God's People Need God's Strong Men

What's interesting about the book of Ezra is that you don't meet the title character until the 7th chapter. And that is where we are. He comes to Jerusalem 60 years after the first exiles returned and started to rebuild the city and the Temple. So much has happened and so much has been overcome, you begin to wonder, what is his importance to this narrative. But the details emerge quickly as Ezra brings what God's people have always needed - skill in declaring the Truth of God's Word with boldness and conviction so that God's people live according to God's ways.

Ezra 7:1–6 (ESV) Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him.

Ezra is a priest who descends straight from the high priestly line of Aaron down through Zadok and Phineas. We remember these men for their stouthearted devotion to God's leaders - Moses, Joshua and David. In other words, Ezra was from a long line of devoted and strong-willed priests whom God used to lead his people in concert with the truth of His Word. 

What set Ezra apart was his skill in the Law. He was fluent in its truths and after 60 years in the land, the returned exiles had started to depart once again from the law of God. It would seem that this Ezra was sent by God in the nick of time to bring the people back to what made them strong - the living Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Ezra 7:7–10 (ESV) And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Notice that last line of description for this man. He had set his heart to study God's Law, do it and teach it to the people of God. Ezra will bring the exiles back to the truth of God's law. He will challenge them and rebuke them and call them to repentance with force! It will be his efforts that establish Israel in the land, snatching them from the brink of another season of corruption and immorality. 

Now Ezra was also commissioned with the authority of Artaxerxes for this work. 

Ezra 7:25–26 (ESV) “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. 26 Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”

So you have a man with two great gifts. The skill of studying God's law and the authority to put it into legislative practice. Ezra is set up for mighty leadership over God's people. And this is what they NEED.

Today preachers are often cast as soft-spoken almost effeminate man-boys in popular and movies television shows. Ask yourself when was the last time you saw a strong man portraying a priest or preacher in a movie. I can think of Machine Gun Preacher with Gerard Butler but that's all that comes to mind. Most of the time the guy is skinny, not intimidating at all, and almost unsure of his responsibility to guard and care for God's sheep. Sadly, communities suffer when strong men do not take strong leadership roles in the presentation of God's Word. We need to reclaim this aspect of Christian ministry once again. 

Consider that Jesus made a whip (John 2:15) and drove money changers out of the Temple. Consider Paul was once stoned and left for dead, got back up, and went BACK into the city where those men attacked him (Acts 14:20). Consider the strong character of Steven as he bore the pelting stones and saw Jesus standing at God's right hand (Acts 7)! These men are not wimps. They are to be admired. And these are the men scripture highlights in the New Testament. Never mind the warriors of the Old Testament like Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David, and Benaiah. The book of Hebrews extols the strength of God's strong men.

Hebrews 11:32–34 (ESV) what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

These are NOT the details of weak-willed men unsure of their place in the world. These are testimonies of the strong who knew their God was powerful. And they changed the world. God make us like these men today.