Bible Studies
Would You Have Gone Up? (Ezra 8:1)
Series: Studies In EzraIntroduction:
1. Loyalty to God and His people demands commitment! And commitment was what was demanded of those who went up from Babylon.a. They first had to be committed to God and His plan for their lives.
b. But they also had to be committed to Ezra and his leadership.
2. The question I want to ask you today is “Would you have gone up?” Had you been one of those people in Babylon, would you have gone up with Ezra? Would you have met the challenges that they faced? Would you have left your comfortable and established life in Babylon for the uncertainties of Jerusalem? 3. I believe there are evidences in this text that give us insight into who these people were and as we identify those evidences it will be good for us to evaluate ourselves and the level of our commitment in comparison to theirs.Discussion:
I. Chapter 8:2-14 gives a list of those who went up with Ezra. They recognized their spiritual heritage and this was one of the things that led them to go up.A. They are listed according to their genealogical record and by households.
1. The leaders of the household are identified.
a. The implication is that the household went up and not just that individual.
b. Verse 24 identifies 12 leading priests. They are from Gershom and Daniel the heads of priestly houses.
2. At the head of the list are the priests and the sons of David (v. 2).
a. To be of priestly lineage was particularly significant.
1) Gershom was the head of one household. He was of the sons of Phineas (race identification).
2) Daniel was the head of one household. He was of the sons of Ithamar (race identification).
b. To be a part of the royal lineage was particularly significant.
1) David, of course, was the great king.
2) Hattush is identified as the head of a house descended from David.
3. Twelve houses are identified that are not of priestly or royal lineage (3-14).
a. One might understand those of priestly or royal lineage going up to Jerusalem.
b. But these people were committed too.
c. Although not priests or kings they had a spiritual heritage that was associated with Jerusalem too.
B. Do you recognize a spiritual heritage with the people of God and Jerusalem?
1. We need to see ourselves as part of the ancient people of God.
2. We may not be able to trace our genealogical record to priestly lineage.
3. We may not be able to trace our record to the royal household.
4. Or to even the common people of Israel.
5. But we need to see ourselves as part of this spiritual heritage.
a. Paul wrote of wild olives grafted in to the natural root of Israel (Rom. 11:17ff).
b. He said that through Christ we have access to the Father, so that we are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:18-20).
c. Through faith we are part of the new creation and are numbered among the Israel of God (Gal. 6:15-16).
C. If there is no recognition of identity with the people of God there is no reason to “go up.” The Babylonians did not “go up.” The foreign nations did not “go up.” Only those who recognized that they were part of the family of God went up. Cf. Ex. 29:45; Isa. 52:11; 2 Cor. 6:14-18. The family of God separates itself from the world.
II. Those who “went up” followed Ezra. Would you have followed him?A. 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 (7:10).
1. Is this the kind of man you are willing to follow?
2. In our day our heroes are sports figures, actors, wealthy business people, politicians, and the like.
3. Could it be that these people followed Ezra because he had set his heart on the law of the Lord and that is what they had set their hearts on too?
B. Ezra was a man who trusted in the Lord to protect from enemies (8:22). They entrusted their possessions and their little ones to the protection of God (8:21). Do you do that?
1. Perhaps you consider it more “reasonable” to trust in troops and horsemen.
2. You might consider it absurd to make a 900 mile plus journey carrying silver and gold and your children through hostile territory.
3. Ezra said, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all who seek Him, but His power and anger are against all who forsake Him” (8:22). Would you follow a man like that?
4. Do you consider it childish and naive to have such faith? Then you would not follow Ezra.
5. It takes courage to face the fears that paralyze others and leave them among the Babylonians.
C. Ezra was a man who fasted and prayed (8:23).
1. Ezra fasted and prayed as he entreated God’s blessings on their trip to Jerusalem.
2. Are you following that kind of person today? If not, you would not have followed Ezra and you would not have go up from Babylon.
3. Perhaps you consider those who pray wimpy and unmasculine.
D. Those who went up assembled with Ezra at Ahava (8:15ff).
1. This was a place of preparation and gathering before going up to Jerusalem.
2. Among the group there were teachers.
a. Teachers were necessary for the instruction of the people after arrival in Jerusalem.
b. Teachers were congruent with Ezra’s mission of studying, practicing and teaching the law of God.
c. In this instance it was teachers who were sent to enlist the help of ministers for the house of God (16-20).
d. Cf. Eph. 4:11-16.
e. In the language of Heb. 10:26 Ezra’s teachers were stimulating others to love and good deeds.
3. May such teachers be found in all such assemblies of the people of God.
4. When the time to go up comes will you be found assembled with the people of God?
III. Among those who went up there was an elite group of 12 set apart to care for the treasure of the Lord (8:24ff).A. They accepted a special responsibility.
1. They were “leading priests.” They had distinguished themselves among the priests. They were the elite among the elite.
2. Had robbers attacked it is likely that they would have been looking for the treasures and this group would have been especially vulnerable.
3. These must have been responsible people. It is hard to entrust treasures to known thieves. They were people of disciplined life.
B. Everything was numbered and weighed. They acted as faithful stewards of the treasures of God.
1. There are special roles and special responsibilities among the people of God.
2. Do you act faithfully with the special responsibilities you have? Do you accept such responsibilities willingly? Do you act diligently?
Conclusion:
1. The exiles offered burnt offerings to the Lord. 2. They delivered the king’s edicts. 3. They supported the people and the house of God. 4. Would you have gone up with these people? If you are not doing the kind of things these people did don’t fool yourself into believing that you would have joined them. They were committed to God. 5. If you are committed to God like they were you would have gone up. Do you see yourself as having their same spiritual heritage? Are you following people like Ezra? Are you prepared to take special care of the treasure of God?
