We now come to Ezra chapter 7, some 57 years following chapter 6, and we have a new generation of Israelites who arose in Persia, but this time it was a much smaller remnant, numbering around 5000. These also journeyed to Jerusalem. They were sent to assist the aging pioneers who had returned decades earlier. But what they found there is far from the joy and unity described in the final verse of Ezra 6. The spirit of celebration had faded and the harmony had fractured as the people moved far from God and His Word.
The prophet Malachi, who ministered during this time, gives voice to a sobering reality: Corruption among the priests, indifference among the people, and a nation teetering on the edge of covenant unfaithfulness. The very survival of Israel’s identity and mission stood in question, as the Temple, though rebuilt, had become hollowed and emptied by compromise and neglect.
It is into this very situation that Ezra chapter 7 opens up. It is then, at this pivotal moment when the Lord raises up a bold, uncompromising man of faith, the prophet Ezra who would be working with Malachi. And his arrival is nothing short of majestic. His grand introduction is meant to draw our attention to the qualities that made him so successful. What then defines success, in a person both in his time and in ours?
Let me first show you how the text introduces him. See how the Hebrew of Ezra 7:1 reads, “Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra … It does not explain who he is, but his name appears abruptly, as if history was waiting for him.
After his name, a short genealogy is given which traces him back to Aaron the High Priest, as if to signify that besides the corruption and chaos, the Lord had not forgotten the promise of a perpetual line of priests, leading to the ultimate High Priest, Yeshua Himself. And so, the verse stands as a shining light of hope.
But who was Ezra and how did he come to the point of attracting God’s attention, being placed in such a high position? It is well explained to us in vs.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. Notice the three steps given by the Spirit of God; study – practice – teach. Study, דָּרַשׁ (dāraš) means to seek with care, to inquire or to investigate: Practice, עָשָׂה (ʿāśâ), means to live it and do it. And to teach is לָמַד (lāmad). There is however another meaning to this word: it is to strike, to beat with a rod, and many times, this is what the Word of God feels like when we go astray: not as a harsh punishment, but as a gentle, corrective rod guiding us back to the right path.
Study, practice and teach. This is God’s divine order, and it cannot be reversed. If someone desires to teach others, they must first become a student of the Word. And before instructing others, they need to live what they’ve learned.
Sadly, many bypass study and personal obedience, yet still rise as teachers and leaders. That may work in the world, where appearance and charisma can be enough, but not in God’s kingdom, where integrity and faithfulness are the true credentials.
These three qualities, studying, practicing, and teaching, are what Yeshua emphasized to His disciples as He began introducing the coming birth of the Church through the seven parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13. This is when the Lord asked the disciples a question, “Have you understood all these things?” and they answered, “Yes, Lord” (Matthew 13:51).
We might reasonably doubt how much they actually understood. Their later confusion and questions reveal that their understanding was far from complete. Yet, they must have grasped something when in verse 52, Yeshua tells them and us as well, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a man who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52).
What did He mean by this? At the time, scribes were the trained teachers and interpreters of Scripture, the scholars of the Law. But now, Yeshua redefines the role and appoints His disciples as the new scribes of the Kingdom. They are to draw from the treasure of God’s Word, bringing forth truths both old and new, that is the whole council of God, to teach and guide others into the knowledge of the Messiah.
This is now our calling as well. We are the new scribes. We are to speak, explain, and connect the past, present, and future through the lens of God’s Word; to lead people to the saving knowledge of Yeshua, the Messiah and to encourage and strengthen them. Notice that Jesus calls the Word of God a treasure (Greek: thēsauros), the same word used in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44). It speaks of something exceedingly valuable.
And what about the “old” in “things new and old”? In Greek, the word palaios can carry either a negative or positive connotation depending on the context. It can mean something outdated and worn, like old wineskin or tattered garments, or it may mean something enduring and rich, like aged wine or the eternal truths we find in our Bible.
And so we are now the new scribes, disciples of Yeshua entrusted with His Word which we are to bring out, boldly, wisely, and faithfully. We are not to store it away, but to proclaim it. We are not to admire it from far, but to live it and share it. This is our calling. This is our privilege. We have become keepers and givers of the treasures of the Kingdom. We are today’s Ezra.
What then are the advantages of being an Ezra? We can see a first one, back in vs.6 where we are told that the king granted him all he requested. Because Ezra made it his priority to seek and know the Lord and serve Him, God turned even his enemies into allies. The king of Persia, under whose rule Ezra lived as a captive, granted him everything he asked for and so much more as we will see. What a remarkable blessing: to have the king himself so deeply impressed by Ezra.
And the reason is given concerning Ezra. See the last words of vs.6: Because the good hand of his God was upon him. This is the first of six times in Ezra where we read of God’s hand being on this individual. Here, in 7:6 as Ezra planned to leave to Jerusalem, the King fell in love with him. In 7:9 as he planned the difficult journey to Israel, he knew to recognize God’s hand on him. In 7:28 Ezra prayed, overwhelmed by God’s presence with him and Israel. In 8:18 Ezra thanked the Lord for bringing the Levites to Israel, for they were hard to find. In 8:22 Ezra prayed and sought for the protection of the Lord through his journey to Israel, for he was carrying a very large amount of gold and silver and there were many thieves along the way. And finally in 8:31 once in Israel, Ezra thanked God for His constant care and protection, and His hand over Israel.
Click Here for the Video : The Book of Ezra, Part 4 – A Heart Set on the Word