This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in e law of Moses, which e LORD God of Israel had given: and e king granted him all his request, according to e hand of e LORD his God upon him.6 And ere went up some of e children of Israel, and of e priests, and e Levites, and e singers, and e porters, and e Neinims, unto Jerusalem, in e seven year of Artaxerxes e king.7 And he came to Jerusalem in e fif mon, which was in e seven year of e king.8 For upon e first day of e first mon began he to go up from Babylon, and on e first day of e fif mon came he to Jerusalem, according to e good hand of his God upon him.9 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek e law of e LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.10 (Ezra 7:6-10). The priest Ezra was a good and faiful servant of e most high God. He was a man concerned wi e spiritual over e physical. He left Babylon for Jerusalem wi a remnant of 2000 plus Jews. He was a leader of God s people who was a descendant of Aaron e High Priest. He was a man of his time who had influence wi Artaxerxes e king of Persia. He believed in e providence of God in e work at had been placed into his hands (Ezra 7:6, 9 and 26). He was ankful to God for all at had been done in e Lord s name (Ezra 7:27-28). Ezra is truly a remarkable servant of God. The events at led up to Ezra being a prepared servant of God: - Israel is taken into captivity by Babylon and shortly ereafter falls to e Persian Medes Empire. - In e first year of king Cyrus of Persia, he allows a remnant of God s people to go and build a house for God (II Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1). - The work on e tabernacle began and was stopped (Ezra 4). - The prophets Haggai and Zechariah would encourage God s people to continue to build and e temple would be completed. - The book of Eser records e events of God s people in Persia prior to e arrival of Ezra in Jerusalem. - Ezra arrives and en Nehemiah and e walls are restored. These are e events at shape e life and work of Ezra e priest and scribe of e law of Moses. I. First of all, Ezra was a ready scribe in e law of Moses (Ezra 7:6), i.e. he was skillful in e law of Moses. Thus, he serves as an example for us to be skillful in e word of God. - II Timoy 2:15, Study to shew yself approved unto God, a workman at neede not to be ashamed, rightly dividing e word of tru. -- As Christians, we need to be skillful in God s word. Hence, it takes diligence and maturity to rightly divide e word of tru. Ezra was a student of God s word, likewise we must be a student of God s word. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 1 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm
- Hebrews 5:12-14, For when for e time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need at one teach you again which be e first principles of e oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.12 For every one at use milk is unskilful in e word of righteousness: for he is a babe.13 But strong meat belonge to em at are of full age, even ose who by reason of use have eir senses exercised to discern bo good and evil.14 -- W e need to become skillful or teachers of God s word. Like Ezra we need to know e difference between what is good and what is evil. - Ezra 10:1-4, Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before e house of God, ere assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for e people wept very sore.1 And Shechaniah e son of Jehiel, one of e sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of e people of e land: yet now ere is hope in Israel concerning is ing.2 Now erefore let us make a covenant wi our God to put away all e wives, and such as are born of em, according to e counsel of my lord, and of ose at tremble at e commandment of our God; and let it be done according to e law.3 Arise; for is matter belonge unto ee: we also will be wi ee: be of good courage, and do it.4 -- In order for Ezra to encourage God s people to take e right action, he needed to know e law of God. Ezra was a faiful servant who knew e difference between right and wrong, between good and evil. He was a ready scribe of e law of Moses and not a novice in understanding tru. - Church leaders need to be skilled in e word of God, to be able to stop e influence of gainsayers (Titus 1:9) and to lead God s people in e pas of righteousness (Psalm 23:3 and Micah 4:2). As a ready scribe, Ezra is an excellent example for each and every Christian. II. Secondly, Ezra prepared himself as a servant of God to carry out e commission and duty given to him (Ezra 7:10). - II Kings 20:1, In ose days was Hezekiah sick unto dea. And e prophet Isaiah e son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus sai e LORD, Set ine house in order; for ou shalt die, and not live. -- Hezekiah was told by e prophet Isaiah to set his house in order, at is to prepare himself for dea. Each Christian prepares his or her life for e great departure, at doorway of dea. But, we must prepare our lives as a servant of God, much like Ezra prepared his life in for service to God. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 2 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm
- Amos 4:12, Therefore us will I do unto ee, O Israel: and because I will do is unto ee, prepare to meet y God, O Israel. -- Israel needed to heed to warning to prepare. One important tru we learn from Ezra is preparation. Each and every Christian prepares emselves to meet God. Each and every Christian needs to prepare emselves to fulfill to work of God. - II Timoy 2:21-22, If a man erefore purge himself from ese, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for e master's use, and prepared unto every good work.21 Flee also youful lusts: but follow righteousness, fai, charity, peace, wi em at call on e Lord out of a pure heart.22 -- W e purge ourselves from a vessel of dishonor and sanctify ourselves or prepare ourselves as a vessel of honor. W e prepare our lives for service to God by fleeing youful lusts and follow a pa of righteousness which is found wiin Christ and His word (II Corinians 5:21 and Romans 1:16-17). Thus, Ezra serves as a good and positive example for each and every Christian to emulate. - Joshua 24:15, And if it seem evil unto you to serve e LORD, choose you is day whom ye will serve; wheer e gods which your faers served at were on e oer side of e flood, or e gods of e Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve e LORD. -- In order for a man to serve as a elder, it takes e effort of his family. It takes preparation in his you. Hence, Ecclesiastes 12:1 is so true, Remember now y Creator in e days of y you, while e evil days come not, nor e years draw nigh, when ou shalt say, I have no pleasure in em; Leadership takes preparation and Ezra prepared himself for e work of God. III. Furermore, Ezra was a man who sought e law or word of God. - Psalm 42:1-2, As e hart pante after e water brooks, so pante my soul after ee, O God.1 My soul irste for God, for e living God: when shall I come and appear before God?2 -- The psalmist desires e Lord in such way as e body would irst for water. But, our soul must irst for God as Ezra sought after e Lord. - Psalm 119:129-133, Thy testimonies are wonderful: erefore do my soul keep em.129 The entrance of y words give light; it give understanding unto e simple.130 I opened my mou, and panted: for I longed for y commandments.131 Look ou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as ou usest to do unto ose at love y name.132 Order my steps in y word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.133 Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 3 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm
