Pam Padgett ... teacher
The scribe Ezra went from Babylon to Jerusalem together with some of the children of Israel, having prepared his heart to seek and do
the law of the Lord and to teach the statutes and judgments of God in
Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:6 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. 7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of
the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the
Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8
And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh
year of the king. 9 For upon the first day of the first month began he
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. 10 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.
God put in the heart of
Artaxerxes, king of Persia, what he should decree both for the journey and for the people under his rule after Ezra arrived in Jerusalem.
Artaxerxes allowed the children of Israel to return to Jerusalem. And he sent silver, gold, and vessels for the service of the house
of God ...
Ezra 7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a
time. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of
his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own
freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 14 Forasmuch as thou art
sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning
Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine
hand; 15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his
counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation
is in Jerusalem, 16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in
all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people,
and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which
is in Jerusalem: 17 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. 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy
brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after
the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that are given thee for the
service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of
Jerusalem. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy
God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the
king's treasure house.
Artaxerxes also gave commandments to those beyond the river to help
them, and to not impose toll, tribute, or custom on any of the priests,
Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of the house of God
...
Ezra 7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to
all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of
you, it be done speedily, 22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to
an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an
hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites,
singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall
not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
In
addition, Artaxerxes told Ezra to set magistrates and judges to judge
all the people beyond the river according to the laws of God ...
Ezra 7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God,
that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all
the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy
God; and teach ye them that know them not. 26 And whosoever will not do
the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed
speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to
confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Ezra
confessed that all of this was done by God. God had put these things
in the heart of Artaxerxes. God had shown mercy to Ezra and
strengthened him. All was prepared and set in order by the hand of
God ...
Ezra 7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put
such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the
LORD which is in Jerusalem: 28 And hath extended mercy unto me before
the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I
gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.