Seeking a Right Way for Us and Our Children

Rev. E.C. Adams, Corsica, SD

When, the Lord willing, you receive this copy of The Banner of Truth, the old year will be history, and by the Lord’s great mercy and goodness we will be standing at the threshold of a new year—a new year with, perhaps, many uncertainties, numerous fears, the threatening judgments of the Lord, and great needs both for our bodies and souls. When we look about us, when we observe how iniquity and the hardening of the hearts is increasing also by many within the church (Matthew 24:12), it becomes clear that we are coming closer and closer to the end times. We read in 1 Peter 4:17, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” The psalmist has also declared in Psalm 99:1, “The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble.” Also in the year 2011, the Lord shall fulfill all His counsel (Isaiah 46:10), and Christ shall continue to gather a church unto Himself by Word and Spirit. May we be given to do as Ezra did who, through the work of the Holy Spirit, sought a right way for himself and his dear ones through the desert on their way to Jerusalem.

Ezra was a priest and a scribe who walked in the tender fear of the Lord. He lived in Babylon under the reign of Artaxerxes. By his godly walk he made a deep impression upon this mighty ruler whose domain consisted of 127 provinces. We read of Ezra in chapter 7:10, “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” The Lord, who has all hearts in His hand, inclined the heart of this great monarch to give Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem in the year 458 B.C. with all those who had willing hearts.

This was a dangerous and lengthy journey of at least six hundred miles if they went by a direct route, and it would have been even longer if they took a northerly route. It was a journey through a hot, dry desert, and they were faced with many dangers. Of great danger especially were the nomads who plundered and robbed weary travelers of their possessions. Ezra and his company (1744 men, not counting women and children) did indeed have many valuable treasures, for they carried gold, silver, and many expensive vessels. The one hundred talents of gold alone were worth more than $100,000,000 in our present day currency. We read in our text that after ten days of traveling, they came to the river Ahava. Here Ezra did not have the freedom to go any farther. Why, what was the difficulty? Was the river too wide or too deep? Were the people discouraged? Was a great sandstorm approaching? We do not read of any of these things. Then why did Ezra not have any freedom to go farther? Ezra was afraid to begin this long journey without the presence and favor of the Lord, as we read in Exodus 33:15, “If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Dear readers, what a blessing it would be if we had the same thoughts at the beginning of the New Year.

Ezra had many expensive and valuable earthly treasures with him to carry to Jerusalem, but, dear readers, what were his treasures of gold and silver compared to the treasures which we possess? In the first place, we have our never-dying souls traveling through this time state on the way to a never-ending eternity. We read in Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” In the second place, the dear children which the Lord has given us are precious treasures as we read of Jacob in Genesis 33:5 when he said, “The children which God hath graciously given to Thy servant.” They are treasures which the Lord has entrusted to us to be instructed in His ways and statutes. In the third place, the Lord has given us the precious heritage of His inspired Word. Fourthly, there is the rich history of the Church, “Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set,” and lastly, we have the precious gift of time (Ephesians 5:16). Are not these treasures of greater value than all those talents of gold?

Ezra knew that there were many dangers on the way to Jerusalem. They were not imagined; they were real. These dangers brought Ezra to the realization of his great need. As we stand at the threshold of the New Year, we also face great needs. There are many things which would rob us of our treasures. We read in Ezra 8:31, “From the hand of the enemies, and of such as lay in wait by the way.” As long as we have to deal with the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh, we will be faced with robbers on the way through this world. Many times robbers are disguised, and they can come with friendly inducements. Think only of the dangers of secular education, false religion, worldly pleasures, and inventions which attempt to rob us of our precious souls. Parents, may the Lord help you to warn and speak with your children about these dangers.

Where did these needs bring Ezra? They brought him to a precious place, at the Lord’s footstool. He was given to seek a right way for himself and his little ones. Ezra realized as did Jehoshaphat of old who declared in 2 Chronicles 20:12, “For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do.” Ezra did not speak of many right ways, for there is only one right way, and there can be many wrong ways.

What is now the right way for us and our little ones?

It is that we might be brought, by grace, on the narrow way through the straight gate of regeneration that leadeth to eternal life, to the heavenly Jerusalem (Matthew 7:13&14). It is to be reconciled to God through the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ in true saving faith. It is that we might be found praying and supplicating to the Lord for help and courage in seeking the right way for us and our little ones and searching God’s Word to be our guide as we read in Isaiah 30:21, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” It is that as individuals, families, and churches we might be separated from the world and serve as Aarons and Hurs to each other in maintaining and defending the truth. Also, it is that we may receive and put on the spiritual armor whereby we are exercised with the coming of Christ’s kingdom and glorify His great and worthy name. Last, it is that we, by grace, choose God for our portion, God’s Word as our guide, His people as our companions, and need Christ as our All in all.

How beautifully this is typified in the life of Ezra. What a close life he had with his God through Jesus Christ by the work of the Spirit. The glory of his God was uppermost in his mind as he was ready to transport all these treasures to Jerusalem. Ezra had two choices in seeking protection for their journey. He could go to the mighty king of Persia, Artaxerxes, and request a company of soldiers and chariots to accompany him as a visible sign of protection, or he could go to the Almighty King of His Church, who rules over the entire world, and beg Him for His protection. Surely he would not be denied by either king because he was in favor with both. What did he do? What determined his course of action? It was the honor of God. He had spoken with his words and with his life to king Artaxerxes about the Almighty, Omnipresent, faithful, and merciful God of heaven. Now, in a time of great need, he was ashamed to go to an earthly king. Blessed Ezra who there was given to believe and to exercise what we read in Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

Ezra was not presumptive or reckless in his choice. He knew that the enemies were real, and they coveted the treasures which Ezra and his people were carrying with them. In his great need, Ezra, who needed Christ as his praying and thanking High Priest, gathered the entire company together for three days of prayer. For three days they afflicted themselves, fasted, and sought the Lord. This means that they denied themselves all fleshly pleasures. The need was real, and the need was great. We read in John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” In Psalm 81:10, we are encouraged to “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” The Lord answered their prayer, for we read, “And He was entreated of us.”

As we stand at the beginning of a new year, traveling on to a never-ending eternity with the precious treasures entrusted to us, there are many robbers waiting to attack us. Many treasures have already fallen into the hands of robbers, and we have even joined them in some instances. May we be diligent in avoiding that which is dishonoring to God and those things in which we transgress His commandments. May we be given the wisdom to instruct and guide our children in these difficult and alarming days, and may there be much prayer, as there was with an Ezra of old, that the Lord would have mercy upon us and our children.

Office bearers and children, one day we shall all stand before the judgment seat of a God with the seal of a Triune God upon our foreheads to there give an account of our stewardship. The Lord is jealous of His honor. Blessed are they who, on the great Day of Judgment, may be able to say what we read in Isaiah 8:18, “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.”

“To seek of Him a right way for us and for our little ones” is a true and necessary prayer at the beginning of the New Year. In Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord encourages us with the promise, “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search with all your heart.” Dear reader, we do not read of one example in Scripture of a true and upright seeker who did not become a finder. In mentioning all the robbers in our lives let us mention also unbelief. May our prayer be as the father in Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” We read of Ezra in chapter 8 verse 31, “Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemies, and of such as lay in wait by the way.” The mighty God of Jacob, who never slumbers or sleeps, grant traveling mercies unto us and our children in the New Year as we travel to eternity in this land where there is no rest and where there are so many robbers.

I can tell you one thing you have to be thankful for, and that is, that you are out of hell, on praying ground, and where hope can come.

— William Tiptaft

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