(REFLECTIONS ON Ezra 7:11-28)

13 Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.

In today’s Scripture, Artaxerxes king of Persia provided a letter to Ezra as his official document sending Ezra and any Israelites who would like to volunteer to go to Jerusalem to continue the restoration work there. Ezra and the other Jews that will return to Jerusalem are thus sent by the king and his seven advisers.

However, are Ezra and the other co-workers really being sent by the king? Is that who should be praised and honored for this? No, all praise should be to the Lord. As Ezra himself writes,

27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28a and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials.

This is why we should praise the Lord today as well. Although it may look like the blessings we have in life can be attributed to our own hard work or the good heart of the people in our lives, but we are reminded that all praise should be to the Lord.

Ezra’s confidence and courage wasn’t from King Artaxerxes, even though he got his letter of recommendation from him and was sent by him. Ezra knew that he couldn’t put his confidence in this powerful ruler with all his powerful officials, but it was because the hand of the Lord was on him, and that is why he took courage. The Lord is the true source.

28b Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Yes, we are reminded today that no matter how well the world treats us, how many blessings we receive from the people in our lives, that our praises should remain for the Lord and the Lord alone. Yes, we may say thank you, we may even return the favor and bless others, but our praises should be for the Lord and the Lord alone.

Our courage also should never be placed in this world and in people, because just as they have poured out blessings on us, these can quickly turn into curses. Our courage should be in the Lord because the hand of the Lord our God is on us. He is the true source.

Our praise should be for the Lord,
because He is the true source of all the blessings we have
and will receive in this life and in the next.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Ezra 7