Ezra 8:23: So we fast and sought our God for this and He was entreated of us.”
Ezra was leading the captives back to Israel. Before the journey he proclaims a fast for a safe journey. Ezra was facing a little problem. The Persian king sanctioned this move back to Israel and offered to provide military troops to ride with the Israelites as protection on their journey. Ezra told the king; “Naw, we don’t need your troops, God will protect us.” After all, Ezra wanted to make sure the king and everyone understood that this return was of God and not man. When reading this in most our English Bibles it would appear that when Ezra faced the realities of this journey he realized why the king offered to send troops along to protect the people and Ezra began to think: “What have I done?” At first reading this appears to be the case, but in taking a closer look at this passage and reading it in the Hebrew, we get a little different picture.
Not too long ago there arose a new fad in Christendom called the Ezra Fast. Suddenly, preachers all over America had a new and exciting Biblically based gimmick to get people’s attention. Christians all over were being encouraged to go on an Ezra Fast as a sure and proven way to resolve personal problems. But like the newest guaranteed by doctors weight loss pill to hit the market, the Ezra Fast proved to be just as ineffective to resolving personal problems as other sure fire prayer gimmicks or prayer methods that have come down the pike. Once again Christians learned that there are no hidden secrets to prayer, prayer is the same as it has been since the beginning of time.
Probably the reason the Ezra Fast failed to be a new hot shot method of getting prayers answered is that this fast was not so much a fast to resolve problems as it was to confirm that this journey that the people of Israel were to take was God’s journey and they wanted Him to confirm that He was a part of this journey. Actually, as I read this passage it appears Ezra’s concern was not really for their own personal safety. Ezra’s faith seemed to be firm and intact. His concern was to be sure that everyone understood that this move was of God and not of man.
The word used for fast here is sum which basically means to put a cover over your mouth. In other words this is a food fast. The word is spelled “Sade, Vav and Final Mem. These particular letters that are used and their meanings will actually give us the reason for this type of fast. The “Sade” represents humility; the Vav represents a connection from earth to heaven. And the final Mem represents things that are hidden. In this case there was so much human effort involved in the preparation for this journey that the people almost forgot that God was behind this move. The fasting was merely an act of humility or an outward recognition and confirmation that this whole operation was the workings of God and not man.
Ezra says that they sought God on this matter. It stood to reason that if God was really behind this move and not man, they did not have to pray for travelin’ mercies, for that would be assured Again they sought the Lord just to confirm their understanding that they were only following God’s direction. The word sought is baqash which is to seek or ask but when used in relationship to God it is an act of worship. Note too, this is in a Piel form with a paragogic Hei. So the people just did not simply join hands and ask for travelin’ mercies, they went into serious worship before God.
What is really interesting is that even the mere asking or petitioning God is a form of worship. I recall reading how a woman once observed the Delacroix’s painting of an Indian Woman Bitten By A Tiger and commented to Delacroix that the woman appeared to be smiling. Delacroix replied that this was because she was glad to feel something. It would seem that even if we go to God with nothing but petitions, at least we are communicating or speaking with Him and that can be worship. Worship does not have to be a well-orchestrated, rehearsed ceremony with flowery words. Worship can be just a simple form of going to God in humility and acknowledging him in all things. When I was working in hospice I recall going to the home of an 81 year old Alzheimer patient where I had to do a 13 hour shift. The patient was in the final stages of Alzheimer where he needed everything to be done for him include bathing, eating, diaper changing etc. He was unable to even communicate his needs. As I performed these duties I found myself Baqash(ing), seeking or petitioning God on behalf of my client. I realized that if, as Mother Theresa described, I saw the face of the Jesus that I loved in my client, and perform my ministrations for my client as unto God, I would then be performing nevaqeshah which is the word used in Ezra 8:23 which is more than just seeking God or petitioning God, this was baqash in a piel, form with a paragogic Hei which is worshipping God in my petitions. In reality I would not have been working thirteen hours performing duties but I would have spent thirteen hours in worship to God. Ministering to my client was an act of worship.
This is what Ezra 8:23 is all about. The people were not just asking for travelin’ mercies in performing this Ezra Fast, they were actually turning their journey into a time of worship. God responded by entreating them. Some translations render this as listening to them, or answering them. The word in Hebrew is atar which has the idea of becoming favorable or part of. It is in a niphal form and thus would mean that God will make Himself accommodating. In other words, God would fit naturally and perfectly into the journey with His people. This is why Ezra refused the Kings offer to have soldiers journey with them for protection. To have foreign soldiers protecting them on such a journey would be insulting to God, God would be such a vital part of their journey that for an enemy to attack them would be to attack God as well.
I recalled how I used to begin my 13 hour shifts in hospice during this assignment. I would begin each day of this assignment as Ezra and the people of Israel began their journey home. They began their journey to their homeland, in a state of bagash, worshipful petition from which God would respond in atar or become a favorable part of the journey. The Ezra Fast is no different than any other fast that comes down the pike. Its primary purpose is simply to overcome the desires and fears of the flesh so as to allow God to atar or become a favorable part of your activity. When that happens you will fulfill the Apostle Paul’s exhortation which is to pray without ceasing. You see the Christian Ezra Fast craze failed because it made one mistake. It taught that you went on this fast to get answers to your prayers when in reality the Ezra Fast was a prayer.
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