Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-17
Golden Text: The hand of our God
is upon all them that seek Him, for
good. Ezra 8:22.


A widespread misunderstanding of
the chronology Of this period has
made it appear that some sixty odd
years elapsed between the building
of the temple and the second return
under Ezra. AS matter of fact, it
was only brief time. The events
of this particular period are that
the temple was completed and dedi-
Gated in the same year in which
Esther was made queen; in the fol-
lowing year Ezra led the second
exodus from Babylon. Thirteen
years later Nehemiah left to repair
the wall of the city, and had Ezra
preach from a pulpit of wood his
all-day sermon.
Ezra was an old man. His father,
Seraiah, had been slain by Nebuchad-
nezzar in Jerusalem, and Ezra, as
mere infant or very small boy, had
been taken captive to Babylon. Fifty
years later ne was one of the COM
pahy which went with Zerubbabel
back to Jerusalem. He returned to
Babylon some time later, and TWEEN
ty-One years after the first return
led another company out of Babylon
So that he could not have been less
than seventy-one years old at this
time, and may have been older. Thir-
teen years later, when he was eighty
four, he preached all day from the
pulpit of wood.
Ezra eXerted a marvellous influ-
ence on his nation. Probably no man
since Moses was so constructive in
his work and so permanent in his
impression on his people. While he
was born of the priestly family Of
Aaron, it was as "a ready scribe"
that he was best known. A scribe
was one who had made a special
study of the law of God for the
purpose of interpreting it to the peo-
pie. Ezra had such an unusual
knowledge of the law that he was
called ga ready SCRIBE" or a greaA
student Of the Scriptures.
The inspired historian gives the
secret of his greatness. He says:
Ezra had prepared his heart to
seek the law of Jehovah, and to do
it, and to teach in Israel statutes
and judgments" He wisely cult
waited his own personal religion first.
He made up his mind that he would
know the law of his God, and he set
himself to the task with a might.
Never was task more needed than
this today. There are scores Of
teachers who have very inadequate
conception of the great body of
Scripture truth, and for no other
reason than that they have not pre-
pared their hearts to seek to know
it. Ezra studied diligently so that
he would know it.
But Ezra did not stop there. In
tellectual knowledge of Scripture
truth is not enough, desirable though
1t be. Ezra prepared his heart to
know it, and to do it. In religious
teaching particularly, it is expert
mental knowledge that counts. You
may know the truth intellectually.
but unless you have put it to the
test in your own life and proven the
truth of it experimentally, you are
not prepared to teach it. When it
grips you, you grip someone else. 1t
doesn't take even an average pupil
long time to ascertain this fact.
The teacher who has been gripped
by truth knows it so we'll that he
presents lt>With an enthusiasm born
only of experience. The very warmth
or his own experience begets an in
terest in 1t which makes the pupil
feel the Importance Of it at once.
Nor can this enthusiasm be worked
up; it must grow out of the fact
that the teacher has learned the
truth first intellectually and then
'eXperimentally. Even a tyro can
easily distinguish the difference be-
tween an enthusiasm which is work
ed up and one which works out. The
first makes no impression, the latter
grips Immediately.
Ezra had saturated his mind with
the law of his God; he had put it to
the test in his own life by obey
ing it, and had found that it works.
Therefore. when he began to teach
1t in Israel, Israel followed it's teach
ings and recognized Ezra as a ready
scribe, a great teacher of Gods word.
A Successful Leader
Not only did Ezra's determined
purpose to know and to do and to
teach the law of Jehovah make him a
great teacher, but it made of him
also a successful leader. His init
mate association with Mordecai made
it possible for him to obtain, no
doubt, through Esther's influence, a
most unusual title from the king. He
made it possible for any who so de-
sired to return to Jerusalem on
| this second expedition; for he was
| sending Ezra to inquire concerning
Judah and Jerusalem, and to carry
the offering which he and his coun
sellers were making to the God OF
Israel. He also decreed that any
thing that Ezra needed should be
given him out of the royal treasury
and ordered all Of his treasurers be
yond the river to honor Ezra IS
drafts for any amount he required
He further exempted from taxation
all the priests and Levites an(
iNethrinian; and empowered Ezra tC
organize the province of Palestine by
the appointment of men who knew
the law of God. Those that did no.
know it must be taught it by Ezra
And whatsoever would not do the
law of God, should be punished, ever
with death if necessary.
Ezra was overcome with a sense
of Gods goodness to him when HI
read this remarkable document, fol
he realized that it could not have
been secured except for the goot
hand of his God.
| There were less than 1900 men il
the company that started with hin
on the first day of the first month O.
the seventh year of the reign of Ar
taxerxes. They went as far as tn,
river Ahava and there encampeC