Four Life Lessons from Ezra the Scribe — Mica Olinghouse

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” ~Ezra 7:10

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Originally published in the Word Life Blog in 2015, this article profiles the author and namesake of the book of Ezra in the Old Testament. Not only was this godly man a key figure in the Old Testament during the rebuilding period, but he was also anointed by the Lord in a dual-leadership role of priest and scribe. As a writer and minister, I’ve always felt a close connection with Ezra’s particular calling, and the more I studied his life, the more I loved his pure heart towards the things of God. I hope you enjoy learning about this mighty Old Testament hero as much as I did!

Enjoy! -Mica

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Over the last year or so, I have been completely captivated by the story of Ezra. While he is one of those obscure Old Testament authors, his influence wraps itself around a key piece of Jewish history, primarily the exile and restoration period of 458-444 B.C.

A contemporary of Nehemiah and Malachi, Ezra was a prominent figure in the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. Dispatched by the king of Persia, he led the second wave of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem, completed the beautification of the Temple, brought spiritual reform to the people, and initiated the last great revival in the Old Testament. He was both a priest and a scribe, a leader, a revivalist, and an intercessor. Widely respected as an editor of the Old Testament who helped to contemporize the language of some of the older books, Ezra furthered his legacy as a prolific Biblical writer by penning four books of the Old Testament (Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 Chronicles, and 2 Chronicles).

Although Ezra retains a special place in my heart because of his writing gift, it is his love for God’s Word that trumps all of his accomplishments. Because he greatly honored God’s commands, he found favor with both God and men and became a highly influential leader in his time. While Ezra might have lived thousands of years ago, his life still speaks today, showing us how to cultivate a heart set towards the eternal principles of God’s Word.

There is so much to say about Ezra and his compelling story, but Ezra 7:10 unveils his secret in one simple but profound sentence: For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. This succinct verse is the key to Ezra’s incredible success.

Let’s take a look at four key elements in this short but powerful scripture:

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1. EZRA PREPARED HIS HEART

Have you ever looked at a recipe that said Bake time 30 minutes, prep time 45 minutes? (By the way, I love these recipe card boxes!) As much as you would like to throw all the ingredients into the oven and have it magically mix and bake itself, you can’t successfully bake anything without properly following the preparation directions. While it may be time-consuming, preparation is absolutely vital to a correctly baked dish.

The principle of preparation rings true even in spiritual matters. Notice our verse says Ezra prepared his heart. According to the Strong’s Concordance, prepare means “to establish, fix, direct, fasten.” This word also implies being “faithful, fitted, or ready.” These words are all very important for they paint a picture of Ezra’s discipline to prepare himself and his heart.

Ezra took time to establish his heart towards the things of God. He directed his affection on God’s Word and fastened his eyes on the will of God.

Before Ezra was ever used by God in a significant way, he was behind the scenes serving God faithfully. He took time to establish his heart towards the things of God. He directed his affection on God’s Word and fastened his eyes on the will of God. And when God needed a man who could lead a nation into His next great purpose, guess who was equipped and qualified? Faithful Ezra who had prepared his heart.

Interestingly, the word prepare in the Strong’s also implies “to be erect or stand perpendicular.” I find this definition extremely insightful because of the intensity and position it renders. A prepared person stands erect and perpendicular. He has learned that even when culture sways one way, he will refuse to bend to its demands. Rather, he will stand erect, unflinchingly set towards God’s Truth. His perpendicular position will make him stand contrary to the world’s system but will bring him parallel with God’s standards.

With a heart that was prepared and aligned with God’s purposes, Ezra was a perfect fit for his divine mission!

2. EZRA STUDIED GOD’S WORD

The second element of Ezra’s success was his disposition towards the Word of God. The Bible says he prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord. Several other translations render this phrase as “tenaciously studied,” “determined to study,” “worked hard to know,” “and set his heart to study.” In other words, Ezra was a student of God’s Word.

The Strong’s Concordance gives further insight into the verb to seek and provides the following definitions: “to tread or frequent, to follow for pursuit or search, to ask or seek, to diligently inquire.” With these words in mind, can you just imagine Ezra searching through the ancient scrolls of the Torah and the writings of the old prophets, diligently seeking to know God’s words and His heart? Whether by the dawn of the morning sun or by the flickering light of a midnight candle, Ezra was at his post, absorbing, searching, and pursuing frequently the Word of the Lord. He treaded in the waters of the Law and, by daily practice, became an expert in God’s Word. (Speaking of midnight candles, check out the new Candace Cameron Bure candle line from DaySpring!)

