Well, good morning and welcome
to our study of the Book of Ezra. Glad morning here as we are going
to start again looking at three more people in the list, the
genealogical list here in the Book of Ezra chapter 8. And then
we're going to go on down to verses 21 and 22. The fourth verse of this list,
there are three more individuals that are listed. The legacy of
three more travelers going to Jerusalem with Ezra are brought
out in their names. And in reality, this is all or
most of all we know about these folks. They're mentioned two
or three times, Ezra, Nehemiah, and maybe in 1 Chronicles. most
of it is, here it is, this is all we know about them, and as
we look at the definition of their names we find it relates
so much to our position by nature or to our Savior, to Jehovah. So the first one we notice here
in verse four of this eighth chapter of the book of Ezra The
name is Pahatham Moab. Pahatham Moab. And his name means
pit of Moab. And as I was looking at that
and thinking about it, it truly is where we all start. A horrible
pit. We're all there in a horrible
pit by nature. In the Psalm, Psalm 40 and verse
2, he brought me out of a horrible pit. Let's just go over there
and read that passage of scripture as it is so descriptive of our
natural condition and our inability to raise ourselves out of our
natural condition. In the book of Psalms, Psalm
40, verse 2, He brought me up also out of a horrible pit. He brought me up. The Lord brought
me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. and set
my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a
new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see
it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. So this man's name
means a pit of Moab. It is truly a horrible pit. We
have another way of describing it, found in 2 Samuel chapter
9, when David is looking for one of the relatives of Saul.
And his name is Mephibosheth, and he lives in Lodibar. and
it's a place of no bread, it's a place of no pasture, that's
where we are by nature. It's the pit of Moab. Well, as
we go on here in the book of Ezra, Ezra chapter 8, we notice
in that fourth verse, Ezra chapter 8 and verse 4, that there is
another name, and this is his legacy left behind As the Lord
prompted, moved upon his parents to name him this, Ehalonai. And his name means unto Jehovah
are my eyes. By the miracle of the new birth,
we are permitted to see. I remember, and I'm drawn to
that passage of scripture over in the book of Matthew chapter
16. Where the Lord Jesus is bringing up to his disciples about what
are men saying? Who do they say I am then he
directs it to? the disciples to Peter Peter
answers and says thou art the Christ the Son of the Living
God and Jesus answered and said flesh and blood hath not revealed
this unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. It is the
miracle of the new birth that our eyes are on Jehovah. Unto Jehovah are our eyes, and
we're drawn to him. We are, as Paul said, I press
towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. I'm
moving in that direction. My eyes are upon him, and we
thank God for that. And then, in verse four, we also
have another name the legacy of this man's area and His name
means Jehovah has risen and I say as Robert Hawker often does in
his writings. Oh my soul He rose from the great
judgment of the cross payment was made and all the Saints rejoice
in his resurrection and The Jehovah has risen. We all rejoice in
it. And there's a verse over in the
book of Romans, Romans chapter one, that I think warrants our
attention for just a moment this morning. as we look at the legacy
of these three men as they're recorded in the book of Ezra
chapter four and there are a number of other folks there and as we
go through the book of Ezra we want to pick those names up but
for today this will be the last one. In the book of Romans chapter
one and verse four it speaks of and declared to be the Son
of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the
resurrection from the dead Jehovah has risen Jehovah has risen so
here we have a man's name pit of Moab and truly that's where
we start and then we have unto Jehovah are my eyes What a miracle
of grace it is that gives us sight. We're born spiritually
blind, but we're given the sight to see Jehovah, and what a glorious
sight it is to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you not seen yet? You love. And then the last one,
Jehovah has risen. What a glorious thought that
we think about or we attest to every time we pray. We're praying
to a risen Savior. Well, join me now in traveling
down through the list of names and that genealogical list there.
Would you travel down with me to the verse 21 of this eighth
chapter of the book of Ezra? Ezra chapter 8, and there I'd
like to read verses 21, 22, 23, and 24. No, excuse me, just 23.
