Ezra 7:15-28
EZRA 7:15
And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his
counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is
in Jerusalem,
The king and his counselors had been generous in giving
Ezra an offering of gold and silver which would be used for purchasing any
materials that they need for the journey and for an offering unto the LORD God
of Israel who dwells in Jerusalem.
This king was the son of Queen Esther and no doubt had been brought up with the
teachings of the LORD. This is why
he was so free to give toward the temple in Jerusalem and offerings to the LORD
because he knew all about him.
EZRA 7:16
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:
Not only was Ezra to accept the offerings of the king and
his counselors but he was given permission to receive all the gold and silver he
could find in the entire province of Babylon along with the freewill offerings
of the people who were the Jews that were still in Babylon.
Then offerings were also accepted from the people of Babylon and of the
priests for the house of God.
Anyone in Babylon who chose to willingly give any silver or gold for the house
of God in Jerusalem was gladly accepted by Ezra and his people.
EZRA 7:17
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.
The king must have been schooled pretty well by his
mother since he knew exactly what the temple workers needed in Jerusalem to
perform the functions of the law of God concerning sacrifice and offerings and
that they were to be offered upon the altar in the house of God.
They were to purchase everything necessary to fulfill the laws of
sacrifices and offerings found in the law of God.
EZRA 7:18
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.
Then after they had purchased all the needed items for
the house of God, they were then free to use the money they had left over for
other needed items either for the people or for the temple but it was not to be
spent for non-essentials but was to be used in accordance with the will of God
as needed. Just as ministry
contributions today should not be spent on lavish living for the preacher but is
to be used in the furtherance of the gospel, of course, discernment is needed
when giving so you are not giving to a false gospel or false teacher.
EZRA 7:19
The vessels also that are given thee for the service of
the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.
Then they were to use all the temple vessels which Cyrus
gave to Zerubbabel in which Ezra was to bring them back to Jerusalem.
They were to deliver every single vessel to the house of God in the
condition that they received them.
Artaxerxes saw this as delivering the vessels to the God of Jerusalem and not
just to the temple. That is how we are
to view our giving as giving unto the LORD and not just giving to a ministry.
EZRA 7:20
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.
Then Ezra is told that if there are any needs beyond what
they were able to buy with all the donations, they had permission to withdraw
funds from the king’s treasure house to purchase whatever was needed for 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,
Then Artaxerxes includes in his letter a special portion
and edict addressed to all the treasurers which are on the western side of the
Euphrates. If Ezra has need of
anything then the treasurers are to make funds available to him and it was to be
done immediately as soon as the need was known.
Ezra is once again called the scribe of the law of God of Heaven.
His reputation in the king’s court must have been impeccable.
EZRA 7:22
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.
One hundred talents of silver was equivalent to 113,076
ounces of silver or 9,423 pounds.
The value would have been over 25 million dollars.
A measure of wheat held ten ephahs, an ephah was 62.43 bushels which
would means each measure was 624.3 bushels which comes out to 62,430 bushels of
wheat. A bath is 581 gallons which means
that both the wine and oil would come out to 58,100 gallons.
In many Middle East countries, salt is more valuable than gold.
In fact, many Roman soldiers were paid in salt.
Here Ezra was allowed to withdraw as much salt as he needed without a
cap.
EZRA 7:23
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?
Then he includes in his decree that whatever is commanded
by the God of Heaven to be given to the house of God in Jerusalem that it should
be immediately supplied for the king had feared that if God’s requests were not
filled, then he feared that the wrath of God would fall upon his kingdom and he
was afraid he would lose his other sons.
He saw the value of family over material goods.
EZRA 7:24
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.
Then the king makes known to Ezra that there shall be no
toll, tribute, or custom to be collected from all those who are working in the
temple. They would be free from
having to pay any type of tribute or taxes to the king.
The king had a good understanding of the offices within the work of the
temple.
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.
The king had such confidence in Ezra that he also decreed
that he would set magistrates and judges in the land after the wisdom of God.
This way there will be proper judgment and equity throughout the land for
all the people, not just the wealthy.
He knew Ezra knew the law of God and was able to teach the judges and
magistrates on the points of the law and those who did not know the law of God,
Ezra would be able to teach them so they would be equipped to judge all matters.
EZRA 7:26
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.
Then the king decrees that anyone who is disobedient to
the law of God and to the law of the king, then they are to be speedily tried
and if found guilty they are to be punished according to their infraction.
The judgment was to fit the crime whether it be banishment from Judah or
execution but all must be done according to the law 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:
The Ezra rejoices at the king’s decrees and blesses the
God of Heaven for placing such wisdom in the heart of the king and the king in
turn decreeing it to the people. He
was also rejoicing at the fact that Artaxerxes had desired to beautify the house
of God in Jerusalem.
EZRA 7:28
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his
counsellers, 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.