Ep. 206. Ezra 5-9 | Study, Practice, and Teach

EPISODE 206

STUDY, PRACTICE, AND TEACH: EZRA 5-9

Once the people of God began again to rebuild the temple they immediately received opposition. But this time, they were undeterred and continued in the task. God was favorable to the obedience of his people and, again, turned the Persian King's heart towards God's will. As an interesting note, Darius mentioned here in Ezra 5 is likely not the same Darius as the one who threw Daniel into the lion's den. This particular Darius is coming decades after the one from Daniel 6, but that we have two kings with the same name should not unsettle us since we've seen similar things in the kings of the Jews.

Ezra doesn't go to Jerusalem until chapter 7 of his short book. Even when I was recording these videos for you, I defaulted to my faulty view of Ezra and had to record a correction later. It is easy for any of us to assume that Ezra since he is the author of this book, has been present for all of these events. But we see here in the seventh chapter the care with which Ezra came to Jerusalem and the care with which he served and honored God.

One of my all-time favorite verses is found in this section: "Ezra set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel." I have long endeavored to be the kind of man who sets his heart to study, practice, and teach the things of God.

Both Ezra and Nehemiah face the same sin of the people of God. Many years ago, when first reading Ezra and Nehemiah, I thought they were being rebuked for intermarrying with the Babylonians, among whom they had lived as captives, but it appears that this rebuke from the prophet is in regard to the violation of God's command to not intermarry with the Canaanite people. Their sin so overcomes Ezra that he pulls the hair from his beard. Nehemiah will be less docile than that and pulls the hair from the heads of the offenders instead.

God was always interested in the obedience of the Israelites to his teachings and commands.

ADDITIONAL READING: Nehemiah 13:25; Deuteronomy 7:3