Well. It’s almost August.
Let’s dive in.
“Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.
This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him. Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.
Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him . This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.”
Ezra 7:1-10 (NLT)
So last we checked in with our exiles, they had completed the Temple and were having a dedication party. We can safely assume they got back to life as usual: making a living, celebrating the holy days, worshiping at the temple they had labored so long to rebuild.
Fast forward nearly 60 years and we have a new name on the scene: Ezra. The first thing our text makes sure to point out is his lineage. Ezra is a descendant of Aaron, the first priest God appointed after the exodus from Egypt. He was to serve as an intermediary between the Most High and the people, interceding for them. It is significant Ezra is of his lineage. But more on that later.
The text also tells us that others came with Ezra on the trip. Reminiscent of the first round of exiles returning to Jerusalem, some priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants joined Ezra in the roughly 900-mile, 4-month journey.
We also know from these verses that Ezra was a scribe, well versed in the Law of Moses. If you’re pretty familiar with the New Testament, this could sound like a bad thing as the Scribes and Pharisees were always getting in trouble with Jesus. They were scholars who taught the Scriptures, and by New Testament times were often referred to as rabbis.
But can you see how being well-versed in the Law God had given His people to follow would be important for our two groups of exiles, now seeking to live together as one? They had been living in Babylon among those who worshiped false gods. The renewal of sacrifices and Temple worship was still relatively new. The people needed guidance. And God’s Law was their True North.
A literal rendering of the Hebrew in verse 10 reads: Ezra had prepared his heart to study the law of The LORD and to do it and to teach Israel its statutes and judgments.
Or: Ezra was firm in his will to seek God’s Law, to accomplish it, and to teach its boundaries, limits, and just verdicts (mishpat) to Israel.
I can’t think of a single thing going on in our world that couldn’t use this beautiful Law. The healthy boundaries it places on our broken hearts and broken actions. The limits it kindly enforces so we show love to our neighbor, whoever our neighbor is, rather than harm. And the just verdicts needed for us to live in a fallen world as fallen people.
Friends, let’s be faithful to this Law, this Word of God. We know, experientially, it is flawless and just and alive and active.
And obeying its commands is the only way to peace.