Those three verses. Verse 21, it says, because that
when they knew God, I'm back in Romans and let me
get over to Ezra. Ezra chapter 8 and there in verse
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. For I was ashamed
to require of the king, king Ahasuerus, 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. So we
fasted, and we sought our God for this, and he was entreated
of us." Well, last time we were looking there at verse 21, and
we looked at that fast, and we found out that more than just
not eating food, but it is waiting on the Lord, being silent, keeping
our lips together, And then we also noticed in that verse of
scripture, and we want to make some comments today, it says
that we might afflict ourselves before our God. Now there are
many who have read that verse of scripture, or verses similar
to that, and they take it so literal, they'll beat themselves. They'll take a cat or nine tails
and beat their own flesh, and all kinds of things have been
done in the name of afflicting ourselves. And my wife and I
were in Mexico one time, and we were told that there at a
certain time of year, they scattered glass on the floor of this religious
monument, and people crawl on their knees up to some altar.
They afflict themselves thinking that they're going to, excuse
me, help themselves religiously. But how terrible that is. This word afflict that we read
here, this word comes to us from a word that describes the nomadic
agriculturalist carefully watching over his livestock and crops
by keeping a close eye on them, a watching over something of
importance. And sometimes we get this word
afflict in the negative sense because it's the furrow found
between the eyes when you are intensely looking. And sometimes
that's translated as having anger or bitterness. But this is studying
things carefully. This is looking at things carefully.
We afflicted ourselves. We're reflecting on these things.
And oftentimes in the Old Testament, this word has been translated
humble. Couple of them I'd like to travel to and they're found
over in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8 Deuteronomy chapter
8 and verse 2 in Deuteronomy chapter 8 and verse 2 we have This record Deuteronomy chapter
8 and verse 2 and thou shalt remember all the way which the
Lord thy God led thee and these forty years in the wilderness,
to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine
heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee
with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers
know, that he might make thee known, that man doth not live
by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of the Lord doth man live. In verse 2 we have the word humble. It says to humble thee and in
verse 3 and he humbled thee and this is the same word that we
find over here in the book of Ezra chapter 8 and verse 21 where
it says that we afflicted ourselves The Lord humbled us and it reminds
me of a passage over in the book of Philippians about our Lord
says, and being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled
himself. He humbled himself. The greatest
humility that has ever been expressed in all the world throughout all
history is the God of glory giving up the glory that he had with
the father before the world was and taking upon himself the flesh
like you and I have." What great humility that was. He humbled
himself. Philippians chapter 2 and there
in verse 8. And then I also remember over
here in the book of Luke chapter 3. Would you turn there with
me? Luke chapter 3. Now I realize this is speaking
about mountains and hills and so forth, but I find that it's
a metaphor that speaks about what God does in preparation
for us, in preparation for the gospel being preached, here in
the book of Luke chapter 3. Luke chapter 3 and verse 5, the
scriptures tell us this, every valley shall be filled and every
mountain and hill shall be brought low. When the Lord saves us,
we think we're important before he saves us. We think we're pretty
valuable. We think we're going to be doing God a favor by going
along in some religious order for him. But it says here, and
every mountain and hill shall be brought low and the crooked
shall be made straight and the rough way shall be made smooth.
This is the Lord speaking about the way and also the people that
are on the way that he will take care of this. So, Ezra and all
those folks that were gathered there in preparation for going
from Babylon to Jerusalem They brought lo they're humbled before
God. They're ready to wait upon him.
They're fasting and waiting upon the Lord and and in preparation
for traveling between Babylon and Jerusalem. And to me, that's
a wonderful picture of leaving, upon our new birth, leaving Babylon
and traveling the rest of our life to Jerusalem. And that's
going to lead us into the next verse here. as in verse 22 of
the book of Ezra chapter 8. In Ezra chapter 8 and verse 22
there's a situation brought up that touches our heart. Ezra
chapter 8 and verse 22. Now Ezra has has been a faithful
minister of the gospel while he's been in Babylon. That's
quite evident. He's been speaking to the king.
It tells us there 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." We had spoken unto the
king. It is quite evident here that
he was speaking so much about the Almighty God, and His grace,
and the salvation of this God. He was speaking to the king,
and he could, how could, We ask the king to help us to Jerusalem
if we've been bragging on the king of glory. That's what's
brought out here. Ezra is bringing that. I'm ashamed.
