MONDAY, 25 January, 2021 “Ezra’s Commission”

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Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

As a new administration takes authority and responsibility in Washington DC , thousands of people worldwide are being commissioned by this new government into their new assignments. Ultimately their purpose is representation of President Biden and his administration, while accomplishing their job, which will in turn advance the agendas of this new leadership, all around the world. Right?

This great privilege for these newly assigned government employees, happens in every change of government, everywhere in the world. So let’s look together into the Bible, Ezra chapter 7, to learn some important lessons for living life whether you are a newly assigned employee of the Biden administration or a normal person living the life God has made possible for you, anywhere in the world. But first, I have a question for us: Are you living your life with PURPOSE? If so, what is your purpose? If not… why not?

Fifteen years after the great PURIM event of Queen Esther, which we looked at over the past few days, King Artaxerxes, who followed King Xerxes as the most powerful man in the world, did what President Biden is doing these days. King Artaxerxes selected and commissioned a man named Ezra for a special mission. The year was 458bc and Ezra who could trace his family heritage all the way back to Aaron, brother of Moses and the first High Priest of Israel, this Ezra was a well educated scholar, particularly in the Law of Moses, which of course is God’s instructions for the people of Israel. The record says: “The king had granted Ezra everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.” (Ezra 7:6)

Wow! I’m sure many of those President Biden is hiring into key roles are well educated people, but I wonder how many have that special attribute… “the hand of the LORD God upon them…”? Can you and I say this attribute describes us? Do we have a strong sense that God’s hand is upon us? His hand of guidance, protection, provision, wisdom, anointing, blessing? That, my friends, is part of the role of the Holy Spirit, active in the life of an authentic follower of Jesus Christ! (John 14:16,17, 26; 16:8-13; Romans 8:5-17)

Ezra had evidently been selected and commissioned by Emperor Artaxerxes for a specific, complex mission, which would send him from Babylon, where his family had lived for nearly 150 years. That’s probably 5 or 6 generations, since his ancestors were dragged away as captives from Jerusalem during the invasions of King Nebuchadnezzar. Ezra had evidently found an opportunity to study the Torah while in Babylon, and achieved some notoriety as a teacher, a Rabbi, and King Artaxerxes made a very wise, strategic, leadership decision.

He was well aware of the rebuild of Jerusalem and the Temple which King Cyrus had authorized in 538bc when 50,000 exiled Jews were released from Babylon to return and rebuild Jerusalem. King Artaxerxes also knew how important the spiritual orientation of the Jewish people was. Their culture, their dynamic as a people was deeply rooted in their spirituality, their worship, their relationship with God.

Artaxerxes sent Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem on the mission of teaching the people God’s Truths, God’s Ways, and calling them to live in obedience to God’s Laws. The king knew that if they did so, Jerusalem could be a city with very little crime, solid families and marriages, honest business dealings, mutual respect among the people, and in many ways Jerusalem could be a model city in the entire Persian empire.

Now think about that for a moment my friends as you consider how President Biden is naming his cabinet and commissioning thousands of people to important government posts all around the world. What criteria is he using for their selection? What values will they espouse as they fulfill their work? How will they represent the American people? What relationship do they have with God? What level of respect for God’s Word, God’s Ways, God’s Truth and Jesus Christ Himself?

The trip from Babylon to Jerusalem took four months, according to Ezra 7:8, and this phrase again describes why the trip was safe even though it traversed dangerous, rugged territory: “…for the gracious hand of God was on him (Ezra).” Note please the letter of commissioning which Emperor Artaxerxes had sent with Ezra, you’ll find it in Ezra 7:11-26. It’s nothing less than miraculous, amazing! Any Jew was free to go with Ezra. A vast amount of silver and gold was sent with them. Look at vs. 17 and you’ll see why! But also look at the trust Artaxerxes placed in Ezra to use that vast amount of wealth in the best way: “You…may do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.” (Ezra 7:18) I wonder what guiding principles these new hires of President Biden will use to make their leadership decisions?

Finally, look at what else King Artaxerxes entrusted to Ezra in vs. 25: “And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of the Trans-Euphrates region – all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know these laws…” Do you see the level of trust the king placed in Ezra, both in careful selection of those who would be judges and leaders, but also in teaching them to govern according to the unchanging, truthful, morally right laws of God?!!

Can you imagine my friends if that was the standard today, wherever you are in the world? What a dramatically different world we would have! But instead, how much corruption, deceit, selfish greed do you see in all types of leadership where you live?

Now in closing today, please very carefully look at how Ezra concludes this 7th chapter: “Praise be to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way, and who has extended His good favor to me before the king and his advisors and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me from Babylon to Jerusalem.” (Ezra 7:27)

So my friends, pause right here this Monday. Are you being commissioned by God to represent HIM today, this week, where you live, or work or spend your time this week? Is there any greater privilege? Is the gracious hand of God upon you? Do you see the evidence? Do other people recognize it? What has God commissioned you to DO this week for His great glory and to help our world? What is God’s purpose, that He would like to accomplish through you and me in 2021??

Here’s another powerful statement my dear wife Dawn found and I share with you: “God gave you a fingerprint that no one else has, so you can leave an imprint that no one else can.” You might want to read that again!

Do you understand your uniqueness as created by God, and your unique purpose God has entrusted to you? Do you know the prayer of St Francis of Assisi? This video song was filmed in his hometown in Italy. Oh my what a difference we could make in our world, if we lived the truth of this song:

Today’s Scripture is Ezra 7.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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