WORD STUDY – EZRA FAST
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 faced 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. Then 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, I get a different picture.
The so called “Ezra Fast” is considered a fast to resolve problems. This fast was not a fast to resolve problems it was a fast to ensure that God was an important part of their journey and that all they did they did unto God. Ezra called for this fast to confirm this was God’s journey they were making 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 is not even for safety. Ezra’s faith seemed to be intact. His concern seems to be that everyone understands that this move was of God and not of man.
The word used for fast here is sum which is an Aramaic word or Chaldean and basically means to put a cover over your mouth. In other words this is a food fast. The word is spelled “Sade, Vav, Final Mem. These letters 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 preparation for this journey that people almost forgot that God was behind this move. The fasting was merely an act of humility and 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,” that would be assured Again they sought the Lord just 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, but they went into serious worship before God.
What is really interesting is that even the mere asking or petitioning God is form of worship. A woman once observed Delacroix’s painting of an “Indian Woman Bitten By A Tiger” and noted to Delacroix that the woman appeared to be smiling. Delacroix commented that was because she was glad that she was actually able 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 an 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 a caregiver I had a client who was 81 years old suffering from Alzheimers disease. He is in the final stages of Alzheimer where he had to have everything done for him include bathing, eating, diaper changing etc. He could not even communicate. As I perform these duties I myself baqash(ing) seeking or petitioning God in behalf of my client. It was like Mother Theresa described, “I see the face of the Jesus that I love in everyone I help.” As I was changing His diaper I thought of my years of schooling and training, working up to a PhD and here I was changing a diaper on an elderly patient who was totally unware of my existence, as far I could tell. But I knew God put me there and that everything I did from bathing him to feeding him I did as unto God. I was performing nevaqeshah which is the word used in Ezra 8:23 which is more than just seeking God or petitioning God, this would be baqash seeking in a Piel form with a paragogic Hei which is worshipping God in my petitions. I was not just looking at 13 hours of performing duties, but I was spending 13 hours worshipping God.
This is what Ezra 8:23 is all about. The people were not just asking for travelin’ mercies, they turned 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 Aramaic is atar which has the idea of becoming favorable. 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. To have foreign soldiers protecting them on such a journey would be almost insulting to God, God would be such a vital part of their journey for an enemy to attack them would be to attack God as well.
Being a caregiver might not be the type of job you expect a PhD college teacher to be doing but it was where put me and every day as I began my journey I began in a state of bagash, seeking or in worshipful petition from which God would respond in ‘atar or become a favorable part of the journey. No matter what our daily work or activity may be, if we do it as unto God and allow him to ‘atar or become a favorable part of our activity, we will spend the day in worship and we will, like Paul, be “praying without ceasing.”
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