When the time came for God to bring a revival to the Jewish people, whom did He choose? Ezra, the young man who had diligently searched out God's Word for His Truth, His message, and His heart.

3. EZRA OBEYED GOD’S WORD

Have you ever bought a new piece of furniture that required at-home assembly? Usually, those projects come with a clear-cut manual that includes precise directions for building the aforementioned piece. However, have you ever read through the manual, threw it out, and then tried putting together the furniture piece on your own? Didn’t turn out so well, did it?

Well, that’s what happens to so many Christians today. They read the Bible, throw it out, and try to do life their own way. Nothing works as it should and they wonder why their lives are in such a mess! Well, they wouldn’t be in this crazy predicament had they obeyed the manual's instructions in the first place.

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While studying is great, it won’t amount to much without proper application. James warns of this peril in the first chapter of his book: Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22). If the Word is only heard but not obeyed, deception will creep into the minds and hearts of believers. Deluded by their own knowledge, Christians who throw the manual out and try to do life apart from God’s Word will have nothing to show for their knowledge because they never acted upon what they knew.

In our story of Ezra, we see that Ezra was not only a student of God’s laws but also a doer of them. He had already set his heart towards God and His Word, and he further committed himself to God’s ways by continually practicing the knowledge he received.

Ezra’s faithfulness to obey God’s commands was one of the prerequisites to his success in life. God was looking for a person who would not only study His words diligently but also take them deeply to heart. And guess who He found when He needed a leader to take the charge for the next generation? Ezra, the doer of the Word.

It is with this great heart set towards the simplicity of carrying God’s Truth to his generation that we find Ezra in position to be God’s next man in line.

4. EZRA INSTRUCTED GOD’S WORD TO OTHERS

By now, we see the sweet disposition of Ezra’s heart to God’s Word. He took the time to establish his convictions, searched day and night for God’s Truth, and obeyed with gladness God’s instructions. Although Ezra was well on his way to the path of success, he was not satisfied. His heart yearned for one more thing: To teach his people the statutes and judgments of God’s Word.

While statutes and judgments may run together in our minds while reading this verse, these two words actually convey two distinct components. According to the Strong’s Concordance, statute implies a decree, ordinance, or law, whereas judgment conveys a verdict, a manner of the law, or a crime and the penalty. In other words, Ezra prepared his heart to teach his people not only the law of God, but also the consequences of disobeying God’s law.

In this day of extreme tolerance, we are so used to hearing that it’s okay to live however we want. Even the church world at this time is almost numb to sin and wrongdoing. However, God’s Word is established as a command because disobeying it brings severe consequences. It is in His wonderful mercy that God gave us His Word to show us the way to life. Disobedience to His Word leads to sorrow, heartache, distress, trouble, and eventually death. No temporary fleshly pleasure is worth the pain and heartache disobedience brings to those who choose to sidestep the Word of God.

Our hero, Ezra, understood the significance of honoring God’s Word, studying it daily, and obeying it without question. He knew the great blessing God’s Word would bring to those who loved it and lived by it. On the other hand, he also recognized the grave severity of distress and problems that would arise if God’s Word was not accepted and acted upon. It is with this great heart set towards the simplicity of carrying God’s Truth to his generation that we find Ezra in position to be God’s next man in line. When God looked over to find a man He could use to bring restoration to His people, guess who was ready, willing, and able? Ezra, God’s man of compassion and conviction.

May we act upon His every word without doubt or hesitation, and may we boldly lead others into His truth.

IT’S OUR TURN NOW!

With Ezra as a shining example of obedience, let’s learn to shape our hearts like he did towards God’s Word. Let’s stand erect for our Lord Jesus Christ in a generation that prefers the profane over godliness. May our sights be ever set on the Word of the Lord, daily drinking in His words and His heart. May we act upon His every word without doubt or hesitation, and may we boldly lead others into His truth. Who knows...when God needs a mighty man or woman to carry out His purpose on the earth in this hour, He might just tap us on the shoulder and whisper to our hearts: “Go! It’s your turn now!”

If you’ve enjoyed this article, I’d love to hear from you! Email your comments to mica@micaolinghouse.co.

Also, if you need prayer or would like to receive a Bible free of charge, please let me know. Our ministry, New Life Metro Ministries International, would love to pray for you and send you a Bible!

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