Blessed by the Good Hand of God (Part 2)
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this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants.
And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
Though much of the book is in the third person, this book is written by Ezra himself.
Chapter 8 has first person accounts that imply the author was involved in the events of the book.
This is important to remember as we work our way through.
Ezra records two separate time periods.
Chapt. 1-6 is the first wave in the return led by Zerubbabel.
Chapt. 7-10 is 60 years later.
1. Ezra’s Background
1. Ezra’s Background
Ezra 7:6 (ESV)
this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
A. Ezra was raised in Babylon.
A. Ezra was raised in Babylon.
B. Ezra became a skilled scribe.
B. Ezra became a skilled scribe.
If the passing on of Christianity was left up to you and your skill in handling and understanding the Bible, what would be passed on?
2. Ezra enjoyed God’s blessing.
2. Ezra enjoyed God’s blessing.
A. Ezra enjoyed the good hand of God in his life.
A. Ezra enjoyed the good hand of God in his life.
Ezra 7:6 (ESV)
this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
Ezra 7:9 (ESV)
For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.
B. Ezra understood what moves God’s hand.
B. Ezra understood what moves God’s hand.
Ezra didn’t think the blessing of God’s hand was by chance.
Ezra didn’t even think it was because of God’s sovereign plan.
He realized there are certain things that move God’s hand.
This is a new testament principle as well.
The things Ezra did are NT, church age principles as well.
We see a cause and effect in Ezra’s life.
Ezra 7:9–10 (ESV)
[EFFECT] For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, [CAUSE] for the good hand of his God was on him. FOR (because) [CAUSE] Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
The hand of God tells us the important thing that God was doing the work.
Yet, the hand of God was moving BECAUSE Ezra was preparing the ground.
The hand of God was moving because of Ezra’s lifestyle.
3. Ezra’s simple yet often ignored lifestyle.
3. Ezra’s simple yet often ignored lifestyle.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
A. Ezra’s heart was focused.
A. Ezra’s heart was focused.
Ezra set his heart firmly.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
He started in the right place - his heart.
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
If our heart is not into it our life will not follow.
We make time for what is important.
Our heart is our spiritual core.
He set his heart - he focused his heart.
Ezra was faithful and resolute.
Nothing derailed him fro his priority.
It became all consuming.
He directed his heart and his affections.
Ezra wasn’t distracted by...
His circumstances.
His future.
He focused on what he could do.
His heart and desire was for three simple things.
I have a responsibility to set my heart firmly to do these things.
You have a responsibility to your heart firmly to do these things.
As I shepherd your spiritual lives, I have a great responsibility to set the heart of the church firmly on these three things.
Everything we do as a church just as everything we do in our personal lives should revolve around these 3 things.
We must set our hearts to do these things.
Our calendars should reflect these things.
The places we go.
The people we are with.
How often we gather with our local church.
How much we participate when we gather.
Our relationship with God can easily become a matter of convenience more than commitment.
What is your heart set on?
B. Ezra set his heart to study the Law.
B. Ezra set his heart to study the Law.
To study - to seek with care.
What does it mean to seek God’s Word with care?
Taking the time to learn how to properly study the Bible.
Doing more than pulling out a verse and here and there.
Care enough to study a whole book.
It means spending time in God’s Word more than just reading Our Daily Bread or some other devotional.
It means prioritizing study and hearing God’s Word taught.
How do we do this?
Put ourselves where God’s Word is being taught.
Prioritize time for study.
Read good books.
Listen to good podcasts.
His reigning desire was to learn it’s principles, it’s institution, it’s requirements, it’s privileges.
To seek with care every intricacy of it.
What is your reaction when someone starts talk about the really deep things in scripture?
There should be a hunger and desire to learn.
At the same time not dismissing the things we think we already know.
We cannot be lazy Christians when it comes to God’s Word.
Look at Paul’s example.
When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
When Paul challenged Timothy to study, he was calling him to follow his example.
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
If Ezra was consumed with studying God’s law, what was he NOT studying?
One commentator has noted that if Ezra could esteem Torah, that one small portion of Scripture, we should be much more eager to plumb the depths of the completed canon that we possess today.
C. Ezra set his heart to do the Law.
C. Ezra set his heart to do the Law.
To do - To fashion or make.
To make our lives look like the law.
To fashion and order our lives in such a way that we are living out all that we are learning.
Ezra 7:10 (NASB95)
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
The study of God’s Word shaped Ezra’s life.
Many times we’ve talked about what we do with the teaching we get here.
To do it requires our submission to the Word.
When we study ourselves, or when we hear it taught, we must submit to it.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Its easy to make excuses when we study the Word.
What are you choosing to not submit?
What things are you making excuses for?
Our relationship with God tends to be primarily academic.
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
D. Ezra set his heart to teach the Law.
D. Ezra set his heart to teach the Law.
To teach - to exercise in.
The mark or knowing something is being able to teach it.
Ezra gives an observable and logical order.
Study, do, then teach.
Ezra didn’t start as a teacher.
He began as a learner.
Then he practiced it.
Finally he taught it.
But he had a pattern of life that allowed him to teach.
Teaching people that need to know more.
Teaching people that have never heard it.
This is the most neglected aspect of the three.
Commentaries actually leave this out.
This is not new to us but many still struggle with it.
Yet the responsibility of every Christian to teach God’s Word to others if found all over the New Testament.
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
Our relationship with God is personal but not private.
Conclusion:
God’s blessing comes to those who firmly set their hearts to study, do, and teach God’s Word.
Ezra was studying, doing, and teaching way before he knew he would lead the second wave of Jews back home.
He was faithful in what he knew to be faithful in.
Is it possible we have overemphasized the the role of the pulpit ministry?
First - Ezra studied and learned - in our context from the pulpit, but on our own as well.
Second - Study is only the first part. Ezra DID it.
Third - Ezra taught it.
It is much more than attending church, listening to a sermon, and going home.
Kids questions:
What is one way you can study God’s Word this week?
What is one way you can obey God that you have been struggling with?
What is one way you can teach God’s Word to someone this week?
Questions for the week:
What things are my heart set on?
Where am I in this flow of study it, do it, teach it?
What is keeping me from taking the next step?