Day 234 – Ezra

• Today’s readings continue to tell us about the way that the (increasingly numerous) people returning from exile continued to set up the framework of the spiritual, social and physical structures in the land of Israel again. In other words, we’re reading about how they got on with rebuilding their lives, aiming to bring it in line with God’s Law.
• Today, we meet the person Ezra for the first time. From his mini genealogy in Ezra 9, who is he the very great grandson of?
• Spend a moment thinking about what Aaron person did, and what important job he had as a priest; a job that Ezra was to continue. Ezra led the second group of people returning from exile, and clearly was a well known leader.
• Ezra 7:10 is a verse worth highlighting. It shows us a key reason why Ezra made it easy for God to use him. Have you seen the film “Facing The Giants”? There’s a scene where a football coach is wondering where God is in the midst of his troubles. He’s reminded of two farmers waiting for rain, but only one of them trusted enough to prepare his fields for when the rain eventually came. Ezra is “preparing his field” too, by studying God’s Word, so that he was ready for God to use him. Look at the action words in this verse. It doesn’t happen by magic!
• How are you preparing yourself for God’s work? These studies are a great start, but how better equipped do you feel now? Are you soaking in the great messages we’re reading?
• What wonderful and encouraging words did the letter from the king say? How would this have encouraged the people?
• Notice that the words we read in Ezra 8 and 9 were written in first person whereas chapter 7 isn’t. It’s difficult to say who wrote this book, and Ezra clearly wrote some of it… but not all of it!
• What sin, discussed in Ezra 9, have many of the people committed over the years of exile? Based on the 70 years time-frame, I can imagine that the number of foreign people around them was high, so it’s unsurprising that this might have been a temptation that they faced.
• Describe Ezra’s reaction and the way he prayed. Read to the end of Ezra 9 if you would like to know what happened to the marriages!

As Ezra prayed, some of the people gathered around him and heard his prayer. What must they have been thinking as he prayed? When we’re in church, what do you think when you here prayers? Which ones stand out particularly to you?

It’s important to note something about the problems about intermarriage in Ezra 9. God’s concern was not (and still is not) concerned about keeping the Jews ethnically pure, or something like that. We too, should have no concerns about marrying someone from another race or ethnic background. The issue that concerned God was that people were abandoning their faith and worshipping false gods, or getting involved in evil practises which God forbade. This is the reason God required them to only marry other Jews, not for racial segregation.