September 16, 2025 -Quite a Journey
- brooks16055
- Sep 16
- 1 min read
EZRA 4:7-23
EZRA 7:1-8:36
Ezra 7:8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 9 He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
I read this and it made me wonder how far it was from Babylon to Jerusalem that it took so long. So, I googled it and found this - Ezra Fact #7: How long was the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem? | ESV.org
How long was the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem? It took Ezra and the caravan he was traveling with four months to traverse the nearly 900 miles (1,448 km) from Babylon to Jerusalem. An army could have traveled much faster, but Ezra’s entourage probably included children and elderly people.
Imagine the heat of the desert, the dangers of the road, the exhaustion of walking mile after mile—not to mention the weight of responsibility Ezra carried for the people and the treasures of God’s temple.
And yet, Ezra did not complain. He trusted that “the gracious hand of his God was on him” (Ezra 7:9).
Sometimes we grumble at the smallest inconveniences—when God asks us to give a little more of our time, step out of our comfort zone, or wait longer than we expected. Compared to Ezra’s four-month trek, our “sacrifices” can feel pretty small.
But here’s the encouragement: just as God’s hand was on Ezra, guiding and protecting him through a long and difficult journey, His hand is…