Mad Skills

It’s always great to know about the author of the story. Understanding who’s behind the book or blog is important in wrapping your head around what you’re reading. Here at the beginning of Ezra 7, we meet the author. Ezra himself steps into the story. Most scholars believe he wrote both the book that bears his name but Nehemiah as well. Here in chapter seven we get a bit of his bio as well as God’s blessing on his life. We see that Ezra’s kind of a big deal. He’s got some serious skills when it comes to God’s Word. We’re talking mad skills. He’s got the backing of the Persian government. But as great as he is, his God is even greater. None of this happens with the LORD.

The author slaps a date on the beginning of chapter seven. “Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia” (v1). A few verses later, he gets even more specific by letting us know that this is “in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king” (v7). A closer look at Persian history tells that we’ve skipped ahead a few years in the story. And when I say “a few years,” I mean 59 years. Artaxerxes ran the join from 464-423 BC. We suddenly find ourselves in 458 BC. A lot has happened since then. Like an entire book of the Bible. You can drop the book of Esther smack dab in between Ezra 6 and 7. If you’re familiar with that particular book, you know that if some dude named Haman had  his way, there wouldn’t be a single Israelite left alive to return home. 

Previous Persian kings played key roles in the return of God’s people to the Promised Land. First Yahweh lit a fire under Cyrus to not only send the Jews back home but to bankroll the project (Ez 1). Next God used Darius to sign off on all the royal paperwork for the rebuilding of the temple and order that local tax money be used for financing (Ez 6:6-13). Almost 60 years later, Ezra asked Artaxerxes to back the next phase of the resettlement of God’s people into their homeland. We know that Ezra didn’t make this happen simply through his charming personality and good looks. He writes that “the hand of the LORD his God was on him” (v6). More on that in a moment. 

It’s important to point out that these Persians weren’t pussycats or pushovers. These men were ruthless dictators that ruled through power and war. They weren’t normally given to letting their slaves move back and home much less giving away millions of dollars to help them do it. That’s because God was behind it all. Remember, the Israelites were under the thumb of these kings for almost 70 years. They were almost 1,000 miles from home. And if the situation isn’t desperate enough, their capitol city of Jerusalem and specifically the temple of God is a pile of bricks. It was “game over, man.” That’s when the LORD shows up in a very big way. Suddenly, kings are making it rain and God’s people are headed home. Is your situation bleak? Is your life hopeless? I’ve got great news for you. That same God is still up to His same old tricks. 

In verse one, we meet our main man Ezra. Ezra’s kind of a big deal. Jimmy Buffett may be the son of a son of a sailor. That’s nothing compared to the Big E. You see, Ezra is the son a son of a high priest. We get a glimpse of his family tree in the following verses (v1-5). What we see is a who’s who of Jewish high priests. Check it out. Seraiah (2Ki 25:18). Azariah (1Ki 4:2). Hilkiah (2Ki 22:4-23:24; 2Chr 34:9-18). Zadok (1Ki 2:35). Ahitub (1Sam 14:3). Amariah (1Chr 6:7-11). Meraioth (1Chr 6:6-7). Zerahiah (1Chr 6:6). Uzzi (1Chr 6:5-6). Bukki (1Chr 6:5). Abishua (1Chr 6:4-6). Phinehas (Num 25:10-13).. Eleazar (Ex 28:1). These boys are some real heavy hitters, biblically speaking. Ezra can even trace his family line back to Moses’ kid brother Aaron, the very first priest of Israel (Ex 28:1). Yeah, Ezra’s kind of a big deal.

“This Ezra went up from Babylonia” (v6). In other words, this wasn’t just any Ezra. This was THE Ezra! He’s the current high priest of God’s people. Told you he was a big deal. But Ezra’s resume is even more impressive. “He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (v6). The word “skilled” (Heb. mahiyr) tells us a ton about the Big E. It means diligent, quick, prompt, and ready when it comes to Scripture. The Law of Moses describes the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Tradition holds that Ezra had these first five memorized. Think about that. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I don’t even know where my car keys are half the time, yet Ezra could recite the Pentateuch from memory. This was EXACTLY the kind of person who is desperately needed in Jerusalem as the people are rebuilding their nation.

Ezra leads quite a posse back to the Promised Land. Check out this roster. “some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants” (v7). A couple of important notes. First of all, the temple is up and back in operation (Ez 6:14-16). There was a huge need for all of these people to lead the worship of God in His house. The other crucial idea is that this is the second wave of Jews to make the migration home. Zerubbabel led the initial resettlement team of almost 50,000 some 80 years ago (Ez 2). Don’t you know the folks in Jerusalem were glad to see reinforcements arrive!

For the second time in just a few short verses, we read how God has His kung fu grip on Ezra as a leader. “The hand of the LORD his God was on him” (v6). “For the good hand of his God was on him” (v9). God’s handprints are all over the book of Ezra. The Big E says there’s a reason behind his boldness. “I took courage, for the and of the LORD God was on me” (Ez 7:28). Ezra boldly tells the pagan King Artaxerxes, “The hand of our God is good on all who seek Him” (Ez 8:22). When this second team of Israelites eventually heads back home, Yahweh kept them safe and “the hand of our God was on us” (Ez 8:31). Man, talk about a great place to be! Forget Allstate, this is the hand I want to be in!! As the author, Ezra doesn’t want us to miss the point that God is the one who deserves the applause. He points the spotlight on the One who was really running the show. Ezra’s a big fat zero without the power and strength of God’s hand on Him and behind this project. And when God grabs onto you, He never lets go. Ezra might be really good, but his God is really great!

Earlier we see that Ezra has some serious skills when it comes to Scripture (v6). We get a little better idea of what that means. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel” (v10). He not only knew the law but did the law. According to Jesus’ kid brother James, that’s exactly the sign of a powerful faith in God (James 1:22-25; 2:18). Ezra didn’t turn his head into a biblical hard drive. Once inside his brain, God’s Word went to work in and through Ezra’s life. He did something with what he believed. He led. He loved. He served. Don’t just cram your skull full of useless Bible trivia. Let God change you and renew your mind through His truth (Rom 12:2). And before you know it, you’ll have skills. Serious skills. Mad skills.

Our man Ezra simply a picture of the Christ who was to come. Ezra’s a pretty cool guy but he’s no Jesus. There’s only One of those. Jesus is the One who will lead us back home from our slavery to sin to the ultimate Promised Land. Jesus is the ultimate High Priest who actually offers Himself as the once-and-for-all sacrifice (Heb 4:14-5:10; 7:23-28; 8:1-13). And there’s no one who has ever walked the planet that has the crazy skills when it comes to the law like Jesus. He had jaw-dropping knowledge of the Bible at the age of 12 (Lk 2:46-47). He continually blew people away with His teaching of Scripture (Mt 7:29; Mk 1:22). But most of all, Jesus was completely obedient to the law and fulfilled every single thing said about Him (Mt 5:17-20). When it came to Scripture, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter had skills. Serious skills. Mad skills. They don’t call Him the Word for nothing.