So much more than a manual

The book we are working through currently is called Ezra. We are over halfway through the book (there are only 10 chapters) and still haven’t been introduced to Ezra. Anyone notice that?

Anyway, finally in chapter 7, we get to meet him.

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra came up from Babylon.  Ezra 7:1-6

He comes from an important line. Traced right back to Aaron, Moses brother, the original chief priest. That has to be significant.

What else do we find out about him in this chapter?

• He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. (v6)
• The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. (v7)
• Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. (v8)
• He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. (v9)
• For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (v10)
• Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel (v11)

Ezra gets to know his God by studying His word and is here to encourage others to do the same. He has discovered what it is to know the hand of his God on his life. It’s good news and he’s here to share it. As the word of God is at the centre of his life, so he wants the word of God to be at the centre of all Jewish life.

Ezra receives a letter from the king, a letter which starts in this way –

Artaxerxes, king of kings,

To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.   (Ezra 7:12)

It’s amazing how this Persian king describes God as the ‘the God of heaven’. Even though he does describe himself as’the kings of kings’!

He’s being sent to Jerusalem – and anyone who volunteers to go with him should be allowed to go too – to gauge the spiritual life of those rebuilding the temple, restoring Jewish life and community in Jerusalem. He’s trusted to take silver and gold to buy offerings and then –

You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.  Ezra 7:18

The king knows that this man Ezra is best placed to know the will of his God. He has proved his integrity and devotion to the word of God. He decrees that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to give Ezra whatever he wants, whatever he needs, whatever he asks for…..that takes a huge amount of confidence in someone! And the king’s motivation? He’s scared of what this God can do. He’s heard the stories. He wants to appease this God and avoid His wrath.

And this is Ezra’s role when he gets there –

And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.  Ezra 7:25-26

Appoint leaders who know the word of God.

Teach it to those who don’t know it.

And punish those who do not obey it.

Simple.

And Ezra’s response?

 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honour to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favour to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.  Ezra 7:27-28

So that’s it. That’s chapter 7. That’s Ezra. That’s his mission.

And what can we learn from that? Isn’t it obvious?

There is no substitute for reading the word of God. We will get to know God by reading His book. When was the last time you picked up a Bible and opened it and read from it?

And when we read His book and get to know God in this way, it will transform our thinking and our actions. We will be changed. We can sing all the songs in the world about wanting God to come and change us, but without knowing God through His word, that change will always be limited.

I guess I knew that after 50 years of being brought up in the Christian faith, I knew that I did not know the Bible well enough. I did not value it enough. That’s why I set myself this challenge. Not anything as demanding as the Bible in a year. This was going to be the Bible in five and a half years. One book a month. But I was going to write about it too. That way I would really make sure I was taking it in. I wanted others to join me on this journey. I wanted us to discover the changing power of the word of God. Together.

So this blog was born. And it has been incredible. I have discovered so much in places of the Bible I had never ventured before. The Bible is a truly wonderful book – of course it is, it’s the word of God! It’s challenging, yes, and problematic and confusing and frustrating. But it’s also inspiring and encouraging and uplifting.

Why do I get up at 6am every day to do this, when I’m not a morning person? Because it is worth it. I wouldn’t do it otherwise. I do it as much for me as I do it for you. Yes, it’s nice to hear when what I have written has spoken to you, but I would do it anyway, even if no one ever read it. Well, to be honest, I’d always have one reader – Andy – because I literally force him to read it every single day!

So I’ll get there. I’ll have read and written about every single chapter in the Bible in the next five and a half years. And this journey will have transformed my life. I’m sure of that, because it is already changing me.

So thanks for walking with me. But let’s be clear, this is no substitute for reading the Bible for yourself. There are no excuses. Don’t say you don’t have time. We make time for what is most important to us. Don’t say you don’t know where your Bible is. I read the Bible on my computer or phone these days. Don’t say you don’t know what to read. There are plenty of apps that can provide a reading plan. Don’t say you don’t understand it. You’ve heard of Google, right?

I know people say that the best way to get the most out of your appliances is to read the manual and the Christian faith is like that. No, it’s not. I hate manuals. I would never read a manual. But the Bible is so much more than a manual, believe me.

And there’s only one way to find out!