coi:ifiding in the help of Jehovah? Such distractions must have (or may have) agitated and perplexed their minds. Such trials of faith we may expect when we have entered the path of piety or the field of Christian work. Inexperience might imagine that in a path so sacred and Divine the adversary would not be allowed to enter. But experience knows that it is not so ; that " there are many adversaries" we must expect to encounter. Not only from "them that are without," but also from those that are within the Church do obstacles, hindrances, discourage- ments arise. We may look for sympathy, help, success, victory; and, behold I there meets us conflict, disappointment, defeat. Shall we, we ask ourselveN, retire as unfitted for what we have undertaken? or shall we hold on our way, still grasp our weapon, trusting that the insufficiency which is of man will be more than made up by the sufficiency which is of God ? But in this trial of faith we have, as they had- II. A TWOFOLD INCENTIVE. "The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease" (ver. 5). Here was (1) a spirit,ual force working within them. They felt that their work was marked of God. The active participation of his prophets in the work (ver. 2) would help them to this. They realised that they were being Divinely guided, and were engaged in the most sacred cause: "We are servants of the God of heaven" (ver. 11 ). They were wisely conscious that past misdoings had led to penalty and suffering (ver. 12). They lived and wrought " as ever in the great Taskmaster's eye ; " and because they felt that he who" looketh from heaven and beholdeth all the son~ of men" (Pe. miii. 13) was continually regarding them, accepting their service, recording their negli- gence and distrust, prepared to reward or to rebuke, they were incited to continue, let their enemies say or do what they please. The thought of God's all-seeing eye, of his all-searching glance, is one of the strongest spiritual forces which can work within us. Man sees and blames. Man sees and threatens. Yes ; but God is an on-looker also, and an in-looker too. What does he see? What does he think? What judgment is he forming? What does he purpose? If he is for us, who can be against us? Bnt here was also (2) a IJivine power working upon them. There is suggested here a prompting, controlling influence exerted upon them from on high. God saw them, and, beholding their difficulty and their need of hie Divine help, interposed to sustain their courage, to strengthen their hand, to uphold them in their work. This is a power to be earnestly sought, and found, in believing prayer, when we are passing through the time of trial. III. A TIME OF SUSPENSE (vers. 13-17). Their adversaries now laid their case before the Persian authorities. They gave a fair representation of the answer of the Jews to the royal court, and begged that steps should be taken to confinn or dis- prove this their reply. "Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house ... whether it be so" (ver. 17). We may presume that the Jews knew the tenor of this communication. We can picture to ourselves their anxiety to know the result of the appeal. What if the record should not be found in the Persian archives I What if some ignorant librarian failed to know where it was kept I What if some venal officer should be bribed to get at it and destroy it I &c., &c. Should they win or lose their case? It might, after all, go ill with 1hem and their work. It was a time of suspense. A very hard time to go through. Souls that can endure all else know not how to be tranquil then. Then is the time to trust in God, to cast ourselves on him. When we can do nothing else, we can look up to heaven and wait the issue calmly, because all issues are in the hands of the holy and the mighty One. "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee" (fs. lvi. 3).-C.
Ver. 5.-The providence of God over the Churcli. I. THAT THE PROVIDENCE or Gon EXERCISES A STRICT WATCH OVER THE ENEMIES OD' THE CHURCH (ver. 5). .As soon as tLe Israelites commenced to build the temple their enemies began to trouble them; but while the eye of "Tatnai," "Shethar-boznai, and their companions" was upon them, "the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews." 1. The Divine providence is cognisant of the first motion of the enemies of the Church ; this should cause them to pall8e in their w1holy task. 2. The Divine providence watches the men CR. v. S-17.J THE BOOK OF EZRA. 77
who would oppose themselves to the enterprise of the Church ; they cannot e11cape the Omniscient eye. 3. The Divine providence watches the Church earnestly in the midst of its enemies. The look sends light, means love, indicates help, should inspire trust. Let the eye of the Church be toward God. The Church mnst remember that the eye of God is upon it, and not yield to the enemy. History proves that God's eye is upon the Church ; the Bible asserts it; reason suggests that the heavenly Father will watch over his troubled children and workers. II. THAT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IS CALCULATED TO DEB'EAT THE ENEMms or THE CHURCH. "That they could not cause them to cease" ( ver. 5 ). The providence of God sustained the Israelites in their work of building, notwithstanding the hostility of their enemies. 1. Providence awakens a persistent spirit in the Church. "They could not cause them to cease." 2. Providence inspires the Church with right views of its citizenship. "Till the matter came to Darius." The people of God havo citizen rights, and are not to cease their work at the bidding of unauthorised men. 3. Providence uses the incidental processes of life for the welfare of the Church. The letter in those days was a slow process ; before it could be answered the building would be well advanced. This delay was useful to Israel. God causes all the little processes _of life to work for the good of his people. Thus God's aid renders the Church victorious over enemies. III. THAT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS ALLOW THE CHURCH TO EXPERIENCE THE FULL SEVERITY OF TRIAL. The opposition of Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions ( eh. iv. 7) was much more inveterate than that of Tatnai ; the hostility now is feeble. Heaven does not always allow the furnace into which the Church is cast to be seven times hotter than is wont; in wondrous and kindly manner it restrains the wrath of man, that spiritual work may be completed. The worst passions of men are controlled by God; the old enmity of the serpent is limited and often subdued. IV. THAT THE PROVIDENCE OF Goo OFTEN WINS KINDLY HELPERS FOR TH~ CHURCH. "Let the work of this house of God alone" ( eh. vi. 7). God can raise up a Cyrus to commence the work, and a Darius to conserve and complete it ; kings are within the plan of Providence. Let the Church take hope, for the eye of God is upon it.-E.