nwed the enemies thnt they did not attack. Or else if they did attack they wern overwhelmed by the "hand of God." 11 If God be for us, who can be agairn,t 118 ? " II. THEY EN'rERED INTO JERUSALEM WITH JOY. 1. It was the end of a toil.'/07M march. (1) The journey occupied four months. They" departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month." They "came to Jerusalem in the fifth month" (vii. 8). It would be a joy to them to have the discomfort of that tedious pilgrimage ended. (2) It will be an inexpressible joy to the Cbristia1n pilgrim to end life's toils in the heavenly city. 2. It was the aati.ifact,ion of a cherished hope. (1) They were "children of captivity," born in Babylon, never having seen Jerusalem. Yet would they not be without the traditions of the glory of their forefathers. The spirit which breathed in Ps. lxxix. and cxxxvii. could not leave them in ignorance of these things. (2) They had also their Scriptures, which associated Zion with the glories of history and of prophecy. Now they were standing in the very place where their fathers had worshipped. In this also they had a pledge of the superior glories of the heavenly Jerusalem. (3) They were relatives of those who bad preceded them under the conduct of Zerubbabel. This is evident from a comparison of the catalogues of ·names ( eh. ii. and eh. viii.). Therefore they would have happy recognitions, congratulations, and greetings. If in heaven now there is joy over the repentance of a sinner, what will be the joy of that entrance which shall be ministered abundantly into the kingdom l III. THEY ABODE IN JERUSALEM IN PEACE. 1. They bad peace in themselves. (1) This is the happy fruit of fidelity. Tranquillity dwells with integrity. They faithfully delivered up their precious charge. "Now on the fourth day," &c. (vers. 33, 34). (2) The balances of the sanctuary are true, and the weights are just. Sad is the case of him that shall be "found wanting" (see Dan. v. 27). 2. They had peace with God. (1) They went the right way to secure this by offering sacrifices (see ver. 35). Christ is our peace. (2) Note-These sacrifices were offered not only for themselves, but also II for all Israel." But "J udab and Benjamin" alone were present, and these only by a representation, for the bulk of the Jews remained on the Babylonish side of the river Euphrates. Query-Is there not here an expression of faith in the ultimate restoration of all Israel (Rom. x. 26)? 3. They had~eacefrom their neighbours. (1) This was secured to them, through the good providence of God, by the king's commissions to lieut1;mants and governors. These documents were probably sealed; but the purport of them is evident from the letter of Artaxerxes ( eh. vii. 21-23). (2) No wonder, then, that these lieutenants should "further the people and the hoUBe of God." Persecution would cease. " When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Let us never move without God. Let us ever move with God.-J. A. M.
§ 2. REFORMATION OF RELIGION ACCOMPLISHED BY EZRA AT JERU8ALE1T. EXPOSITION. sufficiently maintained in this way; but the CHAPTER IX. governing power was weak, nnd in matters IN the interval between Zerubbabel's rule outside the range of the civil and criminal and the coming of Ezra from Babylon with e. law men did pretty nearly "as it seemed special commission appointing him governor good in their own eyes." During this interva, of Judrea, the Jews seem to he.ve been left of governmental debility, it appears thnt a without any strong controlling authority. fusion had begun between the Jews and the The civil administration devolved upon a neighbouring nations. Although the lo.w of certain number of chiefs or "princes," who Moses distinctly forbade intermarriage be- maintained order in Jerusalem, collected and tween the people of God and the idolatrous remitted the tribute due to the Persian nations whose land they had inherited, and crown, e.nd held courts to decide all ea.uses, by implication forbade such unions with any criminal and civil, in which only Jews were neighbouring idolaters, the newly-returned concerned. Tranquillity and order were Israelites, perhaps not fully provided with THE BOOK OF EZRA. [CH. IX. 1-15