The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ezra 7:6-10, “This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
7 Some of the sons of Israel and some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8 He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
9 For on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.
10 For 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.”

Were you ever introduced to someone who failed to impress you? You wondered why anyone
would take the time to present such a bland person to anyone? Then, you became aware that
that very man was a person of historic lineage and of great authority! Well, Ezra would have
been a person in that category.

Ezra was a descendant of Hilkiah, who was the High Priest in the reign of Josiah. Yet, Ezra was not permitted to exercise his priestly duties due to his having been held in captivity in Babylon. Still, he gave himself thoroughly to the study of “The Word of the LORD,” producing these writings somewhere around the year of 457 B.C.

The times of Ezra were quite distinct from our own time today; yet his message was clear and emphasized the power of the Word of God as it affected all aspects of Hebrew life. Key phrases serve to outline Ezra’s entire work, and give a clear message regarding the power of the Word in every aspect of religious, social and civil life.

We would all do well to delve daily into the Scriptures as Ezra did. We have distractions that differ from his; yet we have just as much time. Give yourself the opportunity to read and study the Word of God every day. Savor the Word like you would a sweet chocolate. It will be good
for your spiritual life. And you will grow increasingly to be like Jesus.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom