Ezra 7:1-10 (November 9th, 2025)

Ezra Sent to Teach the People

7:1 Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

7 And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 And Ezra[a] came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

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Summary

Ezra 7 opens with a new generation of leaders returning to Jerusalem under Persian rule. About sixty years have passed since the temple was completed (Ezra 6). During this time, the people have grown spiritually complacent, though the temple stands. Into this context steps Ezra, a priest and a scribe, described as

“a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given” (v. 6).

The passage traces Ezra’s genealogy back to Aaron the chief priest (vv. 1–5), establishing his legitimacy as both priest and teacher. Under the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Ezra receives royal permission to return to Jerusalem, carrying with him not only authority but also the favor of God.

“The hand of the Lord his God was upon him” (vv. 6, 9)

This explains everything. It was not political maneuvering, intellectual skill, or awesome leadership that led Ezra’s mission, but divine providence.

Verse 10 encapsulates the heart of his ministry:

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”

This threefold pattern — study, obey, and teach — becomes the blueprint for every faithful servant of God.

Who is God

God is the sovereign restorer who works not only through kings and decrees but through the formation of hearts. The same Lord who moved Cyrus to rebuild the temple now moves Ezra to rebuild the people’s faith. His providence is both cosmic and personal — shaping empires and softening hearts. “The hand of the Lord” symbolizes His guiding power, the invisible yet irresistible force directing Ezra’s journey. God reveals that true reform begins not in political revival but in renewed devotion to His Word.

What is our Guilt

We are prone to rebuild the structures of religion while neglecting the substance of faith. Like post-exilic Israel, we often mistake external order for spiritual vitality. The temple may stand, worship may resume, and yet hearts remain dull. We may possess the Law but not love it, read it but not obey it. Ezra’s generation needed more than walls — they needed a Word-centered reformation. Our guilt lies in treating God’s Word as information rather than transformation.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines in God’s initiative to send Ezra — a man whose heart He had prepared — to renew His people. Ezra’s resolve to study, obey, and teach reflects the fruit of divine grace. The very hand that guided Ezra is the same hand that upholds every believer in Christ. Jesus fulfills what Ezra foreshadowed: the true Priest and Word made flesh who teaches us not merely laws but life itself. Through Christ, the “hand of the Lord” rests permanently upon His people by the Holy Spirit, writing the law upon our hearts (Jer. 31:33).

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your faithful hand that guides every generation back to you.

Forgive us for building outward forms of "faith" while neglecting the inward transformation of the heart.

Teach us, like Ezra, to study your Word diligently, to live it out humbly, and to teach it faithfully.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.