---

Here is a graphic scene. Behold Ezra, the chief man of his nation, and a prince of the Persian Empire, with his garment and his mantle rent, his hair and beard torn and disordered, bowed in silent grief, and surrounded by the best men of his people, all trembling at the word of God. But lo! a ray of hope from the fire of the altar kindles in his soul. "And at the evening sacrifice," etc. Here learn -

I. THAT THE ONE WAY TO GOD IS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT.

1. Ezra sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.

(1) He saw the sin of his people. Its enormity. Its aggravations.

(2) He saw the gathering storm of Divine anger. The more he reflected, the blacker became the cloud.

(3) He saw no way of escape. His suspense was awful, until the fire of the altar began to light up the darkness of the gathering night.

2. Now he is encouraged to pray.

(1) God has found out a way. Sacrifice would never have occurred to the unaided reason of man; or even had it occurred to him, he could not be sure that God would accept it.

(2) God has made his ways known unto men. It was revealed soon after the fall (Genesis 3:15, 24; Genesis 4:4; Genesis 8:20, 21). More formally established in the Levitical law. This was authenticated by all the miracles of the exodus. Fulfilled in the solemnities of Calvary.

II. THAT HE MUST BE APPROACHED IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILIATION.

1. Ezra rent his garment and his mantle.

(1) His "garment" to express his personal grief at the dishonour done to God. At the wickedness of his people. At their consequent. liability to fearful punishment.

(2) His" mantle," which was such a robe as was worn by persons of birth and station, was rent to express his distress in his magisterial. and representative capacity. Public men should recognise a public responsibility to God.

2. This he now did the second time.

(1) In the first instance he rent his clothes to express to men his grief. It produced the desired effect. All those who "trembled at the word of God" gathered round him. We should witness for God to man against sin. We should do this in the most emphatic manner, so as to produce conviction.

(2) Now by similar acts he expresses his grief to God. This second rending of his garment and mantle was in connection with his rousing himself to pray. God expects from us a formal and full confession of sin. He does not need information, but requires it for our benefit.

3. Ezra also now fell upon his knees.

(1) Hitherto he had been sitting in his grief, bewildered and astonished, not knowing what to do to avert the looming' vengeance. To pray he knew not how until his spirit was stirred within him "at the evening- sacrifice." All true prayer is from God (Proverbs 16:1). The fire that stirs a prayerful soul is from the altar of Calvary (see Isaiah 6:6, 7).

(2) Kneeling is an appropriate attitude for prayer. It expresses submission (Philippians 2:10). We should beware of the hypocrisy of bowing the knee when there is no submission in the soul.

(3) Posture, however, is not essential to prayer. Scripture furnishes examples of various postures. The attitude of the heart is of vital importance. This is a comfort to those who are physically incapacitated for kneeling (1 Timothy 4:8).

III. THAT WE MUST DRAW NEAR TO GOD IN FAITH. Ezra "spread out his hands to the Lord his God."

1. He recognised God as his covenant friend.

(1) Note the possessive case. All that is meant in the title "God" he claims as his. What a proprietary is here!

(2) There is a glorious complement to this. If the Lord be our covenant God, then are we his covenanted people. He too has a property in us (Song of Solomon 2:16). We are his "peculiar. treasure." (Psalm 135:4).

(3) The covenant,, relationship evermore recognises Christ who is the Covenant of his people, and whose blood is the "blood of the covenant." The recognition of all this is faith, and when this recognition is raised in us by the Spirit of God the faith becomes saving.

2. Therefore he spread out his hands.

(1) The open hand is the symbol of truth. Ezra approached God with the sincerity of a genuine faith (see Psalm 24:4). The open hand of the impenitent hypocrite is bloody in the sight of God (Isaiah 1:15).

(2) The hands spread out are in the attitude of craving and receiving. Corresponding to this, the outstretched hands of God denote the offers of his mercy (Proverbs 1:24). Let us ask and receive, that our joy may be full. - J.A.M.

---

---

KJV: And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,

WEB: At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God;