We saw Ezra come on the scene in chapter 7, and we looked at his purpose: study, do, teach. Today let’s look at another aspect of Ezra as told in chapter 8. Ezra is preparing to take a contingent of people back to Jerusalem, and the first part of the chapter is taken up with their names:

These are the family heads and those who signed up to go up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king… (Ezra 8.1, MSG)

He gathered them for a pre-travel meeting, and I love this paragraph:

I gathered them together at the canal that runs to Ahava. We camped there three days…I proclaimed a fast there beside the Ahava Canal, a fast to humble ourselves before our God and pray for wise guidance for our journey—all our people and possessions. I was embarrassed to ask the king for a cavalry bodyguard to protect us from bandits on the road. We had just told the king, “Our God lovingly looks after all those who seek him, but turns away in disgust from those who leave him.” (Ezra 8.15, 21, 22, MSG)

Isn’t that something? Ezra asked God for protection instead of asking the king. After all, he had just told the king that God protects those who seek him! Wow. Ezra acted in accordance with his faith. Either God protects or he doesn’t, and if he does, that’s enough. We don’t need the king’s protection.

So we fasted and prayed about these concerns. And he listened…We left the Ahava Canal on the twelfth day of the first month to travel to Jerusalem. God was with us all the way and kept us safe from bandits and highwaymen. (Ezra 8.23, 31, MSG)

Ezra took God’s word with respect to protection. George Mueller, in England in the 1800s, took God’s word with respect to provision. Here’s a succinct summary:

How does one man care for ten thousand orphans and raise millions of dollars (in today’s currency) without asking for a single donation or ever going into debt? By taking God seriously on His word in Matthew 7.7—ask and it will be given to you. – Karisa You, September 6, 2022

The article is worth the read in its entirety. If you’re not familiar with George Mueller and his orphanages, here’s a typical story (from the You article):

One morning, Muller awoke to the news that the orphanage, which housed 300 children, had no food. Muller instructed the housemother to seat all the children in the dining room. He thanked God for food, and they waited for God to provide, as He always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked at the door.

“Mr. Muller,” he confessed, “last night, I could not sleep. Somehow, I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.”

The next knock revealed a milkman whose cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the cart was fixed, the milkman explained, so would the children like some free milk?

What am I believing God for? Are my actions congruent with my alleged belief?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. (Hebrews 11.1, 2, ESV)

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4.20, 21, KJV)

PS I’m not saying that our faith and actions will always look like Ezra’s and George Mueller’s. Stories are not necessarily formulas on exactly what we should do in our specific situations. We’ll see that principle before we leave our study of Ezra. But Ezra’s trust for protection and Mueller’s for provision are instructive and inspiring.