, God
gives eyes of faith to see that Jesus Christ is the Lord God
Almighty, the promised Messiah, the Christ of God. And what he
requires is a requirement From the thrice Holy God of the Covenant
here in the book of Matthew chapter 21 There's a wonderful illustration
here of that very thing Matthew chapter 21 and there in verse
Well, let's just look at verse 3 here for just a moment. The
Lord is needing a donkey and in verse 3 If any man say ah
to you anybody anybody say anything to you as disciples going to
get because the Lord's already said there is a donkey over there,
and I need him and So you go over there, and if any man? Say ought unto you you shall
say the Lord the Sovereign Hath need of them Straightway, he
will send them isn't that interesting? The Lord hath need of him if
anybody now there's gonna be someone bring up. It's just what
are you doing? That's my donkey that's my the mother and the
and the cult those belong to me and the Disciple said the
Lord hath need of them and guess what? Go take them take them
What a blessing it is that God would put these requests in the
mouth of the Lord Jesus on our behalf. So we can follow this
throughout the scriptures. We can see that this is just
a point that's made up so often in the scriptures that whatever
God requests in the person Christ Jesus, is an honor to God when
it is fulfilled. We find that in the scriptures.
Join me, if you would, backing up a little bit into the Psalms.
In the book of the Psalms, we have this passage of scripture,
Psalm 24, and there in verse What does this say here? As we
follow this, the King says whatever Ezra requests is a request from
me. Whatever God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Spirit requests, it is a request of
the King. It is a request of the Godhead.
And here in Psalm 24 it says, a Psalm of David, the earth is
the Lord's. and the fullness thereof, the
world, and they that dwell therein. Just think. God has absolute
control over the world and those that dwell therein. Now we're
going to find that this is going to be significant when it comes
to the church. It's going to be significant
when it comes to salvation. It's going to be significant
when it comes to regeneration. It's going to be significant.
There is a call that goes out. There's a call that goes out
and he said, the Lord said, send it out to the world. Take the
gospel to the world. But there is going to be a whole
host of folks that are going to say, but, but I've got some
oxen to check out, and I've bought some property, and I've married,
all the excuses that come up that people have with regard
to come, come hear the gospel, come hear the gospel, come hear
the gospel. And there's all sorts of excuses made about that, and
yet we find that when the Lord calls He calls to the heart. We call to the general public. He calls to individuals. And
that call is such a serious call that nobody can resist that call. They come, and they come humbly,
bowing before the Lord of glory. Every knee shall bow and every
tongue shall confess the Lord Jesus to the glory of God the
Father. They confess that He is all my
salvation. In the book of John chapter 3,
would you turn there with me, John chapter 3, John chapter
3 and there in verse 35, John chapter 3 and verse 35 we read
this, the father loveth the son and hath given all things into
his hand. The Father loveth the Son. And
in John 17, would you jump ahead with me there to John chapter
17? And there in verse 2, John chapter
17 and verse 2. Whatever Ezra asked for, you
give it to him. That's a command of the king.
And whatever the Lord Jesus Christ effectually says is a command
from the king, and it will not be resisted. It will be a call
to the heart. We come, and we come joyfully. We come humbly. We come thankfully
to the king of kings. and to the Lord of Lords, as
thou hast given him power. Chapter 17, verse 2 of the book
of John, as thou hast given him power over all flesh. that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
This is the promise of God, and this is going to happen, and
it will happen in its good time. And all that we may say, and
all that we may do, we find that this is a loving, irresistible
call to eternal life. We find that the master has called
and hath need hath need of him We find this happened a number
of times in the scripture there. We heard not too long ago from
the book of Luke about Matthew Matthew was a collector of taxation
and Jesus said follow me and he followed him and In John chapter
10 verse 27 says my sheep hear my voice Oh, excuse me, my sheep
hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. So when the
Lord is in the business of calling, people respond by coming. Now, we find a number of times
in the scripture that the Lord called and they said but. You
know, as we look at that, we just say the Lord gave them We
can say the opportunity to come, but the natural heart is so contrary
to the purpose of grace that they will say, but I have something
else to do, but I must go bury the dead, but I must do that.
Well, we're thankful to the church, to all that belong to him, to
all whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. We may
say, but, but, but, but there will be a day when that is all
gone and we will come to him humbly, prayerfully, thankfully,
and rejoice in him as God, our Savior. Jesus said, follow me,
Levi, and he followed. He asked others to come. Oh,
no, I got something else to do. Well, you be assured of this.
