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(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Ezra 8:21–23, “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.”
Ezra took quite a large company of people along with him as he travelled from Babylon to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by scholars and Temple servants rather than a great troop of seasoned warriors. On the other hand they were also carrying considerable treasure to bring to the Temple in Jerusalem. Ezra had told the king that the Lord would go with them so he was ashamed to ask the king for guards to travel with them and protect them. Even though the entire route was under Persian control, there were still many bandits and highway robbers along the way looking to take plunder from a rich company like this one. Ezra was ashamed to ask the king for troops because he had told the king that the Lord would be with them as they traveled. If the Lord is Sovereign, and He is, then the Lord would keep them and their treasures until they arrived in Jerusalem and completed the Temple. Ezra and his company decided to fast and pray before they left so that the Lord would receive the credit when they arrived safely in their ancient homeland.
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