Ezra
3 Things You Should Know about Ezra
The book of Ezra, along with the book of Nehemiah, spans about one hundred years of Israel’s history, from the time of Cyrus’ edict in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to return to their homeland of Jerusalem and Judah, to the time of Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem in 433–432 BC. Events cluster around two main periods within this one-hundred-year span—538–515 BC (Ezra 1–6) and 458–433 BC (Ezra 7–Neh. 13). The former period centers on the rebuilding of the temple. The latter period centers on the reformation of the people by way of the Law under Ezra’s leadership and the rebuilding of the wall under Nehemiah’s leadership. These times continued moving the covenant story forward and prepared the world for the arrival of the Promised One, Jesus Christ. When you think about the book of Ezra, here are three things you should know.
(Sarah Ivill; Ligonier) READ MORE>>>>>
The book of Ezra, along with the book of Nehemiah, spans about one hundred years of Israel’s history, from the time of Cyrus’ edict in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to return to their homeland of Jerusalem and Judah, to the time of Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem in 433–432 BC. Events cluster around two main periods within this one-hundred-year span—538–515 BC (Ezra 1–6) and 458–433 BC (Ezra 7–Neh. 13). The former period centers on the rebuilding of the temple. The latter period centers on the reformation of the people by way of the Law under Ezra’s leadership and the rebuilding of the wall under Nehemiah’s leadership. These times continued moving the covenant story forward and prepared the world for the arrival of the Promised One, Jesus Christ. When you think about the book of Ezra, here are three things you should know.
(Sarah Ivill; Ligonier) READ MORE>>>>>
Ezra 4:15:
That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed |
Much Biblical history was recorded in other places also, not a testament of evidence, but just for the sake of keeping some things documented.
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Ezra 7:10:
“for Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgement.” |
![]() This verse reveals to us the spiritual maturity of Ezra, it shows us his heart and soul. It’s a verse that should challenge our hearts today. It’s a verse that should be a reality in each of our lives.
I. Seek the Law of the Lord A. Prepared his heart first 1. Prepared: to establish, fix, apply, be stable, implies a deliberate effort over time a. Our natural heart does not naturally seek the Word of God b. Our heart is a composition of all three components of our soul—our mind, emotion, and will—plus the most important part of our spirit—our conscious. c. Jesus taught in Mark 7:21-13 that sins like evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and foolishness, actually originate in the heart of man. It’s called our sin nature. 1) The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure, who can understand it ? Jer. 17:9 a) Is. 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 2) Our Heart affects our actions. Rehoboam did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord II Chron. 12:14 ( grandson of David, started sensitive to the Lord, but it lasted only 3 out of his 17 yrs reign) 2. Humanity has a heart problem, and needs a heart transplant. a. God must "remove the heart of stone" and replace it with "a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). 1) We are to break up your fallow ground : Jer. 4:3, Hos. 10:12 (we can get a hard heart, a calloused heart) 3. We need to set (prepare) our heart and soul to seek God I Chron. 22:19 a. Samuel told the children of Israel to “…prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only” (1Samuel 7:3b) a. David had fixed his heart.. “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise” (Ps. 57:7) b. Many a person has failed because they failed to prepare their heart, failed to fix it Ezra prepared his heart to do three things: Seek the Law of the Lord, to Do it, and to Teach it. B. Seek defined: to inquire, seek after, search, pursue after 1. The old Testament says a lot about seeking. a. Deut 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul b. Jer. 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart c. Psalm 119:10 with my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments 2. Jesus talked about seeking in the New Testament a. Seek ye first the kingdom of God…Mt 6:33, seek and ye shall find..etc. 1) It’s a great Bible Study to look at the things Jesus was seeking for…and to study what God seeks for in the O.T. . 3. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. Phil 2:21 Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord C. Ezra loved God’s Word ( Ezra sought God’s Word. We seek after whatever we love ) 1. David’s example. Psalm 119:97 Oh how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day. 2. Loving God’s Word gives great peace. Ps. 119:165 -Ocean View Baptist Church |