The Raised Spirits Of God’s People

[Posted by permission. Chippenham Old Baptist Chapel.]

Prayer Meeting Address given at Old Baptist Chapel, Chippenham by Mr. G. D. Buss on Wednesday evening, 15th January, 2020

“Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.”—Ezra 1:5

It is those words particularly: “With all them whose spirit God had raised.”

The context of this verse, and chapter, is exceedingly instructive. You will remember that under the prophecies, of both Isaiah and Jeremiah, it was foretold that the people of God, who, having been brought out of Egyptian bondage and wonderfully blessed in the Promised Land, because of their iniquity and because of their neglect of God’s Word and of His prophets, would spend seventy years in a foreign country, that being Babylon. They had neglected the Sabbaths of the Lord, and so the Lord gave the land a seventy year Sabbath while the people were absent from it.

But, remarkably, some two hundred years before these events took place, the Lord told Isaiah that there would be a man raised up: Cyrus. He would overcome the Chaldeans who were to be the rod in God’s hand in bringing the captivity about. This man, Cyrus, when he was established in Babylon, would let God’s ancient people go. Not for price or reward, but moved by God Himself. There would be that return to the Land of Promise, there to rebuild the Temple; to rebuild the walls and re-establish the things of God within that land. In this chapter we see how that matter unfolded. And our text speaks of those (of whom I may speak again in a minute), “whose spirit God had raised.” They needed raising, didn’t they? You think of the depressing things there were before this event took place. They were captives. They could not escape. There was no way they could burst their way through the borders of Babylon. They were kept there, not just by the Chaldean armies, but they were kept there by God, who shut them in for His own chastening purposes. They were absent from the worship, their memory and their last sight of Jerusalem was when the walls had been broken down and the Temple had been destroyed. Their precious vessels, the silver and the gold, had all been taken by Nebuchadnezzar down into Babylon. These were depressing days and they were distressing days. And God’s people sometimes come into those paths where they are downcast because of indwelling sin and the chastening hand of God. The things around them seem to conspire, and they get into a spirit where they are like the woman who “could in no wise lift up herself.” I think many of the captives were like that. Indeed, we read on one occasion they said: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” And the answer was: “How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” “We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.” But, you will notice that they did not throw their harps away. The day was coming when they would be needed. And these in our text this evening were those who God raised up in their spirits. He raised their faith, He raised their hope, He raised their love, He raised their expectation and He raised their zeal. They became the first to go back to Jerusalem and begin the momentous task of rebuilding the city; its walls and its Temple.

Now, I want with God’s help to look at this chapter in the context of what we have read, because it seems to be that God has vindicated five things in this little chapter. These spirits that God had raised were the beneficiaries of these five things that God vindicated, and would bring to pass.

The first thing is God always vindicates His Word. He says that His Word “shall not return unto Me void,” – that is empty – “but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” He had sent through His prophets the Word that there would be a captivity. Although many false prophets said it would not be so, or said it would be a short captivity, God’s Word was fulfilled. Down into Babylonish captivity they went, because God had decreed it through His Holy Word. But, there again, it was for seventy years. And, when the seventy years were up, the Word of the Lord again was fulfilled. The iron bars and the brasen gates yielded, and God’s ancient people were set free, according to the Word of the Lord. Friend, God always vindicates His Word. He will move heaven and earth to make sure not one of His promises fails. And, if you are waiting for the Lord to vindicate one of His words to you, you will not wait in vain. If God has given you the Word; if God has fastened it in your heart; if God has raised up living faith to embrace that Word and to embrace Him who has given the Word, God will vindicate His Word in due season. “It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” For God, in sending the Word, had a purpose. We may come to that in a moment.

The second thing God vindicated was His servant Jeremiah. We read in the previous chapter of “the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled.” And now, according to the word of Jeremiah, the captivity ends. Jeremiah had gone to his eternal rest. He did not live to see the return. But the Lord vindicated this dear man. What that man suffered! The loneliness of his path! The tears he shed! The groanings! How downcast he was! How often the dear man needed His spirit raising! But now, although he had gone to his eternal rest, the Lord vindicated His servant, Jeremiah. God does vindicate His servants, those He has sent to preach the everlasting gospel. He says concerning them: “Touch not mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.” He will vindicate the Word He sends through them. And He sent through Jeremiah these amazing words that were fulfilled. Although Jeremiah was a despised man, an imprisoned man, a persecuted man and a lonely man, yet he had God to vindicate him. My dear friends, that is who you need. Listen to what the vindicating God says: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.” They are precious moments in the life of God’s dear people, not just His servants; when the Lord vindicates their cause and comes to their aid. And, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