I was ashamed to require the king to ban the soldiers. Now,
I think that Ezra, if he'd have requested a band of soldiers,
that king would have been pleased to send them along to protect
he and all this host of people that were traveling. That wasn't
the issue. The issue was that Ezra had been
talking about a God that could keep him, a God that could direct
him, a God that could overcome all his enemies. And that's the
way it is as we travel from Babylon to Jerusalem, as we travel from
where the Lord found us to Mount Zion, that it is not up to us
to beg help of someone else. We have the blood of Christ,
but we need something else. You know, I have to bring up
an incident that happened in my own family. I was about 14
or 15. years old, I just had my learner's
permit, driver's permit, and my uncle passed away. And my
dad was, he called several of us together and told us that
his brother had passed away. And he concluded the conversation
by saying that he knew where his brother was or where my uncle
was. And I just asked him, I says,
how do you know that he's in heaven? And my dad, who had taught
Bible class in a Baptist church for over 30 years, and claimed
to believe salvation by grace. But when I ask him that question,
how do you know that your brother is in heaven? He says, oh, he
was a good man. That is asking the king to go
along with you. That is asking for outside help. That is unscriptural. That means,
I don't believe the gospel. I was ashamed. Now, there's much
said in the Old Testament about those who would trust in other
things. All along they will claim that
they are trusting the Lord, but when it gets tough, they don't
do what Ezra did. Well, just go over here with
me to the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 31. Isaiah chapter
31. Isaiah chapter 31 and verse 1. We read this. Woe to them. Isaiah chapter 31 verse 1. Join
me here. Woe to them that go down to Egypt
for help and stay on horses or trust in horses. and trust in
chariots. because they are many in horsemen
because they are very strong but they look not unto the holy
one of israel neither seek the lord isaiah the preacher the
prophet the declare the one who knew the gospel in his day the
one who was faithful to the gospel in his day faithful to god in
his day is led by the holy spirit to write this and say woe to
them that go to egypt now he's not talking about going to a
physical place he's talking about substituting, substituting all
these other things for the grace of God. Substituting, to go to
Egypt and trust in horses and cherries, that's just substituting
these things for what God said he would take care of. Saying
God is not sufficient, God is not able, God can't take care
of it. I need to go down here and get help. I need to go do
this and get some help. I need to get on my knees. I
need to get a cat of nine tails. I need to crawl on my knees on
glass. I need to do all those silly
things and they do not help because he goes at the end of that verse,
he says, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither
seek the Lord Jehovah. Don't seek Him. Isaiah chapter
But let's just back up one chapter Isaiah chapter 30 Isaiah chapter
30 and read verse 1 Isaiah chapter 30 in verse 1. It's war to the
rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel But not
of me and that cover with a covering, but not my spirit, that they
may add sin to sin." This is the natural inclination of men
born from Adam is to seek help or counsel from someone else
or something else besides the Lord. We can't trust Him. We
can't trust what He says. We know better than that. They
walk to go down into Egypt and have not asked of my mouth to
strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and trust
in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore shall the strength
of the Pharaoh be your shame and the trust in the shadow of
Egypt your confusion For his princes were in Zohan, and his
ambassadors came to Haines. They were all ashamed of a people,
and could not profit them, nor be a help, nor profit, but a
shame, and also a reproach. Oh, as the Lord speaks through
his prophet Isaiah, and shares what people were doing in those
days and times from a physical standpoint, and look what they're
doing at that time, as well as this time, when it comes to a
spiritual standpoint. will not trust what the Lord
has to say. It's not enough. It's just not
enough to trust the Lord. I remember a lady sharing concerning
our church one time. There's just not enough works
there. There's just not enough works. She meant it to be harsh,
but it was a great compliment to have not enough work. We trust
the Lord. We trust the Lord. Over in the
Psalms, Psalm 20, Backing up to there Psalm 20. Would you
look there with me? Psalm 20 and verse 7 Psalm 20
in verse 7 As we look at the subject that Ezra was so careful
He had boasted in his Lord. He had boasted in God. He had
bragged on grace He had bragged on Salvation in the Lord God
Almighty and that the the place to trust would be in God and
When it came to traveling these four months through the wilderness
with all kinds of enemies around them There was that thought but
the Lord was gracious to him not to request it and we find
out They made it The Lord watched over them. They made it That's
the way with every one of his sheep. They will make it. As our Bible class teacher shared
in talking about the eternal security, the preservation, and
perseverance of the saints, in no way will he cast them out. So here we are, the Psalms, Psalm
20 and verse 7. The scriptures share this. Some
trust in chariots. and summon horses, but we will
remember the name of the Lord our God. Now, if you're trusting
in anything but the grace of God, the mercy of God, the righteousness,
blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, you have your
chariots and you have your horses. Now, they may be small chariots,
miniature chariots, and they may be some of these small horses.
