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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Ezra chapter seven,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Now,
Speaker 1: after these things had happened during the reign of King
Speaker 1: Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. Ezra was
Speaker 1: the son of Saraya, who was the son of Azariah,
Speaker 1: who was the son of Hilkaia, who is the son
Speaker 1: of Shallam, who was the son of Zadok, who was
Speaker 1: the son of a high Tub, who was the son
Speaker 1: of Amariyah, who was the son of Azariah, who was
Speaker 1: the son of Marioth, who is the son of zara Ayah,
Speaker 1: who is the son of Uzi, who is the son
Speaker 1: of Bookie, who is the son of abesh Ushua, who
Speaker 1: was the son of Phineas, who was the son of Eliezer,
Speaker 1: who was the son of Erin, the chief priest. This
Speaker 1: Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He
Speaker 1: was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses,
Speaker 1: which the Lord God of Israel had given. The King
Speaker 1: supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of
Speaker 1: the Lord his God was on him. In the seventh
Speaker 1: year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought up to Jerusalem some
Speaker 1: of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites,
Speaker 1: the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. He entered
Speaker 1: Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of
Speaker 1: the king. On the first day of the first month,
Speaker 1: he had determined to make the ascent from Babylon, and
Speaker 1: on the first day of the fifth month he arrived
Speaker 1: at Jerusalem. For the good hand of His God was
Speaker 1: on him. Now Ezra had dedicated himself to the study
Speaker 1: of the Law of the Lord, to its observance, and
Speaker 1: to teaching its statutes and judgments in Israel. What follows
Speaker 1: is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave
Speaker 1: to Ezra, the priestly scribe. Ezra was a scribe in
Speaker 1: matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his
Speaker 1: statutes over Israel. Artaxerxes, King of Kings, to Ezra, the priest,
Speaker 1: a scribe of the perfect Law of the God of Heaven.
Speaker 1: I have now issued a decree that anyone in my
Speaker 1: kingdom from the people of Israel, even the priests and Levites,
Speaker 1: who wishes to do so, may go up with you
Speaker 1: to Jerusalem. You are authorized by the King and his
Speaker 1: seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to
Speaker 1: the law of your God, which is in your possession,
Speaker 1: and to bring silver and gold which the King and
Speaker 1: his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel
Speaker 1: who resides in Jerusalem, along with all the silver and
Speaker 1: gold that you may collect throughout all the province of Babylon,
Speaker 1: and the contributions of the people and the priests for
Speaker 1: the Temple of their God, which is in Jerusalem. With
Speaker 1: this money, you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams,
Speaker 1: and lambs, along with the appropriate meal offerings and libations.
Speaker 1: You should bring them to the altar of the Temple
Speaker 1: of your God, which is in Jerusalem. You may do
Speaker 1: whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues. With the
Speaker 1: rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with
Speaker 1: the will of your God, deliver to the God of
Speaker 1: Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the
Speaker 1: service of the Temple of your God. The rest of
Speaker 1: the needs for the Temple of your God, that you
Speaker 1: may have to supply, You may do so from the
Speaker 1: royal treasury. I King Artaxerxes hereby issue orders to all
Speaker 1: the treasurers of trans Euphrates that you precisely execute all
Speaker 1: that Ezra, the priestly scribe of the law of the
Speaker 1: God of Heaven, may request of you up to one
Speaker 1: hundred talents of silver, one hundred cores of wheat, one
Speaker 1: hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of olive oil,
Speaker 1: and unlimited salt. Everything that the God of Heaven has
Speaker 1: required should be precisely done for the temple of the
Speaker 1: God of Heaven. Why should there be wrath against the
Speaker 1: empire of the king and his sons. Furthermore, be aware
Speaker 1: of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax,
Speaker 1: tribute or toll on any of the priests, the levites,
Speaker 1: the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants
Speaker 1: at the temple of this God. Now, you, Ezra, in
Speaker 1: keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess,
Speaker 1: appoint judges and court officials who can arbitrate cases on
Speaker 1: behalf of all the people who are in trans You
Speaker 1: fe es who know the laws of your God. Those
Speaker 1: who do not know this law should be taught. Everyone
Speaker 1: who does not observe both the law of your God
Speaker 1: and the law of the King will be completely liable
Speaker 1: to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment,
Speaker 1: or confiscation of property or detainment in prison. Blessed be
Speaker 1: the Lord, God of our fathers, who so moved in
Speaker 1: the heart of the king to so honor the temple
Speaker 1: of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem. He has also
Speaker 1: conferred his favor on me before the King, his advisers,
Speaker 1: and all the influential leaders of the King. I gained
Speaker 1: strength as the hand of the Lord my God was
Speaker 1: on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go
Speaker 1: up with me. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for
Speaker 1: your word, and we thank you for the privilege of
Speaker 1: being able to look at this portion of scripture today.
Speaker 1: And we thank you that as this progress is taking
Speaker 1: place in Jerusalem, as the temple is being built, that
Speaker 1: now you're seeing to it that one who knows your will,
Speaker 1: one who knows your word, is sent to Jerusalem. You
Speaker 1: raise up Ezra, and you make the king favorably disposed
Speaker 1: toward him, and he's sent to Jerusalem. So that he
Speaker 1: could teach the word of God to the people of Judah. Lord,
Speaker 1: we're grateful for the privilege of being able to see
Speaker 1: this transpire because we know that ultimately your word, all
Speaker 1: of it, whether it be in the Old Covenant or
Speaker 1: the New Covenant, it's all pointing to your son, Jesus Christ,
Speaker 1: and we're grateful to see someone in that generation raised
Speaker 1: up to make your word known. And likewise, Lord, in
Speaker 1: the context that we live in, we're grateful for opportunities
Speaker 1: for us to learn your word and grow from it
Speaker 1: and ingest it in our minds and in our hearts,
Speaker 1: so that we can be people who understand your will,
Speaker 1: who practice what you have taught us, and that we
Speaker 1: could understand more about what it means to bring glory
Speaker 1: to your name through faith in your son Jesus Christ. Lord,
Speaker 1: we're grateful for this reality. We're grateful for the ways
Speaker 1: that You've blessed us. We're grateful that we have the
Speaker 1: opportunity each day to share in these recordings. We're grateful
Speaker 1: that we can sit down with printed copies of your word.
Speaker 1: And we're grateful, Lord for all sorts of resources that
Speaker 1: you've made available to us during this particular era of
Speaker 1: history that enable us to understand your word and know
Speaker 1: it and grow and be pointed directly to your son,
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. Lord. We're grateful for all these things, and
Speaker 1: we're grateful for your presence with us today. We commit
Speaker 1: this day to your care, and we just thank you
Speaker 1: for all of this in Jesus' name, Amen,