imperfect and unwor~hy, they would not therefore _be negligent. Rather, they would seek to order everythmg exactly as he had prescribed, so far as lay in their power. Not "'"!1erely the house, but the household (Matt. Henry), the "priests" and the " Levites," who should attend to the building and its services, were solemnly then set apart. And all in the way in which God himself had directed his serv!lnt Moses to specify and record. All were dedicated, in short, to God's service according to God's way. III. THE BUILDING IN USE. Why did it please God, notwithstanding Acts vii. 48-:-50_, to ~ave such a house a~~ng men? P_~rtly to help in separating and con- sohdatmg !us Israel ( see Exod. x.xm. 17 ; Ps. cxxn. 4, &c.). In the new circumstances of Israel ( see earlier outline) this more needful than ever. Would this restored house now at last completed and consecrated, answer this end? This first recorded use of it answers this question; and seems, in short, to be recorded with this object in view. "'hat n strong spirit of separation is found in these verses (19-22) throughout. 1. Separation from other nations-the very feast observed, that of the passover, being a commemoration of the most conspicuous separation ever made between Israel and the nations (Exod. xii. 26, 27, also 45, 47). 2. Separation from ceremonial 1,ndeanness-even the priests being superseded on this occasion by the Levites, in the matter of killing the passover lambs for all, as not being so universally "pure" (see Rawlinson on ver. 20, who translates," And the priests were purified, and the Levite,s as one man were all of them pure"). 3. Separation from false brethren-no other persons being allowed to join with the 1eturned children of the captivity in celebrating this feast, except those, whether "proselytes from the heathen" or " Israelites " never captive at all, who "had separated themselves unto " these others " from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel." The description is almost scientific in its accuracy and precision. Separated from the heathen ; from their "filthiness " too. Separated unto Israel ; to seek Israel's God. 4. Separated with Joy. To find themselves once again with a house of their o·wn; to think of all that God had done for them in providing them with rnch a house, even bringing them help from that very Assyrian land which had formerly been their destruction (Isa. Iii. 2, &c.); and so now at last, once •again, to feel themselves openly and fully a "peculiar people" to the Lord their God, was a very great joy. Nor was this joy at all lessened, but rather increased, by the nature of the feast they were keeping, involving, as it did, not only separation from the heathen (see above), but also as the" feast of unleavened bread" (ver. 22), separation from inward sin (Exod. :xii. 8, 15, 18-20; 1 Cor. v. 7, 8). So great a delight, as well as clear a duty, did they feel their present separation to Jehovah. And so thoroughly did this their first use of their just-restored house suit the character of that house (Ps. xci.i.i. 5). How forcibly all this instructs us- 1. As to the real nature of God's purposes. Looking back on all these six c~apters of Ezra, we see one object in view, viz., the restoration of God's house. Looking on the house now at length completed, we see,· however, that even its erection was only a means to an end, viz., the sanctification of God's people. So even of that spiritual temple, the body of Christ (John xvii. 19; Heh. x. 10). So of the Sabbath as" made for man" (Mark ii. 27). So of all trials and affliction (Heh. xii. 10). So of the whole Christian calling (1 Pet. ii. 9), and the whole work of redemption (Titus ii. 11-14). Does not the very expression indeed, "the means of grace," teach us as much? Unless these means do really minister grace to believers, they fail of their end. 2. .As to the true wi8dom of God's people, viz., to seek for the full realisation of these gracious purposes in !hemselves. Even in being definitely in the "W_f!-.Y of their realisation there is much JOY, but some sorrow as well (see above, eh. w. 12, 13). But we read of no such sorrow mingled with joy now that the completion and dedi- cation of the house has been consummated by a similar dedication of the people themselves. Even "unleavened bread" and "bitter herbs" in that C!lse are eaten with "joy." What, indeed, is more natural if we come to consider? "Without holiness no man shall see God" (Heh. xii. 14). Nor can any man see true happiness without seeing God (Ps. xvi. 11; xvii. 15; 1 John iii. 2; Rev. xxii. 4). Even as our Lord himself has summed up the argument in Matt. v. 8. The nearer to God'.s image, through the help of hii:J Spirit and for the sake of his Son, the nearer to his OH. VI, 13-22.] THE BOOK OF EZRA. 91
bliss. W may almost describe the whole Christian creed as practically summed up i11 these words.