Series: The Return
Title: The Hand of God
Text: Ezra 7 (ESV)
Ezra 7:1,6, “Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia…this Ezra went up from
Babylonia.”
Ezra 7:12, “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of
heaven. …
Ezra 7:6… and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on
him.
Ezra 7:9, For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the
first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.
Ezra 7:28, I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me,
Ezra 8:18, And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion,
Ezra 8:22, we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the
power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”
Ezra 8:31, The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and
from ambushes by the way.
I. The Hand of God Gives us Courage.
a. Ezra 7:6… and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD
his God was on him.
b. Ezra 7:28, I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me,
c. Psalm 16:8
II. The Hand of God Moves us to Serve.
a. Ezra 8:15, As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons
of Levi.
b. Deuteronomy 18:2
c. Ezra 8:17…send us ministers for the house of our God.
d. Ezra 8:17-18, …send us ministers for the house of our God. And by the good
hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion,
III. The Hand of God is Mediated Through His Word
a. Ezra 7:9-10, …the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his
heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and
rules in Israel.
IV. Encouragements
a. God is good to those who seek him.
i. Ezra 8:22, we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all
who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”
ii. Ezra 7:23, Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be
done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against
the realm of the king and his sons. .
b. God works through faithful people.
c. God has got some pleasant surprises in store.
i. Ezra 8:10
ii. Ezra 2:10
