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After recounting the wonderful success of his enterprise, Ezra breaks out into a rapture of gratitude to God. "Blessed be the Lord God," etc. Here -

I. HE ACKNOWLEDGES GOD IN HIS COVENANT CAPACITY.

1. This is expressed in the terms "God of.

(1) This is shown in the record of the Sinai covenant (see Deuteronomy 29:10-13). Thenceforward Jehovah speaks of himself as the God of Israel."

(2) So in reference to the gospel covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8).

(3) So likewise when all blessings culminate in the bliss of heaven, and the mercy of the covenant is fulfilled (see Revelation 21:7).

2. Covenant relationship subsists in Christ.

(1) There is no covenant relationship with God apart from him. He is the impersonation of promise. He is the depositary of the promises (see Romans 15:8, 9; 2 Corinthians 1:20).

(2) Hence he is distinguished as the covenant (see Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:8; Zechariah 9:11).

3. The promise of the Christ was the establishment of the covenant with the "fathers.

(1) Hence the covenant in the family of Noah was limited to Shem, who was elected to be the progenitor of the promised seed (see Genesis 9:26).

(2) In the family of Shem it was afterwards limited to Abraham for the same reason (see Genesis 17:7, 8).

(3) In the family of Abraham Ishmael was excluded and Isaac chosen (Genesis 26:24).

(4) In the family of Isaac the limitation was to Jacob (Genesis 30:13-15).

(5) In the family of Jacob the restriction was to Judah (Genesis 49:8-10).

(6) In the family of Judah the covenant was established with David (Psalm 89:3, 4; Jeremiah 33:19-26).

(7) In the line of David the promise was fulfilled with the Virgin Mary (see Luke 1:67-79).

II. HE ASCRIBES HIS SUCCESS TO THE EXTENSION TO HIM OF THE MERCY OF THE COVENANT.

1. The covenant was not established with Ezra.

(1) He was of the tribe of Levi (see ver. 1-5). Levi was shut out when Judah was chosen.

(2) Why then does Ezra speak of the Lord as his God? This expression may have reference to the temporal blessings of the covenant which were made over to all the tribes, and embodied in the Law. Thus, as he expresses it -

2. The mercy of the God of his fathers was extended to him.

(1) Temporal blessings are extended to all who have connection with the favoured line. Thus Esau was blessed because he was the seed of Isaac, who had the promise of the holy seed (Genesis 27:39, 40). In like manner Ishmael had temporal blessings because he was the seed of Abraham (Genesis 17:20).

(2) But the farther back the connection is, the farther off is the person concerned. Hence the Israelites, in general, are spoken of as nigh;" while the Gentiles, some of whom would have to go back as far as Noah before they touched a patriarch with whom the covenant was established, are spoken of as "afar off" (Ephesians 2:17).

3. To this extension of the mercy of the God of the covenant to him he attributes his influence.

(1) The king of Persia, the counsellors, and the mighty princes all felt the influence of his integrity and ingenuity. The people of Israel also felt these influences. So did the "chief men" who gathered around him and acted as his lieutenants.

(2) But all this influence he traces to God's mercy extended to him. What a rebuke is here to those who plume themselves upon their influence or abilities!

III. HE RECOGNISES THE INTERESTS OF THE COVENANT AS THE TRUE REASON FOR THE PERSIAN FAVOUR.

1. The covenant God put it into the heart of the king.

(1) God does put things into men's hearts. We should see his hand in all the good that is done by rulers and magistrates.

(2) In so doing he serves the purposes of his covenant. The measures to which Artaxerxes was prompted were important links in the chain of events which issued in the advent of Messiah. The very "temple" which the king "beautified" was to become the scene of some of the grandest predicted events (Haggai 2:5-9; Malachi 3:1). Consider -

2. How the covenant has moulded history.

(1) Ancient history is preserved to us only in so far as it stood related to the people of the covenant. Persian history is especially interesting in this view.

(2) Modern history is no less intimately connected with the people of God. Those nations who have the purest truth of the gospel are the most influential in moulding the politics of the world. No matter how "far off" he may be, no man is so remote from the covenant as not to feel its influence in temporal blessing. Whereas every limitation of the covenant down to the advent of Messiah tended to remove collateral lines further off, now since his coming this tendency is reversed, and he is "lifted up" that he may "draw all men unto him" (see Ephesians 2:13-22). - J.A.M.

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KJV: Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:

WEB: Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem;