Ezra 1:1 simply informs us of the actions of a King, a lost (heathen) King at that! “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, THE LORD STIRRED UP THE SPIRIT OF CYRUS KING OF PERSIA, that he made a PROCLAMATION throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying …” This proclamation or decree was very “pro-Israel!”

“Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and HE HATH CHARGED ME TO BUILD HIM AN HOUSE AT JERUSALEM, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (HE IS THE GOD) which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:2-3

Wow!

Thus a remnant can now return, legally, from a 70 year captivity … to their homeland!

Because God “touched” a lost man, a Gentile King!

This (miracle) happens several more times in Ezra as well! God so powerfully moving upon Kings!

Proving a principle of Scripture … “The king’s heart is in THE HAND OF THE LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Proverbs 21:1

Cyrus, whose (“hard” most of the time) heart was “in the Hand of the Lord” decreed liberty for the Jews, after the 70 years of captivity Jeremiah prophesied long ago. See Jeremiah 25:11 and 12. Then again Jeremiah 29:10.

I am amazed today at the Power of the Hand of the Lord!

Once the Jews had “served” their 70 years of “chastisement” in a foreign land, God raised up a King more favorable to Israel’s interests! Illustrating Proverbs 16:7 also. “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

God’s HAND!

Later in Ezra the man of God will acknowledge: “The HAND OF OUR GOD is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.” Ezra 8:22

I (too) want God’s Hand upon me for good!

Furthermore notice this. “For upon the first day of the first month began he (this Ezra)to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD HAND OF HIS GOD UPON HIM.” Ezra 7:9, God’s Hand, again!

Even in Nehemiah … “And the king granted me, according to THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD upon me.” Nehemiah 2:8

Nehemiah (actually a companion volume to Ezra, historically and spiritually) 2:18 also says: “Then I told them of THE HAND OF MY GOD which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me.” Nehemiah himself talking!

God’s Hand!

Even old Jabez knew this necessity! “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and THAT THINE HAND MIGHT BE WITH ME, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1st Chronicles 4:19

Enough has been written for today, I think.

Oh that we all could relish in the thought that God’s Hand is upon us … for good!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Anytime one studies a Book of the Bible it is helpful to know the writer. (Understand please that the Real Author of all Scripture is God the Holy Spirit!) By writer I mean the human who held the pen, who placed the words on the scroll. And in the case of our present study, it is (nearly universally agreed) Ezra himself.

In Ezra 7:6 he is called a “scribe.” That means … one who is an expert in the Law (of Moses) and (also) an astute student of the whole Bible. As much as was extant in his day.

Our Ezra here is also a preacher, as we shall see.

An expository preacher, one who explains the Text as he delivers it to the congregation.

Furthermore, Ezra is a “priest!”

All scribes were by no means priests!

In Ezra 7:5 our little hero’s lineage is traced all the way back to Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel! Talk about a goodly heritage!

In Nehemiah chapter 8 (that being a companion Book of Ezra) we see Ezra in action. There we see Ezra with the Bible in his hand! Reading an elongated Portion (maybe the whole Book of Deuteronomy) of it publically! Then expositing it (teaching it) to the congregation!

In fact, Nehemiah 8:8 has Ezra and his company “giving the sense” of the Word of God and “causing the people to understand” Holy Writ!

This is preaching/teaching “line upon line,” or “precept unto precept,” as depicted in Isaiah 28:10 and 13. Despised by the world, but loved by the children of the Lord.

This is a pre-figuration of 2 Timothy 4:2 as well. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

I suggest that in our journey through the Book of Ezra we shall see this man of God preaching and reproving and rebuking and exhorting, a “well-rounded” ministry!

Wow!

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra 7:10, surely now we know a little more about the writer of the Book of Ezra.

An early American Preacher named Phillips Brooks once defined preaching as: “the Proclamation of God’s Word mediated through the phenomenon of human personality.” I would add, “godly” human personality.

If so, Ezra was quite a Preacher!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Dr. W. A. Criswell (in our generation) preached systematically all the way through the Bible in a fashionable Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas … taking him 18 years and 6 months to complete the exposition! That’s Ezra style preaching!

Serious minded old Dr. Alexander Maclaren preached essentially through the Bible in Manchester, England in the last generation, taking him forty-six years to do so! At one Church … Union Baptist Chapel in Manchester!

Matthew Henry did the same thing, taking him twenty years to so so, says his biographer.

Long live the “Ezra” types still behind the pulpit yet today!

Amen!

 

Yes, we’re going to begin a systematic journey through the Book of Ezra. At least chapter by chapter, and in each chapter we shall be concentrating on a paragraph of verses.

But why have I called this Portion of Scripture “little studied?”

