EZRA WAS PUT IN CHARGE

PROCLAMATION

“And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand; set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.”  Ezra 7:25 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Ezra was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Ezra the scribe and priest and historical Bible scholar, according to Jewish tradition.  After the people celebrated the Passover, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, from the line of Aaron the priest, went up from Babylon to  Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:1-8)  Ezra had prepared to study the Law of The Lord, and to do it, and to teach it to the people of Israel.  He had in his possession a letter from King Artaxerxes which decreed that all of the people of Israel who wanted to go to Jerusalem with him could go.  The king also decreed that they could carry gold and silver from Babylon along with a freewill offering from the people of the land. (Ezra 7:9-16)  The king told Ezra to buy whatever was needed for the house of God.  If anything else was needed, it could be given to him out of the king’s treasure house. (Ezra 7:17-20)  He also decreed that it was not lawful to touch, impose a toll or custom on any of the priest, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, or any other servants of the house of God.  Ezra was given the authority to appoint magistrates and judges for the people.  The king said that whosoever did not obey the law would be judged and either put to death, banished, or imprisoned and his goods confiscated. (Ezra 7:21-26)  Ezra said, “Blessed be The Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of The Lord which is in Jerusalem. … And I was strengthened as the hand of The Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered … men to go up with me.” (Ezra 7:27-28)   

APPLICATION

Ezra was prepared to study The Word of God, to live it, and to teach it to others (Ezra 7:10) before he was promoted and put in charge. (Ezra 7:25)  Promotion comes from the hand of God.  “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge; He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:6-7)  The Lord God had blessed each one of us with a gift.  The Bible says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him …” (Proverbs 18:16)  Maybe if we exercise our gift more often, and use it for the glory of God, then we would see how God uses us in different arenas.  Believers should prepare themselves for promotions with more prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and Bible study, (2 Timothy 2:15) and then become doers of The Word and live it. (James 1:22)