[:en]SCRIPTURE: EZRA 7
“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the lord and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel (Ezra 7:10)”
“Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me” (Ezra 7:28)
EZRA COMES TO JERUSALEM (vs. 1-10)
Ezra, son of Seraiah, came from Babylon to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. King Artaxerxes permitted Ezra the priest-scribe to return to Jerusalem to assist the people in their spiritual needs. The king granted him everything he asked for the Lord God was on him. It took Ezra 4 months to travel for about a thousand miles from Babylon to Jerusalem.
KING ARTAXERXES’ LETTER TO EZRA (vs. 11-28)
The king decreed that any Jews could go up with Ezra and return to their land. They could take silver, gold and freewill offerings from Babylon to assist in the work of the Lord. They could also bring mules, rams and male lambs together with their grain offerings and drink offerings and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of God in Jerusalem. They could do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold in accordance with the will of God. Anything that was needed for worship in the temple would be provided from the royal treasury. The king gave order to the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates to provide with diligence whatever Ezra may ask – which include 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. They must not impose taxes, tributes of duty on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at the house of God.
Ezra’s task was to establish order and religious worship in the land. Anyone who does not obey the Laws of God and king will be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property or imprisonment. Ezra praised God for putting into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. He was thankful for the favor the king had given him. So, he took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with him.[:]