Ezra 7:10 Commentary PREVIOUS NEXT Click charts to enlarge Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission Introduction and Chart of Ezra - Swindoll CHRONOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP OF EZRA-NEHEMIAH-ESTHER 538-515BC 483-473BC 457BC 444-425BC Ezra 1-6 Book of Esther Ezra 7-10 Book of Nehemiah 13 Year Second Return First Return Third Return 58 Year of Jews from Gap of Jews from of Jews from Gap Babylonian Babylonian Exile Babylonian Exile Exile EZRA: RESTORATION AND REFORM Restoration of the Temple Reform of the People Under Zerubbabel Under Ezra First Return Construction of Second Return Restoration To Jerusalem The Temple to Jerusalem of the People Ezra 1:1-Ezra 2:70 Ezra 3:1-Ezra 6:22 Ezra 7:1-8:36 Ezra 9:1-Ezra 10:44 First Return Second Return of 49, 897 of 1754 22 Years 1 Year (538-516BC) (458-457BC) Key Passages: Ezra 1:3, Ezra 2:2, Ezra 6:21, 22, Ezra 7:10 Key Words: Went up (Ezra 1:11, 7:1, 6, 7, 8:1), Jerusalem (48x), Decree (17x), House of the LORD (Ezra 1:3, 5, 7, 2:68, 3:8, 11, 7:27, 8:29), Law (...of the LORD, ...of Moses, ...of God) (Ezra 3:2, 7:6, 10, 12, 14, 21, 26, 10:3) Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. (NASB: Lockman) (Read context 7:1-10 ) Greek (Septuagint): hoti Esdras edoken (AAI) (active voice = Ezra made a volitional choice in his heart to seek the law, etc) en kardia autou zetesai (AAN) ton nomon kai poiein (PAN) kai didaskein (PAN) en Israel prostagmata kai krimata My rendering of Greek: Because (for) Ezra had made a personal choice, a choice of his will to give (devote) his heart to seek after the law and to continually practice (present tense) it and to continually teach (present tense) it in Israel (both) the ordinances and the decrees. Amplified: For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the Lord [to inquire for it and of it, to require and yearn for it], and to do and teach in Israel its statutes and its ordinances. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) ASV: For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances. KJV: 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. NLT: This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the law of the LORD and to teach those laws and regulations to the people of Israel. (NLT - Tyndale House) Young's Literal: For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. FOR EZRA HAD SET HIS HEART: 1Samuel 7:3; 1Chronicles 29:18; 2Chronicles 12:14; 19:3; Job 11:13; Ps 10:17; 57:7 William Orr calls Ezra 7:10 the "key verse" for he sees this as the key to Ezra's character. (Reference) Indeed, is this not the key to every godly man and woman's character, to have our heart set on taking in the Word of the Lord and thereby be enabled to hear the voice of the Lord? Exposition of the "Ezra 7:10 Principle" - herein lies the "secret" of Spirit empowered, Word centered, Christ exalting, God glorifying preaching and "abundant life" living (John 10:10). The "setting" of our heart - At the outset of this exposition, it strikes me that Ezra's heart was like a compass, ever pointing to God through the supernatural working of His Spirit and His living and active word. And it was in this supernatural context of a Word saturated, God centered heart, that Ezra, a man of the Book and the God of the Book was compelled (even impelled) to return to his beloved city of Jerusalem. May we as believers on this side of the Cross find ourselves so similarly saturated with God's love letter that it grips our heart like it did Ezra's, so that we are compelled (even impelled) to live progressively more and more with a Colossians 3:1, 2, 3, 4/Romans 12:1, 2 mindset ("heart set") (see notes on Col 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; 3:4; Ro 12:1; 12:2) and the things of this present world grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Amen. (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Violin and Video; Cyberhymnal - "And Step by Step You will lead me and I will follow you all of my days") And notice also that God is not some distant Divine Being to Ezra but is "up close and personal" for He is referred to as "his God" in Ezra 7:6, 7:9 and "my God" in Ezra 7:28 (cf Ezra 9:5, 6). Is He your God? Do you have a personal relationship with the Holy One of Israel? Is He your Father (Jn 1:12-13, Mk 14:36, Ro 8:15, Gal 4:6). O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s a light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Refrain Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion— For more than conquerors we are! Refrain His Word shall not fail you—He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Refrain 3 JEWISH RETURNS FROM BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY Historical Context - Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are the last three books in the historical section of the Old Testament (Joshua- Nehemiah). These three books tell us what happened to the Jewish people after the 70 Year Babylonian Captivity and give details of the three stages of the return of the Jews (538, 458, 445 BC) to their beloved city Jerusalem. In is interesting to note that there were also three stages of exile to Babylon - 603, 597 and 586 BC! THE 3 RETURNS OF THE JEWS TO JERUSALEM AFTER THE 70 YEARS OF BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY # DATE SCRIPTURE LEADER RULER Ezra 1-6 Zerubbabel 1 538 BC Cyrus Temple Rebuilt Joshua 58 Years = Time Lapse Between Ezra 6 & 7 All the Events of Esther Take Place During this Time 2 458 BC Ezra 7-10 Ezra Artaxerxes Ezra Serves as Priest in Jerusalem for the Intervening 13 Years Ezra Appears in Nehemiah 8 After Wall Rebuilt - Revival Occurs Nehemiah 1-13 3 445 BC Nehemiah Artaxerxes Wall Rebuilt Relationship of the books of Ezra to Nehemiah and Esther - The book of Ezra is a very interesting book because it is actually two books, Ezra 1-6 comprising "book one" and Ezra 7-10 comprising "book two". Between Ezra 6 and 7 there is a time gap of about 58 years! And guess what? During this 58 year time gap all of the events in the book of Esther took place! Then Ezra 10 is immediately succeeded by the events in the book of Nehemiah. So compressed into these last 3 historical books of the Old Testament canon, are four fascinating stories dealing with God's sovereign, providential dealings with His chosen people after 70 year period of punishment as captives in Babylon. In Psalm 137, the psalmist gives us some insight into how the exiled Jews felt about this time of exile. As you read these words filled with pathos, ponder the pain and the pull of homesickness for the city of God that must have gripped godly leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah… Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. 3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion." 4 How can we sing the LORD's song In a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget her skill. 6 May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. Comment: These sad words give us some insight into the emotions that must have filled and motivated the hearts of men like Ezra and Nehemiah to resolve to leave their comfortable conditions in Persia and return to their blessed city of David. Dear NT believer, let the Spirit birthed yearnings for our heavenly Zion and our glorious King, motivate and inspire and compel us to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (see Phil 3:14-note), not becoming comfortable with this present world which is passing away and even its lusts (cp 1John 2:15, 16, 17). Dear Father in heaven, according to Your great lovingkindness please grant that your redeemed sons and daughters might have hearts like Ezra and Nehemiah such that we would continually contemplate and yearn for Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22-note), and that this longing and passion might by Your grace cause us to order our steps ever upward during our short sojourn as aliens and strangers (1 Pe 2:11-note) in this present evil age.