I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him.”
Ezra 8:22 NET
Ezra was a priest who had been living in exile in Babylon. With the blessing of the king of Persia, Ezra was preparing to return to Jerusalem with a group of priests and Levites. And they would be carrying valuable treasure, including items taken from the temple when Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.
But there was a problem. The territory Ezra and his company would be traveling through was dangerous. So, delivering this treasure intact to Jerusalem was a big concern. How could they ensure its safety? As well as their own?
One solution would be to ask the Persian king for an armed escort. And the king would likely have granted that request. But Ezra said he would be embarrassed to ask the king for help. Why? Because of what he had previously told the king about his confidence in God’s protection. How could he tell the king he was confident that God would protect his people and then ask him for protection? It would make his boast about God seem empty.
So, Ezra put his money where his mouth was, trusting in God rather than the king’s protection. And God did protect them, enabling them to arrive safely with the treasure intact.
There is a real lesson here concerning faith. How often do we express in words that we trust God’s provision and protection? And yet we hold on to the things of this world and the security we think they provide us, reflecting a lack of faith in God. How much better to follow Ezra’s example and demonstrate our faith by our actions? To put our money where our mouth is.
