The Ahava River Camp

Ezra 8:15 says, “And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.”

As a young pastor in my first church I learned a lesson about “Church in the Hills.” It was the custom, once a year in the summer, to close the church doors for a Sunday and have church services up in the Cascade Mountains. This was at least a three-day event. I wasn’t in favor of closing the church doors. What if someone came to visit and the church was closed? It was decided that I would stay and have services in the church. I found someone else to preach at Church in the Hills. It turned out I preached to only my family. The next year I discovered the value of Church in the Hills. It was a wonderful time to get away from cares and worries and wait upon the Lord. It became a tradition for our family to stay an extra day, sit around the campfire and size things up with God.

Ezra was on an important and dangerous mission when he stopped everything and camped at the Ahava River for three days. He had received a commission from King Artaxerxes of Persia to transport silver and gold and much people to Jerusalem. The purpose for this was that bullocks, rams, lambs, meat offerings, and drink offerings would be purchased for a great offering to be made on the altar in the House of God. It was a miracle that a Persian king cared about the God of Israel. This trip was important. It showed that the 70 years of punishment God had placed on His people were truly over. 

This was a dangerous mission because of the gold and silver being transported. There were enemies along the way to be encountered. As we walk on our Christian journey today, Satan and his demons are waiting for the opportunity to pounce on us. As Ezra approached the Ahava River he was impressed to stop and wait upon the Lord for a few days. We might call this “Church by the River.” We see his purpose in verse 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 our substance.”

Ezra sought God for direction, “a right way.” He sought for protection for the people, especially the “little ones.” He sought God also to keep the silver and gold safe from the enemy. It was in this time that he realized there were no sons of Levi in the group. He sent back, and 18 men of God were added to their group to minister in the House of God. This meeting was a holiness camp meeting; “And I said unto them. Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the Lord God of your fathers” (vs.28).

The three-day Ahava River Camp paid off. Not only did they arrive safely, but the children offered burnt offerings unto the Lord. I meet with the Lord every morning and go to church several times a week. I hope you do too. We are still lacking something in many of our churches today. We need church in the hills—holiness camp meetings. What is stopping this from happening? Is there an Ezra around anywhere that will stand in the place of leadership and say STOP? We need God’s direction and protection. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need the holiness camp meeting. It is time to “get out of dodge.” Let’s head for the hills. We need revival meetings. We need the Ahava River Camp!