Why are there so many warnings and condemnations of sin in the Bible? Certainly, GOD forgives sin, so why keep reminding everyone and warning everyone? GOD hates sin and GOD hates divorce. Which does HE hate more? Ezra was a scribe among those who had been carried out to Babylon. He was a contemporary of both Daniel and Nehemiah.
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
What an example to all. He had set his heart to study the Law of GOD. What have you set your heart on?
7:11 Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel: 7:12 "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now 7:13 I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
GOD had made Ezra known to the king is such a manner, that he received the king’s letter detailing Ezra’s leading others back to Jerusalem.
7:14 "Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
7:15 and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
7:16 with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
7:17 with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
7:18 "Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.
7:19 "Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
This is quite hard to imagine, especially for those who refuse to believe in GOD! Here a pagan king is funding, permitting, and endorsing the return of the people of Judah back to Jerusalem. The king is putting all of this under Ezra’s care. What did the king know of Ezra that he would trust him with so much?
7:20 "The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.
7:21 "I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
7:22 even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.
7:23 "Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
7:24 "We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.
The king provided everything and required the local authorities to provide all that would be required. The pagan world would fund the rebuilding of the walls and the Temple!
7:25 "You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 7:26 "Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment."
It keeps getting better. Ezra is to appoint leaders, judges, teach the Law of GOD, and warn those who do not observe or obey the Law!
7:27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 7:28 and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
So what does all of this have to do with sin and obedience?
Next Saturday.