But if you have anything besides the grace of God, if you have
anything besides the blood of Christ, if you have anything
besides the righteousness of Christ, you are trusting in something
else, and that is terrible. That is a slap in the face of
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, saying His blood is not sufficient. Here in this verse, but we will
remember, Ezra You just hear him saying that as he spoke,
but we will remember the name of the Lord our God in Psalm
36 turn there with me Psalm 36 and in verses 16 and 17 Psalm
33 Psalm 30. I'm sorry Psalm 33 verse 16 and 17 There is no
king saved by the multitude of a host and Mighty man is not delivered by
much strength and a horse is a vain thing for safety Neither
shall he deliver any by his great strength how fallible is a horse
how fallible is a is a Chariot remember all those chariots that
were going through the Red Sea Chasing the Israelites all their
wheels fell off by God's command they they were they dragged heavily
and The horses and the chariots were a trap. And we find that
that's exactly what they are. There is no hope in all of these
chariots. There's no hope in all of these
going down to Egypt. They're all summed up in the
book of Proverbs. Would you look here in the book
of Proverbs with me? Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs
chapter 3 and verse 5. This is all summed up here. Proverbs
chapter 3 verse 5 as the scriptures speak to our hearts this morning
trust in the Lord with all thine heart and Lean not into thine
own understanding Now if the Lord hasn't given us the trust
to trust the Lord will lean on our own understanding It's a
paradox here We have a deck we have a dichotomy here trust in
the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding
in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
So we have Ezra being an example of that so many years ago as
he's preparing all these folks. He was concerned about not having
everyone there. He's concerned about preparation
for traveling from Babylon to Jerusalem. He's preparing. He's got it there. And it comes
time to leave, and no doubt there had been warnings given to those
folks, you leave Babylon and you'll be in trouble. We'll be
there ready to pounce on you. We'll be there ready to destroy
you as you travel those four months through the wilderness.
And no doubt there was a lot of trepidation. But Ezra said,
I can't ask this king for help. I must ask the king for help. I must ask of the Lord direction
in this matter. I'll trust the Lord. Come what
may, I'll trust the Lord. The grace of God is so gracious
to us to keep us from falling due to ignorance and unbelief. I'm so thankful as we look through
the scriptures that God has put a hedge about all his folks.
He's put a hedge about all his sheep. He's protected them. He's
protected them even in their day of unbelief. Oh, it is so
easy, it is so easy to be drawn away in our own thoughts. Turn with me if you would over
here to the book of 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 2, as the great glorious gospel has so many blessings
in it even though we're unworthy and we are, even though we're
sinners and we are, even though we're not deserving and we're
not. Everything that God has said
about the salvation of His people is absolute truth and not one
shall be lost. We're just not in this alone. We have the great God of heaven.
That's the one Ezra was bragging about, to King Ahasuerus. I'd
be so embarrassed to go. Oh, to be embarrassed to go somewhere
else for help. That's the grace of God that
would give us that embarrassment. Here in the book of 2 Timothy,
in chapter 2, and there in verse 10, Paul shares This young preacher
therefore I endure all things for the Alexei. Isn't that an
interesting statement? I Endure all things for the Alexei
we could say that about Ezra Came time to leave to go to Jerusalem
and not everybody was there so he didn't do some more time he'd
wait a little longer for the Alexei and that they may also
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory. I'll endure all things for the
elect's sake, that they all may obtain salvation. Verse 11, it
is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall
also live with him. What a faithful saying. My goodness,
if the Lord has saved us, we're saved. It's not an argument. We just have to ask, who saved
you? Did a chariot in Egypt? Did someone's ideas or thoughts,
did someone's religion, someone's formula, someone's formula of
salvation. My goodness, one time I went
online and just typed in, how are people saved, and it came
back with 10 million. Sites of instructing how to be
saved and they're 99.99999 is just absolute unscriptural foolishness
Trusting in chariots and trusting in horses going down to Egypt
for help when the Lord is the Savior of his people and It is
a faithful saying, if we be dead with him, we shall also live
with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign
with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. Now there's going to be some
people that just jump on that bandwagon because they don't
believe that God is going to save his people for eternity.
