The Anatomy of God: God's Hand

Happy Memorial Day everyone.

I have been looking at the Bible's references to God's hand for some time now.  There are many, many references to God's hand in the Bible.  God does many things, in terms of blessing and punishment, using his hand.  Of the two, I prefer the blessing.

Today I want to look in Ezra 7.  Judah had been taken into captivity by Babylon and now were under the power of Persia.  The Persian kings had allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.  Ezra is going to lead a second group of captives back to Jerusalem.  Here in Ezra 7:6 it says that because the hand of the Lord was on Ezra, the king granted him everything he asked for.  This is a good deal.  Who wouldn't want the hand of God to be upon them in such a fashion, where you get everything you ask for?  Take a look at the letter that Artaxerxes, King of Persia, wrote for him in Ezra 7:12-26.  Here is a list of some of the things in that letter:

• Any Israelite that wants to go with Ezra, may go. (v13)
• They were given silver and gold given by the king and his advisers. (v. 15)
• They were to take more silver and gold that they carried with them from Babylon. (v. 16)
• After buying animals and grains for sacrifice they had freedom to use the money as they thought best.  Artaxerxes trusted Ezra's judgment. (v. 18)
• The treasurers of Trans-Euphrates were to provide Ezra with whatever he asked (within certain limits) of wheat, wine, olive oil and salt (unlimited). (v. 22)
• Ezra and anyone involved in the temple worship didn't have to pay taxes.  (v. 24)  
• Ezra was to teach anyone who didn't know the God of Israel, about Him.  (v.25)  (This was unusual, since the Persians were typically not followers of the God of Israel, but rather practiced Zoroastrianism and followed a god called Ahura Mazda.)

So God's hand was on Ezra in a great way and He caused Artaxerxes to give Ezra much.  So what had Ezra done to gain such blessing.  Fortunately, the Bible tells us.  Ezra 7: 8-10 says, " He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.  For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel."

Here in verse 9 we see that God's hand, his gracious hand, is on Ezra.  But why?  Verse 10 gives three reasons.  First, Ezra devoted himself to the study of God's word.  Second, he devoted himself to the observance of God's word.  In other words, Ezra obeyed God's word.  Third, he devoted himself to teaching God's word.  Summing up, God blessed Ezra because he studied, obeyed and taught God's word.  We can all do this.

Ezra concludes this chapter in verse 28 that because God's hand was upon him, he took courage and gathered leaders to go with him.  So because God's hand was upon him, Ezra was courageous and called others to follow him.

May the hand of God be on us.
Tom