Ezr 7:6 | KingComments | STEP | Here the second part of the book begins. The first part is about the rebuilding of the altar and the temple. The second part is about the mission and the work of Ezra personally. After the service of Jeshua and Zerubbabel for the building, now the service of Ezra is needed. His concern is for the “adornment” of the house of the LORD ( ). For this it is necessary that the Word of God be laid upon the heart and conscience of the people. That is what Ezra is going to do. We are here about sixty years after the dedication of the temple in Ezra 6 and about eighty years after the proclamation of Cyrus in Ezra 1. We are in the midst of a new generation. Here begins a new awakening. God stirs the spirits of a number of Israelites who have stayed in Babylon until now and fills their hearts with the desire to go to Jerusalem. Ezra is their leader as a direct descendant from the line of Pinehas, to whom an eternal priesthood has been promised. Ezra is proof of this ( ). There are two parts in the history of Ezra. The first part describes his journey from Babylon (Ezra 7-8). The second part is about his work in Jerusalem (Ezra 9-10). The circumstances under which he travels and works are normal. He is not accompanied by miracles. We see no unfolding of strength. His sources are the same as we have: the Word of God and the presence of God. The chapter begins with “now after these things” ( ). These are the things that happened in connection with the completion and dedication of the temple in the previous chapter. The book of Ezra does not end with Ezra 6. Darius, who is mentioned in Ezra 5-6, was succeeded by his son Ahasuerus. This is the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. Ahasuerus was succeeded again by his son Artaxerxes. We also meet him in Nehemiah 2, about thirteen years later ( ). God continues in His goodness to watch over His people in spite of their unfaithfulness and failure. He does so even if they are only a small remnant that has escaped decay by His grace, but forgets that grace and becomes unfaithful again. He stirs Ezra’s heart to think of the remnant in Jerusalem. The people have no need of power, for that power has been given by God to others. They need the knowledge of His will and ordinances, of His thoughts in His Word ( ). The genealogy of Ezra, with its length of sixteen ancestors, is unique in the Old Testament. A number of names are known from the history of Israel. “Zadok” ( ) is praised for his faithfulness, “Pinehas” ( ) for his zeal. “Aaron” ( ) is a type of Christ, the source of true service. This Ezra (meaning ‘help’), whose genealogy shows that he is a priest, goes up from Babylon ( ). Apart from being a priest – which he is by birth – he is also “a scribe skilled in the law of Moses”. This is not by birth, but by diligent study of the Scriptures. He is skilled in the law of Moses, from which the people have deviated. The law must now be brought back into the light. His study of the Scriptures has awakened in him the desire to serve God’s people with it. Ezra has asked the king to go to Jerusalem. With this he has acknowledged the authority of the king as given to him by God. The fact that God has laid down the authority there is also evident from the year counting. There is counted according to the gentile rulers of God’s people. They go up “in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes” ( ; ). It affirms that Israel lives in “the times of the Gentiles” ( ) that came when God gave Nebuchadnezzar dominion over the world ( ). The king has allowed Ezra to go to Israel, for God has worked his heart because Ezra’s desire matches His desires. It is good to entrust ourselves to God’s hands. We tend to jump over barriers placed by people on our way. We must learn to wait for God to take away those barriers. The king doesn’t just give him permission to go, but everything he has asked for – see the decree the king gives to Ezra ( ). Ezra is not alone in going up from Babylon. There are other members of God’s people going with him. They are “some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants” ( ). This group longs for the land and the city and the house of God. It is possible that through the teaching of Ezra from the Scriptures they have all gotten this longing. They will have become aware by God’s Spirit that in Babylon they cannot be what they are in God’s eyes: His people whom He has chosen to serve Him in the land and in the place He has chosen. The journey to Jerusalem takes four months ( ). That Ezra arrives safely in Jerusalem is thanks to “the good hand of his God upon him” ( ). To this only he attributes every step he is allowed to take forward. This is mentioned a few more times ( ; ). Then we see a beautiful and instructive order for being busy with God’s Word ( ). Bible study is not an intellectual, mental activity, but a personal study for one’s own life and to teach the church: 1. It begins in the heart. Ezra has first of all “set his heart to study the law of the LORD”. Setting his heart on it means that he knows spiritual exercise, like a Timothy ( ). 2. The second is that he also directed his heart “to practice [it]”. What we have learned from God’s Word, we must first put into practice ourselves. 3. Only then can the third come: “To teach [God’s] statutes and ordinances in Israel”. A good teacher should always be able to point to his own example, as Paul does several times ( ; ; ). Ezra’s service is a service that the returnees need right now. He is not an intellectual investigator of the Scriptures. He is not one who teaches what has not touched his own heart and does not determine his own ways. For example, we can talk about the coming of the Lord without our own lives being shaped by it. Or we may speak of the unity of the body of Christ while in practice acting in a sectarian manner.

‏ Ezra 7:6

Introduction

Here the second part of the book begins. The first part is about the rebuilding of the altar and the temple. The second part is about the mission and the work of Ezra personally. After the service of Jeshua and Zerubbabel for the building, now the service of Ezra is needed. His concern is for the “adornment” of the house of the LORD (Ezra 7:27). For this it is necessary that the Word of God be laid upon the heart and conscience of the people. That is what Ezra is going to do.