-- The 119 Psalm reveals at e servant of God longed for e commandments of e Lord. W e must desire e Lord and seek after Christ. - Matew 5:6, Blessed are ey which do hunger and irst after righteousness: for ey shall be filled. -- The Christian needs to hunger and irst for righteousness. The desire for God must be first in our lives. Our lives revolves around Jesus Christ, He is e center of our lives, noing else matters. -- Philippians 1:21, For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. - I Peter 2:2, As newborn babes, desire e sincere milk of e word, at ye may grow ereby: -- W e desire e word, because we grow spiritually from e word. - Romans 10:17, So en fai come by hearing, and hearing by e word of God. -- Our fai comes directly from e word of Christ. Hence, like Ezra we seek God s word in our lives. The Christian must make an effort to diligently seek after God and His word. In doing so, we put God and kingdom first in is life (Matew 6:33). IV. In addition, Ezra did at which God commanded. - James 1:22, But be ye doers of e word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. -- W hen we do what God commands us to do, we please Him. W hen we fail or neglect to do what God requires of us to do, we displease Him. Ezra was pleasing to God. Thus, Ezra did what God commanded Him to do. - I John 2:15-17, Love not e world, neier e ings at are in e world. If any man love e world, e love of e Faer is not in him.15 For all at is in e world, e lust of e flesh, and e lust of e eyes, and e pride of life, is not of e Faer, but is of e world.16 And e world passe away, and e lust ereof: but he at doe e will of God abide for ever.17 -- If we do e will of God in our daily lives, we will avoid many sins at may tempt e individual Christian. But, if we are not vigilant we will fall to e temptation of sin and fall away from God. The lesson for us, do e work at God has given us to do be evangelistic, be edifying and be benevolent. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 4 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm
- Matew 7:21, Not every one at sai unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into e kingdom of heaven; but he at doe e will of my Faer which is in heaven. -- Our eternal home depends upon us doing e will of God. - Revelation 22:14, Blessed are ey at do his commandments, at ey may have right to e tree of life, and may enter in rough e gates into e city. -- Ezra was blessed by our God, in turn, we can be blessed when we do what God commands us to do. Hence, be doers of God s tru. If we love e Lord we will do what He says (John 14:15). Ezra is a wonderful example of a faiful man who did what God wanted him to do. Ezra is our example for us to do what God wants us to do and to do our Lord s commands in e way He said to do em. V. Finally, Ezra taught his breren e statutes and ordinances of God. - 2 Peter 1:12-15, Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of ese ings, ough ye know em, and be established in e present tru.12 Yea, I ink it meet, as long as I am in is tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;13 Knowing at shortly I must put off is my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ ha shewed me.14 Moreover I will endeavour at ye may be able after my decease to have ese ings always in remembrance.15 -- Peter, like Ezra put e breren in remembrance of e teachings of God. Today, we must put our breren in remembrance of e word of God. -- I Peter 4:11, If any man speak, let him speak as e oracles of God; - 2 Timoy 4:1-4, I charge ee erefore before God, and e Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge e quick and e dead at his appearing and his kingdom;1 Preach e word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort wi all longsuffering and doctrine.2 For e time will come when ey will not endure sound doctrine; but after eir own lusts shall ey heap to emselves teachers, having itching ears;3 And ey shall turn away eir ears from e tru, and shall be turned unto fables.4 -- God s people have a duty and responsibility to please e Lord via e preaching of e word. In our modern culture ere is a desire to have preachers and leaders to be entertainers and appeal to a feel good audience. But e whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments and is is done rough preaching e word. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 5 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm
- Acts 20:26-27, Wherefore I take you to record is day, at I am pure from e blood of all men.26 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all e counsel of God.27 -- God s people need to understand and realize at e preacher will teach ings ey may not agree wi, but e whole tru must be taught. Ezra taught God s people tru concerning marriage and worked wi em to overcome eir unscriptural situation. - I Corinians 14:37-40, If any man ink himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge at e ings at I write unto you are e commandments of e Lord.37 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.38 Wherefore, breren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak wi tongues.39 Let all ings be done decently and in order.40 -- Paul taught e church e statutes and ordinances of God, ose ings at make for ings to be done decently and in order. Christians today, like Ezra of old need to edify eir breren in e word of God. In doing so, we build up and edify e church of Christ. Conclusion: - In our lesson of e hour, we have learned several trus concerning Ezra a prepared servant of God. Through e life of Ezra we are encouraged live our lives in manner at pleases God. First of all, as a ready scribe, Ezra is an excellent example for each and every Christian. Secondly, leadership takes preparation and Ezra prepared himself for e work of God. Furermore, Ezra was a man who sought e law or word of God. The Christian must seek wi diligence e word of God. In addition, Ezra did at which God commanded. W e too must do what God commands. Finally, Ezra taught his breren e statutes and ordinances of God. In e church, we must teach our breren all at God has commanded. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 6 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055. www.kc-cofc.org/39.htm