Learning from Ezra: Why Do We Need to Study and Teach the Bible?

The Bible is a book marked by remarkable accuracy and rich detail, whether historically, geographically, archaeologically, scientifically, medically, spiritually, or morally. Yes, the Bible is truly an extraordinary book. And in particular, one of the books that interests me most is Ezra. 

Recently, Ezra has become one of my favorite Bible figures. I found many remarkable things about him as I read and studied this book. Ezra's example encourages me to love God more, persevere in doing His word, and teach it to others. 

Before we go any further, let us first get acquainted with this figure named Ezra. 

Who Is Ezra in the Bible?

The book of Ezra was written against the backdrop of the situation around 70 years after Babylon conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. This was the time when the people of Israel experienced exile according to the prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11). However, God kept His promise to set them free. In 539 BC, Persia conquered Babylon, and God moved the heart of the king of Persia to free the people of Israel.

Ezra was a Persian government official responsible for Jewish religious affairs. The Persian Empire allowed its people to worship their respective gods, but they had to submit to and be supervised by the government. This was to prevent religion from being used as a cover for rebellion.

When he arrived in Jerusalem, Ezra saw that the Israelites were no longer heeding the Law of Moses. They intermarried with foreign nations, worshiped idols, and no longer kept the Sabbath holy. This moral crisis among the people of Israel broke Ezra's spirit. Frustrated, he resolved to carry out a sweeping reform.

Understanding and Teaching the Word of God

This was Ezra's conviction for why he was willing to take on the commitment and responsibility to understand and teach the Law of the Lord:

1. To Cultivate Deep Conviction in the Word of God

The return of the people of Israel from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem was solely because of God's goodness. Imagine, does it make sense for a conqueror to release and allow the people it conquered to return to their homeland? It does not seem so. After all, these enslaved people surely brought many benefits to the ruling nation. 

Compare this situation with the time when they were still under Egyptian oppression. Only after the ten plagues did Pharaoh finally, and reluctantly, allow the people of Israel to leave the land of Egypt. 

However, something different happened when the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon. God's favor was poured out on them through the king of Persia, (by that time Babylon had been conquered by Persia), so that they could return to Jerusalem to build the temple there with the king's approval. Wow. This was truly extraordinary. God kept His promise to this people who had sinned so greatly by bringing them back to Jerusalem.

This is the decree of Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a house for Him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD. The God of Israel, the God who dwells in Jerusalem. - Ezra 1:2-3 

Turning Back and Growing in the Lord

This is why Ezra committed himself to studying the Law of the Lord, so that the people of Israel would once again have conviction and faith in God.  For 70 years they were exiled to a land that did not know God and where they could not worship God freely (Jeremiah 29:10). It is entirely possible that they also adopted many wrong values from there. 

Ezra wanted them to repent and return to God, who had been so good to them. And of course, Ezra wanted this nation not to be exiled again because of their sins. Ezra wanted this chosen people of God to live in the truth. 

What Ezra did for the people of Israel is actually not far removed from our own lives. Perhaps we have been, or perhaps we are now, far from God because of our sin. But God still keeps us and pours out His grace on us.

Like Ezra, we can return to God by continually studying His Word so that our conviction grows. We can also share it with the people around us, so that they may turn back to God and grow in their faith.

2. Understanding & Teaching the Bible Is Our Responsibility

Have you ever thought, “Why does God place the people who are around us right now in our lives, to be present and cross our path? When there are so many people in this world, why them?” What does God want from us when He allows us to know them and even be involved with them in our lives? 

Ezra realized that what happened in his life was not a coincidence. He was descended from the Levites, and he was born in that era. Then, Ezra himself was someone trusted by the Persian government. He was a respected and learned man who was entrusted to lead the people of Israel back to Jerusalem. This was not a coincidence either. 

“If I am not the one to study the Law of the Lord, teach it, and guide this people of Israel, then who else?” This may have been more or less what was on Ezra's mind, which finally led him to take up this responsibility. 

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules among Israel. - Ezra 7:10 

Today God also gives us the same responsibility. God places the people who are around us right now so that we can introduce them to God and His truth. However, first we need to make the decision and commitment to study the Bible deeply so that our conviction is formed. Then, only after that, can we share and teach the Bible to others around us.

If Not Me, Then Who?

Like Ezra, perhaps we ask the same question, “If I am not the one to study and teach the Bible to them, then who else?”

Ezra's attitude toward the Law of the Lord is something we need to imitate. He was determined to study and teach the word so that the people of Israel would have conviction and be able to live according to His will. So too should this be our attitude toward the Bible. Studying and teaching the Bible is our responsibility as those who profess faith, so that everyone may have deep conviction and live in the truth. Let us continue to faithfully study and teach the Bible to everyone, like Ezra.

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References:
www.britannica.com/biography/Ezra-Hebrew-religious-leader
www.gotquestions.org/life-Ezra.html
www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/ezra-according-to-the-gospel-ezra-710/
amazingbibletimeline.com/blog/bible-prophet-ezra/

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