Ezra 7:9, commentary and pictures

Ezra began the ascent from Babylon on the first day of the first month and reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, a journey of about four months. The decree that authorized that return was issued in 457 B.C. and went into effect in the autumn near the close of that year, providing the starting point for the seventy weeks leading to the Messiah and for the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14 reckoned to the fall of 1844. His arrival in safety despite dangers along the way was evidence of the good hand of his God upon him in protecting care, prospering the journey and delivering the company from enemy and ambush. Because Ezra trusted God to protect and provide for His people, God moved the king to favor him and to furnish abundant means and authorization for restoring Jerusalem and beautifying the house of the Lord. That coming with several thousand men, women, and children, more than seventy years after the first return under Zerubbabel, gave the scattered people another opportunity to return to the land of promise and brought courage and hope to those laboring under trying difficulties.

Journey to Jerusalem

Ezra began to go up from Babylon on the first day of the first month and came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, a journey of about four months completed through God's favor and help upon him. After beginning on the first day of the first month he tarried a few days at the river to complete every provision for the long journey and departed from the river on the twelfth day of the first month. The company with him numbered several thousand in all, including women and children, necessitating slow progress.

His arrival took place over seventy years after the first company of exiles had returned with Zerubbabel and Joshua, when the temple had been finished and the walls of the city had been partially repaired yet much remained undone. At times the people had become disheartened and had well-nigh ceased effort to restore the city, and even during the years of comparative peace following the troublous times of Queen Esther little was done to uphold the wall. His coming with his company to Jerusalem brought courage and hope to many who had long labored under trying difficulties.

The decree connected with the journey was the third issued since the close of the seventy years captivity, issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus for the restoring and building of Jerusalem. It gave permission for all the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in the Medo-Persian realm who were willing of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, with abundant provision, gifts for the temple, and authorization to carry out plans for Jerusalem.

Ezra trusted that God could protect and provide for His people, and his faith and integrity impressed the king, so God moved the king to favor Ezra and provide means for rebuilding the temple. The return gave the scattered people another opportunity to return to the land tied to the promises to the house of Israel and to serve God in their own land, showing God's forbearance toward His wayward people. It brought great rejoicing to those studying God's purposes for His people, and led Ezra to bless the Lord God of the fathers for putting it in the king's heart to beautify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem and for extending mercy to him before the king and his counselors and mighty princes.

Prophetic Starting Point

The chapter containing the verse identifies the decree of Artaxerxes as the command to restore and build Jerusalem. That decree is the decree of Artaxerxes to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, going forth in 457 B.C. It went into effect in the autumn, near the close of that year. The verse's dating of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, begun on the first day of the first month and completed on the first day of the fifth month, helps establish when the decree took effect.

That date begins the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14. They were first reckoned by subtracting 457 from 2300 to terminate in 1843 with the coming of the Lord. The calculation of prophetic time was so simple and plain that even children could understand it. Yet the year entirely passed away without the Saviour coming, bringing sad disappointment.

Because the decree did not go forth at the beginning of 457 but near its close, the 2300-year period was reckoned to reach to the fall of 1844 rather than to the close of 1843. The decree in Ezra 7 thus dated to 457 B.C. did not end in 1843 but reached the fall of 1844. The decree provides the starting point for the seventy weeks prophecy. It is the starting point for the prophetic time period leading to the Messiah, going into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C.

Good Hand of God

Ezra began to go up from Babylon on the first day of the first month and came to Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, a journey of about four months whose safe completion was evidence of God's protecting care over the returning Jews despite the dangers along the way. After beginning on the first day of the first month he tarried a few days at the river to complete every provision for the long journey, and departed from the river on the twelfth day of the first month. The company with him numbered several thousand in all, including women and children, necessitating slow progress. The good hand of his God upon him meant preservation in safety on a prosperous journey, with deliverance from the hand of the enemy and from such as lay in wait by the way, their enemies being restrained from harming them.

The good hand of God upon him describes God going before a person and guiding his work, including by arranging practical help and resources through other people, by whose favor and help the four-month journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was completed. That same favor and help accompanying the journey assures believers as they serve that God is with them, while their abilities remain gifts from Him and grow through use. The same presence and support was with the speaker, enabling her to speak despite weakness. The same sustaining care and favor that enabled the journey describes God's keeping power, strength, and blessing amid infirmities.

The same favorable help and care is applied to work carried on through the day and begun in the early morning hours. God's guidance of Ezra on his journey to Jerusalem applies to recognizing God's providence even in discouraging calamities rather than bemoaning them. God's accompanying and guiding hand on a journey is seen in providing a home and in bringing her to America at that time, though she had wanted to remain in Australia.