So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
The verse belongs to the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, undertaken when the travelers stood without any human protection. It was a solemn fast of consecration held at the river of Ahava just before the months-long journey, made with wives and children, with goods and substance and temple treasure, while enemies lay in wait to plunder and destroy. There the whole company fasted and prayed to God, humbling and afflicting themselves before Him to seek from Him a safe and right way, with guidance, help, and protection for themselves, for their little ones and children, and for all their possessions.
They asked the Persian king for no soldiers, horsemen, band of soldiers, or armed escort. Ezra had declared before the king that the hand of God is upon all them for good that seek Him, but His power and wrath is against all them that forsake Him, that divine help is with those who seek God; and having borne that testimony of trust in God's protection, he was ashamed to ask for a guard. By going without soldiers they revealed implicit faith in their divine Leader and sought to magnify God's name before the heathen and idol-worshiping onlookers, so that safe passage would honor Him and give no occasion to ascribe to human strength the glory belonging to God alone.
Their fasting and prayer was joined with self-examination, humble confession, plea for forgiveness, guidance, blessing, and protection, with willingness to put away sin and to bring life into harmony with God and His law. Their plea expressed dependence on God as their strength, from whom sin separates and leaves people weak and defenseless. Strength comes not through wealth or the power of idolatrous men but through divine favor, and protection comes only by keeping the law of the Lord before them and striving to obey it.
God heard the plea, was entreated of them, and granted the request, answering their prayer for help on the journey. In this He showed that He defends, protects, and prospers those who seek Him in serving Him and in restoring His worship. The same event illustrates that the worship of God does not depend on help from those opposed to Him, and that He does not accept offerings made by the wicked or by those who put other gods before Him. It stands as one of the special seasons of seeking the Lord that taught rich spiritual lessons and made many strong in faith, so that when the returnees mingled with the discouraged and indifferent in Jerusalem their influence became a powerful factor in the reform soon afterward instituted.
The verse belongs to the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, undertaken when the travelers stood without any human protection. It was a solemn fast of consecration held at the river of Ahava just before the months-long journey, made with wives and children, with goods and substance and temple treasure, while enemies lay in wait to plunder and destroy. There the whole company fasted and prayed to God, humbling and afflicting themselves before Him to seek from Him a safe and right way, with guidance, help, and protection for themselves, for their little ones and children, and for all their possessions.
They asked the Persian king for no soldiers, horsemen, band of soldiers, or armed escort. Ezra had declared before the king that the hand of God is upon all them for good that seek Him, but His power and wrath is against all them that forsake Him, that divine help is with those who seek God; and having borne that testimony of trust in God's protection, he was ashamed to ask for a guard. By going without soldiers they revealed implicit faith in their divine Leader and sought to magnify God's name before the heathen and idol-worshiping onlookers, so that safe passage would honor Him and give no occasion to ascribe to human strength the glory belonging to God alone.
Their fasting and prayer was joined with self-examination, humble confession, plea for forgiveness, guidance, blessing, and protection, with willingness to put away sin and to bring life into harmony with God and His law. Their plea expressed dependence on God as their strength, from whom sin separates and leaves people weak and defenseless. Strength comes not through wealth or the power of idolatrous men but through divine favor, and protection comes only by keeping the law of the Lord before them and striving to obey it.
God heard the plea, was entreated of them, and granted the request, answering their prayer for help on the journey. In this He showed that He defends, protects, and prospers those who seek Him in serving Him and in restoring His worship. The same event illustrates that the worship of God does not depend on help from those opposed to Him, and that He does not accept offerings made by the wicked or by those who put other gods before Him. It stands as one of the special seasons of seeking the Lord that taught rich spiritual lessons and made many strong in faith, so that when the returnees mingled with the discouraged and indifferent in Jerusalem their influence became a powerful factor in the reform soon afterward instituted.