that they are in it alone and they have to fight and fuss every
day on whether they're going to be saved or not. Well, this
passage of Scripture, we must remember our love of Christ forms
no standard for His love for us. Our love of Christ forms
no standard for His love for us. What does it say in 1 John
4? We love Him because He first loved us. Now that love is an eternal love. That love is an everlasting love. God in his eternal perfections
has eternally loved his people from eternity and will carry
that love out to eternity. It is not a faltering love. It is not a love based upon our
love. Our love is based on his love. But his love for us is not based
on our love. Oh, sometimes we find ourselves
as the saints of old. Just keep your finger here in
2 Timothy and travel back again to the book of Isaiah, Isaiah
chapter 49, Isaiah chapter 49. We read here in the book of Isaiah
chapter 49 these words that are recorded for our learning and
for our admonition. Isaiah chapter 49 and then we
are going to go to verse 14. Isaiah 49 verse 14. But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken
me and my Lord hath forgotten me. The very next verse, can a woman
forget her sucking child? That she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? Now God's saying this. We're
going to believe it. God is saying this. Yes, yea,
they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven
thee upon the palm of my hands. Thy walls are continually before
me. So we may say, the Lord hath
forsaken thee. Oh, the trouble we're brought
to, not for chastisement and not for judgment. but for God's
glory and our good. This has befallen us. Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken
me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Oh, we're so prone to do
that. But we have the comfort in knowing
that He will never forget us. And in the book of Lamentations,
oh, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Lamentations, the lamenting,
Here in the book of Lamentations chapter 3 and verse 18, Lamentations
chapter 3 and verse 18, And I said, My strength and my hope is perished
from the Lord, remembering mine affliction and my misery, the
wormwood and the gall. Oh, as this one, brought so low,
as number one, he's looking at the problems of Israel, and number
two, he's looking at the problems of himself, and he just writes
this lament. And yet, in the middle of this
book, this writer, by the Holy Spirit's inspiration, says, Great
is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. This is not, as we go back
there to the book of Second Timothy, that verse of scripture that
we're looking there, and many people will jump right on that
and say, look at that, look at that. You could get yourself
into so much trouble that he'll deny you. Now this word found
in this verse of scripture, here in Second Timothy chapter two,
it says in verse 12, If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.
If we deny him, he also will deny us. This deny means This
is not the denial the apostle had in consideration. This denial
is to contradict, reject, refuse the apostasy of a hypocrite and
the false profession of those who call themselves Christians,
which are so in name only, who deny Christ Godhead. redemption by His blood, and
the works of the Spirit, regeneration and sanctification. This is the
true denial that is mentioned in this verse of Scripture, those
who deny the very God, the very God, who deny Christ Godhead. Oh, this is the problem. He said, I'll deny you. And we
have that recorded here in the New Testament. We have the very
denial of God upon these folks. And that's found in the book
of Matthew, chapter 25. Those, you deny me, you contradict me,
you reject me, you refuse me. Now, this is serious, folks. This is very serious. And I don't
know if you've ever heard this, but I've heard this so many times,
I know what the Bible says, but I do not believe it. Now that
is contradicting, rejecting, and refusing Christ. That is walking away from Christ
and to say that I know Christ as my Savior and I'm promised
eternal life and Deny the very word that he preaches and deny
the very word about him That is denial and that will reward
us to be denied by him Matthew chapter 25 we find this is brought
out as the Lord himself brings up this subject at the last day
of In Matthew chapter 25 and verse 41, Matthew chapter 25
and verse 41, Ezra was ashamed to talk to the king about getting
help. Now, as things turned out, the
Lord blessed him. Oh, sometimes we're concerned.
How are we going to make it through this? How are we going to make
it through this trouble? How are we going to make it through
this valley? How are we going to make it through? Well, the Lord's
got it all figured out. and He is just training us to
trust Him. Now if we deny Him, if we deny
His Godhead, if we deny His salvation, redemption by His blood, if we
go somewhere else for our help, If we say, I've been saved by
the blood of Christ, but I must be baptized, if we say, I've
been saved by the redemptive work of Christ, and I have to
have the cup of the communion, or if I have to work my head
off, if I have to I work every day to keep that, then we've
denied the gospel, we've denied the God of the gospel, and this
is what he said about that. Matthew chapter 25 and verse
41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart
from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels. That is him denying them. You
denied me, I deny you. What he says, for I was a hunger
and you gave me no meat. I was thirsty and you gave me
no drink. And it drops down through here
and says several other things along that same line. We know
this, what it says here. Then he shall say unto them,
saying, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it,
did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not unto
me. And these shall Let me back up here, I've jumped ahead of
myself. In verse 44, Then shall they also answer him. Now, I
want you to realize, they are speaking to omnipotence. The Lord God Almighty. They are speaking to omniscience. He has been everywhere at the
same moment. He knows everything that's going
on. They are speaking to omnipresence. He knows all things. He has been
everywhere. He is everywhere. And he is absolutely
all-powerful. They are speaking to God. And
they are saying, you must be mistaken. Can you imagine anybody
telling Almighty God, you must be mistaken? They're not talking
to a slave. They're talking to the omnipotent
God. And they say, you must be mistaken. We deny your words about us because
we did all of this. My audacity, audacity of these
folks. What is it if the Lord said that
to a saint? What if the Lord said that to
you? What if he said that to you?