At that moment, it was not the moment of salvation because the
Lord is not a powerless king. The Lord is a King with all power. In fact, the book of Hebrews
says this about Him. He is the Lord God Almighty. He demonstrated that by his power
over diseases, demonstrated that by the power over natural events
such as great storms. He demonstrated that as power
over those who had demons. He demonstrated that over people
who had passed from this life into the life to come. He raised
them from the dead. He is all-powerful, and just
as Artaxerxes said with regard to Ezra, whatever he says goes. Don't send a letter to me about
it. He has my compliments as he travels across the desert
to come to Jerusalem. In the book of Ezra again, would you turn back
there to the book of Ezra chapter 7 as we continue to go through
this passage and look for pictures, types, and shadows of the Lord
Jesus Christ for whatever good or benefit Ezra did to the people
of Jerusalem and to Judah. That was only in this life. But the benefits of the Ezra
II, or as Jesus Christ a type of Ezra, the benefits of him
is altogether lovely and spiritual and has eternal, long-lasting,
eternal effects upon his people. There in Ezra chapter 7 and verse
22, would you look at that, it says, here's the amount. Now
when we went through this earlier without looking at Ezra as a
type of Christ, we just summed this whole thing up and said,
that's a gob, that's a bunch, that's a whole gob, that's more
than you could go through in a lifetime. unto a hundred talents
of silver, unto a hundred measures of wheat, unto a hundred baths
of wine, a hundred baths of oil, salt without prescribing how
much. Let's just put it that way. That's daily. Can't get better than that. We
have all the rich blessings. We looked at silver as a picture
of redemption. We have all the rich blessings
of Christ's redemption. We have the wheat, the bread
of life without measure. It's a hundred. You can't get
through there. As Mike mentioned, the loaves of bread in the temple
and in the tabernacle, there was several quarts of wheat and
grain on every one of those. Those were massive loaves of
bread. There's just more than you can
take care of in a day, more you can get yourself around. And
wine, the rich blessings of the blood of Christ, we don't come
to the end of it as we find in the scriptures. It tells us there,
the oil, the Holy Spirit's teaching us is without measure. We never
come to the end of the teachings of the Holy Spirit. All these
rich blessings, and then salt. The covenant blessings are without
prescribing. There's no end to them. So, as
Ezra, a type of Christ, these blessings upon these folks as
they were headed back to Jerusalem, as we look at Jesus Christ as
the antitype, as the fulfillment of Ezra as the type, we find
every spiritual blessing, and in more and more than we could
ever comprehend, for us, daily is given to us. All the training,
the teaching the Holy Spirit gives us, and all the blessings
that we have in there, it's just overwhelming when we look at
it from an individual basis on what God does for us in Christ
Jesus. If it was only one drop, it was
sufficient, but it was all, he presented all. All right, let's
go to verse 23 here for just a moment. In Ezra chapter seven
and verse 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the
God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God
of heaven. For why should there be wrath
against the realm of the king and his sons? Whatsoever is commanded
of the God of heaven, I'm paying for all this. That's in essence
is what he's saying, I'm paying for all this. Why should it be
wasted and hold me accountable? Now, isn't that religion? Why
should the grace of God be wasted and then God is held accountable
for it? I read someplace, and I told
Brother Wayne, please write down every time you find something
of a value, write it down in a book, and I can't even follow
my own instructions. I'm sorry, Brother Wayne. But
I read somewhere, This preacher was telling folks that hell is
a testimony of the failure of God. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine a preacher in
a pulpit ever saying something like that? But that goes on every
Sunday across this land and all the times that people are worshiping
that Jesus Christ is trying to accomplish something and he can't
do it without you. Well, that's not the Lord of
heaven. That's not the Lord of glory. I am paying for all this,
and you're not going to bring a charge against me because I
will do all I have said I will do. I will redeem my people,
every one of them. That's why it's so valuable for
us to know the lesson that Jesus Christ is a Redeemer that actually
redeems His people from their sins, and He is a Savior that
actually saves His people, and nobody is going to charge God
with anything. In fact, when the lost stand
before God, they shall be silent, knowing full well what God says
is right and just. He will not hear them blabbering
about, no one ever told me. That is such a false thing that
preachers tell people. You know, what about that person
you never talked to? You know, God has permitted such
graciousness that His people would hear the gospel. And they
will hear it, and He will call them, and they will respond.
He will give them a new heart. He will give them everlasting
righteousness in Christ Jesus. He will give them the new birth,
and they will come. But no one is going to charge
God for not doing his business. He is unchargeable because he
is the king. He is the king of kings. And
so the Lord Jesus, no one could bring a charge. How did he answer
those Pharisees that we heard about in our lesson this morning
there in the book of Luke? Have you not read the scriptures?
That's how he dealt with them. Have you not read the scriptures?
