EZRA 7:10

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statues and ordinances in Israel.”

 

Consider with me some Lessons from  Ezra’s heart and practice as he prepared himself  to Love God and Lead others towards God and in the ways of God. We see Ezra…

1. – PURPOSED –

In “…his heart…” ” …To study the Law of the Lord”- Of all the things he would give himself to, he CHOSE- he “set his heart to…”- He Purposely gave himself to “study the Law of the Lord.” It does  not mean he did not have other things to do, indeed he did- such is life, But whatever others would  give themselves to and “set” their hearts upon, Ezra  had decided as for him he would “set his heart to study the Law of the Lord.” You and I are not responsible for  what others set their heart upon- only for our own heart.  And that means looking at our lives truthfully and evaluating what is it we have “set” our hearts upon?  We learn Ezra purposed … “to study the Law of The Lord…” He sought to become acquainted with what the Lord had to say. He purposed to be familiar and  submerged in the Lord’s Word. His study of “the law of the Lord”

was not aimless. He studied with the aim and purpose to….

 2. – PRACTICE –

The Word of God. He studied firstly  for PERSONAL APPLICATION.  He came to Gods Word with the INTENT of knowing what God said “…and to practice it.” To be a Doer of the Word!

I remember when I was  younger and starting our speaking an older brother shared that one of the errors and traps younger preachers fall into is searching the Scriptures looking for messages- And I fell headlong  into that. It got old and I remember one day crying out to the Lord to help me come to seek and Know Him- for this is His desire,Luke 24:27 shows us His encounter after His resurrection with two of His disciple on the road to Emmaus “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” We read in John 14:21 Jesus shares that we express Love to Him as we choose to “Obey” His Word. There is a great verse in 1 Timothy 4:15 which reads “Take pains with these things, be Absorbed in them { being a Godly example to others- v 12..public reading The Scriptures …exhorting and teaching…} to what end? “… so that your PROGRESS may be EVIDENT TO all..”- 15- Paul wanted Timothy to so live that when people looked at his life they could see what? Maturity… he was progressing and indeed it would be evident to who? “…to ALL” Verse 16 he says “Pay close attention to YOURSELF and to YOUR TEACHING; PERSEVERE in THESE THINGS; …”

3. – PRESENTATION –

The giving of  himself to “study the Law of The Lord” that he may….“Teach His statues and ordinances in  Israel.”  Teaching SPECIFICALLY- HIS– statues and HIS ordinances… Where would Ezra find “…His  statues and His ordinances?”- IN GOD’S WORD. How would he “know” them?   He would have to – give himself – purposely to Seek out and Study what He has revealed in the pages of His Revealed will- His Word. How awesome is that-That Ezra  could know what God had revealed, about Himself, His Ways, His precepts, His Promises that he may practice the Word of the Lord but also to present that truth.

Note Ezra’s LOCATION- He had a specific location in Mind for WHERE to teach- “…IN ISRAEL…”  In the Sphere of where he lived, and the people whom he came in contact with…were the people in whom he was  preparing himself to be able to PRESENT to them  “the Law of the Lord…” He was studying God’s Word with purpose- to Practice it and to PRESENT God’s Word and bless others.

 4. – PUBLIC –

In  the Book of Nehemiah  as God was beginning to turn the hearts of the people back to Himself…  they had need of someone to “explain” the Scriptures to them. Who should they turn to , in helping them? The man whom God had found who had “Set his heart to study the Law of the Lord”- namely Ezra, and  we see this through out the eight chapter of Nehemiah Ezra’s Public ministry was a result of his…

5. – PRIVATE  PRIORITY–

Ezra… had given himself to “the study of the Law of the Lord” and  God raised him up and the people recognized him as the one to open the Scriptures to them. And God used His Word to bring about REVIVAL – a NEW OBEDIENCE- in their hearts…AND

6. – PEOPLE  – 

Were Influenced- {Nehemiah 8:18 }. What did God use to bring about change? One man who had “set his heart to Study the Law of the Lord to Practice it and  to teach HIS statues and ordinances in Israel” I love the fact that he purposely gave himself to “study the Law of the Lord…” that he may teach HIS- Gods statues, and ordinances,- Gods ways. Not his own opinions or that of others but Gods thoughts. How exciting that God can use us to influence people towards Him as His Word is accurately divided and presented…

  “His reigning desire had been to study the Divine law, it’s principles, institutions, privileges, and requirements; and now from love and zeal, he devoted himself, as to the business of his life, to the work of instructing, reforming and edifying others.”-– Jamieson, Fausett, Brown Commentary

 Like Ezra – May we give our hearts to the Study of Gods Word-  and with Purpose-

  1. –  To Know God
  2.  – To Practice His Word and
  3. –  To PRESENT His Truth Accurately that others may do likewise and follow Him

May God grant us A REIGNING DESIRE to Study His Word that we may Know Him– Obey Him and Present Him and His ways, precepts, promises to  others to – Follow Him

  What we give ourselves to in private will determine our usefulness to the Public and the degree in which God can use us.

 Have a Blessed Day and may God grant each of us the Heart of Ezra and make us Ezra men and women- who “set our hearts”…”purpose in our hearts” to Study Gods Word to practice and accurately present it to  others when called upon… and God will always give us opportunities- we  need to be – ready! Keep studying – TO PRACTICE His Word and also as a means for God to  keep using you to bless others as we PRESENT His Word…pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ.