The Book of Ezra
Chapter 7
¹ After this, in the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ² son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³ son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴ son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵ son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron-⁶ this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 from verse 1 to verse 6)
Oh God my Father, You know me inside out, You know my descendants, and You even know about my present. I thank You for making me as I am, however, as You know there is always an opportunity for growth and change. However, I thank You for loving me as I am Amen.
⁷ Some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 7)
Oh God, my Father, brothers and sisters everyone is welcome to come to the throne of God, the new Jerusalem, the pathway to salvation. Regardless of one's status or profession, God makes no discrimination Amen.
⁸ They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 8)
Oh God my Father You are available for me every day of the year and I do not always come to You. I pray that You motivate me not to live without You and Your presence Amen.
⁹ On the first day of the first month the journey up from Babylon was begun, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 9)
Oh God, my Father brothers and sisters there are days in our lives which we consider as being special, such as birthdays and anniversaries or the day of our graduation or marriage, however, there are days such as that of our baptism that we may not give the same value, however, they still are of important significance and value and should be celebrated with the same fervour Amen.
¹⁰ For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 10)
Oh God, my Father, I thank You for this opportunity to reflect, meditate and pray on Your Word and to share it with others. I pray that You teach me to live every single word that You urge me to reflect on so that the Bible and its message will be alive in me Amen.
¹¹ This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to the priest Ezra, the scribe, a scholar of the text of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 11)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this blog is a daily meditation of the Word of God as inspired to me by the Holy God my Father, during my prayer time. A Social Worker humble servant of God with no background in theology or philosophy. This is all the fruit of prayer. Thanks, Jesus.
¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, You are the only King of Kings and like You there is no other. Many have claimed to be super and powerful but none are like You Amen.
¹³ And now I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 13)
Oh God Father of time days minutes and seconds. When You deem that the time of our deliverance has come You will make it possible Amen. Give us the faith and trust and patience to wait for Your deliverance instead of trying to get it by ourselves Amen.
¹⁴ For you are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand, ¹⁵ and also to convey the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, given willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 14 to 16)
Oh brothers and sisters what appears to be the willful act of humanity with all the good and bad intentions, has the backing of the Holy Will of God, which commanded that God's people return back to the land that He had promised them. I pray that we observe events that take place in our lives seriously and pray to see the act of Your hand in them Amen, instead of seeing them and valuing them as a chance happening Amen.
¹⁷ With this money, then you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, and their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 17)
Oh God, my Father, this change of heart was indeed a blessing coming from You. Such liberty to worship and offer sacrifices to You is really a gift. I pray oh God that the time of this pandemic reaches its end so that I can also come to offer praise and worship in the temple as before Amen. Thank You, Jesus.
¹⁸ Whatever seems good to you and your colleagues to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 18)
Oh God my Father may it always be according to Your will Amen, whatever happens during our life Amen. May we always seek Your will in all the decisions of our life Amen.
¹⁹ The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 19)
Oh God my Father all that is mine has been given to me by You, therefore, I have nothing of my own but my sins. I pray on the other hand that I may use the skills and knowledge that You have given to me for Your glory and in order to be of help and support to others Amen.
²⁰ And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you are responsible for providing, you may provide out of the king's treasury.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 20)
Oh God, my Father I thank You for Your divine providence from which we benefit every day of our life, for it is You who is sustaining both our bodies and our souls Amen.
²¹ "I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River; Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, ²² up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cars of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited salt.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verses 21 to 22)
Oh God my Father, Your divine providence is unlimited, for it is not the kings of this world but because of Your will that this material help was given to Your people Amen. I thank You for such help and support even to this day my God and Father, You are always there for me Amen.
²³ Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, or wrath will come upon the realm of the king and his heirs.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 23)
In many cases oh God my Father when something is given for "Free" somewhere there is a catch that would be only seen in the tiny print of terms and conditions. The king was using Israel as a good luck charm in order to ensure the well being of his kingdom. I pray that we do not use You as a good luck charm in order to ensure the well being of our lives Amen.
²⁴ We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 24)
Oh God, my Father, this is indeed a manifestation of Your power at work at its best, for under normal conditions would a ruler have given such an exemption to such a great number without imposing financial stress on the rest of the people. Right now the government of Malta is generously giving financial support to those in need and for this, I thank and praise You, however I dread the moment that we are to pay dearly as a nation for this abundance in generosity Amen.
²⁵ "And you, Ezra, according to the God-given wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God; and you shall teach those who do not know them.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 25)
Oh God my Father as in the case of Ezra, during our time's priests would be perfect judges, for they can guide us in Your ways and give us a sense of redemption and even guilt to turn away from our sinful ways Amen. I pray that our judicial system be more just and based upon Your Word Amen.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 from verse 1 to verse 6)
Oh God my Father, You know me inside out, You know my descendants, and You even know about my present. I thank You for making me as I am, however, as You know there is always an opportunity for growth and change. However, I thank You for loving me as I am Amen.
⁷ Some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants also went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 7)
Oh God, my Father, brothers and sisters everyone is welcome to come to the throne of God, the new Jerusalem, the pathway to salvation. Regardless of one's status or profession, God makes no discrimination Amen.
⁸ They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 8)
Oh God my Father You are available for me every day of the year and I do not always come to You. I pray that You motivate me not to live without You and Your presence Amen.
⁹ On the first day of the first month the journey up from Babylon was begun, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 9)
Oh God, my Father brothers and sisters there are days in our lives which we consider as being special, such as birthdays and anniversaries or the day of our graduation or marriage, however, there are days such as that of our baptism that we may not give the same value, however, they still are of important significance and value and should be celebrated with the same fervour Amen.
¹⁰ For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 10)
Oh God, my Father, I thank You for this opportunity to reflect, meditate and pray on Your Word and to share it with others. I pray that You teach me to live every single word that You urge me to reflect on so that the Bible and its message will be alive in me Amen.
¹¹ This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to the priest Ezra, the scribe, a scholar of the text of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 11)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this blog is a daily meditation of the Word of God as inspired to me by the Holy God my Father, during my prayer time. A Social Worker humble servant of God with no background in theology or philosophy. This is all the fruit of prayer. Thanks, Jesus.
¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, You are the only King of Kings and like You there is no other. Many have claimed to be super and powerful but none are like You Amen.
¹³ And now I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 13)
Oh God Father of time days minutes and seconds. When You deem that the time of our deliverance has come You will make it possible Amen. Give us the faith and trust and patience to wait for Your deliverance instead of trying to get it by ourselves Amen.
¹⁴ For you are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand, ¹⁵ and also to convey the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, given willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 14 to 16)
Oh brothers and sisters what appears to be the willful act of humanity with all the good and bad intentions, has the backing of the Holy Will of God, which commanded that God's people return back to the land that He had promised them. I pray that we observe events that take place in our lives seriously and pray to see the act of Your hand in them Amen, instead of seeing them and valuing them as a chance happening Amen.
¹⁷ With this money, then you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, and their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 17)
Oh God, my Father, this change of heart was indeed a blessing coming from You. Such liberty to worship and offer sacrifices to You is really a gift. I pray oh God that the time of this pandemic reaches its end so that I can also come to offer praise and worship in the temple as before Amen. Thank You, Jesus.
¹⁸ Whatever seems good to you and your colleagues to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 18)
Oh God my Father may it always be according to Your will Amen, whatever happens during our life Amen. May we always seek Your will in all the decisions of our life Amen.
¹⁹ The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 19)
Oh God my Father all that is mine has been given to me by You, therefore, I have nothing of my own but my sins. I pray on the other hand that I may use the skills and knowledge that You have given to me for Your glory and in order to be of help and support to others Amen.
²⁰ And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you are responsible for providing, you may provide out of the king's treasury.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 20)
Oh God, my Father I thank You for Your divine providence from which we benefit every day of our life, for it is You who is sustaining both our bodies and our souls Amen.
²¹ "I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River; Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, ²² up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cars of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and unlimited salt.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verses 21 to 22)
Oh God my Father, Your divine providence is unlimited, for it is not the kings of this world but because of Your will that this material help was given to Your people Amen. I thank You for such help and support even to this day my God and Father, You are always there for me Amen.
²³ Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, or wrath will come upon the realm of the king and his heirs.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 23)
In many cases oh God my Father when something is given for "Free" somewhere there is a catch that would be only seen in the tiny print of terms and conditions. The king was using Israel as a good luck charm in order to ensure the well being of his kingdom. I pray that we do not use You as a good luck charm in order to ensure the well being of our lives Amen.
²⁴ We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 24)
Oh God, my Father, this is indeed a manifestation of Your power at work at its best, for under normal conditions would a ruler have given such an exemption to such a great number without imposing financial stress on the rest of the people. Right now the government of Malta is generously giving financial support to those in need and for this, I thank and praise You, however I dread the moment that we are to pay dearly as a nation for this abundance in generosity Amen.
²⁵ "And you, Ezra, according to the God-given wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God; and you shall teach those who do not know them.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 25)
Oh God my Father as in the case of Ezra, during our time's priests would be perfect judges, for they can guide us in Your ways and give us a sense of redemption and even guilt to turn away from our sinful ways Amen. I pray that our judicial system be more just and based upon Your Word Amen.
²⁶ All who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on them, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of their goods or for imprisonment."
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verse 26)
Oh God, my Father, You gave us Your laws and the laws of the state that as human beings we are to respect so that we will have a social order. I pray for those who are abusing that social order and who are causing a lot of unrest with the police due to racial discrimination Amen.
²⁷ Blessed be the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, ²⁸ and who extended to me steadfast love before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
(The Book of Ezra Chapter 7 verses 27 to 28)
Oh God my Father I bless Your name and thank You for all the wonders and ideas that You give me. As I was meditating on this verse You gave me the idea of seeing my counsellor on a longer-term than planned, for by means of this person You give me much support. Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this seventh chapter of the book of Ezra with the following prayer:-
Oh God my Father I dedicate this chapter to all the priests in the Church especially to the 10 new ones that are going to be ordained today. I pray that they be people who find time for their relationship with You so that this can keep on growing and that they bear a lot of fruit. Amen. Thank You Jesus for new vocations Amen.
