EZRA’S BOAST

Have you ever boasted before? I have, at least I remember boasting a lot as a little girl about how great a mass communicator I would be. But that was only a child’s play.

Boasting can be very wrong: it is sometimes an indication or symptom of pride.

Psalm 10:3 (KJV)
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.

Psalm 49:6, 14 (KJV)
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

Proverbs 25:14 (KJV)
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

But some other times it may not be out of order to boast.

Psalm 34:2 (KJV)
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof , and be glad.

Psalm 44:8 (KJV)
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

When you boast in God, especially on His promise, you cause Him to stick out His neck for you.

Remember Shedrach, Meshach and Abednegdo? When threatened with the furnace of fire, what was there reply?

Daniel 3:17 (KJV)
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Does that sound like a boast or what?!

How about the young David? When Goliath derided him before the warriors, what was his reply?

1 Samuel 17:45-46 (KJV)
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

Look at that confidence!

There are so many more whose boast in God, moved Him to action, and like for each person mentioned above, He showed up. We all can boast as long as it is in God and not ourselves, as long as we are not being prideful. We boast and glory in our God, who He is and what He has promised and can do.

Now, let us look at one man whose boast in God struck me as I read some years ago.

Ezra 8:21-23 (KJV)
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

Ezra had boasted to the king about the ability and promise of God, and He did not want to betray or let go of that trust. But he does not stop there, he goes on to seek God, I believe he was telling God something like: ” Lord, I have already boasted back at the palace of what you have promised and your faithfulness to your word, now Lord please do not make the king think otherwise about you, show up for us.” This we also ought to do, to seek God as we boast of Him

And you know what?! God did show up and gave His children, the victory without the king’s soldiers and horsemen (You can take time to read the whole story).  You see, Ezra could have accepted the kings offer to help, but he refused, maybe he thought to himself that the king will tomorrow glory in it and he didn’t want God’s glory to be shared or taken by any man. This I am sure gladdened God’s heart.

Your words in time of challenge will indicate what you think of God, it will show if you truly believe God or not, it is a proof of your trust in Him. I believe God is always elated when we make our boast in Him.

When faced with the enemy, do not seek the arm of flesh, it always fails, you can boast to the enemy and assure Him of your trust in God’s ability to defeat Him, make your boast in the Lord like Ezra and the others mentioned earlier did, and watch God show up and glorify His name which you have boasted upon. He is faithful and He always wants all glory to Himself.

Make your boast in God!!!