Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Ezra
Book: Ezra
Chapter: 7
Overview:
Ezra goes up to
Jerusalem.
(1-10) The commission to
Ezra.
(11-26) Ezra blesses
God for his favour.
(27,28)
1-10 Ezra went from
Babylon to
Jerusalem, for the good of his
country. The
King was kind to him; he granted all his requests,
whatever
Ezra desired to enable him to serve his country. When
he went, many went with him; he obtained favour from his
King,
By the Divine favour. Every
Creature is that to us, which
God
makes it to be. We must see the
Hand of
God in the events that
befall us, and acknowledge him with thankfulness.
11-26 The liberality of
Heathen Kings to support the
Worship of
God, reproached the conduct of many
Kings of
Judah, and will
rise up in
Judgment against the
Covetousness of wealthy
professed Christians, who will not promote the cause of
God. But
the weapons of
Christian ministers are not
Carnal.
Faithful
preaching, holy lives, fervent prayers, and patient suffering
when called to it, are the means to bring men into obedience to
Christ.
27,28 Two things
Ezra blessed
God for: 1. For his commission.
If any good appear in our hearts, or in the hearts of others, we
must own that
God Put it there, and
Bless him; it is he that
worketh in us, both to will and to do that which is good. 2. For
his encouragement:
God has extended
Mercy to me.
Ezra was a
Man
of courage, yet he ascribed this not to his own
Heart, but to
God's
Hand. If
God give us his
Hand, we are bold and cheerful;
if he withdraw it, we are weak as water. Whatever we are enabled
to do for
God and those around us,
God must have all the
Glory.