We are here about sixty years after the dedication of the temple in Ezra 6 and about eighty years after the proclamation of Cyrus in Ezra 1. We are in the midst of a new generation. Here begins a new awakening. God stirs the spirits of a number of Israelites who have stayed in Babylon until now and fills their hearts with the desire to go to Jerusalem. Ezra is their leader as a direct descendant from the line of Pinehas, to whom an eternal priesthood has been promised. Ezra is proof of this (Num 25:7-13).

There are two parts in the history of Ezra. The first part describes his journey from Babylon (Ezra 7-8). The second part is about his work in Jerusalem (Ezra 9-10). The circumstances under which he travels and works are normal. He is not accompanied by miracles. We see no unfolding of strength. His sources are the same as we have: the Word of God and the presence of God.

Ezra Goes Up to Jerusalem

The chapter begins with “now after these things” (Ezra 7:1). These are the things that happened in connection with the completion and dedication of the temple in the previous chapter. The book of Ezra does not end with Ezra 6. Darius, who is mentioned in Ezra 5-6, was succeeded by his son Ahasuerus. This is the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. Ahasuerus was succeeded again by his son Artaxerxes. We also meet him in Nehemiah 2, about thirteen years later (Neh 2:1).

God continues in His goodness to watch over His people in spite of their unfaithfulness and failure. He does so even if they are only a small remnant that has escaped decay by His grace, but forgets that grace and becomes unfaithful again. He stirs Ezra’s heart to think of the remnant in Jerusalem. The people have no need of power, for that power has been given by God to others. They need the knowledge of His will and ordinances, of His thoughts in His Word (Ezra 7:25).

The genealogy of Ezra, with its length of sixteen ancestors, is unique in the Old Testament. A number of names are known from the history of Israel. “Zadok” (Ezra 7:2) is praised for his faithfulness, “Pinehas” (Ezra 7:5) for his zeal. “Aaron” (Ezra 7:5) is a type of Christ, the source of true service.

This Ezra (meaning ‘help’), whose genealogy shows that he is a priest, goes up from Babylon (Ezra 7:6). Apart from being a priest – which he is by birth – he is also “a scribe skilled in the law of Moses”. This is not by birth, but by diligent study of the Scriptures. He is skilled in the law of Moses, from which the people have deviated. The law must now be brought back into the light. His study of the Scriptures has awakened in him the desire to serve God’s people with it.

Ezra has asked the king to go to Jerusalem. With this he has acknowledged the authority of the king as given to him by God. The fact that God has laid down the authority there is also evident from the year counting. There is counted according to the gentile rulers of God’s people. They go up “in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes” (Ezra 7:7; Ezra 7:8). It affirms that Israel lives in “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24) that came when God gave Nebuchadnezzar dominion over the world (Dan 2:37-38).

The king has allowed Ezra to go to Israel, for God has worked his heart because Ezra’s desire matches His desires. It is good to entrust ourselves to God’s hands. We tend to jump over barriers placed by people on our way. We must learn to wait for God to take away those barriers. The king doesn’t just give him permission to go, but everything he has asked for – see the decree the king gives to Ezra (Ezra 7:11-26).

Ezra is not alone in going up from Babylon. There are other members of God’s people going with him. They are “some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants” (Ezra 7:7). This group longs for the land and the city and the house of God. It is possible that through the teaching of Ezra from the Scriptures they have all gotten this longing. They will have become aware by God’s Spirit that in Babylon they cannot be what they are in God’s eyes: His people whom He has chosen to serve Him in the land and in the place He has chosen.

The journey to Jerusalem takes four months (Ezra 7:8-9). That Ezra arrives safely in Jerusalem is thanks to “the good hand of his God upon him” (Ezra 7:9). To this only he attributes every step he is allowed to take forward. This is mentioned a few more times (Ezra 7:28; Ezra 8:18 ; 22 ; 31).

Then we see a beautiful and instructive order for being busy with God’s Word (Ezra 7:10). Bible study is not an intellectual, mental activity, but a personal study for one’s own life and to teach the church:

1. It begins in the heart. Ezra has first of all “set his heart to study the law of the LORD”. Setting his heart on it means that he knows spiritual exercise, like a Timothy (1Tim 4:16).

2. The second is that he also directed his heart “to practice [it]”. What we have learned from God’s Word, we must first put into practice ourselves.

3. Only then can the third come: “To teach [God’s] statutes and ordinances in Israel”. A good teacher should always be able to point to his own example, as Paul does several times (Acts 20:20 ; 35; Phil 3:17; 1Thes 1:5-6).

Ezra’s service is a service that the returnees need right now. He is not an intellectual investigator of the Scriptures. He is not one who teaches what has not touched his own heart and does not determine his own ways. For example, we can talk about the coming of the Lord without our own lives being shaped by it. Or we may speak of the unity of the body of Christ while in practice acting in a sectarian manner.