And I think, dear friends, of the dear Saviour. Oh, how His cause was vindicated when the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom! How it was vindicated when He came forth from the tomb and burst the bands of death! How it was vindicated when He ascended on high, leading captivity captive! And every time His dear name is pleaded and His precious righteousness and blood pleaded, it vindicates His cause. And it will be vindicated when He returns again. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” That vindicating day is coming. It may be much closer than we think. Friends, God does vindicate His prophets, His servants and especially vindicates His only begotten, dearly beloved Son.

Thirdly, He vindicates His people. This people have been oppressed. They have been suppressed. They were treated in the land like captives. True, some of them rose to eminent positions. Indeed, some of them, no doubt, had it easier back in Babylon than they would have had down in Jerusalem. But, nonetheless, God was watching over His people. It is very significant to notice the care that God took over those vessels that we read of. When Nebuchadnezzar took them down into Babylon, he might have thought amidst all the rush and all the turmoil that some might have got lost. But, no. They were counted as they went out, and they were counted as they came back. And not one was missing. There is something very precious about that: it is God’s dear people. Friends, they cannot be lost. Not only “shall not an hoof be left behind,” but not one of the vessels of mercy will be left down in Babylon. What a mercy that is! God has redeemed them. God has bought them with His precious blood. God will bring them out of the world, out of self, out of sin and out of all that holds them back captive. “They shall come.” “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me.” What a wonderful thing to be a vessel of mercy, isn’t it? Those vessels were dedicated in Solomon’s day for the service of God. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar took them down. And Belshazzar abused them, as you can read in the prophecy of Daniel. Belshazzar used those very vessels for the service of his false gods. You will remember the terrible end that came to him. “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” One of the things the Lord said about Belshazzar was that he had used those holy vessels for the service of Satan, basically. And friends, remember that God’s dear people, by nature, are only servants of Satan. Although we trust God may have purposes of mercy towards us, when we are born in this sin-cursed earth, before we are called by grace, we are only servants of Satan. The vessel is being used for the wrong purpose. Our eyes, our ears, our hands, our feet, our tongues are in the wrong service. We are just like Belshazzar, abusing the vessel that God has made. But, when grace comes, what a difference! God empties that He may fill. He begins to use that vessel as He did with the Apostle Paul; a vessel of mercy. How wonderful it is then for our eyes our ears, our hands, our feet and our tongues then to be used in God’s service, and not the devil’s service! I know we still have an old nature; it strives and struggles. That we know. But, these vessels came back. They were the Lord’s. My dear friends, may you and I be the Lord’s. God vindicated His dear people. He vindicated them and acknowledged before all the surrounding nations that this was a people he loved. This was a people whom He had purposes of grace towards.

The fourth thing God vindicated was His own decree. As I have told you many times, when God makes a decree, He works at both ends of the matter. We read in verse 1 of this chapter: “The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.” Then we read in our text that there were those “whose spirit God had raised.” God moves at both ends. Cyrus, the king, was put on the throne. God had ordained that it should be so. God stirred up Cyrus’s spirit to let these captives go. He commanded that the Temple should be built and the restoration should take place. God moved this heathen king. There were some precious things said about his rule in one sense, but we cannot be sure that he was a child of God. But he was used by God. And there friends, is an encouraging thought. In the day in which we live, we may wonder why so many changes are taking place. The foundations of our very nation seem to be shaken at the moment. But, God reigns. All is under His divine control. You sang in your opening hymn:

“Here He exalts neglected worms 

To sceptres and a crown;

And there the following page He turns, 

And treads the monarch down.”

I. Watts

It is all in God’s hand. It was in God’s hand that the Chaldeans should be overcome. God gave to Cyrus the empire that had been the Chaldeans. God gave Cyrus a promise that he would have the “treasures of darkness.” He would bring them out. What were those “treasures of darkness?” They were these vessels. They were hidden in the vaults of Babylon. The Lord said that Cyrus should bring them out, and they would be brought back. And they were. “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places.” Of course, there is a deeper meaning there: those dark paths God’s dear people come into; those hidden, secret matters that are so profound you cannot put a length, breadth, depth or height to them. But the Lord gives and brings out of them precious riches for the honour and glory of His dear name.

