Learning to Become a New Ezra. Ezra is an oft unsung hero whose story needs to be resurrected in our difficult era. He was an adventuresome priest, a prayerful scholar of the Word, and an innovative teacher of Scripture who led the Israelite settlers into spiritual renewal after being captive in Babylon for seventy years. …
Learning in the School of Ezra: Convinced of God’s Mercy. “When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, the priests in their robes and carrying trumpets, the Levites with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as David king of Israel had instructed. They sang responsively, praising and giving thanks …
Learning in the School of Ezra through Public Confession. “Each day of the Feast, from the first day to the last one, Ezra read from Torah, God’s Book of Instructions The Israelites celebrated the Feast of Shelters for seven days; on the eighth day, as instructed in the Book, they held a solemn assembly. The …
Learning in the School of Ezra: Celebrating the Feast of Shelters. “On the next day, the heads of families and the priests gathered around Ezra again to study more of the words of the Torah. They discovered that the people of God were to live in temporary shelters at that time. So in obedience to …
Learning in the school of Ezra through Physical Worship. “When they saw Ezra open the Book, the people all stood up, immediately rising to their feet. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, ‘Amen! Amen!’ or ‘Truly! Truly!’ as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed their heads low …
Learning In the School of Ezra: Preach it! “Ezra stood on a high wooden platform built just for this occasion. He read the Torah aloud, the Book of the Teachings of the Lord, teaching the Book from sunrise to noon. All the people could see him because he was standing above them in full view …
Learning in the School of Ezra: God’s Hand-Picked Leader. “Ezra had devoted himself to investigating Scripture, he had set his heart to studying and practicing the Torah instructions of the Lord, and to teaching Israel its statutes and laws.” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra is probably the most famous Bible scholar in the history of the Judeo-Christian …
Learning In the School of Ezra: The Parable of the Well-Trained Scribe. “Therefore, every scribe trained and instructed for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings treasure out of his storehouse, things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52). SCRIBE. The Greek word used for scribe in this parable is the source of our word …