Ezra 7:6 is as “loaded” a biographical verse as I remember anywhere in Scripture.
Honestly!
“This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.”
I realize that back on December 12, 2017 (in the second Lesson of this Ezra series) I referenced this verse, when I introduced you dear readers to the man Ezra, but these divinely inspired Lines need further attention today.
Did I tell you then? That the name “Ezra” means “help,” no doubt! In Hebrew spelled “ezra” (all the way from Eve being Adam’s HELP meet in Genesis … to God being Israel’s HELP in Hosea! A total of 126 times, I believe. But “ezra” is used as a proper noun, a name, only 22 times.)
Ezra the helper!
That’s a good testimony within itself!
But there’s more … “he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses.”
The little noun “scribe” (in Hebrew “saphar”) actually means “one who counts or writes” or even “declares” as in “teaching” others. In essence, a student of God’s Word! And a disseminator of that Book as well! Spreading God’s Truth!
But the intriguing adjective “ready” is noteworthy too. “Mahiyr” is only used 4 times in the whole Old Testament! It means “quick, prompt, speedily,” to me it has connotations of “eagerness!” This godly man loves his work and pours all his heart and strength into it!
Then we learn Ezra was a man of faith, a prayerful man, one who was not afraid to ask the King of Persia for supplies and provision for the work at hand! For we are carefully told: “the king granted him all his request.”
Which, as we shall soon see, included “silver and gold … with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem. That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.” Verses 15-17.
Wow!
Then lastly today, we learn Ezra had the smile of God all over him! Inundated with the Grace of the Almighty! Blessed, apparently, beyond measure! Back to our Text: “the Hand of the LORD his God (was) upon him.” That’s a euphemism for some powerfully abundant blessings! Nehemiah loved this clause too.
What a man!
What an example!
Folks, God ALWAYS blesses the man (or woman) who truly loves (and obeys) His precious Word!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
As in Psalm 1, the man who … “delights in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night … (then) he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Thrilling!