But, the point I want to make is that the decrees of God must be fulfilled. Here was a decree from the very throne of God: the Temple was to be built. So, God moves Cyrus’s heart to let the people go. When God has a work to do, He raises up people to do it. God is never at a loss to do that. The Israelites need someone to overcome the Midianites; there is Gideon. “Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” Do Israel need a leader out of Egypt? There is Moses. “Certainly I will be with thee.” Do they need one to represent them in the day of famine? There is Joseph at the right hand of Pharaoh. All this ordained by God! God is never short of a man to do His work. He is never short of one whose spirit He may raise and use to stir us up. Oh, my dear friends; those of you here this evening who know a work of grace: you look back. You know the things of God in your heart. Have there not been those times when your spirit has been raised and the things of God came first? The House of God came first, the people of God were your best friends and Christ Himself drew your thoughts above this dim, dark world that you and I are dwelling in.

“Lord, raise my soul above the ground, 

And draw my thoughts to Thee;

Teach me, with sweet and solemn sound, 

To praise the eternal Three.

I. Watts

“Whose spirit God had raised.” Here was a decree being fulfilled in God’s time. Before this, their spirits were very downcast. But, God knew how to raise them. And God does know how to raise them. What will raise the spirits of God’s people?

“A single smile from Jesus given, 

Can lift a drooping soul to heaven.”

J. Berridge

What will raise the souls of God’s dear people? A precious sense of the atonement; peace made by the blood of the cross. That is what will raise your spirit. What will raise your spirit? The voice of your Beloved. “My Beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away.” They are blessed moments when this resurrection power is made known and God’s people are raised up above all that they are by nature and all that they are in the world; above their thorns and crooks in the lot and above the cross they have to bear for Christ’s sake. They are raised above it. God can do it. “Whose spirit God had raised.” A decree.

Then, finally, we have this. God vindicates His purposes.

“His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, 

But sweet will be the flower.”

W. Cowper

The purpose of God was to bring His people back, establish them in the land, and, in due season, to bring forth His only begotten, dearly beloved Son as a Babe in Bethlehem’s manger. This was the end God had in view. This was the great matter that was under His divine control, step by step. “Line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Events were moving on to that wondrous moment to when the fulness of time came, when “the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law.” Friends, how precious it is when we get a glimpse of what God has done in fulfilling His purposes! And how right they are! Psalm 18: “As for God, His way is perfect.” Do you believe that tonight? I am sure these captives believed it when they saw the hand of God in opening that prison door. We read later in the same Psalm: “It is God that…maketh my way perfect.” Perhaps your way seems so imperfect tonight. Everything seems upside down and inside out and not as you would have it. You say: ‘Surely, surely there must be some way out of this miasma!’ Psalm 138 verse 8; one of my favourite verses: “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands.” How many times during the seventy years they must have been tempted! ‘We have been forgotten! We have been forsaken! The Lord has abandoned us! He has no more purposes of love towards us!’ That is what the devil would say. That is what circumstances would seem to suggest. But, they were wrong. The Word of God said differently. And friends, that is what you must hang on to: not on what you see around you with your natural eye, not the conclusion that the natural man would come to. What saith God’s Word about your path? What saith the Scripture about it? What has God revealed concerning it? Because that is what will come to pass, blessed be His great and holy name.

“Whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.” They could not hold back. Friends, if God raises your spirit, then you will not be able to hold back. I think of those words in Isaiah 52 verse 11 which are exactly true concerning this very matter. Here is the prophecy, speaking of this very event: “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” They were those who were going to bring the vessels back to Jerusalem. “For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.” Wonderful word, isn’t it! “For ye shall not go out with haste,” that is, not an unseemly haste; not running away in disorder. “Nor go by flight,” not fleeing for your life. No. The Lord opened that door. It was a wonderfully ordered event. They had the very decree of Cyrus behind them to vindicate their cause under God’s hand. God had bid them go, through Cyrus. He opened the door, and they went out in a blessed way. The Lord went before them, and the Lord went behind them. You can read later in the Book of Ezra that they did not want a king’s army to surround them, because that would bring a reproach on them, as if their God could not look after them. The Lord did watch over them. He went before them and He went behind them. And that is just what the Lord does. He gathers His people up and carries them on, step by step as He goes before them in the way. “Whose spirit God had raised.” Friends, may we be aware of those things that drag our spirits down: our sins, our temptations, the world and all the cares of this life. I know we are in the world, but we are not to be of it. May the Lord raise us up and set our “affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

May God add His blessing.

Amen