Three Keys to Grow Spiritually (Ezra 7-10)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you feel like you’ve stopped growing as a Christian?

There are three common reasons this happens. Either Christians stop studying God’s Word, stop obeying what they know is right, or stop sharing what they’ve learned with others. These were three realities the scribe Ezra guarded against. The name Ezra means helper and “is probably an abbreviated form of Azariah, meaning ‘Yahweh helps.’”^[1] As James Hamilton notes,

Ezra falls nicely into two parts. The first part, chapters 1–6, covers 80 years and concludes with the rebuilding of the temple. The second part takes place in just one year and concludes with the people sending away foreign wives. Both parts begin with a Persian decree, contain a list of returnees, and continue with an account of opposition overcome. In the first part the opposition is from the outside, and in the second it is from the inside.^[2]

“The last four chapters of Ezra are often known as the Ezra Memoir. Some of the material represents a memoir style (Ezra 7:27–9:15) while the rest is written in third person (Ezra 7:1–26; 10).”^[3] Perhaps the key verse in this book is Ezra 7:10, which says, “Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Hannah Harrington writes, “Ezra is the only person in the Hebrew Bible who is said to have ‘sought’ Yahweh through study of his Word.”^[4] As a scribe, Ezra was a student and a practitioner. John Goldingay says,

One of the neatest compliments that could be paid him is that he had given himself to studying, observing, and teaching the Torah. He wasn’t just a person who studied because he liked studying; his studying motivated him to teach. But neither was he someone who simply studied and taught but who could roll up his scroll at the end of the working day and forget about its teaching. He was a person who lived by what he read and taught. He observed the Torah.^[5]

He studied, he obeyed, and he taught. As Derek Kidner writes, “He is a model reformer in that what he taught he had first lived, and what he lived he had first made sure of in the Scriptures. With study, conduct and teaching put deliberately in this right order, each of these was able to function properly at its best: study was saved from unreality, conduct from uncertainty, and teaching from insincerity and shallowness.”^[6] As a result, Ezra’s life serves as a model for Christians of any generation to follow.

A Meditation to PRAY

Praise | Lord, I praise you for your wisdom and guidance. Thank you for providing us with your Word and for the example of Ezra, who devoted himself to studying, observing, and teaching your decrees and laws. Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, and I am grateful for the direction it provides in my life.

Release | I release my fears and doubts about my ability to understand and follow your Word. Help me let go of any distractions that hinder my study and application of your teachings. I surrender my insecurities and trust that with your help, I can grow in knowledge and obedience.

Ask | Lord, I ask for the same dedication and commitment that Ezra had. Please give me a heart that seeks to study your Word diligently, to live by your commands, and to teach others with clarity and love. Give me the wisdom and discernment to apply your truths in my daily life and to share them effectively with those around me.

Yield | I yield my time and priorities to you, trusting that as I devote myself to your Word, you will guide and strengthen me. Use me, Lord, to share your truths and to inspire others to walk in your ways. I commit to putting your teachings into practice, knowing that I can make a meaningful impact through your power.

A Challenge to Act Like Christ