Ezra 7:19

Ezra 7:19 says, The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.  The vessels to be used in the Temple were also given to Ezra to be given to the God of Israel.  Matthew Henry says that Cyrus had already returned the vessels of the Temple, and these were in addition to them.  One day, everything good will be returned to God, but it is never about the material things.  What God really wants is people to put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, and this is the only thing that we have power to keep from Him.  

Verse twenty adds, And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.  Artaxerxes also said that anything else that Ezra needed for the house of God he could get from his treasury.  He did not tell Ezra to get anything he might personally want from the treasury, but only those things needed for the restoration of the house of God.  We should never expect God to make us rich but should only expect Him to provide what we need to do His work.  

Verse twenty-one continues, And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,  Artaxerxes said that he had decreed that all those in charge of the treasury anywhere had been given orders to do provide Ezra with whatever he needed to restore the Temple and to do so quickly.  It would be wonderful if we had that same ability today with the government providing us with everything we need to do God’s work, but we are called on to act out of faith even when we aren’t sure how God will provide.  To do otherwise would be to live by sight and not by faith.  Also, when we know what God has called us to do, we need to start as soon as possible.  If we know beyond a doubt that God has called us to a particular task, the Holy Spirit will guide and empower us to do it in God’s time.   

Verse twenty-two says, Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.  This seems to set a very generous limit on how much was to be given to Ezra. We should not expect God to continue to bless us once He has met our needs, but I don’t believe there is a limit on how much He will provide us with if we are doing His will in life.  

Verse twenty-three adds, Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?  Artaxerxes said that they were to provide everything Ezra needed so that God would not show His wrath to his sons and himself.  Of course, we should never serve God out of fear of His wrath, though I believe some people do, but out of love for Him because of His making salvation available by putting our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.