And that's how we can deal with this. People come up to that
young man that I keep talking to. We just keep going to the
scriptures. Go to the scriptures. What does
the scripture say? The scripture says that Jesus
Christ is a good shepherd, giveth his life for the sheep. That's
what the scriptures say. And constantly in that vein,
we always hear him giving his life for the sheep. So no one
is going to bring it up Why should wrath be against the realm of
the king and his sons? Why should wrath be against the
king and the children of God? Why should wrath be against the
king and the church? It's not going to happen. God
has his purpose of grace and he will carry it out. Wherever
he purposes it to be carried out and when he purposes to carry
it out But nobody will bring a charge against God in that
day and today people can stand up and say if there be a god
Let lightning fall from heaven isn't God merciful that he doesn't
do that The disciples even said let's do that. Let's just call
down lightning from heaven, you know and One of the reasons that
we find the Lord Jesus not permitting that, because there was the possibility
in that group of people that was mocking the Lord Jesus that
there was some elect. We find that with the man on
the cross. There were two that cast great
indignation into the face of the Lord Jesus that day. If you
be the Son of God, come down from there and save us. And by
the grace of God, you know, if lightning had to come down, and
destroyed those two, one on the right hand and one on the left.
God would have been destroying one of his very elect because
on that right hand there was a man that God revealed the Son
of God to and he said, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.
Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. So God is
gracious that he doesn't strike us dead in our religion and what
we ever say and what we did, that he doesn't kill us at that
very moment. He's merciful, but he will not
be chargeable. His children will not be chargeable. They are moved with compassion
upon their family. They're moved with compassion
upon their neighbors. They're moved with compassion
upon their friends. They're moved with compassion
upon those about them. They're moved with compassion
upon those they may meet, but what happens with the gospel
is God's business, and nobody will be held accountable or chargeable
for it not being effective upon people. So, why should there
be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? There
won't be. God will not be chargeable. The
children will not be chargeable. He will carry out exactly as
he has determined to do. Now, notice verse 24 with me. This is just, well, it's like
the rest of the verses in this passage of scripture. My goodness,
as Ezra is a type of Christ, notice this, and thou, Ezra,
after the wisdom of, excuse me, verse 24, as we certify you that
touching any of the priests and the Levites, singers, porters,
Nathaeum's or ministers of this house of God Notice what's going
to happen? All of these servants of the
house of God From priests down whatever standing they may have
in the purpose of grace teachers ministers hearers listeners Whatever
it is listen It shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute,
or custom upon them." Now we say, what does that mean? Good
things, my friend, good things. That's what it means. The rich
blessings from the king to be carried out by Ezra is a picture
of the rich blessings that we have in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ
promised to never put his people chargeable for their sins. They
will never ever be taxed. In fact, we find this taxation
brought up by the disciples one time when they said, who did
sin, this man or his parents? That's a form of taxation that
God will not tolerate. He will not tolerate any toll. He will not tolerate any tax
because the work has been finished by him from the foundation of
the world. In the covenant of grace before
the foundation, the work was carried out and there will be
no taxes imposed upon His people during this life after He saves
us by His grace. We will not have a poll tax.
We will not have taxation. Everyone that is a servant of
the Most High God in Christ Jesus will not be taxed. They will
not be counted and accountable for their sins. Now, we all sin
more than we want to. We all sin more than we wish
we did. But what's going to happen to
those sins that we do after He saves us? What is going to happen
to those? How is God going to react to
those sins? He's already reacted to those
sins when they were imputed to the Son of God on the cross of
Jesus, as Jesus Christ was placed on the cross. He had those sins
imputed to Him. So what's God going to do about
it now? Nothing. Nothing. You say, I'm sick because
I sinned. That's not God's purpose. You
said, I'm going through these trials because of sin. That's
not God's purpose. God's purpose was to impose all
those sins to His people. So if we're still counting them
as imposed upon us because we are sick or because we have these
great trials, then are we trusting Jesus Christ for all our salvation? Have we taken Him Do we have
him as the Savior if we're going to talk like that? I'm being
punished. What does it say turn with me
over to the book of Romans? Romans chapter 8 2 verses in
the book of Romans chapter 8 Now I know this about illness I know
this about sickness it's a result of the fall I know that I Know
that that is part of the fall. He never Intended God never intended
to save this flesh when he saved our soul We have this flesh till
we die. It gets worse and worse Paul
said Oh wretched man that I am as he looked at his person as
his being You know, we got this nonsense going around right now
It's always been there, but we got this nonsense going around
that the only way you will ever know if you're a child of God
is how obedient you are. Can you imagine that? Oh my. There's preachers that are declaring
that. The only way that you know that
you're a child of God is who are you depending upon for all
your salvation? It's obedience. My goodness,
we're a runaway train. Thank God for His ability as
God Almighty to restrain us from doing some of the things that
we would do. But it is God's grace. Notice here in the book of Romans,
Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and verse 1.
First of all, there is therefore now no taxation. No condemnation. I'm not going
to tax you for that. I'm not going to give you a poll
tax. I'm not going to count this against
you. You are my child and my child for eternity. The son of
God had all that imposed upon him, so I'm not going to bring
it up again. I'm not going to have a poll tax. What did that
say over there in the book of Ezra? It says, not lawful to
impose toll, tribute, or custom upon them. The church is put
in the most favorable position possible. Jesus Christ paid for
all their sin, and it will not be taxed in time. Well, you know,
you've gone thus far pretty good, but we're gonna have to bring,
well, what's it say? There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. No condemnation. And then travel
down that chapter with me to verse 33. Chapter eight and verse
33 of the book of Romans. The rich benefits of Jesus Christ
paying for all our sin. Those chapters early on in the
book of Romans, they just paint a terrible picture of natural
man's plight in the fall. And then we find the blessings
of grace brought out And here, in verse 33 of this wonderful
8th chapter, it says, Who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that justifieth. It
is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. There is no sin
at all. It is covered. He will not bring
it up. He will not remember it. It is
as far as the east is from the west, or it's still on us. What is it? So, the king said,
None of those people who are my servants Ezra's servants at
the temple at the church will have any imposition now everybody
outside Everybody outside there's going to be some taxation and
that taxation is going to be serious in the end You will pay
the very last farthing To my elect Jesus Christ my son
your Savior has paid the very last farthing There will be no
imposed taxation turn with me to the book of Job if you would
Job shares so much about us and so much about God's great protective
care Job chapter 1 verse 9 We mentioned this on Wednesday
night. When we read the name Satan, please don't ever count
it as him omnipotent or omniscient or omnipresent. He's not. He
doesn't know what's in your mind. He doesn't know where you're
going. A lot of people treat him as almost a second deity
when they give him omnipotence, omnipresence, and all those characteristics
and attributes of God, but he is not. He's a created being. Satan is God's Satan. The devil
is God's devil. And here it says, Then Satan
answered the Lord and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast
thou Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house,
and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed
the work of his hands, and the substance is increased in the
land. But put forth thine hand now,
and touch all that he hath. And he will curse thee to thy
face. And the Lord said unto Satan,
Behold, all that he hath is in thy power. Only upon himself
shalt thou not put thy hand. So Satan went forth from the
presence of the Lord, and he did at God's permission. Was
Job punished for his sin? No. God has put a hedge about
us in that case. Now what happens during this
life? It's in God's purpose. And everything falls out for
the furtherance of the gospel. I'll guarantee you that. Everything
falls out for the furtherance of the gospel. And it's not for
us to understand. His ways are above our ways as
far as heaven is above earth. That's his ways. It's not for
us to understand. It's for us to believe. It is
for us to trust that these things have fallen out for the glory
of God. Now finally, before we close
this morning, would you turn with me back? to a passage that
we're looking at in Wednesday night, and that's the book of
Zechariah. The book of Zechariah chapter three. We have a long
time before we get here, but let's read these verses. Zechariah
chapter three, verses one through four. This is the promise of
God to every one of his children. He says, I'll not charge you
again. I'll not have a tax against you. I'll not have a toll against
you. I'll not make you make payments. This is taken care of at the
cross. It's imputed to the Son of God, all your sin. Now notice
here, and he should be Joshua, the high priest, standing before
the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to
resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan,
the Lord rebuke thee. O Satan, even the Lord that hath
chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. Is not this a bran plucked out
of the fire? Joshua was clothed with filthy
garments and stood before the angel. Oh my goodness Joshua
stood with filthy garments now need read the next verse with
me though and he answered and spake unto those that stood before
him saying Take away the filthy garments from him and unto him. He said behold I have caused
thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will close thee with a
change of raiment Hallelujah He's taken the old filthy Self-righteous
garments those fig leaves that we sewed together. He's taken
those and I've taken your iniquities from you and I've will clothe
thee with a change of Raymond So as it brought out in the book
of Ezra and as Jesus Christ is a type of Ezra Touching any of
the priests and Levite singers? porters and ethyems or ministers
of this house of God it shall not be lawful to impose toll,
tribute, or custom upon them. I'll not have it. They are mine. I purchased them, and they owe
nothing. I'll not have it. Well, we're
going to stop there for today. And we trust that as we think
about these things, we'll have a blessing. And I know I had
a blessing during the Bible class this morning, and we look forward
to the time when we can come together again and maybe go on
here in the book of Ezra and look at Ezra, a type of Christ,
again. May we pray. Gracious Father,
we thank you for the blessings you've given us this day, for
the privilege of seeing our friends and family, and Lord, for the
privilege of hearing your word taught and preached, and as we've
looked here in the book of Ezra to see the wonderful pictures
that you left of us of our Savior, the Lord Jesus, and it's in his
dear name we pray, amen.