Unit 3: Justice and Adversity
Ezra Seeks God’s Law Bible Background • EZRA 7:1–26 Printed Text • EZRA 7:1–10, 23–26 | Devotional Reading • 2 TIMOTHY 3:14–17
AIM FOR CHANGE
By the end of this lesson, we will UNDERSTAND the historical and spiritual significance of Ezra’s return to Jerusalem, VALUE how God works through various types of people to bring His plan to fruition, and THANK local leaders and teachers of God’s Word.
IN FOCUS
IN FOCUS
“Pastor, our church is gone,” cried Deacon Jenkins. “The hurricane swept everything away; there’s nothing left but the foundation.”
Pastor Joel looked around. He saw what Deacon Jenkins saw: piles of rubble to the south of the building, furniture soaked by hammering rains, and plans for the church’s 100th anniversary celebration put on an indefinite pause.
“Then, Deacon, let’s get ready to rebuild. And I’m not talking about the building,” said Pastor Joel. “I’m talking about rebuilding the faith of our community. We’ve got to build up everyone’s faith in the goodness of God, despite what we see around us.”
Deacon Jenkins could hardly see how. “Well, the school on Pine Hill was hardly touched,” began Pastor Joel. “Let’s see if we can have services there. We’ll use the classrooms for Sunday School and have Wednesday Bible class and Friday prayer meeting there, too. But first, let’s see if we can organize a community-wide prayer of thanksgiving in the school’s auditorium soon. We must thank God that no lives were lost. One day, Deacon Jenkins, we’ll not only have a church on this site, but a school where we can study God’s Word and learn how to live it out in our lives.”
“That’s a pretty big vision,” Deacon Jenkins observed.
“Yes, and we worship a pretty big God,” Pastor Joel proclaimed.
Churches, communities, and families can experience losses that seem insurmountable to overcome. Name a Bible verse, spiritual song, or a sermon that offered encouragement, strength, and hope during a difficult life experience.
NLT Ezra 7:1 Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, there was a man named Ezra. He was 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 high priest.
6 This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him.
7 Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year.
9 He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.
10 This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.
23 “Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons?
24 I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.
25 And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it.
26 Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”