A Holy Heritage

"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel."
– Ezra 7:10

Ezra’s lineage is impressive! When many could not prove their heritage (Ezra 2:61-63), Ezra could trace his back to Aaron the high priest (Ezra 7:1-5). Although his lineage was important, it did not qualify him for the ministry.

A pedigree can be significant, yet it is not everything. It has been said that “Christians usually grow the way they are born. If they are born in an atmosphere of dictatorial leadership, they grow up depending on man’s wisdom and strength. If they are born in an atmosphere of humility and love, they learn to depend on the Lord.” It can help to know where you came from, yet that does not always determine where you are headed. Knowing who he was helped Ezra become a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, but what truly called him into service was that the hand of the Lord his God was upon him (Ezra 7:6). God called Ezra, and it is God who calls us today. The Lord is the only One who calls us into salvation and anoints us to serve Him (Ephesians 2:10).

We are told that Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel. It is almost as if he desired them to fall in love with the Scriptures that would point them to their first love. When I first became a pastor, someone said to me, “Mark, if you can get the people to fall in love with the Bible, you have done all you can do.” It has stuck with me ever since, and that is my mission. The Holy Spirit sheds light on the words written in the Bible. If we fall in love with the Scriptures, we will read them, and it will change our lives. It will direct us to Jesus Christ, the Word (John 1:1-5;14). He is all we will ever need.

"The great mistake made by most of the Lord's people is in hoping to discover in themselves that which is to be found in Christ alone."
– Arthur Pink