Now, if you're a believer, you know what you're going to say?
Lord, forgive me. Lord, forgive me. There was a
sacrifice over there in the book of Leviticus for folks who sinned
unknowingly. Lord, forgive me. But to this
audacious group of people, these deniers, they would bring it
up and tell God, you've made a mistake. What's it say? When shall they also answer him,
and say, Lord, when saw we thee hungered, or athirst, or stranger,
or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
God of heaven knows. You don't argue with him. You
don't argue with his word. They argued with omnipotence. And what did he say? I deny you. I deny you. Depart from me, ye
workers of iniquity. So that's what we have over here
in the book of 2 Timothy 2 and verse 12. But I want us to go
back there and see what is for the believer. 2 Timothy 2 and
verse 13. Yay! Verse 13, here we are. God's people cannot deny him.
God's people say, Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. You're right. I'll never forget a preacher
trying to start an argument with another preacher. And he just
told that preacher, that guy that wanted to start an argument,
he told that preacher, he says, oh, you got in your church of
sinners, hoping to get a fuss. And that preacher said, you got
that right. You know, God's people know. If God points out the problem,
we know. We're ready to say, Lord, forgive
me. Lord, forgive me. Lord, forgive
me for the lack of trusting you. Lord, forgive me. But here in
verse 13, if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. Now he didn't say that about
those he denied. He says that about his people,
about the church. Here's Ezra right in the middle
of this. He says, oh Ezra, Ezra, you may
have just a little lack of faith there for a moment, yet I abide
faithful. I'll watch over you. He cannot
deny himself. If he denies the church, he's
denying all his work on their behalf. If he denies the church
and anybody in it, he's denying all his blood, all his activity
from eternity. He cannot do that. His church
is protected by His promise, by His faithfulness, though we
are unfaithful and we know it. And when it's pointed out to
us, we will say, yeah, God, you're right. You're so right in that
one. Oh, please be merciful to me. Help me. Oh, God, help me. Would
I trust you? Well, let's go back over here
to the book of Ezra as we close. The book of Ezra. As we close over here, I just
want to look at a couple of things as a result of this. Ezra says we can't go down to
Egypt. We can't go to Egypt. We can't
trust in horses. We can't trust in chariots. We
can't trust in this king. We've already been bragging about
the salvation that we have in Christ Jesus. We can't trust
that stuff. And he says, so we fasted, verse
23, so we fasted and besought our God for us. And he was entreated
of us. Now, let's just travel down through
several verses here, down through several verses. Verse 31, there it is. Verse 31, I have it in my notes
and won't even look at them. The trip is the Lord's, the path
is the Lord's, the protection is the Lord's, the success is
the Lord's, the presentation at Mount Zion is of the Lord.
Notice verse 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." As we read over there in Timothy,
we may not believe, but he is faithful. He took this whole
group of folks. Not one was lost. They traveled
together. They didn't travel in groups
separated from each other. They traveled together. They
shared together. They bore one another's burden.
They traveled day by day for all this time and arrived. And
then, in the end, the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered
us from the hand of the enemy and of such that lay in wait
by the way. So they didn't need Ahasuerus'
help. Didn't need those chariots, didn't
need those men, didn't need those horses, didn't need all that
stuff. They trusted in the Lord and he delivered them to Mount
Zion. Oh, trust the Lord and don't
move a muscle. He'll deliver every one of his
people to Mount Zion, deliver them to glory. We have this trip
to travel. He will take care of his people.
He'll lose none of them. And we may be faithless. We may have trouble. But he is
faithful. And we thank him for it. The
trip is the Lord's. The path is the Lord's. The protection
is of the Lord. The success is the Lord's. And
the presentation at Mount Zion is of the Lord. Welcome, thou
good and faithful servant. May God bless you. And we'll
look at another passage here in the book of Ezra again next
week. Thank you.