June 13, 2023
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Reading along with us in Ezra? Here’s today’s reading:
Ezra 7 (NIV)
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
1 After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4 the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest—......Continue Reading
Ezra is welcomed to Jerusalem and King Artaxerxes makes sure the needs of the people and priests are met. The king did not wish to anger God and saw no need not to assist in this and so God used this king to provide for His people.
Ezra’s lineage is established and it is clear that he is a man of good character and follows God. The new Moses has arrived to help teach and guide the people and Ezra is sure at the end of the chapter to give thanks first to God and acknowledge that he is merely the vessel for God to work through.
Ezra 7
What an amazing historical account of the support of yet another king to foster the work of God to reestablish the worship of His name after the exile of Judah to Babylon. Even as He sent them to Babylon, God promised them that they would return and they would have an opportunity to get it right after so much failure in following God. How important it is to affirm that Ezra, as a priest, is a descendant of Aaron. And how significant it is that He was committed to the teaching of the Word of God and not just following through on ritual worship. It was the thing the Jews of the past did not do that lead to their downfall. God’s word is the thing that affirms and supports our relationship with Him and makes us aware of His truth and helps us to be His people.
And what a letter of support we have hear. It is very similar as Darius’, but a new king must show His agreement with the policies of the past. This is all a reflection of the influence the Jews had on the Babylonians and Persians and how much God had revealed Himself to them. Here you have another pagan king declaring the truth of His being and the legitimacy of worshipping Him. What better way to do that than to lend support and resources and permission. It is no wonder that Ezra praises and thanks God for the work that He has done on Judah’s behalf!
Ezra 7
Ezra 8
The temple is finished in chapter 6 during the reign of Darius. Now in chapter 7 during reign of a new king which is Artaxerxes now in his seventh year, the Lord leads Ezra to go to Jerusalem. For Ezra has prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. [ verse 10] The Lord has worked in the heart of the king to allow Ezra to go. Artaxerxes is afraid of the God of heaven and doesn`t want wrath to come upon him or his sons. He makes a decree continuing what Darius did with much fear and trembling. He allows Ezra to go and gives him authority to do whatever he wants. No one is to interfere with him or the people with him. Also no one is to tax any of the workers of the house of God. It is very clear that God`s hand is upon Ezra but in all this he is humble for he gives God the glory for putting all these things into the heart of the king. God bless to all who follow Him.
Ezra 7
Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, 28 and has extended mercy to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes.
So I was encouraged, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me.