Ezra was God’s man who led His people from captivity in Babylon back to the land which God had promised to their fathers. God’s judgement had resulted in the armies of Nebuchadnezzar obliterating Jerusalem, tearing down the walls surrounding the city, destroying the Temple and deporting the most influential people as slaves to serve in a pagan land, Babylon. Israel was completely embarrassed by defeat, made totally vulnerable by loss of status and reputation, plus they felt abandoned by God because their worship and spiritual identity had been completely lost. One word described Israel for 70 years, DEFEATED.
When God made a way for His people to return to their homes and renew their place as the people of God, He called Ezra to lead the way. Here is a description of Ezra’s qualifications: “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” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra was a scribe who gave himself to the recording and maintenance of God’s word. He loved the word of God, protected it and provided for its preservation from generation to generation. He was a man of the Bible.
Do you love the word of God? Do you read it? Do you try to memorize important verses? Your attitude toward and devotion to the Word of God will make a difference in the way God uses you in His service. Your love for the Bible will make a difference in the way people respond to your influence. King Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, said this about Ezra, “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of God of heaven, perfect peace, And now…Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons” (Ezra 7:12, 23). It could be that one reason today’s culture lacks respect for what God says is because we have lost our passion for the word of God.
Someone recently submitted an interesting question to an online blog, "If someone from the 1950s suddenly appeared today, what would be the most difficult thing to explain to them about life today?"
One person responded, "I possess a device, in my pocket that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man. … I use it to look at pictures of cats and get in arguments with strangers."
Explain that!
Do you spend more time online than you do reading the Bible and meditating on the word of God? It may be when God asks us to explain why we watched our world slip into an obsession over cats and arguments with strangers we will be forced to admit our lack of passion for His holy word. Renew your passion and love for the Bible by finding your place in Bible study through Sunday School. You can make a difference.
When God made a way for His people to return to their homes and renew their place as the people of God, He called Ezra to lead the way. Here is a description of Ezra’s qualifications: “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” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra was a scribe who gave himself to the recording and maintenance of God’s word. He loved the word of God, protected it and provided for its preservation from generation to generation. He was a man of the Bible.
Do you love the word of God? Do you read it? Do you try to memorize important verses? Your attitude toward and devotion to the Word of God will make a difference in the way God uses you in His service. Your love for the Bible will make a difference in the way people respond to your influence. King Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, said this about Ezra, “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of God of heaven, perfect peace, And now…Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons” (Ezra 7:12, 23). It could be that one reason today’s culture lacks respect for what God says is because we have lost our passion for the word of God.
Someone recently submitted an interesting question to an online blog, "If someone from the 1950s suddenly appeared today, what would be the most difficult thing to explain to them about life today?"
One person responded, "I possess a device, in my pocket that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man. … I use it to look at pictures of cats and get in arguments with strangers."
Explain that!
Do you spend more time online than you do reading the Bible and meditating on the word of God? It may be when God asks us to explain why we watched our world slip into an obsession over cats and arguments with strangers we will be forced to admit our lack of passion for His holy word. Renew your passion and love for the Bible by finding your place in Bible study through Sunday School. You can make a difference.
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