Nearly 80 years had passed since the first Jews had returned to Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon. Now, after a four-month journey, Ezra had reached Jerusalem with another band of returning captives and he felt great reason to acknowledge God’s kindness in taking them safely on their way; it was “according to the good hand of his God upon him” (Ezra 7:9). He was, in effect, acknowledging God’s mercy. He knew he did not deserve such kindness. He was a sinner; so what he deserved was God’s wrath and curse for ever. But he had been made willing to receive salvation according to the Old Testament revelation; he had kissed the Son of God (see Psalm 2:12); in other words, he had willingly and lovingly submitted to the Messiah, who was to come in the fullness of time as God’s provision for the salvation of a lost world. His natural rebellion had been subdued and so he was willing to have salvation on God’s terms. It was salvation through the suffering of a substitute, which was so vividly typified at the temple in Jerusalem through the offering up of the various sacrifices. Now Ezra and his companions had reached Jerusalem safely. No doubt he had expected to meet various difficulties but, in spite of them all, God had brought him and his party to the end of their journey. So he was now acknowledging that God, in His providence, had acted powerfully on their behalf all along the way. In his Commentary, Matthew Henry notes that, “we must see the hand of God in the events that do occur, and acknowledge Him with thankfulness when we have reason to call it His good hand”.
When the year comes to an end, we will, if are still spared, have completed another stage in the journey of life. Whatever difficulties we may have experienced on this journey, it is clear that we have been provided for in many ways, and this should lead us again to recognise God’s goodness to us throughout our lives, and during 2011 in particular. God’s children have particular reasons for thinking of His good hand towards them – acting powerfully for them in His kindness. They should feel greatly impressed by the eternal love of God towards them, undeserving sinners though they are. It was in that love that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, which meant that He must suffer unto death for their sins. No wonder Paul exclaimed, as he recognised God’s good hand towards him in the provision of a divine Saviour: “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Cor 9:15).
Each day on their journey through life, God’s children are in danger, not merely of physical injury or some such calamity, but what is much more serious, of spiritual damage. Satan is going about continually, seeking whom he may destroy with his temptations, whether he acts against people directly or uses others as his instruments. Just as Ezra, on his way to Jerusalem, required God’s protection from marauding tribes and other dangers, so he needed God’s good hand to work for him and his party to protect them from temptation. Left to themselves, they might have had serious, sinful disagreements; they might have turned back to Babylon in a fit of unbelief, questioning God’s good will towards them and His promise to care for them. But God’s good hand was upon them and they reached Jerusalem safely. So all God’s children need His protection each day on their journey through life; they cannot expect that their path will be entirely smooth. Indeed their Saviour has told them plainly, in words originally addressed to His disciples: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). Thus they not only need God’s good hand to keep them from physical harm; they even more need Him to preserve them from temptation and to support and protect them when they are tempted.
They are not to become despondent and unbelieving, for their Saviour – now risen and exalted – goes on to assure them: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. Therefore neither the world nor the god of the world will ever be able to overcome those who are united to Christ. For His sake, the good hand of God will follow them all the days of their life and they will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. They have looked to Christ; they are depending on Him; so a safe arrival in heaven, the final destination on their journey through this world, is sure for them.
Many of God’s children may be rather apprehensive as they look on towards the next stage of the journey. Old age, failing health, bereavement, spiritual weakness, concerns about friends and family, about Christ’s Church and their nation, and a host of other troubles and worries may make the immediate future look immensely bleak. From the human perspective, that may be so, but the promises preserved in God’s Word are absolutely sure. These words in particular are addressed to all God’s children, and they are as relevant today as ever: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Is 43:2). This promise uses serious literal dangers to represent the whole spectrum of troubles, both temporal and spiritual, which believers may be called to pass through in providence. But it makes God’s good will clear to them, for in this promise He undertakes to bring them out on the other side of the river or the fire which represents particular troubles, without experiencing real harm. It is not a promise that they will be protected from sadness, hurt or difficulty. But it is a promise of God’s good hand, for they have a throne of grace to go to, and on the throne is the One who has overcome the world and is ruling over everything that happens – and everything that happens to them in particular.
Under His all-powerful, gracious governing of the world, that other promise will also be fulfilled: “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom 8:28). The sadness or the hurt or the difficulty that confronts them may not be good in itself, but as it works together with such other factors as God’s blessing on His Word and the patience and experience that ensue (see Rom 5:4) they do indeed profit. Even if they fall, they are assured that they will not be cast off utterly, for the Lord upholds them with His good hand (see Ps 37:24). Thus He raised up David and Peter when they fell into sin and, although their restoration involved bitter tears, they were brought again into positions of usefulness in God’s cause in this world, before being brought at last to glory. All things worked together for their good under God’s good hand, including the chastisement which their Father in heaven saw fit to administer to them so that they might “not turn again to folly” (Ps 85:8).
The unconverted too have much to be thankful for – particularly because, in His longsuffering, God has spared them in this world, where they may continue to have opportunities of finding salvation in Christ Jesus. If spared until the end of this year, they will have passed another significant milestone on their journey to eternity. Yet they have no promise of reaching that milestone, and it is altogether uncertain how many more milestones there are on that journey. It should be obvious to them, as they travel on, that they are not relying on God’s good hand in their providence; they are not looking to Jesus for salvation; they are not fleeing from the wrath to come. In their uncertain situation, one thing should be clear: “it is time to seek the Lord” (Hos 10:12). Solemnly, next year may be too late; indeed tomorrow may be too late. The Lord has specified the time that is acceptable to Him. It is not sometime far away in the future; it is not next year; it is not tomorrow; it is now. He has said, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). And included in that salvation is the promise of a safe journey to heaven, for God’s good hand is on all who believe.