Origin Story – Week Three

This is the third consecutive year that we’ve worked through the Bible, five books at a time.  As we read the stories and learn about the history written in the Old Testament, we learn truths that we can apply to our own lives. In week three, we’ll examine: 

1. The history of the times during the book of Ezra.
2. The breakdown of the parts of the book of Ezra, which highlight his objective in life. 
3. Ezra’s objectives.

• The history during the time of Ezra is a little complicated.

2 Chronicles 36:15  God looked on the nation of Israel with pity and compassion.

2 Chronicles 36:16  But eventually, God had had enough of their disobedience.

2 Chronicles 36:17-19  God gave them over to Babylon, and the temple was destroyed.

Jeremiah 29:1,10  The people had hope that they would be delivered from captivity after 70 years. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13  God wanted His people to know Him; and so, He would bring them home.

2 Chronicles 36:22-23  The king of Persia set the Jews free to go back to their homeland and rebuild the temple. The people were overjoyed.

They returned in three waves under three different commanders over a 95 year period.

The 1st group under the command of Zerubbabel came to rebuild the temple.

The 2nd group under Ezra came to establish worship about 80 years later.

The 3rd group under Nehemiah came to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem about 

12 years later.

• There were different sections to the book of Ezra, which highlights Ezra’s objective in his life and makes us question our own. 

Ezra 1-6  The main focus was the construction of the temple. 

Ezra 7  This picked up the story of Ezra himself.

The hand of God was on Ezra (Ezra 7:6, 9, 27-28) because Ezra devoted himself to the study and the observance of God’s law. He also taught God’s decrees and laws. (Ezra 7:10)

The Hebrew word for “devoted” means “to set your heart, to be firm, to direct, to arrange something.”

What is your objective in life?

“Life has value only when it has something as its object.” Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hagel

“Who keeps one end in view makes all other things serve.” Robert Browning

“When you determine what you want, you have made the most important decision in your life.”  

Dwight Pentecost

Your prayer should be, “God set my heart on the thing you have for me.”

• Ezra lived his life with specific objectives.

1st Objective: To study the Law of God

The Hebrew word for “study” means “to seek, to resort to, to consult, to inquire.”

2nd Objective: To teach the Law of God

3rd Objective: To observe the Law of God (practice what it taught)

The goal of studying the Bible isn’t to have more knowledge; it’s to have your life changed.

Ezra 9:1-2  The people began intermarrying with other people who worshiped many gods.

Ezra despaired over this and chastised the people for breaking God’s law. (Ezra 9:3, 10:10-12)

Ezra taught the Word of God after the wall was built around Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 8:1, 4, 5, 8) It changed their lives.

The teaching of God’s Word (the Bible) always changes people when it touches their lives.

What is your objective in life? 

Become an Ezra.