Ezra 7

Ezra 7:1

II. THE RETURN OF CAPTIVES UNDER EZRA (Chaps. 710) A. Generous Authorization by Artaxerxes (Chap. 7)7:1-5 There is about a fifty-eight-year gap between chapters 6 and 7. (See the chart “CHRONOLOGY OF EZRA, NEHEMIAH, AND ESTHER” in the Introduction.) During that time Darius was succeeded by Ahasuerus (Xerxes). His reign covered the events recorded in the Book of Esther. After him, Artaxerxes (Longimanus), mentioned in verse 1, came to the throne. A brief genealogy of Ezra is given in verses 1-5 to show his priestly ancestry. G. Campbell Morgan comments: As messengers of the will of God, the scribes took the place of the prophets, with this difference: instead of receiving new revelations, they explained and applied the old. Of this new order Ezra was at once the founder and type. . . . He was expert in exposition and application of the Law. The qualifications for such work are very clearly set out in the statement made concerning him in the tenth verse of this chapter. He “set his heart to seek . . . to do . . . to teach.” 7:6-10 Besides possessing a distinguished pedigree, Ezra was . . . a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses. Certainly Ezra was a man of the Book and a living illustration of the first three verses of Psalm 1. Because he meditated on the Law of the LORD day and night, he prospered in what he sought to do for God. Jehovah once more directed the heart of a heathen king to carry out His counsels. A decree was issued which made possible a second return to Jerusalem, this one under Ezra. 7:11-26 King Artaxerxes of Persia granted sweeping powers to Ezra in this letter recorded here. Any Israelites who desired could accompany him to Jerusalem, where he was to inquire if everything was being done in accordance with the Law of Moses. Generous gifts had been donated by the king and his counselors. These, along with any temple vessels which were still left in . . . Babylon, were committed to his charge. The gifts were to be used to maintain the temple services, and any surplus was to be distributed at Ezra’s discretion.

If that was not enough, silver, wheat, wine, oil, and salt were to be supplied without prescribed limit from the royal treasury. The last four items were essential ingredients in the Jewish sacrificial system. Those who served in the temple were granted exemption from taxes. Finally, the edict gave Ezra the political power to appoint magistrates and judges for the Jews living west of the Euphrates River. These judges were to teach and enforce the laws of . . . God. 7:27, 28 In his thanksgiving prayer, Ezra blessed . . . God for directing the king’s heart to beautify the temple and humbly thanked Him for the enabling strength He gave to undertake such an important work. Encouraged by the Lord’s hand on him, Ezra gathered chief men of Israel to go up with him to Jerusalem.