Ezra 8: Praying For Protection

An interesting part of Ezra's journey from Babylonia to Jerusalem involves his feelings about praying to God for protection on the way.

In a passage that almost sounds like a journal entry, Ezra tells us: "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions.  For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him.  So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty" (vs. 21-23).

Instead of asking the king for an armed guard to accompany them back to Jerusalem, Ezra told him that God would take care of them.  Now it was up to God to come through for them!  Ezra and his companions fasted and prayed specifically for protection for their journey.

God listened and granted their plea.  Later on, Ezra tells us, "Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem; the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way" (vs. 31).  The Jews were learning once again that their God could be counted on to give them guidance and protection.