I think that is generally true of the Old Testament when compared to the New Testament. The vast amount of preaching these days (at least in America) is from the 27 Books of the New Testament. (Yet the Old Testament is equally inspired!)

Then even in the Old Testament I sense that the Books of History receive the least attention. The “narrative” Books, Genesis and Numbers and Joshua and Judges and Ruth, etc. always have been (and probably always will be) more easily studied. “Everybody loves a story,” they say. And long ago (sadly) narrative preaching upended doctrinal preaching! (And Ezra does contain some doctrine, although its particular emphasis is quite silent now as well.) Plus, the poetic Psalms and Proverbs get more attention than anything in history, ancient history, as it relates to the Word of God. The Prophets too (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Hosea, etc.) remain at least somewhat studied these days. But again, NOT the Books of History! (How long has it been since you heard a series of Sermons from 2nd Chronicles? Ever? Yes, 2nd Chronicles which ends the same way that Ezra begins!)

And certainly Ezra is (while loosely telling a little-known story) primarily historical in nature.

You will see what I mean as the days progress, Lord willing.

It is often thought (probably correctly) that Ezra-Nehemiah make a Unit of Scripture. Same time frame, same locations, closely knit heroes! But even between the two … Ezra is the loser when it comes to popularity, frequency of study, analysis!

So, tomorrow morning we shall being with an introductory Lesson, then chapter by chapter.

Ezra … I am already excited!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

It was early Thursday morning, before sunrise I mean.

Debbie and I had the car nearly packed, ready to drive from Michigan to Georgia.

And I stepped back over to the Church, where I had preached in Revival Services, over five hours of verse-by-verse exposition I am told.

I walked into the empty, quiet sanctuary, auditorium.

And it “hit,” not a rare feeling, rather quite common (to an evangelist) I suppose.

Weekly, in my case.

My heart was sad!

Yes, sad.

This set of scheduled Revival Services had come to an end.

Was over!

And I was somber, almost melancholy!

I know. There is another Revival scheduled soon, sometimes within a day or two.

New Texts (from the Bible) to preach!

A different Pastor to seek to encourage.

A new congregation, perhaps equally as eager for the Truth of God’s Word!

But still, sad!

Look at this particular Church’s Bible reading pattern for the last three years! Glory to God! Or: “the LORD be MAGNIFIED!” Psalm 40:16

There is something about being with a Bible-hungry people for a week makes you “fall in love” with them, with their desire to grow in Christ!

Is there a verse, I wondered, that makes this “feeling” feasible, Biblically permissible?

Maybe.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Philippians 1:3

I even feel this way about the folks who regularly support our Ministry, using that thought of remembrance to trigger a prayer for that individual or Church.

Even as Paul, describing himself, said to Timothy … “Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.” 2 Timothy 1:4, “greatly desiring” means “craving” essentially!

Now let me be clear.

I had that feeling last week in Illinois.

And will next week in Alabama.

God’s people sure can “get into you heart!”

I guess in a way I fell like Paul did in 2 Corinthians 11:28. “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of ALL THE CHURCHES.” I too have a care and concern and love for “all the Churches” where God lets me preach!

I must close.

Do YOU love the Christians God has placed in your life?

Are YOU dedicated to your Pastor, his encouragement and well-being?

Do YOU miss fellow Believers in Christ when you won’t see them again for perhaps a year?

Just a thought today … on what might be called “Christian emotion,” in a (I pray) right sense!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I finally (after 13 1/2 hours in the car, yesterday being a travel day) wrote a Lesson (more of a Bible “thought” really) last night (about 10:00) which most of you have not yet read, or so I suspect. I hope you’ll take the time this morning to do that, study my thoughts about the “snow.” (My favorite “snow” verse, too!)

As for today’s “nugget,” I am driving to (really through) Atlanta and then east to the Conyers area (where my motel is located for the next 3 nights) … and once arriving there, I shall (Lord willing) write today’s Lesson.

Pastor Hollingsworth and his Wife Linda, photo made last year.

I am so looking forward to the Christmas Revival … tonight through Sunday Evening in the little City of Between, Georgia. At the Baptist Church of Between, with Pastor Lynn Hollingsworth and his people..

By the way, I already think I know what the Lord wants me to discuss with you later today.

Pray for safety as I drive, please.

And, thank you!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

This month’s newsletters and CD Sermons were mailed this week (Wednesday) from a place called Howard City, Michigan. You (our supporters) should be receiving yours any day.

Written at 10:36 PM … Well, better make that promised Lesson tomorrow morning now. I am exhausted! Today’s drive (Atlanta having snow and ice) took over five hours! It should have taken two hours, tops! I’ve never seen such traffic snarls!