Ezra and God’s Good Law
This is an audio recording of Ezra and God’s Good Law the Day 8 entry in Today: Devotions for Seafarers (Vol. 2) by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Donielle Hart Goad or read the text below:
“[King Artaxerxes decreed] “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 Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.” 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 advisers 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. ”
Have you worked hard for many years on a ship but felt that your life didn't seem to be moving forward? Perhaps you have saved your earnings for a long time to reach a major goal for your family, but you still find it a struggle to afford things.
Many seafarers save diligently to be able to build a house for their family, yet they often find that building is just one step. Buying furniture for the house and keeping it up can be even more challenging.
In the Bible, a man named Ezra had the great privilege of leading his people back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. But going back to their homeland was not just about reclaiming the land. It was also about reclaiming the law God had given to his people Israel. Ezra was to set up leaders and judges to administer the law of God. The people's return from exile would not be complete until they had rededicated themselves to living for God.
Ezra's story is one of many in a series of journeys, exiles, and returns in the Old Testament. For the people of Israel, these events were often the result of varying levels of commitment to God's law.
We also might feel the tug of exile and return in our life. With so many changes going on in this world, we may wonder where God is leading us. Through it all, God's call to live for him remains constant.
The stories of God's people show us that even if we love God and know his instructions, we will still fail to keep God's law. Yet we ought not despair. Jesus himself has made us right with God. Our response is to follow God's good law: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves (see Matthew 22:37-39). And we can trust God to lead us.
For Further Thought
Why are God's commandments important for us?
Do God's commandments make life harder, or more enjoyable?
Why is it important to know how God wants us to live?
Prayer
Divine Judge, we confess that we have not always lived according to your law. Please do not judge us by our actions but by Christ's perfect sacrifice. In his name alone we pray. Amen.
