Friday, November 21, 2025

Ezra 7-8

 Homiletics                                                       Study:        Exile & Return                               

Lesson    11                                                     Passage:    Ezra 7-8

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Head ’em Up - King sends and enables (Ezra 7)

1. Ezra, the lineage (1-5)

2. Ezra, the reputation (6)

3. Ezra’s, Jerusalem return outlined (7-9)

4. Ezra’s devotion, observance, teaching law its commands and decrees (10-11)

5. Decree for Jerusalem return (12-26)

a. All Israelites who volunteer may go to Jerusalem (12-14)

b. Take gold and silver that has been freely given and freewill offerings (15-16)

c. With money given by bulls, rams, lambs, grain and drink offerings to be sacrificed in Jerusalem (17)

d. Deliver silver, gold and articles entrusted for worship and anything else needed from royal treasury (18-20)

e. Tax free diligence to be from treasures (21-24)

f. Ezra given authority to appoint leaders and to teach

6. Ezra’s praise to God for provision and king’s heart and Head’s up Israel’s leaders (27-28)

Move ‘em Out – Families Registered and Levites added (Ezra 8:1-20)

1. Family heads recorded, descendants counted (8:1-14)

2. Ezra assembles and checks for Levites; none found (15)

3. Ezra summons leaders and men of learning telling them to go to Iddo requesting capable men (16-17)

4. Capable men found and temple servants; each were registered by name (18-20)

 

Dusty Trails – Journey Fasting and Prayer with accounting and praise (Ezra 8:21-36)

1. A Fast proclaimed to humble before Lord with request for safe journey (21)

2. Reason for fasting due to brag and not wanting to ask for protection from him. (22-23)

3. Setting apart 12 priest and separating out silver, gold and articles donated to house of God (24-27)

4. Instructions given to guard responsibility until we account for them in Israel (28-30)

5. The journey (dusty trails) to Jerusalem (31-32)

6. Weighed out gold, silver and articles; all was accounted for in Jerusalem (33-34)

7. Offering to the Lord and delivered orders to king’s satraps and governors (35-36)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Head ’em  Up  - King sends and enables

Ezra 7

Move ‘em Out – Families Registered and Levites added

Ezra 8:1-20

Dusty Trails – Journey Fasting and Prayer with accounting and praise

Ezra 6:12b-22

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

King’s directions enable return with precious articles accounted and offerings.

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATL that God enables our journey with provisions for our way and is worthy of worship.

Application Questions

What have you been given authority to accomplish? 

How have you prepared to journey with God?

How are you being faithful to what God has provided for you?

Principles to Remember           

God provides

God’s family is recognized and counted

Our faithfulness is an offering to God

Characteristic of God

Opens the Way

Theme

Our life journey is with God; He provides and counts us faithful as we travel with Him.

No comments: