February 20, 1908

The Return of the Exiles—No. 14

A Revival and a Reformation

EGW

The coming of Ezra and his company to Jerusalem brought courage and hope into the hearts of many who had long labored under trying difficulties. Since the first company of exiles had returned with Zerubbabel and Joshua, over seventy years before, much had been accomplished in the work of restoration. The temple had been finished; 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 all effort to restore the city. Even during the years of comparative peace following the troublous times of Queen Esther, but little was done to upbuild the wall.RH February 20, 1908, par. 1

The indifference of many of the Israelites who had returned, is directly traceable to their violation of the plain precepts of the law given at Sinai. Some who had returned, remained faithful; but many of their children and children's children, lost sight of the law of heaven. The Mosaic code, given for the good of the people, was sadly disregarded. Sin was in the camp. Even some of the men who had been entrusted with sacred responsibilities, lived in open sin. Their course of action largely neutralized the efforts of others to advance the cause of God; for so long as flagrant violations of God's law were allowed to go on unrebuked, the blessing of heaven could not rest richly upon the people.RH February 20, 1908, par. 2

In the providence of God, those who returned with Ezra had sought the Lord earnestly, before undertaking their journey. They had humbled themselves before God, confessing their sins, and imploring forgiveness. With agony of soul they had pleaded for divine guidance and blessing. The experiences through which they had just passed, led them to realize that in God alone was their strength, and that sin, by separating them from the source of their power, would leave them weak and defenseless. Many of them had become strong in faith; and as these mingled with the discouraged and the indifferent, their influence for good was a powerful factor in the work of reform instituted soon afterward by Ezra.RH February 20, 1908, par. 3

On the fourth day after the arrival at Jerusalem, the treasures of silver and gold, with the vessels for the service of the sanctuary, were delivered by the treasurers into the hands of the temple officers. Every article was examined “by number and by weight.” The delivery of the treasures was made in the presence of witnesses, with the utmost exactitude. Nothing had been lost. The care exercised in this transaction is an object-lesson of the care with which the Lord would be pleased to have the affairs of his cause conducted at all times and in every place.RH February 20, 1908, par. 4

The children of the captivity who had returned with Ezra, “offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel,” for a sin-offering, and as a token of gratitude and thanksgiving for the protection of holy angels during their journey. “And they delivered, the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river; and they furthered the people, and the house of God.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 5

Ezra's arrival at Jerusalem was opportune. His brethren were in great need of the influence of his presence. Soon after his return, some of the chief men of Israel approached him with a serious complaint. Some of “the people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites,” had so far lost sight of the holy character of the commands of Jehovah given them through Moses, that they had intermarried with the surrounding heathen peoples. “They have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons,” Ezra was informed, “so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people” of heathen lands; “yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 6

In his study of the causes that led to the Babylonish captivity, Ezra had learned that the terrible apostasy of Israel was largely traceable to their mingling with the surrounding nations. Had they obeyed God's command to keep separate from the heathen, they would have been spared many sad and humiliating experiences. And so, when the servant of God was informed that notwithstanding the plain lessons of the past, men of prominence in Israel had dared transgress the laws given them as a safeguard against apostasy, his heart was made inexpressibly sad. “When I heard this thing,” he says, “I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.RH February 20, 1908, par. 7

“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembleth at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.” The servant of God suffered intense agony of soul over the commission of sins so grievous by those who had had great light and privileges.RH February 20, 1908, par. 8

At the time of the evening sacrifice, Ezra arose, and, once more rending his garment and his mantle, he fell upon his knees, and unburdened his soul in earnest supplication to God. Spreading out his hands unto the Lord, he exclaimed, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 9

Ezra remembered the goodness of God in again giving his people a foothold in their native land, and he was overwhelmed with righteous indignation and with grief at the thought of their ingratitude.RH February 20, 1908, par. 10

“Since the days of our fathers,” the humble suppliant continued, “have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.RH February 20, 1908, par. 11

“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets.... And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we can not stand before thee because of this.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 12

Ezra's language in this petition is that of true humiliation of soul, the contrition that prevails with God in prayer. Only the prayer of the humble enters into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” “To this man will I look,” saith the Lord, “even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 13

The sorrow of Ezra and of his associates over the evils that had insidiously crept into the very heart of the Lord's work, wrought repentance. Many of those who had sinned, were deeply affected. “The people wept very sore.” They had begun to realize, in a limited degree, the heinousness of sin, and the horror with which God regards it. The sacredness of the law spoken at Sinai was brought clearly before their minds, and many trembled at the thought of their transgressions.RH February 20, 1908, par. 14

One of the company, Shechaniah by name, acknowledged that all the words spoken by Ezra were true. “We have trespassed against our God,” he confessed,” and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” Shechaniah proposed that all who had transgressed, should make a covenant with God to forsake their lives of sin, and to be adjudged “according to the law.” “Arise,” he bade Ezra, “for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 15

“Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word.”RH February 20, 1908, par. 16

This was the beginning of a wonderful reformation. With infinite patience and tact, and with careful consideration for the rights and welfare of every individual concerned, Ezra and his associates labored to lead the repentant of Israel into a right way of living. Above all things else, Ezra was a teacher of the law; and as he gave personal attention to the examination of every case, he sought to impress upon the mind of the sinner the holiness of the law of heaven, and the blessings to be gained through obedience to this law.RH February 20, 1908, par. 17

(To be concluded.)