Day 16 - 40 Days in the Old Testament

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Old Testament
Day  16| EZRA

EZRA

Ezra 7:10
“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.” (NASB)

Hundreds of years before this writing of Ezra, when the Israelites entered the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership, they were an army.  Now, the Jews who came back to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon were not that, but rather a religious group of builders focused on rebuilding the Temple that Solomon had built for God which had been destroyed by the Babylonians.

Ezra’s effective ministry included teaching the Word of God, initiating reforms, restoring worship, and leading spiritual revival in Jerusalem.   His writings are focused on the restoration and strengthening of the spiritual heart of the nation of Israel for he knows that when God asks something be done, it often requires extraordinary effort and sacrifice.

Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah in about 597 BC.  But 70 years later, Cyrus the Great conquered the Babylonians who then benevolently released the Jews in Babylon to – if they chose – return home to rebuild their former city, their Temple, their independence, and their relationship with their God.

Thus, the approximately 50,000 who returned to rebuild the Temple and the city, had a huge task ahead of them, especially given that their neighbors in Jerusalem did not want the temple rebuilt nor the Jews to return.

By the end of the book of Ezra, we find that Israel has renewed its convent with God and begun acting in obedience to Him.

Once again, we see how God keeps His promises and how He sometimes moves secular rulers to allow, encourage and even help to Jewish people.
Ezra is a faithful example of someone who served the Lord well and encouraged and led others also.

Psalm 1:2 tells us about the blessed man who “In His law does he meditate, day and night, to be careful to do all that is written therein.”  Our verse today shows Ezra to be such a man.

Prayer: LORD, help me to follow You.  Teach us all and help us all to spend time with You in prayer and in the Your Word daily.  Amen.